97 The bi-monthly magazine of the APRIL 7 RIL 8 AP C A L E N D A R O F E V E N T S AP C A L E N D A R O F E V E N T S 7 RIL A P R IL ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH A quick reference to forthcoming events SCRABBLE PLAYERS (fuller list and details inside) Jan 17th West Berks (6) Ian Burn 0118 984 5045 Jan 24th-25th Amsterdam Anand Buddhev +31 20 345 2890 Jan 25th-28th Pitlochry (15) Wilma Warwick 0131 669 7316 Jan 31st-Feb 1st Chester (16) Kathy Rush 01928 733565 Feb 7th West Sussex (6) Peter Hall 01903 717571 Feb 7th-8th Nottingham Nomads (16) Clive Spate 0115 920 0208 Feb 8th-15th H-B Holidays - Torremolinos Viv Beckmann 0191 273 1705 No 93 December 2003 Feb 15th Hampshire Open (6) Alan Bailey 02392 384360 Feb 21st Brentwood (6) Cindy Hollyer 01277 822050 Deadline for next issue 9th January Feb 27th-Mar 1st H-B Holidays - Bingley Viv Beckmann 0191 273 1705 Feb 28th New Malden (6) Shirely Cave 020 8949 1566 Pineapple versus Popcorn - it has to be a tie... Mar 6th Leicester (6) Marjorie Smith 0116 255 1176 Mar 14th Swindon (6) Steve Perry 01367 244757 ...or to put it another way – and avoiding Andy Davis’ Mar 21st Southampton (6) Alan Bailey 02392 384360 waggish but not-unkind nicknames – When Panupol Mar 27th-28th Durham (11) Laura Finley 0191 565 4079 Sujjayakorn plays Pakorn Nemitrmansuk the winner has to be a Thai. And that was the scenario in the final of the 7th World Scrabble Championships in Kuala Lumpur where Thailand was the dominant nation with all 3 team members finishing in the top 6 of the 90 players. After 24 rounds of Scrabble, Panupol and Pakorn were in 1st and 2nd places and therefore played a further five rounds head to head to decide the destination of the championship. Panupol took the title by 3 wins to 2. The England team performed well with 5 finishers in the top 14 which earned them an extra place for New World Champion future World Championships and Paul Allan finished CHALLENGE-A-DAY Panupol Sujjayakorn 9th to earn Scotland a further place also. SCRABBLE CALENDAR Andrew Perry was the unluckiest of the Brits. He lost his first game by a single point, 2004 defeated both finalists in all the five games he played against them and failed to make the final only because, in his final game, American Jim Kramer got stuck with an unplayable Q £10.99 against Pakorn. including UK postage and This issue contains a great deal of input from the World Championships, but it is the most packing important and prestigious of tournaments so is deserving of expanded coverage. cheques payable to Onwords Ltd and sent to Time to renew your membership again...
Onwords Ltd, Edington House, Early renewal of your ABSP membership could earn you a set of Protiles, and don’t forget The Bow, Coldingham, to use your voucher from last April’s TLW. Also look out for the Refer-a-Friend scheme. EYEMOUTH TD14 5NE All details are within. Email: [email protected] Alec The Last Word is printed by Keely Print, Beccles, Suffolk (01502) 713930 SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark of J.W.Spear & Sons Ltd., Maidenhead SL6 4UB ISSUE CONTENTS
Committee Corner ...... 1 Can’t Be Scrabble ...... 32 CCOOMMMMIITTTTEEEE CCOORRNNEERR So How did it go in KL? ...... 3 Edgeways ...... 34 Letters ...... 12 Xtras ...... 39 Events Reports ...... 14 Forthcoming Events ...... 43 The Committee met on 28th September, chaired by Amy Byrne in the absence of Allan Ratings ...... 20 Edgeways Answers ...... ifc Simmons. Across The Board ...... 24 Calendar of Events ...... obc Once again, the ABSP will be entering all those who renew by 31 December into a draw to win one of twenty sets of Protiles. The rapidity of renewals last winter was very welcome, and the Committee hopes this offer will further encourage everyone to pay their dues Throughout this publication, comments by the Editor do not represent the views of the promptly. ABSP Committee. Any statements by the Committee are clearly marked as such. All Paul Cartman, Tournament Co-ordinator, reported that some organisers are not following other contributions to The Last Word represent only the views of the contributor. the correct procedure in getting their events rated. The Committee would like to remind all organisers that they cannot publicise their event in TLW or on the ABSP's website, or indeed advertise it as a rated event, until the Tournament Coordinator has approved your THE LAST WORD TEAM event's details. The Committee would also remind organisers that, as agreed at the AGM, The Last Words Team welcomes contributions from readers to their respective areas, all events applying for rating since the AGM must have an entry fee reflecting a either as letters, articles or suggestions. Contact information: member/non-member differential of at least £2 for a one-day event and at least £4 for a multi-day event. General Editor: Games and Strategies: Words and Puzzles: Alec Webb Phil Appleby, Raymond Tate, Those of you gunning for a place in the ABSP Masters next year should bear in mind that 17 St Margarets Road Thorns Cottage, 6 Amochrie Glen the qualification criteria are different from previous years, as stated in April's TLW. To recap, Lowestoft Mount Pleasant Lane, Hollybrook the top 16 players in the ratings list on 31 March 2004 will be invited to the Masters, Suffolk Lymington, Paisley providing they have played 30 or more rated games in the fifteen months between NR32 4HS Hants SO41 8LS PA2 0DY 1 January 2003 and 31 March 2004. [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] continued over
