No 66 - June 1999
The bi-monthly magazine of the ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH SCRABBLE PLAYERS
ScrabUa (R) b ■ raabterad Irado mufc et J W 8pear and Sons PLC, Utketlor LE3 2WT THE LOST WORD IN NEW NRMES
We have several good and peculiar entries for the new name. However, the one we chose (narrowly beating 'Word Perfect" into second place!) was one of several chosen by our features editor, Amy Byrne. Ummrnm.. there's democracy at work for you.
1999 HGM: DRRFT HGENDR
1. To receive the Chairman's report
The report win be In the August newsletter
2. To receive and consider the accounts of the Association for 1998, the Auditor's report on the accounts, and the Treasurer's report on the financial position of the Association.
The accounts and reports will be In the August newsletter.
3. To elect officers and other members of the Committee.
The current Committee comprises: Margaret Browne, Ian Bum, Amy Byrne, Bie Dangoor, Pete Rntey, Martin Fowkes, Lots McLeod, Vanessa Peters, Graeme Thomas, Fran Thompson, Gareth Williams, and Mike Willis. All except Martin Fowkes are standing for re-election, and there are no new candidates.
Those wishing to Join the Committee may do so by putting their names forward, in writing, to the Secretary or Chairman a week before the meeting. The names of any additional candidates will be announced at the meeting.
4. To confirm that the Auditor remains In office.
5. To fix the subscription for next year.
It Is proposed that the subscription remain at £10.00
6. To alter the rules.
7. Any Other Business
This Is a draft agenda. The fuU agenda will be In the August newsletter. The AGM will take place at 8pm In Hugh Stewart Hall, Nottingham University, onSunday 29" August 1999. Members wishing to submit motions should do so to the Secretary, Gareth Williams, IS Melbourne Road, Uantshen, Cardiff, CF14 5NH,by 17* July 1999. The Committee will be proffering a motion on the adoption of a new word list, but the exact wording is not yet known.
Members who are unable to attend the meeting may submit proxy votes through the Chairman. Details of that will be given in the August newsletter.
MIND SPORTS OLVMPIHD NEWS
Hot off the press ... latest news on the Mind Sports Olympiad. As TLW was going to press there were rumours that there would be OSW and SOWPODS divisions this year.
We are delighted to announce that the venue for the 3rd Mind Sports Olympiad will be the Conference Centre at Olympia, one of London's premier exhibition and conference sites.
The dates, as announced at the end of last year's event, are August 21st-29th. By extending the event to nine days we have made it possible to accommodate more players and to organise more tournaments.
We plan to have events for most games throughout the Olympiad. Typically, for each game, there will be some tournaments on the first weekend, then some 5-day events on the middle Monday-Friday (August 23-27) and finally some more tournaments on the final weekend. But every game will have its own requirements and at this stage we are still flexible in our tournament planning. For example, we are organising a very strong chess tournament with 9 rounds, extending throughout the Olympiad, in which players will be able to obtain norms towards international titles. This tournament is in addition to the quickplay and 5-minute chess tournaments which we have held in the past.
This year there will bea substantial prize fund. We will be dramatically upgrading our web site over the next few months. We are also opening a Ml time central London office on May 14th.
Further details will follow during May. In the meantime will all organisers please contact me with suggestions as to how they would like to see the tournaments for their particular gamefs) to be scheduled.
NSC FILLING UP FRST
At the time of going to press the available places for this year's National Scrabble Championships are beginning to runout (contrary toreportsthat they have run out already!). If you've thought of entering this once-in-a-lifeOme event (okay, once a year event) then please get in touch with PC as soon as possible. Contact details are on the back page. CENTENRRV QUIZ BLOWOUT
We were overwhelmed with the response for the teaser on the back page of the last issue. (Okay, sono-one got it!) As every good Scrabbter kno, 23 April 1889 is the 100* anniversary of the birth of Alfred Mosher Butts. Paul OaMar 117 Pasaingham Avonuo
(Any opinions expressed by ABSP Committee members are made in a personal capacity and do not represent the views of We Committee unless otherwise stated.)
Last time round I asked for more pros and cons on the great SOWPODS debate which, onewould suspect is nearing a conclusion if we are to adopt a combined list from next January, or stick with 0SW4 without OSPD words. To start with, our former editor chips In with a lot of the answers to last time's questions...
I noticed that there were some anti-Sowpods tetters in your last issue. In my opinion, the players who will benefit most arethebeginners who have reached the stage of actually looking for bonuses.
There is nothing more annoying than to have words disallowed which seem perfectly reasonable. Evenan ex-NSC winner, Richard Sharp, who was familiar with paper sizes, was annoyed to have SEXTO disallowed in postal Scrabble; the equivalent SIMTO is also missing.
Nearly 140 7-letter words are listed as usefuladditions. Of these, 19 are in the Shorter Oxford; a further 23 are In Hamlyn's. Of the remainder, some have hyphens removed like DOGEARS and SEAGIRT. Others are plurals of familiar words like AREOLAS and HERNIAE. In addition there are 5 RE- words, 3 OUT- words and 2 UN- words. What new player hasnt tried words like JEEP, LEANERS, LOANERS,RELOANS, DIALERS, OUTSEEN or even NEGATOR? Computer users will welcome READOUT.
Sometimes players try words which sound reasonable. With AEEGNRT one might try "rentage", but though the word exists it hasnt reached Chambers' I remember Bob Violett trying PARGETER successfully because he knew it was someone's name. It takes a player In the Thailand final to come up with FATWAING!
Finally, we can reclaim some ofthe words we were deprived of in 1995 - BOONIES, CHEEROS, GUANINS, GUIMPES, MORULAS, REDEYES, SEMILOG, SHAWING, SIDEWAY, SOLANDS, SORDINE, SPINAGE, SUPERED, THERMOS, TORULAS and UNDREST.
Peter Dean, Peterborough, Cambs
I was disappointed to read the letters by Moya Dewar, Mary Jones, Peter Sime, John Howell, and Janet Braund on the subject of SOWPODS. They, like the letters published in the previous edition, reveal a deep misunderstanding of the problem.
Moya and Mary "fail to understand your claim that the majority of ABSP members voted for [SOWPODS]". That, at least, is easy to deal with. The ABSP and Philip Nelkon, for Mattel, each conducted a survey, and in each the majority voted for SOWPODS. The ABSP survey also asked for rating information, and the results showed that there was no obvious correlation between rating and a desire for SOWPODS. (Most of the very top players want It, but the restof the support is scattered throughout the ratings.)
Various of the letters mentioned the "American vocabulary". Many of the words mentioned in this context are already in Chambers (and, indeed, quite a lot of them aren't in the American book).
Peter Sime said that "Most countries play Scrabble in American". This is false; most of them play using SOWPODS. Only the UK plays to OSW, and only the USA, Canada, Israel, and a couple of minor countries use OTaCWL. The vast majority use the combined book, and the impetus is not so much to join the Americans, but rather to join the rest of the world.
John Howell suggests that the ABSP splits. That is precisely what we don't want to happen.
Finally, Janet Braund claims that the introduction of SOWPODS would "destroy the game of Scrabble". Why? Has she tried it? The main difference is, as Phil Appleby says, the gamesbecome a little more open.
Graeme Thomas, Hatfleld, Herts
I was talking to an old Scrabble-playing friend at a tournament recently. She was worried that the adoption of SOWPODS would mean that her challenges would be penalised if they were incorrect.
When I told her that SOWPODS meant only the addition of some more words - some of which are 'very* useful - and did not mean that we would be adopting the American double-challenge rule, she was very relieved. So relieved that she is now thinking seriously of 'converting'.
So, for the benefit of readers, let me repeat: SOWPODS does not mean the introduction of a double-challenge rule, only the enlargement of the word book.
The decision to make 0SW4 Chambers-only is a slight setback, but I believe the day must come when there is one single word list being used by all English-speaking nations when playing Scrabble.
Helen Grayson, Leeds
Variousreaders have written to the Newsletter in an anti-Sowpods vein. Their letters seem to imply that adoption of Sowpods will deluge UK players with a whole variety of un-British and decidedly American words. For "American", read "undesirable".
I just wish that these complainants actually took some time out to look at some of the OSPD words that would be admitted if Sowpods was adopted.
I have some 7-letter and 8-letter Sowpods lists in front of me as I write. Let's have a look at some of thesesubversive OSPD-only words that someABSPmembers decry and deny. From the 7-letter list, I see:
ASSUMER, DEICERS, FATLESS, HARDIES, JOSTLER,LUNIEST, MATINGS, NERDISH, REPLEAD, SALTINE, SUNKED, STRIDER, TEARILY, VERITAS.
Hmm! Some pretty far-out words, there! Perhaps the 8's are more way-put.
From the 8-letter list, I see:
ASSIGNER, DETAILER, ENLISTEE, ENUSTER, FRUGGING, GANDERED, INSISTER, UTTERER, SENORITA, STINGRAY, TOMMYROT, TOUGHING, UNRESTED, UNSTONED.
Heady stuff!
Conversely, some of the words in OSW only are pretty weird! We all know there are many examples of words occurring in the works of Shakespeare, Milton and Spenser. For example, DISMAYL, GIMMORS, LYNAGES,PHEAZAR, TOAZING and YGLAUNST. I could go on.
Of course, many of the OSPD-only words are no more than hyphenated words or two-word terms from Chambers spelled solidly - for example, ANTIROLL, ARCSINE, DOESKIN, PRESELL, REENUST and WATERDOG.
But the real reason for promoting Sowpods play is nothing to do with admitting some additional ordinary-looking words. It's to do with ensuring that English-language players around the world - whether they're in the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia, Malta, South Africa, Kenya, New Zealand, Singapore, wherever - are playing on a level playing-field. That is, they're using the same stock of words. Which means that players can move from one country to another, and find that the words they know and use back home are just as valid away from home.
Can you imagine how weird it would be if other games, like cricket, chess,bridge and so on, had different ways of playing in different countries?!
Roll on the move to Sowpods, I say!
Darryl Francis, Carshalton, Surrey
May I just add my opinions on the great SOWPODS debate? Unlike your reader from Hampshire, who seems to think that the SOWPODS proponents inhabit the top 20 places of the ratings table, my ranking is a lowly 118°\ Furthermore, without meaning to cause offence, I would urge people who have a view one way or the other not to enter frivolous ideas such as 'adopting OSPD only' or to 'split the movement into ABSP (OSW) and APSP (Sowpods)' however humorous these Ideas may appear at the time.
Phil Appleby's letter said most of the things I'd like to say so I won't go over old ground. However I have to admit that I do not understand the reluctance shown by some of your readers to Sowpods. I recently played In the Sowpods Division at Durham and enjoyed the experience albeit I finished gloriously and expectedly last. Although I was able to play some of the top players whom I haven't been able to play for a long time, I was also surprised to see so few OSPD (only) words played. Most current 'Sowpoders' are on a learning curve at present so the number of weird and wonderful 'American' words played is actually quite low. Instead, those 'strange' words that are played are words in everyday common usage which we are not permitted to play under OSW (e.g. ed, fern, op, dis).
I believe that as In any proposed change to a system, the doubters are those people most resistant to change who in their ignorance and fear will put up such unscaleable barriers that it is difficult to pull them down without losing face. I have friends who arepro OSW and those who are pro SOWPODS, I do not want a schism in the movement as was threatened In the last perceived upheaval when we moved from High Score to Matchplay. I admit I was a High Score dinosaur then, but I am totally pro Sowpods now. While I agree with what Phil said - namely that until we have a unified word sourceas a reference tool, we cannot adopt Sowpods, in the meantime I would urge those who argue against Sowpods to assess their resistance to it - is It really as bad as they think or is just another of those mountainous molehills that we all get steamed up about for no particular reasonexcept the old adage 'because it's there1?
Mike O'Rourke, Oakham, Rutland
I write in response to some of the Sowpods points rised by Phil Appleby in April's newsletter.
So the UK is now the only Scrabble-playing nationusing OSW. Why shouldn't we be different? We've been the "odd man out" in several other fields In the past, and even now we've gone against several other of our European neighbours by not adopting the Euro currency. I would be interested to know just how many non-UK players we get over here who want to play at clubs, events etc. Several years ago, a group of Midlands-based players went to Malta and played against a Maltese dub. This was followed by a reciprocal visit in 1994 - since then, nothing.
I agree with his point about all the rubbish in OSW. Certainly, for a dictionary of the English language (which I believe it's supposed to be) it includes an awful lot of foreign words that have never been anglicised and are never likely to be. I would definitely be in favour of a word source cleansing which is probably part of the reason why I don't think we should be adding even more rubbish to what we already have. Heaven knows it's difficult enough to get (and keep) new club members as it is. Club members become tournament players, so how soon beforethe movement dies out?
Phil also stated that "games tend to be more open, and scores are higher". I would like to ask how that Tits in with the Rules of the Association, specifically rule 2 (Objects) which states "... to promote interest in the playing of the Scrabble game to a Matchplay (play-to-win) format..." Surely that means that the scores for the game (however high or low) are of lesssignificance than the result?
I also wonder If there is so much resistance to Sowpods because It may seem to have been introduced through "the back door" by what is seen as an elitist group doing "their own thing". Surely, as we are an association, we should all be playing the same game to the same rules, although I do realise that ABDSP game rule 2.2 states "an alternative words list may be used for some or all divisions within a tournament".
Steve Balment, Melton Mowbray, Leics Whilst watching the World Snooker Championships I've noticed that all the players now sprout a sponsor's name or two on their waistcoats, and it set me thinking ... how about a few sponsor's names on the T-shirts of our WSC players? OK, maybe a bit late for this year but, daft as it sounds now, witha rapidly increasing likelihoodof a Sowpods breakaway (and perhaps a world ratings system) it's a thought for the new millennium!
Robert Richland, Pinner, Middx
Any suggestions for potential sponsors? On second thoughts, let's not drag the good name of the ABSP through the courts again....' PG
Lucy White complained, quite rightly, about the number of unrated players who end up winning prizes in low divisions. I suspect thatpart of the problem is that unrated players are usually shown with a rating of zero, and this leads organisers to think that they should be in the lowest division. TheCommittee has repeatedly tried to get organisers to place people in the correct divisions, without much success. In organisers' defence, though, it is often hard to find out how good such unrated players are.
Tournaments like Swindon present a particular problem, as they attract a large number of beginners. It's almost Impossible to get those decisions correct. There were many unrated players in Divisions E, 0, and C there.
Graeme Thomas, Hatfield, Herts
-o-
Here's two Scrabble articles that appeared in the world wide press since we last met. The following snippet was picked from the Associated Press's website during April:
A year ago John "Knuckles" Connolly was facing the sack after some disappointing results at the end of his 10-year reign asQueensland's rugby union coach.
Now a reprieved Connolly has revitalised the Reds, leading them to thetop of the Super 12 qualifying and two wins from their first title since the competition expanded from 10 teams...
Connolly's players say his intense will to win goes beyond the rugby field. "We played a game of Scrabble in Christchurch In March and Knuckles showed that he was one of thebest cheats ever," rookie Reds fly-half Nathan Spooner said.
"He was amazing. He was coming up with all these words - Greek letters and printer's measures - and they were all In the dictionary. Thenhe came up with the word 'fong', which he reckoned was a musical instrument."
Connolly opened the dictionary and Spooner took his word for it, giving the coach enough points for a narrow win.
"Then he came to me the next dayand told me not to be so gullible", Spooner said. "There was no such word. I guess 'Knuckles' just fbnged us..." The following Is taken from Kitty Holland's article in the The Irish Times on 24 May 1999.
"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words ..." Well, they'll do no physical damage perhaps, but they can certainly cause some mental torment, anxious moments and furrowed brows.
