No 68-October 1999 The bi-monthly magazine of the ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH SCRABBLE PLAYERS ANDREW PERRY 1999 BMSC CHAMPION Scribble® it a regutercd trade mark of J W Spear and Soni pic Leicester LE3 2WT. United Kingdom. The Last Word Page 2 Octtbtr 1999 THE LAST WORD No 68-October 1999 The official magazine of the Association of British Scrabble Players Contents The ABSPs flagship event, the British Matchplay ABSP Meeting 3 Scrabble Championship, was won by ANDREW Annual General Meeting 5 PERRY with GARY POLHILL and JAKE Chairman's statement 6 JACOBS in silver and bronze position. The Tournament prize allocation 7 SOWPODS division was won by DAVID ACTON Premier Count-Up timer 8 from ALLAN SIMMONS and BRETT Leaers 9 SMITHERAM. Congratulations to all those Chaifont news 13 involved in the Scrabble calendar's most gruelling ABSP Accounts 14 marathon. PaulPye 14 Playing for an apartment 15 This year's ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING was PC Scrabble... review 16 not held. It will, instead, take place just before the Ratings at 21 Sep 1999 18 Winter Matchplay at Milton Keynes. Detailed news Twenty Questions 24 of the exact event taking place in Nottingham are to Mattel's Helping Hands 25 be found inside. 1-That's Your Lot! 26 OSW4 Additions/Deletions 29 A couple of goodbyes to mention. GARETH How Do They Do That? 34 WILLIAMS has decided to step down as Secretary litt'ss Bbuuggggiinngg Mmee 35 of the ABSP. I'm sure everyone will thank Gareth for Tournament Reports 36 the tireless efforts he put in to this very time- Forthcoming Tournaments 42 consuming job. His duties are taken by AMY The Back Page 44 BYRNE for the time being. Sadly, we also say goodbye to DAVID ACTON who is no longer part of the editorial team, although The 71W editorial team is always looking we hope that he will still be able to contribute on an for contributions from you, the members/ irregular basis. Amy is also looking after board positions and annotations until a replacement steps Perhaps you have played in an interesting forward - please nominate your friends and enemies game which could be annotated or featured in for this task to one of the usual addresses. our Across The Board section? Seen a Scrabble story in the papers which might Finally ... no issue is complete with a plug for one of interest our members; Any particular word lists which give you trouble? You may even my own tournaments. I will be directing the inaugural have an opinion on some the articles JERSEY FESTIVAL OF SCRABBLE between 18 published in our Letters pages! and 24 March 2000. More details will be given next issue, but there will be SOWPODS and OSW Addresses for submissions are on the divisions, and local sponsors have already stumped up back page. Don't delay, send in today! £ 1,000 for what will hope to become a regular and richer event on the island ... PG October 1999 Page 3 The Last Word ABSP Netting 3. Graeme Thomas submitted his resignation, taking responsibility for the causes of the failure of the AGM to take place, but was Proceeding! of the ABSP meeting held at persuaded to reconsider for the time Nottingham. 29 August 1999 being. I. Graeme Thomas opened the meeting by 4. It was agreed nem con that Andrew Rsher apologising for the fact that the Newsletter continue to check the accounts. did not reach members three weeks in advance of the date set for the AGM. Clive 5. The Committee proposal to maintain the Spate then argued that for that reason, and annual subscription at £10 was agreed also because the accounts had not been made nem con. available in advance of the meeting, a valid AGM could not be held. After some 6.1. (Motion to retain OSW3 for the time discussion of the practicalities involved in being) postponing an AGM, Andrew Rsher Philip Nelkon spoke on behalf of Mattel. He proposed that a motion of short notice be urged the meeting to adopt OSW4, and adopted, such that the AGM could proceed. confirmed that Mattel will recommend OSW4 to the clubs, will use 0SW4 in the The Vote For Agst Abst Hall 55 37 2 National Club Tournament, and that the organisers of the 2001 World Championship Therefore, since a rule change of this kind will use a World Word Source (WWS) of the required a 2/3 majority, the motion failed. "American" book and OSW4. He also reported that although Chambers have stated It was then proposed that the AGM be held that they intend to introduce a WWS, plans at Milton Keynes around lunchtime before was still at the discussion stage. Philip also the Winter