Forthcoming events: Features: A Message from your Membership Secretary Paul Cartman, Christina French 9 Chapel Terrace, 127 Carlton Road, It’s that time of year again! No not just Christmas, but time to send off your ABSP Stafford ST16 3AH Gidea Park, Romford, membership renewal. The subscription for 2004 remains at £15 but if you were an ABSP 01785 211851 Essex RM2 5AU member in 2003 and still have April’s issue of The Last Word you will find a £2 voucher [email protected] 01708 701578 on the last page to help towards the cost. [email protected] If you get your renewal to me by 31st December you will be entered into the draw for a Deadline for next issue 9th January 2004 set of Protiles. Be aware of delays in the post around Christmas time. A few special pleas! In the event of issues of The Last Word not being received, or if you change your address, please contact Viv Beckmann 0191 273 1705 1) Remember to sign your cheque. 2) Make your cheque out to ABSP (not to me or TLW) 3) Use the renewal slip and NOT just put your name on the back of a cheque. Although Congratulations to the parents of the new I have databases I do also keep all the slips as back up. recruits to the Extremely Junior Scrabble Club I should like to wish all members a very happy Scrabbling 2004. Firstly Oscar Joseph, son of David Acton weighed in Viv Beckmann, at a robust 10lb 5oz on 7th November. 16, Benwell Grove, Then Karl and Antje Khoshnaw announced the arrival Newcastle Upon Tyne. of son Valentin Zino (left) on 19th November. NE4 8AQ.
1 It is with pleasure that the Committee once again invite you to nominate your fellow ABSP members for the Terry Hollington Memorial Trophy. The award, as before, is for "an SSoo hhooww ddiidd iitt ggoo iinn KKLL?? outstanding individual performance/general ability/improvement by either a newcomer to The 7th World Scrabble Championships from the viewpoints of those present Scrabble or a young player". Nominations will be received up to 31 May 2004, so that a Committee decision can be made prior to the BMSC next year. And finally, it is with further pleasure that the Committee announces a "refer-a-friend" The World Championship is Scrabble’s most membership drive. If, before 30 June 2004, you coax someone to join the ABSP for the first prestigious tournament. Just qualifying to time, you will get a voucher giving you £5 discount off your subscription for 2005. Just represent your country is an achievement and make sure you inform the Membership Secretary, Viv Beckmann, of this before next year's something to be proud of. Below are reports from renewals come around. There is a limit of three vouchers per member. some of the participants, either sent to TLW directly or extracted from messages posted on the The next Committee meeting is on 6 December 2003. The first Committee meeting of 2004 internet. is likely to be in March, so please let any Committee member know of any issues you want raised. In the meantime, the Committee offers its best wishes to all members over the festive Many of these reports are from the British Squad season. but I’ve included some from other sources such as Ross Mackenzie David Delicata of Malta who is an ABSP member, and others from the USA. For the most part the reports are, quite rightly, WORLD ENGLISH-LANGUAGE SCRABBLE PLAYERS ASSOCIATION extremely complimentary with regard to the LAUNCHED IN KUALA LUMPUR staging of the event. For instance... The name is a bit of a rackful, which is why this newly formed association is likely to be more often referred to as WESPA. Bob Lipton (USA) I was privileged to be nominated to chair In a nutshell, this year’s WSC was not only the most splendid ever, it exceeded previous the inaugural gathering of interested such events by a spectacular margin. The exotic venue, the breakthrough performances by parties in Kuala Lumpur during the World surprising Asians, the services rendered by the support staff, the food, the pomp and Championships. A draft agenda focusing circumstance — in all of these areas a level of excellence was reached that I never thought on constitutional issues and broad was possible. objectives was discussed and then a smaller selected Management Committee To imagine that anyone ever questioned the efficacy of a bid by Kuala Lumpur to host this met subsequently to initiate actions to Phil Nelkon giving the Mattel viewpoint at the lustrous event is such a strain now on my belief that I’m at a loss to explain it. I have never address the scope of key activities. meeting in Kuala Lumpur felt as comfortable as I did while in the midst of the multi-cultural Malaysians. The one thing I kept saying on getaway day, and I haven’t met anyone with a different opinion, was Some of the key areas to be looked at are membership/fees, international standard that I didn’t want to leave. tournament rules, international ratings, communications. Kudos galore are due to Mattel, Scrabble Masters (Malaysia), and the Malaysian Scrabble I won’t say any more at this point because more formal bulletins will be issued by the Association. But they only made the tournament, they didn’t make the country. The land Management Committee to all interested parties and Scrabble Associations across the is beautiful, the people are beautiful (in every sense), and a guy could do a lot worse than globe. I expect we will then include that bulletin in our next TLW and on our website. pick Kuala Lumpur for a home. Allan Simmons As for the level of Scrabble play, it turned out to be some notches below earlier events, at least at the top boards. That’s partly because so many of the world’s best players were not there. Nevertheless, Panupol is deserving of the title “world champion.” He beat the best players who came, and many who did come were legitimate stars of the game,such as former champions Mark Nyman, Joel Wapnick, and David Boys. Earlier, I said that the play at the top boards was not up to the standard set at previous WSCs. (Not that I would know, having spent no time at the top boards myself.) But I CAN attest to the higher quality of play at the LOWER boards. The bottom half of the field gets stronger at every championship, and this year was no exception.
2 3 Andy Davis (England) Andrew Perry (England): So another WSC is done and dusted. On the day before the games started I decided to go on the First of all, heartiest congratulations to the Thais on an organised sight-seeing tour. I was torn between this and doing outstanding performance - a victory for exciting, attacking some last minute cramming but I was assured by Terry Kirk that he Scrabble. was taking lists with him so I could combine both. 11 year old Having played Panupol twice, I am in no doubt that he is a Alistair Richards was going around the bus getting his WSC deserving champ (his name is apparently pronounced ‘panupon’, programme autographed by the players. He came up to me and but that won’t stop me referring to him as ‘Pineapple’). He is the said “Terry, could you sign this?” I doubt that particular case of first person I’ve played in a long time to make me feel totally mistaken identity will happen again and I’m not sure whether outclassed, and he made the fewest mistakes in the final. I’m sure Terry or I was more put out! Pakorn (‘Popcorn’) will be kicking himself over two or three of his Final stop was lunch which was excellent except for when we were moves, and ,not least, his time management strategy. given the news that shorts weren’t allowed in the restaurant. This Congrats also to the rest of the UK team, and commiserations to Andrew P for missing was obviously a common problem as they seemed to have a large out on a place in the final by virtue of Jim Kramer getting stuck with the Q against supply of sarongs for all the people who didn’t meet their dress Popcorn in the last game. code. Had I known the code (presumably we weren’t informed as it caused much amusement to the trouser-wearers) I would have The running of the tournament itself was spot-on, as far as I was concerned. Wilma Vialle definitely packed trousers to save embarrassment. The annoying was the best TD I’d ever encountered. She made it quite clear she wasn’t going to take thing was the sarong hardly made any difference to the length of my any crap from anyone, but did so with aplomb and good humour - just my sort of TD. legwear due to my height and also Paul Gipson who seemed to have There were several things that didn’t go to plan before and during the tournament (e.g. on about the same length shorts was allowed in sarongless (albeit change of venue, promised pick-up from airport falling through), but there’s no sense in after a stewards’ enquiry). I’m guessing they thought it would be crying over spilt milk, and the organizer did apologise during the speeches at the funnier for me to wear the sarong than Paul - you can judge how opening ceremony, and that’s good enough for me, forgiving chap that I am. funny I look when the photos which were taken are published. The On the whole, a thoroughly enjoyable and memorable tournament, so thanks to all only thing I hope for is that they don’t get into the hands of my uni whose hard work made it possible. friends! Overall, I was satisfied with the way I played. I am only aware of 6 missed bonus plays, Overall I had a great time. Kuala Lumpur has lots to offer with my and only played one unforced phoney (plus 2 others as desperate attempts to eke favourite attractions being the KL Tower and the Petronas Twin something out of lost games). Towers - there was a spectacular view of the city to be had from both The 5 point penalty challenge rule was in operation and I gained 5 points from the (albeit only slightly better than when I'm standing on the ground). I following words - thought there was a great atmosphere throughout, helped by the fact that everyone was staying in the same hotel and that the hotel lobby/bar seemed to have HAIKAI, NACELLE, DIOXIN, DUCHY, PEBRINE, ABRAY, WINDORES, PLIE, SEEWING, been commandeered as a venue for friendly games (and drinking). Despite some FRONTALS, CYANURET, NUBIFORM, and ERUMPENT organisational shortcomings I still found it a On the other hand I gave away 5 points by challenging EMPTILY, SWITS, RESHAVEN, fantastic event to play in as I'm sure I will DUDDIE, TIGERISH, GRAKLE. Three of these came from the 2 