Photos: WSC 2011: Before the Tournament

The Inn Under the Red Hog

Wild boar and dumplings, The Inn Under the Red Hog

Random billboard near The Inn Under the Red Hog

Random architecture near The Inn Under the Red Hog

The exterior of the Warsaw Hilton

Waiting for registration: Adam Logan (CAN) Chris Lipe (USA), Naomi Landau (ISR) and others.

Event bag.

Waiting for registration: Bradley Whitmarsh (USA), Adam Logan (CAN), Jim Kramer (USA), Chris Lipe (USA), Sam Rosin (USA), Mohammad Sulaiman (ARE), Geoff Thevenot (USA), Laurie Cohen (USA) and others.

Name badges at registration

At registration: TD Wilma Vialle, Chris Cree (USA) and his friend Elizabeth Phifer

Waiting for registration: Nigel Richards (Wru), Chris May (AUS), Andrew Fisher (AUS), Joshua Otieno Manase (KEN) and others.

Waiting for registration: Edward Martin (Eng), Mark Nyman (Eng), Chris Cree (USA) and others.

At registration: Sam Rosin (USA), Chris Lipe (USA), Brian Bowman (USA), Naomi Landau (ISR), Evan Cohen (ISR) and others.

At registration: Suzanne Dundas (NLD), Tony Leah (CAN), Gareth Williams (Wal) and others.

Herve Bohbot (FRA)

Blue Thorogood (NZL), posing for new head shot.

Philip Nelkon's welcomes the players.

Philip Nelkon's welcomes the players.

Players being welcomed by Philip Nelkon.

Players being welcomed by Philip Nelkon: Bradley Whitmarsh (USA), Sam Rosin (USA) and others.

"Every Word Counts!"

Checking tile distribution

Players arrive in the playing room

Team New Zealand: Craig Beevers (Eng), Blue Thorogood (NZL), Howard Warner (NZL), Lynne Butler (NZL)

South African warmup game: Trevor Mark Hovelmeier (ZAF), Brett Smitheram (Eng) and Rodney Romany (TTO) watch, Steven Gruzd (ZAF) and Dylan Early (ZAF) play

Opening ceremony

Opening ceremony

Opening ceremony

Opening ceremony: Philip Nelkon

Opening ceremony: Philip Nelkon

Opening ceremony: Philip Nelkon

Opening ceremony: Tomasz Zwolinski

Opening ceremony emcee

Opening ceremony: Sanjay Luthra

Opening ceremony: Sanjay Luthra

Opening ceremony Q&A

Polish Scrabble Federation president Krzysztof Sporczyk being interviewed for television.

Converting the opening ceremony theatre into playing space

First coffee break

Wilma Vialle lays down the law.

Players awaiting the start of Round 1