Matchplay, after the proceedings noted the contribution that Chambers had of this meeting had been published in the made to the Scrabble movement October edition of The Last Word'. This meeting would proceed, but with no official The principal arguments, developed in the standing, with a straw poll taken on each following discussion, in favour of the motion. Voting would be carried out by post, retention of OSW3 were that there is very for all members (those who had submitted little new in OSW4 and that it would proxy votes would be given an opportunity to be better to stay with OSW3 if a WWS were change their votes) via an enclosure in the to be adopted in the near future. October edition. In favour of adopting OSW4: Apart from the The Vote For Agst Abst points raised by Philip, it was also pointed out Hall 87 4 3 that (a) the current version of Chambers Dictionary is always the source of the lexicon Therefore the motion carried. used, (b) dubs will adopt OSW4. and most ABSP members are club players, and (c) that 2. Andrew Fisher stated that he had perused there is no sign of a WWS being available for the accounts, and that they were fine. A the foreseeable future. report is included in this magazine. The Last Word Page 4 October 1999 undertaking clear. It was also suggested that Straw Poll For Agst Abst the motion should include die word 'rated' Hall 1 82 11 Postal 12 53 4 before 'games'. Total 13 135 15 Andrew read die statement from David 6.2. (Motion to introduce four-digit ratings) Webb contained in die agenda. Graeme explained the meaning of die four- figure rating system being proposed, eg. Allan Simmons said dm die motion was that someone whose rating was quoted as about flexibility. 153, with an underlying figure of 153.2 from the data, would henceforth be quoted as Against die motion, Jackie McLeod argued 1532. that die gap between players would become unbridgeable if some players were Philip Nelkon countered die argument that continuing to diverge, for example by four digits would bring die UK into line playing with SOWPODS in 22 minutes with with die rest of die world by pointing out penalty challenges. that there is no equivalence between the various systems. Straw Poll For Agst Abst Hall 21 56 11 Postal IS 46 S The argument in favour was that a four digit Total 36 102 19 system gave a way of distinguishing between players, e.g. for Tournament 6.4. (Motion to introduce penalty challenges) organisers to split into divisions, regardless of Andrew Fisher read out David Webb's the significance to be attached to die extra statement in favour. Mike Willis argued that digit. fewer challenges would mean less runners were required. Against die motion, it was argued that since the fourth digit is not statistically significant, it Against die motion, it was widely suggested was suggesting a spurious accuracy. that die game would have a significant However, die question of die meaning to be element of bluff. Allan Simmons also pointed attached to "significance" was disputed, with out dm there is not really a world Mathematics graduates ranged on both sides. standard to which die movement can move on the subject of penalty challenges. Straw Poll For Agst Abst Hall 21 47 24 Straw polls were taken separately for die two Postal 49 15 5 Total 70 62 29 levels of proposed penalties. 6.3. (Motion to widen range of allowed time 6.4.1. (Points penalties for erroneous limits to 20-30 minutes) challenges) Graeme stated that die seconder for both 6.3. and 6.4. was Andrew fisher, not Mike Straw Poll For Agst Abst Hall 11 66 7 Willis as stated in the agenda. He also stated Postal 11 49 9 that the ABSP has no intention of introducing Total 22 US 16 any time limit other than 25 minutes into its tournaments. Nick Deller suggested drat die motion could be amended to make this October 1999 PageS The Last Word 6.4.2. (Lost turn for erroneous challenges) recorded. Members are invited to attend; diose who cannot attend are invited to send Straw Poll For Agst Abst in a proxy vote. There ore proxy votes on pie Hall 4 75 A from several members; those votes will be used Postal 5 55 9 Total 9 130 13 unless the members contact tlie Quotmon agoin with fresh instructions. 7. Any Other Business Furdter proxy votes may be sent to die Pauline Johnson proposed that in a situation Chairman: where players have opted to play in a higher division but the size of the division is thereby Graeme Thomas compromised, then players of the highest 3 Grove Lea rating should be allowed their choice first, Hatfield and so on down the list.