And varying configurations of the alphabet were certainly at the centre of things at the fifth annual Irish Scrabble Championship in Dublin at the weekend.
It's Sunday afternoon, it's the penultimate round and Mr Brendan McDonnell from Dublin Is in the lead, by 132 points.
"He pulled out in front some time yesterday," says the championship organiser, Ms Anne Lyng, "and It looks like he's unassailable."
If he wins he will go on to represent Ireland at the world championships in Melbourne in November.
Thirty-four competitors have come to Dublin for the weekend championship, the first to include Northern Ireland.
They have made the trip from Belfast, Limerick, Cork, Wexford and Kinsale as well as from Dublin. They play 12 games each, of 50 minutes each, clocking up points from their word-scores as they go.
Most play the mathematical word-game - Invented by an out-of-work American engineer, Alfred Butt (sic), about 50 years ago - at least once a week. Ms Lyng often plays three times a week. "It's an addiction," she confides. "It's just a fabulous game. I have always been fascinated by crosswords."
And so say the other 33 with a jiggle of their letter-piece bags. Round 12 Is under way and Mr McDonnell has been drawn for the play-off against Ms Eileen Meghan, from Dublin.
Over 17 tables they hunch. If any is in doubt about a word their adversary conjures up, Ms Fiona Clengham is in dictionary comer with her Official Scrabble Words, or the truth according to scrabble. A runner collects the disputed word, on a piece of paper held aloft by the player. She brings it back to Ms Clengham, who checks it.
She's getting a few strange ones. "Ql", "otarine" and "toeiest" are passed, though "doon", "sla" and "goaders"are rejected. While we await the final score, anxious competitors gather in the kitchen for tea and Kimberlles. Ms Chris Broderlck is "just knackered".
"When It's Intense and serious like this, it's mentally exhausting," she says. Except for Mr McDonnell, however, they say it's all over. He's off to Melbourne In November, where, competing against the world's top scrabblers, he'll need all the ql he can muster. DavidActon rriovEJ ay 31 Harrogalo Torroco Murlon SEAHAM rnavg County Durham SR7 SPQ
Game 1 - Sowpods at Exeter
The ABSP Exeter event never falls to disappoint, providing a wealth of Scrabble entertainment. This year was no exception. In this issue you can relive the high drama as the OSW A division found its eventual winner, and first, watch a couple of veterans knocking each other about in the Sowpods section. The knockers in question are GMs Phil Appleby and Mark Nyman. It was the two Andrews currently enjoying a spell in the ratings stratosphere who finished top of the Exeter Sowpods pile, so who better than one of them - Expert and recent ABSP Masters champion Andy Davis - to take you through the game. Occasional comments from the players themselves are scattered sparingly throughout.
PA 1: EGHLORX AD: Phil is lucky to be able to score so HOX g8a 26 26 well with the Z this turn, after missing ZHO on the previous turn. Only one AD: Not much else worth doing here. possible eight with this rack [1].
MN 1: DEEEUP PA: Thought long and hard about trying ELEGIZER* at elOa; glad I JEEP h7a 33 33 didn't
AD: JEEPED fits nicely from D7a. MN 3: IV BESSY -37
PA 2: EGLR HOZ -9 BEVY jlOd 31 112
RHO i6a 41 67 AD: Again, no arguments withMark's move. PA: Bad play to miss ZHO in the same spot for 59 PA 4: EGL AAMN +6
AD: Indeed! AGNAME C9a 33 151
MN 2: DEI LPTV -34 AD: Nowhere to play the bonus [2]. Phil finds the best move for score and TOPPLED kSd 48 81 turnover, not worrying too much about opening up the board - this is good, AD: Best move. positive scrabble.
PA 3: EGLZ EIR -14 MN4: ISSAF1S -39
PRIZE k8a 51 118
\0 SASSIFIED* dla AD: A bold move from Phil. If you are 112 of a nervous disposition, then LARKIEST at F3a for 86 is safer. AD: An unfortunate attempt to verbify SASSY (meaning 'impertinent'). MN 7: AGMOTT? -51 Surprisingly few options available here. FIZ N6d is probably best, If you GRAM ala 30 239 don't mind keeping all those Ss. AD: No 7s or 8s from this rack, PA 5: L DLMRTV + 39 surprisingly. Mark is right to takeout the 9-timer. With the blank retained, VILL m7d 12 163 Mark must be looking to bonus soon. GROMA (if you know It) would create a PA: Took into account the fact that few more useful bonus spot. vowels had been played when choosing not to change. PA 8: DEINNU? +21
AD: I'd be tempted to change 5 here, DUNNIEs a7d 81 341 keeping just RT. If I were to make a play, I'd choose VELDT o7d. Turning AD: Fortuitous pickup which gives Phil over Just three tiles is trusting too a commanding lead. much toluck with the pickup. MN 8: OTT? OOU -102 MN 5: AFIISSS -51 OOT dl2d 14 253 SAIS 13d 17 129 MN: Missed OUTrOOT but not sure if AD: SAIS seems to be as good as it worth it anyway. gets. AD: OUTTOOk at D2a might be worth PA 6: DMRTGRT +34 doing.
Chng DGMRT 0 163 PA 9: DDEEIOY +88
PA: Kept RT, again because few OY elOa28 369 vowels had been played and I liked the look of the A, E and S floaters. PA: Uked OY because it partially blocked the double-double. AD: Agreed. AD: With the lead that he has, Phil MN 6: FIS NNOR -34 should be looking to turn over the tiles and dose down Mark's options. Not FRANIONS c7d 80 209 sure about Phil's actual play of OY.I prefer DEEDY at D3d, which has the AD: Best move. If Phil had taken the three-pronged effect of taking out A, then there would still havebeen several floaters (Including the 4- INFERNOS available through theE at tlmer), using up 3 extra tiles and 08. netting 31 points Into the bargain.
PA 7: RT AEILK -46 MN 9: OTU? GRW -116
RATUKE bid 97 260 OUTGReW d2a 74 327 MN: saw LUnGWORT AD: ETIC scores more in the same place as CITE, and CITED at Mid AD: LUnGWORT possibly better than scores more still. OUTGReW, which allows a high-scoring response from H2. NB If Phil had MN 11: QSTU AEI -73 played DEEDY, then the bonuses would not havegone in, and the game EQUISETA o8d 104 would havebeen as good as over. 457
PA 10: DDEE! EW +42 PA 12: DEN ACII -31
DREW hid 36 405 AD: With the game situation as outlined below, can you spot Phil's AD: DREW has to be the right play, best play? [3] despite the vowel-heavy leave. CYANIDE 113a 32 MN 10: BFQSTUU -78 458
FLUB a4a 26 353
AD: With the OOT-S spot and the 08 E still available, there is still a glimmer of hope for Mark.
PA 11: DEEI CNT +52
CITE m2d 21 426
PA: Coutd see several dangers with the remaining tiles, Including theE at 08 and the OOT-S hook. Decided to block big Q plays such as ACQUIT at jla, while keeping my own score ticking over in the hope that I could win even if Mark played a bonus.
PA: Gives Mark something to think about, but he can block my IDE or DIE PA 13: El -13 out-plays and score enough to win. STIE cl4a 6 464 MN 12: AAOR -1 Final scores: ODA nl2d 14 471 PA+2 466 MN: blocking DIE etc. MN -2 469
12 Game 2 - Exeter 'A' titlewinner MID c9a 19 37 And it would have been a crime not to feature this nailbiter from the same tourney. This is the game that settled Again not a great deal to choose from which seasoned Scrabbler would walk but MUID (B9a/18) might be better away with the A division trophy. The than MID as the IU combination can be pair in the final showndown were Gary awkward. Polhill and Andrew Perry. I always think that to get a full appreciation of GP 3: AAS EEGU +5 an annotated game, and to understand why a player made a particular play VAGUE g5a 18 60 (or not!), you must take it in context. The four-day Exeter event is a VAGUE balances the rack leaving AES. veritable marathon with many players An alternative is GUAVA (D5a/18) notching up 25 games in all. So, this which leaves EES andkeeps the board was the 25", and Messrs Polhill & tighter. Perry summoned up what bruised and batter grey-matter they could for this AP 3: IUZ? INR -23 last push for the line. Completing a short, but perfectly formed seriesof ZIG i3d 23 60 north-of-the-border annotators is your host for this game, Expert (soon to be I would prefer ZIG marginally over RIZ GM) Neil Scott. (K4a/26).
GP 1: AAMORSW GP4: AESADIP +0
MOWRA d8a 26 SPAED i6a 40 26 100
Good play! [MOWRA = a kind of Computer analysis reveals DIAPASE butter-tree] (B2d/82) here as well as a lovely 4- timer: PAGODAS (E5d/44). Otherwise, AP 1: ADGHIM? -26 SPAED is a good play.
HAG c7a 18 18 AP4: INRU7CH -40
Not that much available here, but HUNCH C3d 26 there is slightly better score and 86 turnover from OGHAM (E8d/22). Another missed bonus opportunity GP 2: AS AAIVY +8 here: URCHINs (Bld/83). There is also EUCHRINg (L6d/80). VAIRY g5d 16 42 GP5: AI DFNOU +14
AVIARY (G4d/17) uses an extra A but ZONDA i3a 30 gives away more. I wouldn't have any 130 problems about using the S here for AS WAY (F6d/29). As well as ZONDA there is FOIN (Dld/31) leaving ADU, but both of AP 2: DIM? IUZ -24 these are surpassed by UNDEAF (L3d/39) also forming VAGUED. Not as easy to fit a bonus down here AP 5: IR? BEST -44 as it might at first look. There are only six available: SETUNE, SLENTEr BaRITES b8d 76 and STELENe hooking MOWRA-S and 162 SELENaTE, SELENITE and ELEmENTS through the E of SPAED. As well as BaTTERS and BaRITES (B8d/76) there is DRIBIETS (M6d/78), AP8: BDrTEFl -16 DEBITORS (M6d/74) and SoRBITE (I8d/70). I would go for DEBITORS as RID blOa IS it perhaps gives least away. 234
GP 6: FIU EOQT -32 BEDIDE is still by far the highest score. My next choice wouldbe FIB QUOIF alld 72 (M2a/21): not really worried about the 202 nine-timer risk even given the opponent's last play. QUOIF Is a great play, scoring almost as much as Andrew's bonus. GP9: ELST7CL + 1
AP6: EIPRRTX -40 ELL dlla 14 249 REX b2d 34 196 No bonuses will fit on the board this time and there doesn't seem to be any Andrew sets up a P-REX hook for next respectable scores available. I would time, although personally I mightbe go along with ELL but prefer ELT tempted to take the six extra points (Dlla/14) as there are four Ts and for PREX now, as It could be tricky only one L unseen. LAC (M2d/5) is a getting a suitable word with P in possibility leaving ELST? But there is second position. no guarantee thata bonus will fit next turn even if there is one. Or how GP7: ETELLNO +6 about CAT (M2d/5) to set up SCAT - risky as there's still one S unseen. LENO a5d 24 226 AP 9: BEFITLT -15
The main alternative to LENO is EXULT FLIT flOd 15 (A4a/26) leaving ELNO. 249
AP 7: IPRT BDE -30 I didn't know FLJTT (F10d/18) but this makes a good trap as It doesn't take PER aid 23 any extensions. 219 GP10:CST?EGW +0 No easy way to make use of PREX. The highest score is BEDIDE (Lld/37) Change CGW 0 which also retains theP for PREX. 249
GP8: ELTENS? +7 Gary's nightmare continues with the nasty CGW combination and he's YEN g9a forced to change. WEST (Nld/30) is a 235 fairly bold scoring move that opens two triple word squares although It does still leave the awkward C and G DEVIATeS m6d 76 on the rack. Like the CAT suggestion 357 last time CAW or WAG (M2d) setting up SCAW and SWAG are possibilities Gary finds a bonus at long last. The for gamblers. main thing to note here is he will pick up the last 7 letters - taken from AP 10: BELT IOS +0 AEOOU CJKNNRRTT. The choices are DEVIATeS / DEVIAnTS (M6d/76) to go BETOILS el4a 73 17 ahead or VIrGATES (H12a/82) to 322 go 23 ahead. This last play has the advantage of opening a second scoring BETOILS is also possible at 014a and position, - the other being the J/K risk this position arguably gives less away. at J2. A lot will depend on who gets the J. Anyone want to do simulations? GPll:EST?AOY -73 AP 12: OUT KORT -17 OY gl5a 32 281 KO ]2a 34 374 There are two tricky bonuses possible: TEApOYS (J13a/77) and ASYSTOLE Andrew can work out that Gary's rack (J8d/75). Other than that it might be is ACEJNNR and there is a threat of better to take the extra 12 points from JEAN (J2a/59). KO Is the highest- SOY (F15a/44) rather than keep the S scoring play not only blocking JEAN especially as the bonus positions are but also setting up TROUT or TUTOR at rapidly vanishing. SOY would leave Kla. KO does give Gary JADE (Lld/47) Gary 29 points behind. but Andrew can reply with JOUR... Here it starts to get a bit more AP11:AEGOTUW +41 complicated! Is there a play that blocks both JEAN and JADE? TOOK WAGES klOd 18 (J2a/25) looks good but loses to 340 CRAVEN (J8a/36) as sufficient score can't be gained from the remaining 41 points ahead and the unseen tiles letters RTU. It looks like it has to be are: AAEEIO CJKNNRRSTTV? KO. Andrew needs to keep scoring and remove the opponent's scoring GP 13: ACEJNNR -17 positions where possible. WAGES blocks the floating S, E and I and the JADE lid 47 110a bonus position but also creates A 404 and G floaters. TOWAGES (K8d/22) offers slightly better score and CRAVEN (J8a/36) is no use as It loses turnover but WAGES does mean the to TROUT/TUTOR (Kla). CRANE opponentwould pick the last seven (Kla/29) blocks the TROUT/TUTOR tiles in the event that he does get a space but relies on the opponent not bonus. There Is also a major risk of the blocking JOY (H13d) which is the only opponent scoringheavily with the J2 place for the J. It might work If the position, a word like JEANS would opponent hasn't tile-tracked. The score 88, but it's tricky to block this actual play of JADE gives away JOUR effectively: OW (L4a/21) partially (Lla/33). At this point both players blocks it. would be left with consonant-only racks: CNNR for Gary and TT for GP 12:AEST?IV -59 Andrew. AP 13: ORTTU •30 TA h4d 415 JOUR lla 33 407 6 points and out - win by 2!
30 points behind but Gary now has the awkward CNNR. JOUR Is by far the Summary highest score and leaves two places to play out: TIT (L9a/3) and TATT A great game with a very complex (Jlla/4)! finish, just as befits the deciding game of the tournament. You often get GP14:CNRR -3 games where there are lots of obvious moves that leap out at you. This RIN 19a wasn't one of them; there were a lot of 407 tricky decisions to be made by both players and these eat up your time. Three points behind and unfortunately And of course you don't know during no way ofblocking both TIT and TATT. the game that you're going to need to The highest scoring plays GREN save up your time for such a (K12a/8), COY (H13d/8) and CANT convoluted endgame. Although (Jl la/6) all lose. I don't see any way bonuses were missed both players of winning unless you gamble that performed well under the conditions Andrew doesn't know TATT - I but it was Andrew's well-thought-out certainly didn't know It! So assuming endgame play thatjustclinched the Andrew doesn't know TATT what are game. the moves which block TIT?