finalists. There were with all WSCs - there seems to be something several good words I might have challenged had there been no penalty (LOONEY, about them that makes them extra-special. BANED, JAWAN spring to mind) Oh yeah, and I came third, which was nice. My conclusion is that if I want to be a serious contender for the title next time, I’ll need Appropriately enough I think my best word a little more than my fair share of S’s and blanks. And I sincerely hope there is a next was probably (E)UPHORIA which almost time, although nothing is certain in the world of Scrabble. described my feelings afterwards - there was The North Americans had a lot longer to travel this time, and this seemed to be reflected a slight tinge of disappointment as I missed in the fact that there were fewer of them in the prizes than before. There were several out on the final by so little (Jim Kramer players not present who I’m sure would have felt they’d have given Pineapple a run for getting stuck with the Q against Pakorn in his money (Cappelletto, Gibson, Logan, Smitheram, Richards to name but a few) and it’d the final game). But I'd certainly have taken Andrew prepares to play Panupol Sujjayakorn be a shame if they never got a chance to prove themselves against the Thai wunderkind. third place before the event!... in the final round.
4 5 Helen Gipson (England): Terry Kirk (England): My WSC Highpoint – being proclaimed as the best woman Scrabble Highpoint - The whole atmosphere surrounding the tournament was player in the world excellent. I really enjoyed renewing acquaintances with fellow Scrabble players whom I'd met on previous forays to this part of the globe. Also, Best Play – Fishing for blank as last tile in the bag and playing out meeting many others whom I knew only by reputation. We were well with UNfURLED to win game by 8 points taken care of by our Malaysian hosts. My own personal highpoint was Best Memory – Wilma Vialle and David Kendix strutting their stuff at seeing my name at No 7 on the leaderboard after the first two games. the helpers party I had a sneaking suspicion it wouldn't last and so took a picture of it as Other highlights – meeting so many of the people I have played on permanent proof. in the Internet Scrabble Club. Best Play - A toss-up between the two nine-letter words I found. With a The team spirit of the England squad with so many supporters from home. I also had all the rack of MOOTHE?, and unable to find a 7 or 8 letter word which women helpers from Oz and Malaysia cheering me on unless I was playing one of their would play, I found HOMEO(PA)TH against Dr Trevor Hovelmeier of own countrymen. South Africa. KL itself - an amazing city Checking my racks after a later game, I realised I'd missed HILLOAED, which I didn't know. The checking paid off the following day as I risked (HA)LLOAING, guessing that if HILLOA was a verb then so was HALLOA. Best memory - Very difficult to choose, but I did enjoy floating in the hotel swimming pool with the Petronas twin towers shimmering in the sunlight above me. Pete Finley (England): Results-wise, my highlight has to be being the only player on day 1 to Helen with Terry Kirk, Steve Perry, Andrew Perry Helens favourite memory. Wilma Vialle and beat Naween Fernando. That second and Gareth Williams sightseeing in KL. David Kendix on the dancefloor. Everyone’s favourite KL attraction, round win put me in 16th place and the Petronas Towers. Spectacular I'm afraid that's as high as I got. Gareth Williams (England): by day, awesome by night. Another highlight would be My record of 13 wins out of 24 was, if I remember rightly, the fourth clinching my 12th win in the penultimate round, thus ensuring successive WSC at which I've had that result, so it was maybe that my record of winning at least predictable, but somewhat disappointing after being on equal wins half of my games in every WSC I've (10) with the front runners after 13 rounds. I’d have to admit to played in did not go down the drain. having had more than my share of luck to reach that position, and I don't think it was bad luck that brought me back down - if I'd been Too difficult to say what my best play was - it would able to continue to play to the same level of intensity and accuracy definitely be a strategic play rather than an unusual bonus - in the latter half of the event, a place among the prize money but my highest score was 100 for AUGITEs against Stewart winners should have been possible. Holden. I still have mixed views about the 5-point penalty rule. I estimate that I won one game My best memory of KL has to be the amazing mixture of because of it, by ‘getting away with’ a phony bonus, and lost one game by challenging two modern skyscrapers and traditional Islamic-style buildings, valid words and losing by 8 points. The rule works pretty well between players of with the wonderful Petronas Towers taking pride of place by comparable strength, but even then, the board is disfigured (in my view) by unchallenged a country mile. phonies: altogether I played three of these, two of which were bonuses, against strong The ‘lowlight’ has to be losing by three points to Ralph Lobo, having overscored one of his North American players. moves by six points. I didn't discover that till I got back home and analysed my games.
6 7 David Delicata (Malta): I was lying 6-6, and going nowhere, but was 109 points clear playing Stanley Njoroge from This is the first time that the WSC has been held in an Asian Kenya. Stanley played a bonus to get within country, and will undoubtedly not be the last. striking distance, and drew the last seven tiles I think the event was extremely well run, the level of play was from the bag. I checked my tile tracking sheet, impressive, and the sporting behaviour of all involved was and worked out that Stanley had ADEOTTT on amazing for such a fiercely competitive event. The smooth his rack, with no possible bonus plays. I was running of the tournament pivoted around Wilma Vialle who about to make the highest-scoring move, but deserves lots of credit as she managed to keep a firm hand on thought I’d spend a few moments checking the proceedings while maintaining a positive atmosphere, Nik that my tile-tracking was correct. It wasn’t. In Zamri the project director, Chief Executive Officer of Scrabble fact Stanley had ADENOTT, with a spot to play Dining together in KL, David Kendix Masters Malaysia and president of the Malaysian Scrabble NOTATED. Fortunately I was able to block his and Cheah Siu Hean. Association, and Philip Nelkon the WSC organizer and bonus, and win the game. It was the start of a David Kendix will be a familiar face representative for Mattel. 9-game unbeaten run that took me to the brink to many TLW readers. He was once The organizers, helpers and Malaysia in general made us feel most welcome. They helped of my greatest achievement in Scrabble. The a regular player at British Scrabble create a family atmosphere between all the members present of the international Scrabble moral: if you have time left on your clock, use tournaments, but hasn’t been seen at community. it! one in over 4 years. By offering to be 1 After being placed 74th of 88 in the 2001 WSC with 9 /2 wins, this time round I managed The event was a wonderful, exhilarating, a helper at the WSC he showed that he to secure 13 wins from the 24 games to finish the tournament 33rd of the 90 competitors, unforgettable experience. still has an interest in the game, but after hitting 25th place three rounds from the end. Meeting old friends, making new friends, and said he was not considering a return to My final placing surpassed my expectations at the start of the tournament. Despite an propping up the hotel bar with the rest of the tournaments. After such a long time uninspiring start to the tournament where I managed only 3 wins out of 8 games, focus, UK players. (Why is it that it’s always the Brits away from Scrabble he felt it would concentration and determination during the next two days of the tournament enabled me propping up the bar?!) It was great to see so take too much work to play at his to win 5 of 7 games on Day 2 and 5 of 9 games on Day 3. many UK players doing so well, but the former level. In Malta we have a handful of players who are of stiff international level. As such, I feel tournament undoubtedly belonged to the It may well be that with his other that our immediate aim should be to achieve a 3rd slot in the WSC of 2007. This can only magnificent Thais. interests he would not be able to find be achieved if both Maltese participants in WSC 2005 manage to attain a top half placing. time for the necessary study. Apart Given Peter Elbourne’s performance in Las Vegas 2001 and my performance in Kuala Stewart Holden (England): from being an actuary by profession, Lumpur 2003, I feel that this objective is well within our reach. I wasn't too happy with my final placing of he is also something of a ‘big cheese’ Finally I need to highlight how impressed I am with the respect that Malta enjoys within 62nd but feel that 11/24 wins is creditable for in the world of cricket. He is a scorer at the International Scrabble World, thanks to all our previous worthy ambassadors of the a first stab at the WSC. It was also fantastic, of Lords, the official scorer for England game. course, to be part of an England team who put when they play test matches there, and in our best performance ever. We rocked! the developer of the system by which Phil Appleby (England): I made a few nice plays and a few silly the ICC rank test and international My best moment was reaching mistakes, but felt on the whole it was my word one-day cricket teams. 2nd place after 21 rounds. My knowledge (i.e. lack of it) that was by far the Cheah Siu Hean is one of the Far East’s worst was losing my next three most prominent reason for not doing better. I strongest Scrabble players and prime games. am enormously motivated to qualify for 2005, mover in the formation of a world However the key moment in the when I will be far more equipped to be up scrabble federation (now referred to as tournament came in Game 13. there with the big guns rather than just tread WESPA). water in the bottom half of the table. The England Squad - Andrew Perry, The Thai players have established themselves as a frightening new force in world Scrabble, Mark Nyman, Helen Gipson, Phil especially since other excellent players like Charnwit and Jakkrit were kept out of this WSC Appleby, Di Dennis, Andrew Davis, by Pakorn, Panupol and Komol. The Thai school Scrabble system has been producing Stewart Holden and Terry Kirk. world-class players under the leadership of a Amnuay Ploysangarm for many years now,
8 9 Stewart Holden (left) with Australian representative Andrew Fisher (as Australian as a warm beer). ABSP chairman Allan Simmons performed the commentary on the final with the help of a giant and it was right that such an effort should be Scrabble board and live pictures from the anteroom rewarded. One comment made by Amnuay where the game was being played. stands out. When he was asked whether the Allan carried out the task admirably and new extra WSC places for Thailand mean that entertainingly even if his expert comments were Jakkrit and Charnwit will be able to play in largely restricted to “Is that a word?” in response to the suggestions being called from the equally expert 2005, Amnuay replied: “No. We have more.” audience. Andrew Perry (on his final round): Albert Hahn (USA tournament helper): ...even if I had wanted to see what was going on in Pakorn's game I couldn't, as there was ...Wilma announced that the game winners in the final round could retain the custom a crowd of people surrounding the board. Fortunately, people weren't allowed around Scrabble boards, with the losers getting the tiles. However, the boards would not include Table 1 where I was, so I had a peaceful game. the board bags, which would have to be purchased. There were boos from some players. After my win I went downstairs to the bar to await the conclusion of the other crucial game, I felt very bad for all the people involved in the largess of giving half the players these I didn't want to know how it was going until it was over. Dad went up to the playing room beautiful custom boards, although I wasn't surprised by the reaction of these players. to find out and while he was gone someone told me Jim had been 30 behind but had then When there is something to gain, logic and fairness often fly out the fenestra. played a bonus, so that made me optimistic. Unfortunately, Jim then got stuck with the Q The closing ceremony had Her Highness, and so Pakorn won and was in the final. Dad came back with the news, although I guessed the Sultan's sister handing out the prizes. from his face what had happened. However I was drained at that point and felt I couldn't Her name had about twelve words in it. face even more games the next day so when dad told me the result, although I was The top twenty players were awarded disappointed, I was also relieved in a way. large wall hanging facsimiles of their I went to the playing room to see Pakorn and Panupol on the stage arms aloft with Wilma cheques. When the Thais finally got their and everyone applauding - it was probably at this point that it hit me a bit more just how awards they put their hands together in much it would have meant to be in the final. front of their chests and bowed to Her I had to go over and commiserate with Jim Kramer especially, as he had also missed the Highness. 4th placed Jim Kramer final by just one place in the last WSC in Las Vegas. I too was receiving plenty of commented that it would have been commiserations/congratulations from people which was nice. It was then that I realised I better if they had finished 19th and 20th had played the finalists five times and beaten them five times (Panupol in 3 games and so they could have set the standard for Photo: Sam Kantimathi Pakorn twice) so I might have had a psychological edge over Panupol had I got to the final. the others. At the end of the ceremony Her Highness was presented with the official board of the 2003 David Webb’s analysis of the final: World Scrabble Championship. I believe the bag was included at no charge. Average equity loss for all five games in the final is, Panupol 49 Pakorn 76. 74% of Panupol’s moves were good compared with 63% of Pakorn’s. Each player missed two bonuses. The World Scrabble Champion 2003 is Panupol Sujjayakorn Conclusion - the better man won. Panupol’s performance in the WSC was stunning. He reached the final with three rounds to spare and is the first person to break through the 50 equity point barrier since I have been analysing major tournament finals. (These are the last three WSC finals, the last three BEST Finals, US/UK 2003 and the UK WSC Warmup tournament). The strong performance of the Thai team and the improved performance of the UK teams at the WSC suggests that the 2005 WSC should be a fascinating tournament. Will North America be able to reassert itself as the dominant power in world Scrabble?
10 11 In Malaysia, my penultimate move against Evan Berofsky appeared to give me the best chance to win. In the post-mortem, one of LLEETTTTEERRSS my possible outplays was WORSER. Although reasonably sure the word was good, we decided to look it up immediately. Wouldn’t you know it, in my very next The Scrabble Family game against Paul Cleary of Australia, he Penny Downer: On a recent visit to North landed on to hasten or slow progress. If a played WORSE (no,I didn’t say he played Devon my husband, Dave, and I were player landed on the ‘marriage’ square he worse) and I was able to hook my R, to staying in the delightful coastal village of had to remain there until another player make a neat play and get a nickel (5 penalty Sam Kantimathi Lynton (famous for its Victorian cliff railway landed there to take his place. His wife then points) for his challenge of WORSER. which connects it with Lynmouth it runs ‘died’ and he was free to move on m the Sam Kantimathi is one of the USA’s top almost vertically and is very scary!). game to celebrate the fu~neral wake and Then, while analyzing one of my practice players and represented his country in games with David Wiegand, just prior to the Kuala Lumpur. He is best known in In the evening we went to the local country freedom! WSC, I found RITORNEL would have fitted Britain as the producer of the famous pub, The Bridge Inn, for a drink. We sat at a Seeing us enjoying his book, the pub well. While looking the word up I noticed, Samtimer. comer table and beside us on the wall was landlord came over to us and chatted about and reinforced in my mind, an unusual a huge bookcase with a fantastic variety of his love of games. His name was Martin hook that the word took. I had first learned books - reference books, novels, travel Binks and he told us he had had the book our game at the WSC John O’Laughlin that hook about six years ago but must have guides, dictionaries, even an old, faded for about 25 years and that his children played RITORNEL, I recalled the hook and nearly forgotten it, because I have been OSW and OSL (I pointed them out to Dave (who were now grown up and serving was able to save an L and later hook to who groaned!). Further down the shelf was behind the bar) had played virtually all of playing mostly OSPD since. However, in make RITORNELL. another book, which caught my eye, called them. Of course, Scrabble was mentioned, ‘Play The Game’. It was a fascinating tome and he asked if we had seen his 05W. Bringing home the bacon reproducing old board games; Edwardian Taking it from the shelf he opened it to show Jackie McLeod: What a thrilling perform- Andrew Perry 4,000 Victorian and even older with descriptions us the inscription inside. It was addressed to ance from our players at the WSC, Mark Nyman 2,500 of how to play and the original rules. Some ‘The Scrabble Family’ with a short message congratulations to them all - to Andrew Andrew Davis 750 Perry in particular who so very nearly made of these games were designed to convey a signed by Leonard Hodge (Philip Nelkon’s Paul Allan 500 moral message by ‘rewarding’ virtue and predecessor). Apparently Martin and his it to the final play-off, and Mark who staged Helen Gipson 300 ‘punishing’ misdoing so they made wife and two children had featured in a a spectacular comeback to 4th place after entertaining reading. One in particular Scrabble video brought out to promote the fading into midfield earlier in the event. Phil Appleby 300 amused us - it was a game based on game about ten years ago. They played the If my maths is correct, the total prize haul to On the other hand, the 3 Thailand players marriage. All the players were assumed to game together in the film and hence the be brought home by UK players is 8,350 US between them pocket $27,000 of the total be men. On the roll of a die each player name. So if ever you are in Lynton, why not dollars: prize fund of $40K. Spectacular! moved around the board and followed pop into the Bridge Inn and meet ‘The further instructions printed on the squares Scrabble Family’? Scrabble and Screwing Windfalls Clive Spate: The WSC featured briefly in competition. Competitors had to put five the Saturday morning Transworld Sports screws into a block of wood in the shortest Sam Kantimathi (USA): One of the great Experts are no exception when it comes to programme on Channel 4. It was almost a time using a cordless screwdriver. The things about Scrabble is that one always such learning. Even in my worst tourn- case of "don't blink or you'll miss it" but I winner got $25,000 and a pick-up truck. seems to have an opportunity to learn new aments, I have been fortunate to learn new recognised, Helen Gipson and Philip Had the winner done this in less than six things in almost every game played. It could stuff, and sometimes there has been a Nelkon. seconds he/she would have won a million be a new word, an unusual hook, a subtle windfall in applying that new lesson in the Given equal prominence as next item dollar bonus. strategic consideration, a cool setup, a fresh very next game or soon thereafter. When was the world "Stone, Paper, Scissors" Perhaps we ought to be packing away evaluation of tile synergies vis-a-vis the that happens, you get great satisfaction championship- top prize $2,800. This in Chambers and OSWI and getting out the board and tile distribution. indeed. turn was followed by a power tool tool box!
12 13 A special prize went to Marianne Ward from Woking for the highest score for a single move TTOOUURRNNAAMMEENNTT INQUEST/OILS which scored 104 points. RREESSUULLTTSS && RREEPPOORRTTSS The highest score using a “Z” was 85 for BRAZEN by Evelyn Wallace from Southend. Division A Division B Chris Finlay 5 357 Peter Hall 5 457 Organisers are encouraged to send a list of prize winners and a tournament report to Abraham Sosseh 5 223 Phil Kelly 5 281 the TLW editor as soon as possible after their event. Noel Turner 5 211 Joy Lloyd 5 278 Nick Ball 4.5 291 Jan Turner 4 330 East Sussex Division C Division D 13th September (6 games) Wendy Tiley 5 547 Vivienne Newman 6 326 Jill Harrison 5 448 Graham Bonham 5 206 Division A Division B Division C Paul Cartman 5 250 Ron Bucknell 4.5 288 Danny Bekhor 5 160 Paul Cartman 5 438 Vivienne Newman 5 383 Janet Milford 4 406 Fay Goble 4.5 214 Dave Nunn 5 59 Stephen Wintle 5 357 Rosalind Wilson 5 287 Kevin Synnott 4.5 343 Paul Heasman 5 291 Peter Bailey 5 236 Edinburgh Cardiff 4th October (5 games) 28th September (6 games) Anne Steward’s 5/5 included a win by 291 points against Alan Sinclair in round 1. Alan Neil Green’s first rated games were in Division B at the Cardiff tournament 11 months ago; recovered to finish in second place with wins by 30,16,28 and 16 points. his performance then was 113. His performance in winning Division A this year was 203. Division A Division B Division C Anne Steward 5 486 Mary Jones 5 347 Jessie Tollick 4 594 Division A Division B Alan Sinclair 4 –201 Alec Robertson 4 332 Rona Falconer 4 214 Neil Green 6 620 Edith Tempest 5 414 Kate Surtees 3 299 Carol Malkin 4 246 Jack Hunter 4 189 Jean Williams 5 323 Jean Owen 5 407 Jean Bridge 5 320 Marjorie Garrett 5 230 Steve Perry 4 788 Lorna Franks 5 121 Middlesborough Bournemouth 5th October (6 games) Report by Trish Johnson 5th October (6 games) Report by Val Wright The morning of Middlesbrough Matchplay saw two competitors who advised us they had missed their train and weren’t coming, one who had missed his train and was coming and The Bournemouth 8th Open Scrabble Tournament held at Townsend Community Centre one player who did not make any contact with us or show up at all! Quite a start. However and School attracted 106 players from across the south of England. There were 4 divisions playing six games throughout the day. The start was delayed due to closure of the M3 and wfth Phil Jefferies usual competence ( and use of stand in players) we were able to start the certain cars being forced to take the scenic route. The final car arrived - not a problem we tournament only 10 minutes late, catching up the time later in the day. Luckily our thought, until it transpired that their fourth passenger was missing. problems were experienced prior to the tournament and everything settled down after that. This necessitated a redraw of Divs C and D and the demotion of Beverly Burgess, the reserve, from player to runner. Despite this, the Tournament was a great success and even Division A Division B Division C finished on time. Pete Finley 5 417 Alastair Ives 5 528 Susan Richardson 4 356 Mark Hollingsworth 4 268 Andrew Gray 4 129 Christine Nicholson 4 98 The overall winner was Chris Finlay from Southampton Scrabble Club. Although he is a Neil Rowley 3 403 Angela Spilsbury 3 218 Jean Ross 4 67 highly rated tournament player, this was the first time that Chris has been the overall Ratings Prize: Mark Lane Ratings Prize: Florence Davies Ratings Prize: Barbara McLaren winner. The runner-up in the A Division was Abraham Sosseh of the Bournemouth Scrabble Club. Noel Turner, last year’s winner from the Newport, