Previewing the fourth Hood River Open (we’re back!)

The last time we set foot in Hood River, Oregon was in February 2020. At the time, life was still relatively normal in the United States, and we were all excited to gather in person for the CoCo’s very first live tournament. The group played many games of Scrabble and had a lot of fun. It was a successful weekend.

Only a few weeks later, the world shut down. We canceled our slate of 2020 tournaments and had no idea when we’d see each other again.

That’s why, two full years later, it feels especially sweet to be returning to Panorama Lodge.

It’s become a bit magical to return to the same snowy log cabin year after year, roaming the rooms you’ve occupied before, and instantly falling back into a place that’s like home. You can see the comfort reflected among the players, too. People know where everything is and can help themselves to snacks and drinks and cushy pillows and blankets and plush towels and pretty much everything they could want to have a great time.

Back when we hatched the idea for the first Hood River tournament, we had no idea if people would travel to Oregon to spend a cabin-fever-inducing weekend cooped up together in an isolated mountain lodge. We invited every single Collins player for whom we had an email address, just hoping that we could get 20 of them to show up. (Seriously, if you’re a Collins player in North America, check your email from late 2017 and you’ll probably find an email from us inviting you to the inaugural Hood River.)

Somehow, the tournament has defied our expectations. Each year, we’ve had a ridiculously highly rated field, including as many as six national champions. And the competition has always been fierce, with a different winner emerging each year. The exact cohort of players changes each time, but only by a little bit - in fact, of the 20 players in the field this year, 12 have attended all four Hood Rivers. We’re glad to welcome several first-timers this year into what always coalesces into a cohesive group, with everyone pitching in to make the weekend run smoothly.

For a little added flair, we hang a welcome banner and photo string with pictures from prior tournaments. Every bedroom has a chalkboard door tag with the names of the players sleeping there. We also include a custom-crafted souvenir for every player. For the first three Hood Rivers, I paid homage to the lodge’s woody environment with carved wooden keepsakes. This year, I tried something different, painting a Scrabble tile coaster for each player.

And for the winners, there are hand-crafted prizes, too. This year’s champion will take home a wood-burned tree stump, a unique trophy that’s become part of Hood River tradition.

Before, between, and after games, players will enjoy a weekend of home-cooked meals. This year’s highlights will include an upscale taco bar with braised chicken thighs and carne asada, a medley of pastas with fresh-baked whole wheat bread, and even homemade Thin Mints for dessert. It’s all capped off on Sunday night with a cookout on the grill on the lodge’s back porch. Plus, we’ll enjoy group outings at local brewpubs Pfriem and Double Mountain.

We can’t wait to return to Panorama Lodge. In many ways, the house hasn’t changed at all. The fire pit will be roaring, the snack table will be overflowing with tasty treats, and the microwave will still be bafflingly located on the front porch. In other ways, though, this time around will be a little different. The hats that decorated the ceiling (and the heads of many players) are gone, for hygiene reasons. We’ll be adjudicating word challenges on our personal devices to avoid touching a common computer. But, the fun will be the same as always.

The fourth almost-annual Hood River gets underway on Saturday morning. If you’re playing, we can’t wait to see you. Otherwise, watch this space - we’ll be posting updates all weekend long on our Live Coverage page and social media feeds. Follow along and join in the games, food, friends, and fun.