ARC (M10a/7) loses because Andrew can block INN (F12a) with TOY (Hl3d). P, J. [oJulR.1 ANN (M10a/5) or INN (M9a/3) wins E. R. KJO A. because Andrew can't block both REC R. E. H. z. O.|N. D. *• (J7a) and CART (JUa) X. U. T. 1. E. RIN (M9a/3) loses because Andrew L N V A 0 II E can block CANT (Jlla)with TA (311a). E. C. A. s. P, A. E. 0. it. H. A. 0. T" E. B. 0 R AP 14: TT +0 o. M. W. A M. 1. 0, V. e|n R ~ El a R. 1. 0. F. W. a" TA jlla 2 i Q. 1, E. L L. T A1 ~ 409 3 u. T. 0
i 6" T. e" S! Apart from TATT this Innocent-looking 4 B E TIO 1 |L s play of TA Is the only other move that 1 F. O.|Y. wins.
GP 15: CN -2
COY hl3d 8 415
Nothing else to do but play the highest score.
AP15:T
16 across ins DavidActon 31 Harrogata Torroco Murton SEAHAM board Oourrty Durham SR7 SPQ
Position 1 - TSP Teaser (OSW) Martin has just made life very difficult with the play of LAD j5a. This leaves In keeping with tradition, here is a only the F at C2 and the T at K15 as position from a recent game between floaters for 8-letter plays, and the yours truly and the inimitable TSP. more remote possibly ofa nine-letter Actually, this was a Sowpods game, play through AM or DI. Other but all words are in OSW too. (And important considerations are that OSW three). No fancy endgame poser there are four tiles in the bag, and this - just a "find the best play". very few vowels to come. What's Allan's best option?
t 0.
c. i G. S. u T T Ii.Ia.I6J p r" of L|E|A|M.|ljE R B G E V. 0 e~ 0 i N K. V
0. V. A u 0. a" E. z. 0, A. ~ H. A L, o. 1" u. U A N 0 s" T E F R U vv.Ie 1 53 foJf i. B, lljoj P, E|R|T|A|l JNJSJ
Allan's rack:
Position 2 - last minute bonus Unseen tiles (4 in bag): required (OSW)
This position is another endgame from the 1999 Richmond tournament. GM Allan Simmons is trailing the irrepressible Martin Reed severely 286 - 365, and badly needs a decent last minute bonus to catch up. Position 3 - late3 (Sowpods) tournament. The bag is empty and Raymond is to play. Neil has six tiles This endgame position occurred in a on has rack and trails Raymond 342- Sowpods League match between 351. Simply find a winning line. myself and GM Andrew Fisher. I trailed 336 to 344 and, with three tiles left In the bag, my task was to make appropriate use of the J - a task which I singularly failed to doon the day! dME
There appear to be at least two ways of giving me a good chance of winning the game - a simple oneand a slightly more subtle one.
Raymond's rack:
My rack:
And finally
Once again, a big thank you to all who have contributed material to this issue and to this month's annotators. Do please keep those interesting positions and games coming in. I'm very keen Position 4 - Lothian endgame to start including more games from (OSW) 'middle" rated players, but as always, I can only use what I get, so record I am most grateful to Raymond Tate those racks and send them in! Ta. for supplying this endgame from his game against Neil Scott in the Lothian
18 Slavonic Scrabble baron and ex Skoda test driver Ivan Oddcat continues his alternative Scrabble A to Z.
C.ls for Charisma
Well, some say you've got it or you haven't. (I had it once, but a good doctor in Kiev sorted it out and I haven't hadany trouble since). But what happens when youhad it but lost it. How do you put the zing back in your game? I feel some reminiscences coming on....
Estonia, 1978. My mail-order Scrabbleaccessory business had run into a spot of trouble. The Estonian Chief Trading Standards Officer had kicked up a fuss over my novelty glow-in-the-dark tournament tiles - some nonsense about radiation levels and the odd extra finger or two - you know how these official types like to nitpick. Anyway, I was at a loose end for a business opportunity and I'd noticed that a lot of my Scrabble-playlng friends were, well, a couple of blanks short of a bonus shall we say. I figured that the therapy game mightbea good line to move into for a while.
So I sign up for one of those postal courses, send off my twenty krooni and a couple of weeks later, what do you know - I'm qualified. Certificate and everything. I rent a small office, get a good deal on a couple of those reclining leatherette analyst chairs. (One for the client, one for me - a precaution in case I get one of those whining "my life's so depressing, I keep picking Vs and Is" merchants). Hey presto - I'm your local Scrabble shrink.
Well, word soon gets around theScrabble circuit about my new line of work and pretty soon I've got a queue of washed-up tile-pushers at my door desperate for some psychoanalysis.
I get the expected bunch of obsessive-compulsive disorder sufferers. Some had worn holes in the bags from continually recounting the tiles. Most kept going over time too, the ones that hadn't broken their clocks by stopping them every two seconds to check the score. Fortunately I had some stock left over from a previousbusiness venture. The Oddcat Industrial Chess-Clock (constructed from recycled Russiantank parts) was ideal and I threw in a free Oddcat Indestructible Tile Bag too. These were made from the same material used for Latvian trawlermen's underpants and aside from a slight aroma of haddock, were tailor-made for the most compulsive of rummagers.
Another case on my books was a multiple-personality sufferer. (For professional reasons, I shall referto him as player X, Y and Z.) He proved more of a challenge, but after many months of therapy, we managed to control his disorder. Indeed, he even won two ratings prizes at the Latvian Masters after enrolling in all three divisions. I lost contact with him when I moved to England in the 80s, but I heard he had a severe relapse after one of him switched to Sowpods, and now spent most of his time at tournaments arguing with himself in the toilets.
And then there was my trickiest case. We'll call him Player A. I could tell hehad serious problems when he first entered the room. He was muttering anagrams to himself and wore one of those custom-printed T-shirts. It read "you don't have to be mad to play Scrabble but I certainly am. Flubalubalub." (When you're a trained psychoanalyst, you learn to pick up on these small details.)
We start with some word-association. "Charisma" I said. "Archaism" he replies in the twinkle of an I. I'm impressed, but can't resist asking "what about machairs?" "Comfy" he replies - "leatherette if I'm not mistaken?" I nod. "Anyway" he continues, "you don't pronounce it like that - it's Gaelic you know." I glare at himand write "smart-arse" in the margin of my notes.
"So what's the score doc? Have I lost my bottle?" I explain that this Is a very common problem. Scrabblism is still quite rife and the constant taunts of family and colleagues can have a devastating effect on ones Scrabble self-esteem. I recommend that he fashions for himself an 'alter-Scrabble-ego'.
"Sure, It's all the rage now. A lot of players choose a new name - often it's Just an anagram of their real name. Nothing too stupid of course - It has to be believable."
"I see" he says, "and then what?"
"Well", I explain, "once you've got your new Identity the sky's the limit. You can say and do things your old real self would never dare. So even if, like you, the real Scrabbler underneath Is just a spineless word-nerd with all the charisma of a sweaty tile-bag, your new Scrabble self can charm the birds from the trees. Or, In your case, perhaps birds might be too ambitious. Maybe a couple of wasps and a few mosquitoes. We can build up to birds."
"Talking of which, will the new me be a hit with the ladles at tournaments too?" he enquired with that desperately hopeful air of a dog eyeing up your last chocolate Hobnob.
"Let's be realistic", I said. "A pair of sunglasses and a new name is one thing but there's still your body odour problem and that interesting skin complaint. We have to walk before we run, and In your case, I think we may have to shower before we even walk, if you know what I mean."
But, player A heeded my advice. We worked hard on his new image - and given time, and some Oddcat Industrial Deodorant (as endorsed by the 1972 Latvian Olympic Triathlon team) he found his form again. Last I heard he even had his own Scrabble show on Estonian cable TV.
And the moral of the tale? Well, if you feel your Scrabble charisma is flagging, just get outthe tiles, rearrange your name into something with a bit more pzazz, buy some heavy-duty deodorant if required, and just reinvent yourself. I've heard it works wonders. True Tales from the Tournament Room
I am most grateful to player T for this true tale of Scrabblers scrabbling on in the face of adversity. The adversity in this case was a sudden power cut which had plunged the venue of a LondonLeague match into darkness...
"One of the players had a torch in his car, and with its aid the players were able to find their way about the house. The hostess and her husband are both wheelchair- bound, and the emergency candles were at the back of the topmost cupboard (as usual), but the able-bodied members of the party were able to rescue them. (In my experience you need the athleticism of an Olympic gymnast to be able to get to most packs of emergency candles.)
"So, ourheroes were playing with a candle in the middle of the table. At this point they found out just how deaf one of the players was, and how much she relies on lip- reading. The torch was brought into play, to light up the face of anyone who wished to speak.
"Naturally no one suggested that the games be abandoned."
Opening Racks
We've all been faced with those "nearly butnot quite" opening racks ... what would you do with the following?
Racki Rack 2 Rack 3 Rack 4 Rack 5
Please send your suggestions and comments to PG at the usual adresses. war.t NicK Dollor 17 Windsor Road play QOOMANOHESTER OambHdgostiiro pei a bod
AUGUST 1997 REVISITED
In which your sub-editor continues a list he started a surprisingly longtime ago..
I'm amazed. No, really, I am. I was thinking about what list I should do for this edition, AREOLES: The plural of AREOLE, which is and I thought - "Aha! How about going an AREOLA. Is it just me, or is this not really back to that list I started a couple of months funny yet? ago?". This was the one of probable sevens with no anagram, and I am - as I say - ATEBRIN: Hmm. If you don't know the amazed to discover that I didpart 1 (the word at the top of the list of 7s from most probable 50) back In August 1997. It's RETAIN, why not? Still, I could excuse you definitely overdue for a continuation piece - not knowing it's a yellow medidny powder sohere goes with numbers 51-100. stuff (even though I said it was in my debut article two and a half years ago...) Any tangents at which I go off may not be unrelated to the loop of 1999 Eurovision AUREOLE: Humph. This is a holy crown, or entries presently emanating from my PC halo, or similar. And I've done it before. I'm speakers - you have been warned! frustrated.
AENEOUS: As seems to be happeninga lot BETAINE: Sweet-tasting crystals that occur lately, I open up with something I've done in sugar beet and elsewhere. You would be before - in this Instance, a description of forgiven for thinking It's sugar, but I think things which are a shining bronze colour. it's not Qutfethe same thing.
AEONIAN: Another timeless word, meaning CINEREA: Ah,the old grey matter. I'm timeless. I think these mustbe coming up certain that that's never been in evidence in because I've done things with lots of vowels previous articles... before. DOURINE: A contagious horse illness ALIENEE: The person to whom a property caused by something unpronounceable. is transferred (an AUENOR being the person who does the transferring). EBRIATE: A curiosity here. Just as "flammabte" and "innammabte" mean the AREOLAE: The correct plural of AREOLA, same thing, so too do EBRIATE and which is a little sunken spot of various INEBRIATE - sort of drunk. types.
21 ELOINED: Conveyed to a distance; perhaps w oplatki kry. Any arguments7 [Yes. That's vaguely like Eurovision Broadcasting Union looniEST. By quite some distance ■ Ed] joint broadcasts of... things. MATINEE: An afternoon performance of a ERODENT: Something that erodes things, movie or show, like the wonderful "Mamma like caustic soda and that sort of general Mia" currently playing in London, a musical doodah. woven around the important, nay seminal works of... [Shut up - Ed] EROSION: In similar vein, the end results of an ERODENT. NAIVETE: The belief that I'm going to get away with the previous two definitions. ETALONS: Oh dear, oh dear. Umm... OK. An ETALON is an incredibly clever gadget for NEONATE: Newly bom, or a newborn child. measuring wavelengths, which I suppose is So it takes an -S. Hmm, I bet I forget that quite helpful since Ken Bruce and his likes fact at a significant moment in the next six onlydeal in frequenaes these days. I could months or so. be wrong. [You're wrong - Ed] NEROUS: NEROLI is an oil that comes ET1OLJN: If you leave a plant in the dark from orange flowers, or - I suspect - the for ages, it'll go all yellowed and wimpy. And flower itself. So NEROLJS, much to my when you've etiolated it in that fashion, the surprise, is actually a plural. substance that colours it yellow is ETIOLIN. I feel like Alan Coren on a bad day! NORTENA: Let me takea run up here - a female European North American, as EUGENIA: The clove plant - well, one of described bya Mexican. If it were a bloke, many - of the myrtle family. I know them it would be a NORTENO. well. ODORATE: Past tense of odoreat, back- EVIRATE: A tiny, tiny Middle Eastern formed from odor-eater. Oh, If only! It's country under the rule of a guy named Ev. really just a description of something smelly. Well, perhaps not! Actually it's to make Generally pleasant smelling, but needn't be. unmanly, amongst other things - which I probably shouldn't go into here. OE5TRAL: To do with a particularly strong frenzy of (guess what?) one kind or another. ISOTONE: An A-Level Chemistry-eytype I'm just too coy for my own good, me. thing with the same number of neutrons as another oneand a different number of OLEATES: OLEATE is another of these protons. Or something. I would have chemically things that I have so many understood that 10 years ago. problems with these days - a salt of an oily acid. Sounds like what I put on my chips, LADRONE: A robber, from the Spanish but I'm sure it isn't. ladron meaning ... erm ... "robber", presumably. ORATION: A speech, after-dinner or otherwise, but powerful with it. I've always LENTOID: After a reasonably long trawl thought that spoken English is at Its most through cross-references, it actuallyjust powerful when it has rhythm, and rhyme - means "lens-shaped". which I'm afraid can only be leading in one direction... LINEAGE: Either ancestry orthe number of lines in a piece of printed text 'While waiting at Peterborough Station I admired the announcer's oration LOONIER: Prowadz mnie gdy swiatlo drzy i He Doomed "There's no seats pada den. Przytul mnie i polam I6(o-acute)d On the 5:10 to Leeds' So I gave him a standing ovation' OREADES: A plural of OREAD, which is my ...are about my limit! absolute favourite kind of mountain nymph. SOUTANE: "No, no quiero escuchar...", ORLEANS: A sort of cotton/worsted blend sang the overworked author quietly to fabric. himself as he cheerfully wondered if he could get away with the single word ORNATER: More ornate. Like my articles "cassock" as a definition. "No, no quiero used to be when I wrote them before the escuchar" he repeated. Quickly yet deadline instead of after it. cautiously he continued to type: "Well, it's a sort of churchman's robetype affair". He OUTDARE: To be even more daring, and then moved quickly to the next paragraph, be in defianceof pretty much everything. as the sounds of Doris Dragovic trickled Hence "You've won it once, now get outdare menacingly from his loudspeakers... and win it again". TALONED: Having talons. Straightforward OUTLIER: A bit of something that lies away enough. from the rest of itself. If that makes sense. And it doesn't to me. TEARIER: More tearful. I would have thought that you would either be tearful or PEATIER: More like peat. Though notas not, and I'm sure much like peat as peat, which would be the the looming end of this article will have you peatiest. all tear/. With joy, probably.
PERINEA: Oh dear. Umm, how do I phrase TEENIER: More teeny? Itsier, bitsier. Tinier. this one? Well, the PERINEUM is the partof Smaller. your... midriff, between your... umm, front naughty bits, and your... umm... bum. And TORULAE: Plural of TORULA, which is, to PERINEA are severalof them, and I'm all intents and purposes, yeast. moving swiftly on... TRTTONE: The slogan under which our REMANIE: An old fossil stuck inside a esteemed Prime Minister (I'm on safe newer fossil. "New fossils" in Croatian is novi ground here - he esteems himself even if fosili, but I won't bore you with the details no-one else does...) successfully of how I know that. campaigned forhis first council seat. That and a musical term of which (naturally!) I RIOTISE: If you take nothing else from this have notthe remotest comprehension. article (and that IS looking likely), take the fact that RIOTISE and its cousin RIOTIZE TROOLJE: The bussu palm, which is are not - repeat NOT - verbs! A RIOTISE is a famous for being a TROEUE and a TROELY thing - specifically a riot. as well (though not a TROOLY, oddly enough) The next person to put -D on the end of either of them (unless it's me • which it URINOSE: And finally, as if I hadn't enough probably will be) should hang their head in things to be coy about, a word which I can shame. only define as "pee-like".
RONDEAU: A type of poem, but it's awfully Oh, I've had enough of this for one month. complicated and not the sort of thing I I'm just damed well going to plonkmyself would want to be writing. Limericks and down in front of my TV with some popcorn Maikus: and some candy floss and wail Turkishly, funk Norwegianly and (most likely) vote (Scrabble is my game strangely. Back in whatever two months But you wouldn't guess as much from now is by the time this reaches you! Recent form is poor) 20 QUESTIONS: STEVE BALMENT
Steve attends many tournaments and generally plays hundreds of games throughout the year so I managed to catch him between games to find out why.
1. What do you do for a living? I'm a Computer Programmer/Analyst for an Insurance Friendly Society in Leicester.
2. Who are your favourite and least favourite opponents, and why? My favourite may be Noel Turner as I've never lost to him in a tournament (yet), and my least favourite is anyone (thankfully few) who doesnt lose in the right spirit.
3. How did you get into playing Scrabble? My first set was bought in a toyshop in Ryde whilst on a rather wet holiday in the Isle of Wight. A few years later (1976) I saw an advert for the Leicester club in the local paper and have been playing ever since.
4. Tell us one thing that no one knows about you. I used to be a speedway supporter and organised a supporters club trip to the world final in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1974. We took a 52 seater coach across on the North Sea ferry and about 40 supporters! The 24 hour return crossing was eventful - we had to contend with a force 8 gale!
5. Away from Scrabble, what is your greatest claim to fame? I set the record score (83) for the normal half hour edition of Countdown in series 12, and so far it still stands (although Allan Saldanha equalled it in the Supreme Champs).
6. Do you keep the fact that you play Scrabble secret from your work colleagues/other friends? No, we're a nosy lot at work and we all keep up with each other's leisure interests.
7.If you could changeone thing about Scrabble what would it be? Now that the "Premier" has gone from the Association's name, I would get rid of the elitist and somewhat pointless titles Grand master and Expert.
8. What other hobbies/pastimes do you indulge in? I live alone, so washing, ironing, gardening, hoovering, dusting etc!!! I do like to see Great Britain though and often add extra days around tournaments to visit the local area.
9. Have you ever appeared on television? Yes. Celebrity Scrabble (my celebrity partner was Sylvia Syms who is very good at the game), Countdown (I won series 12), Catchword and Turnabout.
10. What is your current ABSP rating and what do you think it should be? After Exeter it's 155, and I think 150-160 is about right, though the new system is obviously creating a lot more movement than before so I'm not really sure.
11. How far would you travel to play in a one-day tournament? I'd travel about twoand a half hours each way. I figure its worth 5 hours travel for 5 hours of Scrabble. Living in the Midlands makes many places more easily accessible.
12. Whatwas your greatest moment in Scrabble? Beating Noel Turner, Clive Spate and Phil Appleby in successive games in my A division debut at the BMSC
13. On average how many games of Scrabble do you play in a week? Between 6 and 20 depending if there's a tournament included.
14. What football team do you support? Armchair support only. I support Stenhousemuir in Scotland because years ago they always finished bottom and I felt sorry for them. In England I support Watford, but I dont really know why, although I did see them beat Man Utd at Old Trafford in the Cup in the days of Luther Blissett.
15. What do you think is the best word you have ever played? Possibly SQUADRON for 212 in a Midlands Final in the 80's when aggregate scores still ruled the roost, and I remember stealing a game with FAHLERZ some time ago.
16. Would life be better if you stopped playing Scrabble? No, but my bank balance probably would be!! I've made a lot offriends on the Scrabble scene and I'd miss the social side of it.
17. What's the best place you have ever visited? We often used to go on family holidays to the Isle of Wight when I was a child and I still look forward to seeing the island when I go to the tournament each year.
18. Who do you think is the best Scrabble player of all? Not an easy question to answer, but I'd put Mark Nyman near thetop as he's won the World title. So much depends on the luck of the tiles ifs quite easy to be top one week and bottom the next (I speak from experience!!).
19. Whafs your favourite book, film and TV programme? I'm not really a novels reader but I do enjoy finding things out from reference books. No real favourite film but I enjoy historical films such as Mrs Brown (with Judy Dench as Queen Victoria) and Elizabeth (with Cate Blanchett). TV programmes - Last of the Summer Wine and Ballykissangel.
20. Have you ever lied about your age? No, though I once got into Kings Lynn Speedway through the children's entrance -1 was 24 at the time!!!!
26 RATINGS AT 1 JUNE 1999
Taken just after the Coventry tournament. Congratulations to ANDY DAVIS whose masterful performance at the, er, Masters gets him on topof the pile for the first time witha current rating of 205, six points dear of former No 1 Andrew Fisher. By special request this time, an alphabetical listing of all players with 15 games under their belts.
David Acton. Newcastle SC. 197 John Balloch, Glasgow SC, 149 Mary Adams, Gloucester SC,96 Steve Balment. Melton SC, 155 Oluyemi Adesiyan, Unattached. 1S3 Liz Barber, U3A Sheffield, 147 Adebowale Ajose, Unattached. 167 Eryl Barker, Cardiff SC. 154 Philip Aldous, Norwich SC, 146 Kathleen Barnes. Wrexham SC. 12S Etta Alexander, Inverness SC. 136 Lee Barnes, Newport (IOW), 60 Paul Allan, Glasgow SC. 187 Maureen Barr, Riverside SC, 115 Barbara Allen, LSL. 149 Kate Ban-art, Mapperley SC. 140 Elizabeth Allen, Newport (IOW). 122 Linda Barratt. Lincoln SC, 121 Gail Allen, Newport SC, 99 Audrey Banington. CroydonSC, 119 Karen Allen, Cardiff SC, 103 Eileen Basham. Newport SC. 125 Liz Allen. Leicester SC. 134 Peter Basham, Newport SC, 97 Mary Allen, Cardiff SC, 142 Michael Baxcndale, Southsea SC,132 Vera Allen. Woking SC.99 Janice Bease, Lang Toun SC, 135 Alice Atlwood, Woking SC, 115 Diana Beasley, Exeter SC, 154 Cathy Anderson. Newcastle SC. 149 Don Beavis, Canterbury SC. 119 Eileen Anderson. LSL. 147 Vivien Becknann. Newcastle SC. 144 Oeen2 Anderson, Reading SC. 105 Samantha Beckwith, Petertee SC. 124 Sheila Anderson. Penh SC.142 Danny Bekhor, LSL, 171 Shei!a2 Anderson, Romford SC, 96 Irene Bell, Luton SC,162 Ted Anderson, Reading SC, 87 Bobbie Bennett, Letchworth SC, 125 Peter Andrews. Gorseinon SC, 107 Marion Bennie, Crieff SC. 111 Shirley Angeil. Hailsham SC. 136 Trevor Bently. Newport SC, 143 Phil Appleby. Southampton, 196 Betty Benton, Bourne SC, 111 Amy Armstrong. Cowal SC, 98 Adrienne Berger. Whilefield SC. 1 $7 Margaret Armstrong, Elgin SC, 124 Syd Berger. Whitefield SC. 132 Carol Arthurton, Rugby SC.129 Jake Berliner. LSL. 85 Peter Ashurst. Preston SC. 136 Bob Berry. LSL. 167 Brenda Ashwin, Unattached, 126 Ian Betteridge, Southsea SC, 145 Caroline Atkins, LangToun SC, 156 Mirai Bhattacharya, Belmont SC,115 Maureen Austin, Havering SC. 13S Margaret Bigg, Kingston St M, 110 Pauline Aves, Sunderland SC, 114 Linda Bad.LSL. 134 Femi Awowade, Unattached. 189 Hilary Biidsall, Harrogate SC, 125 Alan Bailey, Southampton, 141 Dorothy Black, Unattached, 96 Tony Bailey, Billericay SC, 156 Millie Black. LSL. 89 Nora Bain, Bon Accord SC.133 Doreen Blake, Salisbury SC, 140 AGstair Baker, Aylesbury SC, 130 Martin Bloomberg, LSL, 155 Jack Baker. Mapperley SC, 97 Helen BIyth, Aylesbury SC,109 Madelaine Baker. Gloucester SC. 119 Janet Bonham, Aylesbury SC, 121 Jean Bakewell, Norwich SC,127 Sheila Booth-Millard. SouthamptonSC. 116 Betty Balding, Richmond SC. 113 Dorothy Boreham, Winscombe SC, 105 Janice BaP, Basingstoke SC. 113 Kale Boutinot. Sale SC. 114 John Ball. Newport SC, 93 Sue Bowman, Dorian SC, 14$ Nicholas Ball. New Sheffield. 169 Vincent Boyle, LSL. 12S Sue Bad, Havering SC, 108 Linda Bradford. Dunfermline. 150 Amie Ballantyne. Glasgow SC, 149 Mary Bradley, Coventry SC, B4
27 Been Bradshaw. Southua SC.121 Irene CatheraH. Romlord SC. 117 Janet Braund. KingstonSt M. 1J7 Shirley Cave. LSL. 94 Eddy Breed. S Downs SC, 142 tan Cows, Ryde (IOW) SC, 125 Ross Brennan. Bon Accord SC. 134 Joan Caws. Ryde (IOW)SC, 135 Jean Bridge. Wmscomba SC, 139 PaulChadanck, Romlord SC. 159 J3 Bright. Warrfngten SC. 130 Msrag Chamberlain, Bournemouth, 122 Margaret Bright, Bournemouth. 149 Chris Chapman, CambridgeSC,90 Mary Broadhead. East Berts SC, 103 Paul Clurttcn, Lincoln SC, 101 Lyn Brookes. Carsh&tten SC. 93 ShWey CWdwiek. Hoektoy SC. 128 Richard Brookes. CarehaBon SC. 88 Alan ChMs. Salisbury SC. 159 RDa Brookes. Uapperloy SC. 127 Mabel Choularton. Bristol SC. 108 Maureen Brcugti. Crierl SC. 133 Dorothy Churcher. Readng SC, 151 Beryl Brown. Belmont SC. 132 Keith Churcher, Reading SC. 99 Doug Brown, Romford SC, 148 Ann Clark. Croydon SC, 101 Jacqui Brown. Penh SC, 147 Garry Clark. Havering SC. 133 Jessie Brown, Cleveland SC. 129 June Clark, Havering SC, 125 John Brown, Belmont SC,112 Owen Ctolko, Salisbury SC. 100 Maurice Brown.Mapperley SC. 119 Jennifer Clifford, LSI. 123 Pamela Brawn, Exeter SC, 60 Philip Cohen. LSL. 168 Stella Brawn. Bon Accord SC, 131 Theresa Cole. Luton SC. 143 Margaret Browne. Luton SC. 152 Ann Cotcflun, Hanogato SC, 116 &cry» Browner, ndttconnnofi, 106 Dareen Ccleman. East Berks SC.68 Louise BrundeU. LSL.148 Pat CcEng. Stroud SC. 143 Graham Buckingham. Luton SC. 142 Una Ccfinsen. Bon Accord SC, 95 Pru Buckingham. Unattached. 88 Eve Cordon, Newcastle SC, 104 Alan Buckley. Lydney SC. 133 MairaConway.LSL.158 Jean Buckley, Newport SC, 118 Andrew Cook. Oxford City, 193 Karen Buckley, LydneySC, 125 Georgina Cook, Canterbury SC, 126 Mike Buckley, Newport SC. 128 Moby Cook, Havering SC, 137 Winnie Buik. Dundee SC. 133 Joy Coomber, S Downs SC. 122 Brian BuB. Carshatton SC, 146 Christine Cooper, Leicester SC, 151 Katfiy BuSen. Stroud SC. 135 Myra Copleston, Penarth SC, 97 Sue Buaock. Aylesbury SC, 119 Iris Cornish. West Berks SC. 73 Margaret Burdon, Newcatlte SC,150 Vsl Couzens, Reading SC, 136 Fred Burford. Bourne SC, 100 Helen Cowte. Newcastle SC. 127 Beverley Burgess, Bournemouth, 106 Barbara Cot. Cchvyn BaySC. 94 Jenny Burgess, Highwerlh SC,125 Gordon Coi.Convyn Bay SC, 108 JiU Burgess, Highworth SC, 117 NeDJe Coi. RomlordSC, SO Pat Burgess. LSL, 100 Mary Craddock, Gloucester SC, 77 IanBurn. West Berks SC. 150 Margaret Craig. Newcastle SC. 76 SteOa Bumham. Unanached. 89 Carole Crame, Bagingstoke, 102 Letty Burrei. Cambridge SC. 80 EdeDe Crane. AytesbuySC. 145 Susan Bury. Hartegats SC.95 Josephine Creasdate, Dcncaster SC. 76 Nxhobseuaer.LSL.118 James Crooks. DarCngton SC. 139 Russell Byers. Mapperley SC. 169 Loi Crouch. Leicester SC,155 Amy Byrne. E<£nburghSC, 160 Eleen Crow. S CotdSekt SC. 63 Martin Byrne. Edinburgh SC, 126 Erica Cruicksnank. LSL. 149 Martin Caims. Glasgow SC. 120 Joan Cussens, Greasby SC, 85 Lois Cakebread. BlOertcay SC, 133 Be Dangoor,LSL. 178 Ann Campbell, Clrencosler, 108 Ann Davidson, Perth SC, 138 Joyce CansfieW. Aireborough, 179 Mario Davto, Stewartry SC, 02 Kathy Carson. Coventry SC, 106 Steve Davle, Slewartry SC, 91 Jean Carter. Newcastle SC. 136 Carolne Davies. Unattached, 154 Simon Carter, Unattached, 167 Ceridwen Davies, WNtchureh SC. 131 Christine Cartman. Penkrtdga SC. 79 Florence Davies. Cleveland SC, 118 Paul Cartman, Penkridge SC, 109 Marda Davies. CantH SC. 98 Joe Caruana. Letchworth SC. 135 Andrew Davis, Richmond SC. 205 Alan CameraO. Romford SC. 160 Don Davis. Hove SC.1I4 Tony Davis, Cleveland SC, 141 Laura Finley. Tyne & Wear, 141 Chris Davison. Lydney SC,157 Peter Finley. Tyne & Wear, 179 David Dowson. Cleveland SC, 159 Andrew Fisher, UK-Scrabble, 199 Wanda Do Poitiers. Swansea SC. 132 Jill Fisher. StroudSC. 133 Dorothy Dean. Ryde (IOVU) SC. 129 SaIlyFrsiman.LSL.13l Pelei Dean, Peterborough. 163 B£l Fleming. Inverness SC, 143 Barbara Dein. LSL. 139 Daphne Fletcher. Hove SC, 115 Nick Oeller. Unattached. 156 Marjory Flight. Dundee SC. 146 OiOennis. LSL. 176 Ruby Flood, Nottingham SC. 114 Moya Dewar. Glasgow SC. 142 Veta Flood. Wokmg SC. 133 Ivy Dixon-Baird, Nott& Nomad3.163 Joan Flynn. HorndeanSC. 97 Eleanor Oobson. PSC. 117 Rose Ford. Billericay SC. 66 Agnes Dodds. Billericay SC. 78 Eileen Foster. Melton SC. 117 Joseph Doku. Leicester SC. 129 Alan FothergA Hereford SC. 67 Bernard Golan. Medway SC.93 Jean FothergO. Hereford SC. 94 Carmen Dotan, RomfordSC. 123 Martin Fowkes. Unattached. 174 Olive Oclin. Medway SC.123 Gary Foi. LSL.154 Chris Dotsett. Unattached. 138 Darryl Francis, Carshatton SC,182 B9y Don. Glasgow SC.155 Heather Frankland, Aiieborough. 141 Eileen Douglas. S Downs SC. 117 Loma Franks, Clevedon SC, 125 Atotair Oowbng, Inverness SC. 141 Peggy Frawtey. Edinburgh SC.106 Penny Downer. Newport (IOW). 180 Christina French, Havering SC. 166 Rob Dowse. New Sheffield. 169 David French. Havering SC. 128 Elizabeth Draper. Psalter SC. 133 Pat Friend. Bourne SC, 107 Vemon Draper. Psalter SC. 110 Joyce Frost. Romford SC, 69 Rona Dryden, Oundeo SC. 101 Perry Fung, Billericay SC, 105 John Dunlop. Doncaster SC. 150 Jean Gallacher, Inverness SC. 137 Ui Dunlop. Doncaster SC. 143 Norma Galley. LSL, 131 Marts Dunoire, Ounfermline SC, 141 Jdty Garnett. Leith SC, 140 Eve Owyer. Billericay SC. 107 Angela Qarrard, Unattached. 110 Jill Dyer, WestonSC, 126 Marjorie Garrett, Penarth SC, 115 Jean Dymock, Inverness SC. 132 Edward GarretUJones, Cambridge SC, 163 Yvonno Eade, Lowestoft SC, 150 Jean Gelry, Restarts SC, 106 Ann Edwards. Woolwich SC. 136 Alan Georgeson, Edinburgh SC, 159 Dorothy Edwards. Romford SC, 83 Enid Genard, Elgin SC. 102 June Edwards. Luton SC. 142 Joyce Gershon. Romford SC, 125 Peter Edwards. Horndean SC. 119 Kathy Gibbons. Bournemouth. 118 Ratph Edwards, Horndean SC, 87 Wdf Gibbons, Bournemouth, 109 David Ellis. Richmond SC. 152 Ralph Gibbs. Bournemouth, 151 Joan Ellis. Brentwood SC. 103 Jane Gibson, Ashton SC, 167 Carolyn Emery. Lincoln SC, 103 Lynn Giles. East Berks SC. 114 PrisciUa Encamacion, LSL. 142 Simon Gillam. Edinburgh SC, 162 Mane English. Bristol SC. 145 Christine GWespte, Mopperley SC, 107 Mavis Ernest. Richmond SC. 92 Marjorie Gfllotl. Psalter SC. 122 Peter Ernest. Richmond SC. 115 Helen Gipson. East Berks SC. 186 Barbara Etheridge. Gloucester SC. 116 Lena Glass, Edinburgh SC. 122 Angela Evans. LSL. 155 Julia Glen. Perth SC. 107 Richard Evans. LSL. 180 Fay Goble. Southsea SC. 99 Alan Everitt. Ryde (IOW)SC. 10S Paul Colder. BtOericay SC. 175 Pom Fallots. Ryde (IOW) SC. 149 Sharon Golder. Bifieticay SC. 124 Rona Falconer, Newcastle SC. 102 Am Gotding. Hocktey SC. 105 Paul Famworth. Lowestofl SC. 113 Kenneth Gordon. Elgin SC. 127 June Faulkner. East Berks SC, 107 Lorraine Gordon. Elgin SC. 148 Florence Fellows. Cleveland SC. 108 Irene Gower, Coventry SC. 86 Patricia Form. S Downs SC. 147 Marilyn Graham. Perth SC. 70 Chra Femvick. Lydney SC. 136 Barbara Grant. Edinburgh SC, 119 PhytSs Fernandez. Brenlwood SC. 120 CarolGrant, E Sutherland. 129 Christopher Finlay. Southampton. 154 EtBh Grant. Bon AccordSC. 95
29 Agnes Gray. Glasgow SC, 104 David Holland. Aireborough SC, 155 Louisa Gray, Bon Accord SC. 120 Jo Holland, Romford SC, 91 May Gray, Nottingham SC, 99 Mike Holland. Lincoln SC, 137 Rhoda Gray, Bon Accord SC,114 Terry Hollington. Southampton. 159 Helen Grayson. Aireborcugh. 17S Roma Hollirtfjworth, Canterbury SC. 137 John Grayson, UK-Scrabble,181 Oebbie Holloway. Ryde (IOvV) SC. 135 Dick Green. East Berks SC,184 Cindy Hollyer. Brentwocd SC. 101 Sheila Green, LSL. 153 Patricia Holmes, Bournemouth SC, 84 Helen Greenaway, Leicester SC, 167 Olive Holroyd. KingstonSt M. 103 Maureen Greening-Steer, Reading SC, 140 Steven Hopper, Coventry SC, 144 Jean Greenland, Newcastle SC,92 James Horsfall, Aireborough SC, 145 8arry Grossman. LSL. 175 Val Hoskings. Derby SC, 130 Peter Groves. Cardiff SC, 108 Lionel Howard, Romford SC, 92 George Gruner, LSL, 156 Eric Howarth, Pudsey SC. 129 Steven Gru2d. Unattached, 174 Norma Howarth, Pudsey SC. 134 MaryGrytls, Melton SC, 177 John Howell, RomfordSC, 168 lanGucklhom. LSL, 177 Hilda Hudspeth, Petenee SC. 121 Agnes Gunn, Dunfermline, 132 Ann Hughes, Cleveland SC. 125 Norman Haddow. Crieff SC, 135 Joan Hughes, Belmont SC,90 Borne Had. Slanley SC, 96 Peter Hunt, Southsea SC. 139 Colin Hall. Northcommon SC. 150 Peter Hunting. BillericaySC, 102 Peter Hall, Rustington SC, 123 Heather llott, Luton SC.118 Christine Hamilton. Leilh SC, 167 Margaret Irons, Dundee SC, 116 Graham Harding, East Berks SC, 167 Marian Izatl Glasgow SC, 97 Mavis Harding, East Berks SC.120 Jake Jacobs, Cambridge SC, 171 Paul Harding. Exeter SC. 110 Jenny Jaques, CowalSC, 101 Margaret Harkrtess, Edinburgh SC, 119 Elisabeth Jardine, Bournemouth, 158 lain Harley. Bingoes SC, 152 Joyce Jarvis. Unattached, 100 Michael Harley. Bon Accord SC. 137 Nicholas Jenkins, Havering SC, 128 Jayne Harrison, Unattached, 60 Kath Jennings, Unattached, 94 Jill Harrison. Cirencester, 111 Joan Johns, Salisbury SC. 99 John Harrison. Newcastle SC. 12S Pauline Johnson. Cleveland SC, 142 Ann Harvey. Ryde (IOW) SC, 79 Trish Johnson, Cleveland SC. 114 Audrey Harvey, Leicester SC. 119 Kay Johnston, Leith SC, 139 Winnie Hasten. Edinburgh SC, 97 Robert Johnston, Swansea SC, 155 Chris Hawkins. Peterborough. 167 Sheila Johnston. AIness SC,72 James Kay, Unattached, 80 Jean Johnstone, Lang Toun SC, 94 Teresa Haycock, Dcncaster SC, 105 Sheila Jctliffe. Newport (IOW). 126 Keith Haynes, Havering SC. 115 Adele Jones, Canterbury SC, 100 Straley Heal, Melton SC, 114 Angie Jones, Southampton. 102 Debbie Heaton, Verbigerators, 165 Brian Jones, Southampton, 159 Ken Heaton. Verbigerators. 161 Helen Jones, Newport SC, 144 Ron Hendra, LSL. 143 John Jones, Basingstoke. 121 Dorothy Henry, Cleveland SC,83 Mary Jones, Glasgow SC, 162 Michael Herraghty. Elgin SC. 61 Rosemary Jones, Southsea SC,94 JoyHewgill. Croydon SC. 120 Terry Jones, Newport SC, 144 Anne Hidden, Harrogate SC, 153 Christine Jukes, Shrewsbury SC, 106 Kathleen Higgtns, Cirencester. 103 Marion Keatings. Lang Toun SC, 161 Joanne Hiley. Coventry SC. 146 Brian Keegan. Richmond SC, 112 Barbara Hill. Preston SC. 127 Luke Keegan, Richmond SC, 122 Doug Hil. Lincoln SC, 128 ChrisKeeley. LSL. 150 June Hill, New Sheffield. 136 Mary Keevey. Shrewsbury SC, 101 Teresa Hill, Lincoln SC, 119 PeterKeDy, Exeter SC, 127 Unda Hillard, Cardiff SC, 139 Wayne Kelly. Warrington SC,158 Sheila Hlnett. Dorian SC. 140 Andrew Kempley-Smrth, Unattached, ISO Maijone Hislop, Bon Accord SC, 119 David Kendix. LSL, 173 Joy Hodge, Aiieborough, 121 Barbara Kent. Newport (IOW). 119 Sandra HofDand. Lang Toun SC, 144 Karl Khoshnaw, Richmond SC, 160 Ann Kingham, Coventry SC. 120 Ooreen Marsh. LSL, 149 Terry Kirk, LSL. 165 Joe Marsh, Cowal SC, 121 Lilly Laker, Salisbury SC. 126 Olive Matthew, Bon Accord SC, 87 Harshan Lamabadusuriya, BrightonfHove. 174 Ken Matthews,Cleveland SC, 151 Sharon Landau. LSL. 137 Stuart May, Romford SC, 115 Stella Lander. Doncaster SC,152 Tess McCarthy, Cardiff SC. 121 Molly Lane, Bournemouth, 110 Eddie McKeown. Glasgow SC, 136 Davina Latham, Unattached, 140 Isabelle McLean. LSL. 112 Peggy Lavender, Unattached, 62 John McLean, Unattached, 110 Joan Lawrence, Canterbury SC, 129 Margaret McLean, Unattached. 121 Timothy Lawrence, Brighton SC, 164 Jackie McLeod, LSL. 176 Anne Lawton. Woking SC. 109 Lois McLeod. Luton SC. 136 David Lawton. Guildford SC. 162 Lou McMeeken, Burton SC, 138 Kathryn LeGrove, Southsea SC, 144 Kate McNulty. Newcastle SC. 144 Kate Leckie, Inverness SC, 145 David Meadows. Oerby SC. 158 Marjcrle Lefley. Edinburgh SC. 117 Betty Meazey. WWtchurch SC, 84 Martin Levenon. LSL, 129 Audrey Medhuret. West Berks SC. 77 Sally Lewis. Bury SC. 138 Shanker Menon, Richmond SC, 169 Peter Liggett. Lydney SC, 148 Thomas Mensah. Unattached. 144 Edna Undeck, Doncasler SC. 66 Moira Metcalf. Unattached. 87 Peter Lindeck, Doncaster SC. 114 Sylvia Meyrick, Southampton SC,137 June Lindridge, Andover SC,116 Janet Mttford, Southampton, 122 Wendy Lindridse, Andover SC. 148 Eve Mittington. WWtchureh SC. 114 Irene Lindsay, LangToun SC, 112 Margaret Mills, Ounfermline, 93 Mary Lindsay. Romford SC, 129 Helen Mitchell. Bon Accord SC. 145 Gwen Linfoet, Cleveland SC. 86 John Mitchell. Wyro Fcrest SC. 146 Bob Lipton, Unattached, 177 Martha Mitchell, Wyre Forest SC.130 Rosalyn Lishak. Unattached, 95 Judy Monger, Cirencester, 102 Violettc Little, LSL. 102 Sheila Moore. Leicester SC. 112 Lorna Llewellyn, WWtchurch SC, 99 Hartley Mocrhouse, Richmond SC, 173 Chris Lloyd, Cardiff SC. 160 Mollie Moran, Bournemouth. 107 Dale Lloyd. Southsea SC,118 Huw Morgan, Swansea SC, 155 Joy Lloyd, Cirencester, 1S7 Ruth Morgan-Th, LSL. 183 Dennis Lockwood, Leeds SC, 102 Doreen Morris, Bristol SC, 109 David Longley, Aireborough SC. ISO Helen Morris, Carshalton SC, 112 Jane Lowndes, Cirencester, 137 Philippa Morris. LSL. 124 Elsie Lucas, Penkridge SC, 115 Stan Morris. Carshatton SC.97 Jim Lyes. B& Hove SC. 107 Miriam Moss, Edinburgh SC, 101 Bob Lynn. Salisbury SC, 155 PeterMunt, Stewartry SC. 85 Pat MacBean. LSL. 155 Russell Murch, Devon Dimwits, 160 John Macdonald, AIness SC. 71 Joan Murphy, Harrogate SC, 122 Margaret Macdonald. Inverness SC, 94 MichaelMurray. Newcastle SC, 72 May Macdonald. AIness SC.124 Cecil Muscat, Billericay SC. 172 Ruth Maclnerney. LSL. 162 Bizabeth Mustard, Restalrig SC, 68 Lewis Mackay. New Sheffield, 158 Alice Nadin, Bournemouth. 118 Jayne Mackenzie, New Sheffield, 164 Esther Nayior, Steel City SC, 129 Donald MacLeod, Edinburgh SC. 163 Julie Nelkon, Unattached. 135 Brian Macmillan. Unattached, 144 Philip Nelkon. UK-Scrabble, 185 Fay Madeley, S Coldfield, 131 Dennis Nelson, Gorseinon SC, 112 Stella Magnus, LSL, 137 Christine Nicholson. Sunderland SC. 110 FiankiaMairey. Solon SC, 164 Paul Nind, New Sheffield. 156 Graham Maker,Chichester SC. 138 Esme Norris. Gloucester SC, 107 Carol Malkin. Lang Toun SC,140 Brenda Northcott. Unattached, 100 Kay Malpass, Woolwich SC,110 David Nunn. Unattached, 159 Mary Manson, Bourne SC. 103 LesNyman, LSL. 160 Freda Marcus, LSL, 117 Mark Nyman. Unattached, 194 Brenda Margereson, Southampton, 141 Adesanmi Odelana, LSL. 139 Ruth Marsden, Bournemouth, 106 Kenneth Oliver. Crieff SC. 156 Mary Oratn. Truro SC, 130 Jayne ReiDy. Perth SC, 138 Mike CRourke. Cambridge SC, 159 Maureen Reynolds. Dorking SC. 132 Nuala OTJourke. Leicester SC, 161 Connie Riach. Inverness SC, 108 CeGa Osborn. Coventry SC. 120 Robert Richland. LSL, 178 Gwynfof Owen, Uandudno SC, 13d Carols Rison. Southampton SC, 150 Bryn Packet. Newport SC.146 ColinRhrington. Woking SC. 107 Marigold Page, Canterbury SC, 122 Geruo Roberts, Carshalton SC, 140 Eva Patne. Billerieoy SC, 113 Malcolm Roberts, Melton St M, 148 Hazel Parkef. Newport (IOW). 117 Alec Robertson, Dunfermline, 146 Jill Paiker. Ooncastn SC,100 Douglas Robinson, Harrogate SC, 103 Michael Partner, Croydon SC, 138 Jared Robinson, MapperteySC, 172 Patricia Potion, Hythe SC, 107 Wenna Robinson, Sale SC, 104 Olivia Potion. Cowal SC. 113 Pat Rocktey. Mapperley SC, 114 Trieia Pay. Unattached. 136 Brenda Rodwell, Ryde (ICW) SC. 125 Gerry Pearee. Plymouth SC. 94 Jean Ross. Cleveland SC, 91 Dorothy Pearson, Newcastle SC, 104 Sheila Ross.EcSnburgh S SC, SO Andrew Perry. Highworth SC, 184 Stuart Ross, Lincoln SC, 101 Marie Perry. Rending SC.94 Andrew Roughten. Coventry SC, 169 Stove Perry. Highworth SC. 163 Eric Rowland. Luton SC. 109 Vanessa Petero, LSL. 124 Neil Rowley. Airebarough. 163 Dorothy Petrle. Bon Accord SC. 11S Kitty Rugman. Ryde (IOW) SC. 125 David Phillips. Unattached, 124 Alei Sadler. Leicester SC.88 Janet Philips, Wrocombo SC. 159 Alison Sadler, Leicester SC, 139 Adam Philpotto. Sheffield SC. 148 Allan Saldanho. Unattached. 188 Kim PMpps. ISL. 133 Helen Sandier. LSL. 104 Down Pierce, Wrexham SC. 115 Kwaku Sapong. Unattached. 150 Stuart Pierce, Wrexham SC. 134 Roy Sounders, Unattached, 112 Matthew Pinner, Preston SC, ISO Neil Scott. Bon Accord SC. 181 Ann Pltblado. Dunfermline, 129 WiBc Scott. Leith SC. 129 Gary Polhill. Unattached. 180 Margaret Seabrook, Dorking SC, 106 Helen PoIhlD. Dunfermline, 97 Les Searle. Newport SC. 91 Marco Post. Unattached. 162 Kevin Sellars, Unattached. 143 Steve PowcD. Kingston St M. 105 Barbara Shammas, Ickenham SC, 141 Kay Powick. Unattached. 136 Fuad Shammas, Ickenham SC, 122 Diane Protest. Unattached. 162 Judi Shannon. Unattached. 80 Maura Prates!. LSL. 134 Betty Sharp, Coventry SC. 10S Doreon Pratt Bon Accord SC. 110 Jean Shaw. Southsea SC, 116 Peter Preston, Bon Accord SC, 167 Mdeolm Shaw. Richmond SC, 112 Barbara Prtco. Bury SC. 133 David Shenkin. LSL. 140 Joan Price. HlghwerthSC. 118 Mary Shielfcj. Newcastle SC.79 Alison Pritchard, Crier) SC. 110 Peter Shlilng. Swiss Cottage, 118 Margaret Ptttchett. Melton SC, 149 Austin Shin. Aytesbury SC, 136 MM Purse. Ciiencester. 140 Yoke Shin. Aylesbury SC. 97 Paul Pye. Aahton SC. 123 Peggy Shortl, Salisbury SC, 83 Chris Quartermaine, Aohton SC, 147 Peter ShutUewood, Havering SC.87 May Quigley, Glasgow SC, 117 Iris ShuMewerth. S Coldfteld, 116 Malcolm Qulrie. Edinburgh SC. 146 Lon ShutUeworth. S Coldfietd. 136 Mary Raits. Dorian SC. 101 Mary Siggers. B 4 Hove SC. 102 Anno Ramsay, Lang Toun SC, 150 Peter Sime, Southsea SC, 121 Mina Rao, Edinburgh SC, SO VeraSime. Southsea SC. 113 Lorrta Ropley. East Midlands. 136 Allan Simmons, UK-Scntbblo, 188 Jean Rappltt, Penorth SC, 151 Cffll Simmons. Unattached. 132 Maureen Rayson. Metton SC, 152 Sandie Simonb. LSL. 167 David Reading, Newport (IOW). 127 Evan Simpson. Unattached. 176 Martin Reed. UK-Scrabblo. 165 Alan Sinclair, liah SC. 167 Helen Rees, BiHertcay SC, 144 Hony Sinclair, Cowal SC, 113 Joan Ross. BHtaScoy SC. 126 May Sinclair, Cowal SC. 68 ShsOa Reove. Romford SC. 106 Martcne Skinner, Nottingham SC. 129
32 Stan Skinner. Haitsham SC. 129 Ran Thompson. Edinburgh S SC, 154 Joanna Shifting, Peterlee SC, 113 Gill Thompson, Kingston St M. 120 Susan Staving, Patellae SC.135 Helen Thompson, Basingstoke. 77 Maggie Sly. Hlglmoith SC. 104 Josef Thompson, Cleveland SC, 147 Carol Smith, Norwich SC. 148 Martin Thompson, Newcastle SC.172 CaroB Smith. Rydo (IOW) SC, 147 Norah Thompson, Mappeney SC.94 Etfth Smith, Pendle SC,128 Peter Thompson. Basingstoke, 159 Eric Smith. Whseombo SC, 124 Sue Thompson, Cleveland SC. 124 Hazel Smith, Mellon SI M, 117 Maria Thomson. LSL. 148 Joyce Smith. Penartti SC, 121 Derrick Thome. Dorian SC. 135 Marjorie Smith. Leicester SC. 133 Gladys Tremey, Southsea SC. 131 Norman Smith, Pendle SC, 147 Wendy Tiley. Newport (IOW). 130 Pearl Smith,Dunfermline, 112 Mo TiUey. Unattached, 124 Sheila Smith, Newcastle SC, 90 Pam Tttheradge, Croydon SC, 149 Winifred Smith. Whitchurch SC. 104 Rita Todd. Southsea SC. 137 Brett Smitheram, Exeter SC.194 Ann Toft. AshtonSC, 116 Abraham Scsseh. Bournemouth, 147 Jessie Tollick, Lang Toun SC. 119 Joceryn Soutar, Richmond SC, 139 Alice Tozeland. Canterbury SC. 120 CUve Spate. Notts Nomads. 188 Beryl Trace, Gloucester SC, 88 Sheila Spate. Notts Nomads. 165 Cheryl Tracey, Newcastle SC. 102 Rose Spencer, Pendle SC. 143 Maria TreadweS. Highworth SC. 127 Angela SpiHbury, Horrogato SC, 139 Lesley Trotter. Leicester SC. 143 Joyce Squire. Cardiff SC. 133 Jon Turner. Ryde (IOW) SC. 136 Carol Stanley. WoUng SC.1S9 Noel Turner. Newport (IOW). 172 Donna Stanton. Sale SC. 134 MichaeklohnTurp, Lincoln SC, 106 Sheila Stanton. Unattached. 80 Sheila Tutl, S Downs SC, 115 Margaret Staunton, Bournemouth, 131 Frances Ure, Gcrseinon SC, 138 Nicola Staunton. Bournemouth, 92 Monica Urquhart, Whltby SC,100 Paul Steadman, Milton Keyneo, 118 Chris Vicary. Unattached, 163 Jean Stevens, Harrogota SC.108 Linda Vickers. Penarth SC, 140 Anne Steward, LangToun SC. 146 Bob Voted. Unattached. 160 Val Stewart. Reading SC. 107 Claire Vfclett Unattached. 111 Winifred Still. Cleveland SC. 118 Amy Vye. Melton SC.106 Monica StoekweH. Baeingttoka. 125 Graham WakeSeW. Bourne SC. 161 Judy Straughan, Soulhsea SC, 145 Anne Walker. Dundee SC. 108 Doris Street, Southampton, 119 Dennis Walker, DunfermGne SC. 154 Brian Sugar, Nolls Nomads, 184 RooeWaH.Whit6ySC.M Grace Summers, Highworth SC. 92 Sheila Wall, Northcommon, 130 Ruth Suny. Merton SC, 103 Evelyn Wallace. Hockley SC. 122 Kate Surtees. Inverness SC.150 TeenaWans. Dunfermline, 146 Margaret Sutherland. Alness SC. 83 Henry Walton. Bradfordlan SC. 153 Angela Swain, Boumemoulh. 151 Sandra Walton. Bradfordian SC. 124 Ivan Swallow. Ryde (IOW) SC. 149 Kathleen Ward. Mapperley SC. 113 Jean SwaDow. Southampton, 110 Nancy Ward, Cleveland SC. 89 Sylvia Swaney. Edinburgh SC, 138 Mary Warwick. Bournemouth. 84 Kevin Synnott. Hockley SC.138 Wdma Warwick. Lecth SC. 171 Julie Tate, Glasgow SC, 128 Brian Watson. Newcastle SC, 140 Raymond Tate. Glaogow SC. 157 Lesley Watson, Luton SC. 141 Dorothy Taylor. Leicester SC. 136 Sadie Watson. Aberdeen SC,96 Jo Tebbutt, Newport (IOW). 116 Malcolm Weam. Southsea SC,130 Edith Tempest. USA Taunten, 120 Alec Webb, Lowestoft SC, 188 Sonla Temple, Dortcaotef SC. 105 Dovid Webb. Unattached, 195 Evan Terrett. Newport (tOW) SC. 130 Joyce WeSon. Hockley SC, 97 Elzsbeth Terry. WoUng SC.116 Alec West. Stewartry SC.78 Graeme Thomas. LSI.178 Pat Wheeler. Ashton SC, 132 Jane Thomas. Kockley SC. 81 Daphne White. Safsbury SC. 99 Martin Thomas, LSL. 161 Jacsui White. RomfordSC. 110 Peter Thomas. Unattached. 119 Lucy White. Cardiff SC.88 Margaret White. Hockley SC.117 Pamela Windsor. Croydon SC, 115 Chris Wide. Exeter SC, 113 RacheOe Winei, LSL. 161 Isla Wdkie. Edinburgh SC. 134 Amabel Winter. Bournemouth, 91 Phyllis Wilkins. Reading SC. 109 Bessie Witter. Newcastle SC. 78 Stanley Wilkinson, Ryde SC. 80 Lorna Wtshart. Bon Accord SC. 108 Dotothy Wlks. Ryde (IOW) SC. 109 Simon Wood. Unattached. 123 David WHiams. Cardiff SC. 146 Richard Woodward. LSI.. 1S3 Elizabeth Wiliams. Petettee SC.65 IrenoWooSey. LSL. 103 GarethWffliaira. Cardiff SC. 191 Shirley Wright. Ashton SC. 112 Jean WiBams. Cardiff SC. 140 Val Wright. Bournemouth. 141 Jean-Iris WiBiams. Newport SC. 97 SonjaWyld. Salisbury SC. 110 Margaret WSams, Corseinon SC. 131 Margaret Yeadon. Pudsey SC. 127 KarenWtts. Milton Keynes. ISO Nancy Yorkston. Edinburgh SC, 81 Mike Wrais. Mflen Keynes. 175 Judy Young. Bastngstoko, 120 June Wteon. SandweD SC. 130 Ricky Zinger. Glasgow SC. 154 Sheena Wilson. Elgin SC. 124 Jill Zinzan. S Downs SC,130 Tom Wilson. Glasgow SC. 150
Leading positions:
1 Andrew Davis. Richmond SC 205 37 Bob Upton. Unattached 177 2 Andrew Fisher. UK-Scrabble 199 40 Di Dennis. LSL 176 3 David Acton, Newcastle SC 197 40 Jackie McLeod. LSL 176 4 PhilAppleby. Southampton 196 40Evan Simpson. Unattached 176 5 David Webb, Unattached 195 43 Paul Golder. Billertcay SC 17S 6 Mark Nyman. Unattached 194 43 Helen Grayson, Aireborough 175 6 Brett Smitheram. Exeter SC 194 43 Barry Grossman. LSL 175 8 Andrew Cook, Oxford City 193 43 Mike Willis. Millon Keynos 175 9 Gareth Williams, Cardiff SC 191 47 Martin Fowkes. Unattached 174 10 Femi Awowade. Unattached 189 47 StevenGruid, Unattached 174 10 Russell Byers. Mapperiey SC 189 47 Harshan Lamabadunuriya, Brighton/Hove 174 12 AOan Saktanha, Unattached 188 50 David Kendlx. LSL 173 12 Allan Simmons. UK-Scrabble 188 50 Hartley Moorhouse, Richmond SC 173 12 Ciive Spate. Notts Nomads 188 52 Cecil Muscat. Bitaicay SC 172 12Alec Webb. Lowestoft SC 188 52 Jared Robinson. Mappertoy SC 172 16 Paul Allan, Glasgow SC 187 52 Martin Thompson. Newcastle SC 172 17 Helen Gipson. East Berks SC 186 52 Noel Turner. Newport (IOW) 172 18Terry Kirk. LSL 185 56 Danny Bekhor. LSL 171 18 Philip Nelkon. UK-Scrabble 185 56 Jake Jacobs. Cambridge SC 171 20 Dick Green. East Berts SC 184 56 Wima Warwick. Loith SC 171 20 Andrew Perry. Highwcrth SC 184 59 Nicholas Ban. New Sheffield 169 20 Bnan Sugar. Notts Nomads 184 59 Rob Dowse. New Sheffield 169 23 Ruth Morgan-Th. LSL 183 59 Shanker Menon, Richmond SC 169 24 Da/ryl Francis. Carshatcon SC 182 59 Andrew Roughton. Coventry SC 169 25 John Graysan. UK-Scrabble 181 63 Philip Cohen. LSL 168 25 Ue» Scon. Bon Accord SC 181 63 John HoweU. Romford SC 168 27 Penny Downer. Newport (IOW) 180 65 Adebowale Ajooc. Unattached 167 27 Richard Evans. LSL 180 65 Bob Berry. LSL 167 27 Karl Khoshnaw. Richmond SC 180 65 Simon Carter. Unattached 167 27 Gary PottitU. Unattached 180 65 Jane Gibson. Aohton SC 167 27 Bob Vwletl. Unattached 180 65 Helen Greenoway. Leicester SC 167 32 Joyce Cansfteld. AJteborough 179 65 Christine Hamilton. Leith SC 167 32 Peter Finley. Tyne & Wear 179 65 Graham Harding, East Berks SC 167 34 EDo Dangoor. LSL 178 65 Chris Hawkins. Peterborough 167 34 Robert Richland. LSL 178 65 Peter Preston. Bon Accord SC 167 34 Graeme Thomas. LSL 178 65 Sandie Simonis. LSL 167 37 Mary Grytls. Melton SC 177 65 Alan Sinclair, Lofth SC 167 37 Ian GucMhom. LSL 177 76 Christina French. Havering SC 166 Mlko ORourko 22 Kestrel Road OAKHAM Rutland LE1S 6BU
Bon Record [Aberdeen] Report by Neil Scott
This year's Aberdeen tournament went smoothly enough: 56 entrants with 28 in each group. The A/B rating cut-off was 128 which, though better than last year is still pretty low. The final of division A between Amy Byrne and Marion Keating produced a draw with Amy winning the tournament on spread. Next year I want to play!
Division A Division B
Posn Name Score Spread Posn Name Score Spread 1 Amy Byrne 4.5 +271 1 Mariorie Hislop 5 +224 2 Marion Keatinqs 4.5 +208 2 Barbara Grant 4 +399 3 Alan Sinclair 4 +547 3 Willie Scott 4 +355 4 Raymond Tate 4 +482 4 Marqaret Harkness 4 +313 5 Simon Glllam 4 +449 5 Mariorie Leflev 4 +240
The Essex Classic Report by Paul Golder
This tournament, in its 3rd year, is open exclusively to Essex residents and those in "old Essex" (London boroughs north of the Thames and east of the river Lea). Witha record turnout this time (38 players) it is possibly the UK's biggest "local" tournament. The tournament itself is very much an end-of-season event to celebrate the end of the Essex league season; Ruth Morgan- Thomas won the League too, and demolished all the opposition to do the double:
Division A Division B
Posn Name Score Spread Posn Name Score Spread 1 R.Moroan-Thomas 5 +406 1 Garry Clark 4 +365 2 Paul Golder 3 +83 2 Moby Cook 4 +220 3 Alan Catherall 3 +35 3 Thomas Mensah 3 +322 4 Rachelle Winer 2 -114 4 Mary Lindsay 3 +170
35 Division C
Posn Name Score Spread 1 Cindy Hollyer 4 +312 2 Brenda Northcott 4 +304 3 Ann Goldinq 4 +218 4 Dorothy Edwards 4 +116
Exeter ISCH Report by Andy Davis and Mike O'Rourke
The ISCA warm up event held on the Friday and Saturday morning of the Easter weekend had some surprises with Martin Reed and Diana Beasley excelling themselves. Ruth Maclnemey finished a credible fourth and Captain Terry Kirk finished fifth - four places down from his usual position.
Division A:
Posn Name Score Spread 1 B. Smitheram 6 326 2 M. Reed 5 721 3 D. Beasley 4 265 4 R. Maclnernev 4 157 T. Kirk 4 77
In Division B, there were some familiar faces at thetop of the leader board but it was June Wilson who won the event:
Division B:
Posn Ratinq Name Score Spread 1 131 J. Wilson 5.5 171 2 133 L. Vickers 5 452 3 134 M. Allen 4.5 57 4 138 M. Partner 4 160 5 134 D. Shenkin 4 134
Exeter Clabbers Euent Report byMike O'Rourke
Furious activity took place in the evenings and at meal times as the second Easter 'Clabbers' event took place in parallel to the main events. As I reported last year, there seems to be a preponderance of 'Andrews' who play Clabbers. It is also unusual todiscover Just how many people will claim to have a second name of Andrew just to cash in on this odd phenomenon! As before this was a straight knockout and was won by Andrew Fisher who beat Brett (Andrew) Smitheram in the final.
Exeter Main Euent Report by Andy Davis
Well, another Easter weekend has come and gone. Things seem to have gone as smoothly as usual, I haven't received too many complaints. The main non-scrabbling problem seemed to be the early-morning alarm call for the Chagford block onSunday Morning.
The event filled up much more quickly than in previous years. I had to disappoint a number of people wanting to get in after the event became full. If I runthe event in future, I would be quite happy to reserve individuals a place if they inform me early enough that they are thinking of coming.
Scrabble-wise, the spacing of the tables was a bit cosier than usual, due to the increased number of contestants. There were a few minor disputes for the director to sort out, usually Involving mechanical clocks. I am aware of only one mis-adjudication of a challenge, and this was re- checked, so fortunately did not affect the outcome of the game.
I made the decision to keep the SOWPOOS division to 19 players so that the person sitting out in each round couldadjudicate for thegroup, and I feel that keeping the SOWPODS group separate from the OSW groups in this way worked well.
My own performance was much better than I expected, as I havebeen resting on my laurels a bit since earlier performances this season. My best words were OUTBEAM ($) and REAGINIC ($). Impressive plays from my opponents were RABBONI (the first word I saw in the tournament, by John Grayson), SCRANNEL and FILAREES ($) from Femi, UNDOTTED ($) from the Fisherman, and MALTSTER from Martin. Particular commiserations to Martin, who would most certainly have beaten me, were it not for an amazingly jammy penultimate rack on my part. The spectre of 0.00 was raised when I took 10 points from a player to win the game, when their counter was stopped on 0.00.
The results of the weekend are as follows:
Division A: 18 rounds fixed, plus 1 KotH: Division B: Round robin:
Posn Name Score Spread Posn Name Score Spread 1 A. Perry 13 706 1 J. Phillips 14 941 2 G. Polhill 13 464 2 D. Ellis 13 1024 3 H. Greenaway 12 503 3 P. MacBean 12.5 -57 4 P. Downer 11.5 334 4 S. Balment 12 784 5 R.Richland 11 368 5 N. O'Rourke 11.5 98
Division C: Round robin: Division D: Round robin:
Posn Name Score Spread Posn Name Score Spread 1 M. Allen 15.5 608 1 M. Skinner 16 1050 2 L. Vickers 13 888 2 C. Osborn 16 926 3 M. Oram 13 209 3 E. Tempest 15 784 4 E. Draper 12 456 4 J. Murphy 15 127 S V. Wriqht 12 254 5 M. Lane 11 304
37 SOWPODS division: Round robin with a dummy player:
Posn Name Score Spread 1 A. Fisher 14 663 2 A. Davis 13 456 3 B. Smitheram 12 594 4 D.Webb 11 544
Thanks to Graeme and Vanessa for their part in organising the tourney, and congratulations to all divisional winners, particularly SOWPODS and OSW A (I always thought the best scrabble players were called Andrew).
As you may be aware,the fate of next year's Easter Weekend is undecided. I understand that the ABSP committee will be discussing this in some depth at the next meeting, and I look forward to hearing the outcome of their deliberations.
Sub-Editor's note: From this edition onwards, I have decided to include a match perspective from one of the players at the bigger events. This month, as we have lauded the talents of ScratibleS-playtng 'Andrews', it seems only appropriate to include the thoughts of Sowpods winner, Andrew Fisher. This may also give some of the Sowpods doubters a fresh overview of the game played to that particular word source. All OSPD only words are marked $ all other words are in OSW. MOR
My first round was a sit-out. All SOWPODS division players had to experience a bye at some stage, and I was delighted that mine was in game one rather than towards the end of the event. The campaign started in earnest with a tense win over Martin Reed. I had been faced with an interesting decision on move 3 with the rack DDIPSU? - there was a floating R which would allow me to play SPUDDIeR for 72, but there was also a central ER which provided SPUDDIER for 42, keeping the blank. I opted for the latter and gained a small lead, which I think was the better play, although my rack took ages to mature subsequently.
Round three saw me defeat my (so-called) bogey player Helen Grayson by one point - a very satisfying victory after so many losses at her hands in the past.
I kept on grinding outthe wins, though I struggled early on against Brian Sugar In round 6, and was fifty behind with the rack HLNPWX? as we reared the endgame. After dumping with HWAN ($), I was forced into playing VOX which also set up a MK(Y) hook onto the triple with both blanks and Vs unseen. Brian ignored the spot, and I pounced with a winning PYLONS for 69.
Game ten saw my tenthsuccessive win, this time against Allan SaManha. Allan was somewhat stunned by my victory (by Just two points), and gratfyingly described my endgame choice as 'one hell of a move".Another narrow win came in round eleven, this timeover young Brett, and my last three games had generated just 28 spread points.
Sadly my run had to come to an end, and my nemesis came in the shape of Helen Glpson. It was pretty dose, but I ended up having to try MUTES(S) as a hook to no avail. I had also missed HANDWRTT ($) on move one of this game, one of eight missed bonus plays duringthe tournament.
I recommend tomato juice with tabasco as a lunchtime starter. I had this prior to my next game, and also the memorable eighteenth against David Acton. I started against Feml Awowade with OXEYE ($), and without doing much that was remarkable, finished by scoring 589 to his 225. The spread of 364 is comfortably my highest against A division opposition, though I did once exceed 450 against Gordon Proctor in an NSC qualifier. Feml was reduced to laughter as I went out with HOARIER, leaving him withthe rack DECEASE. Surprisingly, I had no S's inthis game. Things went a bit downhill from this point, with defeats by Mark Nyman, Phil Appleby and Andy Davis In the last five games. One particular point of regret was when Phil placed his bonus STRAINS in one part of the board, almost hit his dock and then reconsidered - the second position he chose blocking my potential play of PTERYGIA.
Approaching game 18, Andy Davis wasone win behind and could win if there was a swing in spread of about 450. Hewas playing Martin Reed, while I was paired with Ivan Oddcat.
The last game was a stormer. We both started like trains, though I happened to pull ahead with plays of H1NNIED and ALSOONE to his choice REACQUIRE. On the final racks, I realised that he could either score 64 with ADZ/ZO, or go out with BOZO. I was over 500 by this point, and decided it would be nice for both of us to reach that figure - so I let him have the former by blocking the latter. I ultimately won by 539/502. David mischievously suggested that he should quote his own score to Andy, who had beaten Martin by 70-odd, and then see his reaction when he announced "Unfortunately, Andrew scored 539".
This was a tremendously enjoyable event and an amazing result for me. I cant believe I will maintain (his sort of form for too long. I would mention that I am more adventurous than I used tobe, after hearing comments a while back that I was more successful in friendlies than rated games. My attitude now is to concentrate moreon improving my rack leave, even when this appears to open up opportunities for my opponent, as I find that more often than not I end up using the opportunity myself. I am sure that state of mind hasa lot to do with winning as well, and I may do an article for the newsletter giving away some of my psychological tips. Then again, maybe ifs wisest not to...
Durham ... God Help UsNext Vear Report by Pete Finley
Did we miss a Durham tournament somewhere? The records say this one was the twelfth, but long before the end we felt sure it must have been the thirteenth.
The run up to the tournament had been smoother than usual. Even the late cancellation of Joan Lawrence, who had bronchitis, wasn't a problem for long. It left us with anodd number of players, but that was sorted out almost immediately when Paul Allan rang to ask if he was too late to enter. Our only worry was that we were a little short-handed in terms of runners.
It turned out we were saving all our bad luck for the weekend. One player took exception to a comment made by his opponent andwent home after only two games. That freed one player in each round to act as an extra runner, so that particular doud had a silver lining. But then things started getting worse. At the end of the first day, Ken and Lorraine Gordon, who had travelled all the way down from Aberdeenshire, discovered that their car hadbeen stolen. Not surprisingly, they decided not to play on the Sunday and went home by train.
Things kept on getting worse. As we were about to start the first game on Sunday, Kate McNulty pointed out that her opponent wasn't present She went off to look for her and came back distraught, having found her in a hypoglycaemic state. As I was about to leave to get help for her, Barrte Hall cameup toreport that another player had swallowed a Scrabble tile! I decided the first patient's need was greater and left Barrie to cope. Fortunately the player hadn't swallowed the tile and it was found later. Meanwhile an ambulance took the first casualty to hospital and she missed the rest of the tournament. I'm glad to say that my triage and paramedical skills were not called upon again.
39 One further mishap, which I didn't observe but which I was informed of later by our esteemed Chairperson, involved one highly respected female player and some defective knicker elastic. The food, which was particularly good this year, may havebeen a contributory factor. Apart from these problems, the tournament went very well.
For the first time ever, we had a SOWPODS division in addition to our usual three. This helped take the player total over 100 again after a slight dip last year.
It was pleasing to see that the SOWPODS division was not made up exclusively of the very highest rated players, which has sometimes been the case elsewhere. On this occasion, the likes of Raymond Tate, Nick Deller and Mike O'Rourke bravely squared up to the big hitters, who included Andy Davis, David Acton, Terry Kirk, Di Dennis and Evan Simpson. Helen Grayson and Di Dennis led after rounds oneand two, but David Acton took over in round three and was the overnight leader, despite losing to Andy Davis in round six. Terry Kirk was second, also on 5 wins, having tost only to David.
On Sunday, David charged on relentlessly, while Terry stuttered slightly with a draw against Di Dennis. Andy Davis, although holding third place, was effectively out of the running after a round eight defeat by Peter Preston. Going into the tenth and final round, David was on eight wins, Terry on seven and a half. As the SOWPODS players had earlier voted to make the final round King of the Hill, they were paired against each other. The key moment camewhen David bled to pluralise FEW and had It challenged off. Terry took the game by 43 points and with it the title. Meanwhile Andy Davis gained revenge over Peter Preston to dinch third place. Messrs. O'Rourke, Tate and Deller filled the last three places, but were not disgraced, winning two and a half, three and four games respectively - no mean feat In such Illustrious company.
Adjudicating for the SOWPODS division was an interesting experience. I alternated between amazement at plays like LAARI, WOOLD, THRAWN, GUIMP, ANANKES and BIVTA (all but LAARI in OSW, incidentally) and astonishment that words like FUTZ, JEON, JINS, MIB, NAW, UTA and VIG were being challenged. Even I can remember these from 1993!
Division A was inevitably weakened by the existence of the SOWPODS division but, with players of the quality of Nell Scott, Paul Allan, Joyce Cansfield, Jackie McLeod and Martin Fowkes atthe head of the list, it could hardly be described as a pushover. Graham Wakefield andWilma Warwick were the early leaders but Martin Fowkes took over in round three and saw off his closest challenger, Rob Dowse, In the next round to open up a gap at the top. Paul Allan led the chasing pack and in round six toppled Martinto hold the overnight lead. Neil Rowley completeda good day's work by beating Chris Hawkins to complete a trio of leaders on five wins out of six.
On Sunday morning Neil fell to Paul, while Martin's win over Lewis Mackay kept up the pressure. In round eight things got very interesting, with Paul and Martin both losing, to Rob Dowse and Alan Sinclair respectively, leaving these four all on six wins. In round nine Sod's Law struck. An adjudication error was made and, naturally, it was in a crucial game and probably affected the result. Paul Allan, playing Alan Sinclair, challenged a three word move involving PODA. It came back ticked, incorrectly, and wasn't rechaltenged. Alan won the game. Martin and Rob also won. The final pairings sawRob and Alan drawn together, while Martin faced Joyce Cansfield. Rob stormed home In the deciding game by 169 points to take first place. Despite losing to Joyce, Martin held on to third place, while Paul Allan beat Margaret Burden to dinch the runner-up spot.
Division B saw seven different players hold the lead at various times. On Saturday It was Phllippa Morris, Cathy Anderson, Maureen Rayson, Cathy again, and again, then Lorraine Gordon, who beat Cathy in the final game of the day to stand alone on six wins. Cathy was at that point in second place. Sadly, Lorraine took no further part in the tournament. However, the next three, Kate McNulty, Peter Ashurst and Liz Barber, were to be very much Involved the following day. The absence of the Gordons meant that several players had to be given byes on Sunday. Kate McNulty, managed to go top of the table after being awarded her first (bye) game. She then
40 played Peter Ashurst In round eight but Peter won to become the sixth playerto hold the lead. In round nine, Peter was beaten by Liz Barber who made it seven different leaders. Janice Bease and June Edwards joined Liz and Peter on seven wins.In the final round Liz beat Janice and June beat Kate. Liz just held off June on spread to win the title and Tom Wilson beat Peter Ashurst to take third.
Unlike theother three divisions, Division C turned out to be something of a procession. Gordon Cox led after round one, but Paul Pye took over after round two and was never headed again. Overnight, he was alone on six wins with Christine Nicholson on five and the chasing pack on four.
On Sunday Paul didn't have it all his own way, losing twice in succession in rounds seven and eight, to Fred Burford and Jessie Tollick. However, victories over Violette Little and Gordon Cox In the last two rounds took him safely home. After the second of his two defeats, Barbara Hill, Jessie Tollick and Marjorie Lefley were all on six wins along with Paul. Barbara and Marjorie kept theheat on with wins in round nine, but Marjorie lost in the final round and while Barbara won again, Paul hung on to take the title by 51 points of spread. Irene Woolley won her final match to move through into third place.
All in all, it was an eventful but still enjoyable and highly memorable tournament. I hadn't been pleased about missing a Sundertand home game, but a 0-0 draw with Sheffield United made me realise I'd definitely been in the right place. We were already home and dry as champions anyway, so who cares!
Words I didn't know included BEVUE, PEAVY, HEEZE, PROTEASE, VIGIA, FAVELA, ATHEISED, RICIN, PARURE, INSANIE and CRIMEN. And that's just from the words which were challenged - there were probably many more I didn't know that weren't.
My particular thanks go to Laura, who was very nervous about taking control of the computer for the first time but did a brilliant job, despite her one mistake. Thanks also to the team of runners - Ian, Stuart, Richard and Yvonne - and to Graeme.
Thanks also to Chris Hawkins for organising the Speed Scrabble event. My first ever attempt at it ended in a defeat by Lewis Mackay. I felt a lot better when he went on to win the final.
Nextyear really is the thirteenth Durham tournament. If we don't turn up, you know why.
SOWPODS Division A
Posn Name Score Spread Posn Name Score Spread 1 Terry Kirk 8.5 598 1 Rob Dowse 8 643 2 David Acton 8 685 2 Paul Allan 7 712 3 Andy Davis 7 342 3 Martin Fowkes 7 396 4 Di Dennis 5.5 -145 4 Alan Sinclair 7 149 5 Graeme Thomas 5 154 5 Joyce Cansfield 6.5 -68
Division B Division C
Posn Name Score Spread Posn Name Score Spread 1 Liz Barber 8 546 1 Paul Pye 8 440 2 June Edwards 8 468 2 Barbara Hill 8 389 3 Tom Wilson 7 541 3 Irene Woolley 7 567 4 Moya Dewar 7 419 4 Fred Burford 7 388 5 Ian Bum 7 291 5 Mariorie Leflev 7 188 London Report by Graeme Thomas
The venue, in Harrow's Qvic Centre, was superb. If one were in a quibbling mood, one might say that the lighting was a little dim in places, but that would not give a true picture of the general excellence of the place. The food was good, and the tea and coffee, with home-made cakes for theafternoon break, were plentiful. All in all, it was a good event.
Division A: Division B:
Posn Name Score Spread Posn Name Score Spread 1 J. McLeod 6 817 1 M. Bright 6 250 2 E. Dartqoor 5 397 2 B. Bull 5 506 3 S. Penv 5 309 3 G. Roberts 5 355 4 T. Kirk 4 328 4 L. Gradus 5 237 5 P. Cohen 4 292 5 K. Synott 4 349.
Division C:
Posn Name Score Spread 1 M. Weatherill 6 668 2 M. White 5 491 3 R. Luchmun S 488 4 P. Fernandez s 252 5 S. Bullock 4 411
Spalding Charity Euent Report by Graham Wakefield
72 players attended the 9th running of this yearly event, held on behalf of charity, from dubs in Lincolnshire and its surrounding Counties. The charity LIVES will this year benefit by the tune of around £300. (LIVES stands for Lincolnshire Integrated Voluntary Emergency Services who are on call 24 hours a day, every day to rush to any accident to give medical aid at the scene prior to uplifting to hospital and thereby saving precious minutes In a victims fight for life.) Local firms sponsor all vehicles used and their running costs and special equipment are met by donations such as this one.
Prizes were awarded to the 1st three in each division. A booby prize went to Doreen Murphy for finishing lowest ofan the divisions. A prize for highest game score went to Kate Barratt with 555 points and she also won the highest word score with LUMBERED for 140. Other high scores were CRAZIEST 137, JINGLED 121, POUNCING 107 and UNSIZED 101 andmost of these were made by Div B players!! Division A Division B
Posn Name Score Spread Posn Name Score Spread 1 I. Raptey (EM) 5 827 1 J. Roqers (Le) 5 478 2 S. Balment(M) 5 364 2 B. Robinson (B) 5 472 3 G. Lawson (L) 4 276 3 P. Hunter (D) 4 497 4 P. Dean (P) 4 261 4 M. Culpin (G) 4 466 S M. Pritchett (M) 4 •64 5 M. Brown (Ma) 4 404
DtvisionC
Posn Name Score Spread dubs: EM = East Midlands. 1 M. Gray (N) 5 6% M = Melton.P ° Peterborough. 2 M. Whatmouqh(L) 4.5 274 Le = Leicester. B = Boume, 3 E. Draper (D) 4 221 G = Grantham. L = Lincoln. 4 D. Mfertes (L) 4 208 Ma = Mappertey. D = Donninqton, 5 E. Moqqan (B) 4 207 N = Nottingham
Scottish Championships Report by Amy Byrne
Perth hosted the Scottish Scrabble Championships for the second time. The function suite at Dewar's Ice Rinks Is one of the best playing areas for Scrabble in Scotland, if not the UK. After the 6 games on Saturday Wilma Warwick was in the lead having won all her games buthot on her heels was a veritable posse of hopefuls including Paul Allan, Neil Scott, Peter Preston, Mary Jones to name a few.
The second day started well for Wilma winning the next 3 games but by this time only Paul Allan wasone game behind her. However Paul had a huge spread and it meant that if Wilma lost a game he would overtake her for poll position. Game 10 saw the same scenario but Game 11 saw Paul foil and Wilma was now unbeatable. However, like atl true champions she didn't relax going into the final game and she beat Anne Ramsay (oneof her bogle players) convincingly. All here In Scotland are delighted that WUma has won the Championship once again, especially this year, confirming her selection as trie Scottish representative In the WSC in Melbourne. The final outcome and prize winners are shown below:
Posn Name Score Spread 1 Wilma Warwick 12 873 2 Paul Allan 10 1601 3 Peter Preston 8 637 4 Donald Madeod 8 565 5 Neil Scott 8 403
Newsflash: The 1999 Irish Champion and Irish representative for the World Championships in Melbourne in November is Brendan McDonnell - congratulations to Brendan from The Last Word'. Clabbers Eulega Report Report by Sir Nick Shwah
A presedtea nabd fo Tase Dinlamsd dan Bamcs yapsler guleraryt teme pu ot yalp a Clabbers donur inbors.
Crunter sponrjnis ni het Eulega sa ta 31/5/99:
1 Jack Sealob 4/5 80% 2 Sir Nick Shwah 14/18 78% 3 Ursula Moonraker 8/18 44% 4 Wilfred Meqahaka 6/14 43% 5 Horace Euromilk 7/18 39% 6 Leo Lard-Lichens 0/5 0%
Newcastle Report by Martin Thompson
After 14 years of trying my first tournament win. It was certainly done the hard way, with 3 games won on the last move by single point margins,with only seconds to spare in two of them. Made up for the FA Cup final defeat!!
Leading positions in the two divisions were:-
Division A Division B
Posn Name Score Spread Posn Name Score Spread 1 M Thompson 5 194 1 J Harrison 5 398 2 P Johnson 4 313 2 J Crowder 4 254 3 ABvme 4 186 3 R Falconer 4 116 4 JCansfiekJ 4 185 4 S Drannsfield 4 64 5 P Finlev 3 228 5 D Pearson 3 253
The Masters Report by Graeme Thomas
The following are the results from the Masters:
Posn Ratinq Name Score Spread l 203 A. Davis 10 680 2 190 M. Nyman 10 448 3 194 P. ApDtebv 10 278 4 184 A. Simmons 9 231 5 185 H. Gipson 8.5 231
Congratulations to Andy for a well-deserved victory. Player A was absent from this event, making it a pleasure to direct. I don't recall having to make any decisions. Lois McLeod was the runner, without whose help the event would not havebeen possible.
Unfortunately, Hotel Staff Member A *was* present. It would be hard to imagine a more incompetent bunch (although those who were present at the 1998 NSC at Wolvernampton will have some idea). They seemed to mean well, but were useless. I feel confident in saying that we won't be going back to 'that* hotel next year.
In round 1 Mark challenged TITTY, apparently on the grounds thathe'd never seen one. I erred in mentioning the "Most Ludicrous Challenge" prize; Mark decided to enter this event withgusto.
There were 301 challenges duringthe 105 games of this event; 16 of those challenges involved more than one word. 43 challenges (14%) were for invalid moves; the other 258 would have incurred a penalty, were such things In operation.
Here are some of the valid words challenged during the event ($ = OSPD only):
AEOLIAN CLEPED FRUITED JUNCOES OVULAR SAB AIRTIME COLLEGER FUGIOS$ KAUF PALUDINE SAGUARO AMBEERS$ CONTO FUNDER KIDGIE PEARE SAKIA ANELE CRENATURE GAMA$ KNIVED PEDREROS SCARIOSE$ ANIMUS CRYOGENS GAUNTS KNOTTERS PEKOE SKAW AUTOCARP CULTI$ GIRDLERS LAWNIER PERRON SKIMO$ BALKY CAREFUL GIVINGS LEMONIER PINEAL SLEEKING BANISHERS DECURIES GLACIATES LOOTINGS PISCINAE SLOUCHER BAUR DETENTES GOBBETS LOTIC PLAGE SNOOTED BEDSrTS$ DIALOGIC GOLFED LWEI$ PUNK SNOTTING BEGROAN$ DISBARRED GOR$ LYNE POCWEST SOPITES BEKOTE DOBIE$ HALVAH MAEUDS POOVY SOULDAN BEMIXT$ DOBIESS HANDUNGS MANI PREMIA SPHINX BENZINE DOMY HAULT MATRONAL PTYAUZE SPINETTE BESOT DORBUGS HAYING MAYING QUINIELM SPIRITUS BESOTS DROLLY HAZER MENSURAL REBBE SPURRER BETRIM DROUKS HEEZED MERDES$ REBOOTED$ STEEUE$ BEVER DRUIDESS HELLUVA METATES RECEWAL STRIDDEN BIWY DYER HEXAD MEZCAL$ RECUILED SUD / NYS BIZE$ DYNASTIC HICK MIDDENS RELATORS SULFONIC$ BLEY ECURIES HONANSS MIUEUS REMOLADE SUMO BUNTZE ENACTORY$ HONDLESS MILREIS RENFORST TABETIC BUNTZES ENGOBES HULE MOUNE REOBTAIN$ TAIAHA BLUIDIER ENSNARER$ HUTTED MOPEY REPROOF TAIN$ BONER EULOGIAE$ ICK$ MOTU RESHOESJ TAIVERED BOTCHIER EXOGEN ILIUM NARCEIN$ RESOLVER TAVS4 BRAVOS FATTING INDAGATE NOIR$ RETURNER TEDDERS BROND FENT IND0W$ NUGAE RIEVE TEENDS BULKER FERVID INFELT NYED RIGATONI TERRITS CARTAGES FEUING INSERTER OBELI RIMA TETANOID CENTNERS FIAUNT ISAGOGE OBEUA$ ROATE THICKS CHIVY FIREPAN JANKERS OBEUON ROSOUO TTTANOUS QSSIER FREMIT JARKMEN ONIUM$ ROTATIVE TITTY ove FRIGIDER JOISTEO OVATOR ROUGHERS TJTULES TOEPIECE$ TRONC UNDERLIT$ VIERS WAVEY WIVERN TONEY TROVERS UNHAIR VIGA$ WHAMS YAHS TOOM TRUG UNTRENDY$ VIGNERON WIDENER YAMUN$ TOUZIER TUFTED URDE VINTRY WIGAN YIRR$ TWGONS TWIGSOME URDEE vmtE WIGANS YOWES TR1ORS TYING VAW$ WAB$ WIGEON ZABETAS TROLLIES UNCASED VEGES WALD WITTOL ZERK$
Its a different game!! (and I want to play it) ■ MOR
PUZZLE RNSWERS
Moue by moue
Game 1 - Sowpods at Exeter
[1] REGULIZE [2] GAMELAN [3] PA: My best play Is VILLAIN at m7d for 20, setting up an outplay of DICE at I12d for 24. Mark can block DICE with AA at I12d for 10, but I then win with CEDI at n3d. Mark's best reply is AERO at lidfor 15. After DICE the final score is 471-471.
Rcross The Board
Position 1 - TSP teaser
INDIGNITY at j2d is theword. I remember seeing the possibility of DIGNITY somewhere and then thinking "oh, if only there were a couple of Is in the right place..." And there were! Just a pity these sortof things don't happen in "real" life eh?
Position 2 - last minute bonus required
AS: Clearly there is a very consonant-heavy bag and a pickup of three could wellpick up three consonants probably including an N & R. Although WOVE or COVE brings the scores to within 30, this doesn't give a realistic chance of winning because:
1) the blank is somewhat devalued since it would most probably need to be used as an essential vowel.
2) there is only one realistic bonus possibility beginning with the F at C2 which Is too much of a long shot given the vowel imbalance and having to retain a W orC. So, what to do? Need to play to provide several possible and likely bonus slots. Thus, leave the T of PERTAINS available as an ending and play to open the top of the board from the F but must score a few points In order to have scope for a win from a low- scoring bonus after countback. Choice of FLOW or FLEW look best to keep two vowels and the blank. Given the possibility of Martin replying with JANN (Ela) above FLOW the onlyplay is FLEW.
DA: FLEW Is a sound move here. I'mnot sure which F word Allan was thinking of but FALCONER and FALCONET seem the most likely. If this were the only hope, then it would be worth fishing for them.
But there are other possibilities, including the T of PERTAINS and even the two letter words created by LAD. (For example, DIRECTION could be a reality). In any case, it is pretty much essential to play three tiles and leave Just one In the bag. Allan mustn't give Martin a chance to play off without emptying the bag- a bonus score plus countback will be required.
What happened aften FLEW:
AS: Fortunately I didn't pick the 3, but HNR to give a rack of NOCHER? Martin, from a consonant-bound rack correctly inhibits the most flexible opening with JET (Eld) (stops NOtCHER) but thankfully I'm able toplay onto the T (COHeRENT) to win byIS on countback.
DA: Excellent play by both here. Martin did everything right on the blocking front and also forced Allan to find a winning play. Even if you can't win, give your opponent a chance to losel
Position 3 - late 3
The "simple* move is JESTEE hl5a for 42! The slightly subtler way to score lots of points is to play something like JEATS and ROARINGS (yes, It does take an S), setting up a nice play under the J with the only remaining O. There is the possibility Andrew will play GJU, but he will leave himself with S tiles, so there's still a good chance of winning.
Position 4 - Lothian endgame
This is a classic "play out in two" situation. The trick is simply to find the playout. With two Hs, this task Is made a little harder. The key play Is GHI f2a leaving AHOW for WHOA at n4d. The WHOA play can be blocked, but onlywith significant point sacrifice so the game is easily won. Sun 20 Jun 'Lang Toun Marlon Keatlngs 01592 265524 26-27 Jun •StokeRochfcrd Chris French 01708 701578 3-4 Jul ♦ABSP Summer (Sheffield) Mike Willis 01908 668117 Sun 11 Jul 'Richmond Peter Ernest 0181 894 3791 24-25 Jul •NSC(ChalfontStGUes) PaulGotder 01277 633339 7-8 Aug •Nottingham Nomads CUve Spate 0115 920 0208 14-15 Aug •Scottish Round Robin Donald Madeod 0131445 4489 Sun IS Aug •Rcmford JohnHoweU 0181 924 4664 Sat 21 Aug •Perth Marilyn Graham 01738 560019 21-29 Aug £$M!nd Sports Olympiad David Levy 0171 435 9496 27-28 Aug •BMSC Ladies Lob McLeod 01582 594910 28-30 Aug •BMSC (Nottingham) LotsMcLeod 01582 594910 Sat4Sep •Alness May Macdonald 01349 882016 24-26 Sep £Eastboume Langham Hotel 01323 731451 Sat25Sep •Sheffmateh (ShefReld) Rob Dowse 0114 268 3555 Sun3Oct •Bournemouth Ruth Marsden 01202 707148 Sunl7Oct •Middlesborough Tony Davis 01642457108 8-12 Nov •fPoriodc dive Spate 0115 920 0208 27-28 Nov •ABSP Winter (Milton Keynes) Mike Willis 01908668117
* registered for ABSP rating; £ commercial event; $ SOWPODS event
The ASSP Newsletter Is published tn February, April, June, August, October and December. The deadline for the next Issue Is 18 July 1999.
Please send contributions to:
Letters and Paul GokJer, U7 Passtngham Avenue, BUIerteay, Essex CMll 2TA event entry forms Tel: 01277 633339 Fax: 01277 651505 e-mail: [email protected]
Events Information Mike ORourke, 22 Kestrel Lane, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6BU Tel: 01572 756968 e-mail: [email protected]
Game positions David Acton, 31 Harrogate Terrace, Murton, CoDurham SR79PQ Tel: 0191 526 4320 e-mail: [email protected]
Word-related pieces Nick (teller, 17 Windsor Road, Godmanchester, Cambs PE18 8DD Tel: 01480 454464 e-mail: [email protected]
Anything else... Amy Byrne, 12 NorthfleU Terrace, Edinburgh EH8 7PX Tel: 01316613869 e-fnaU: [email protected]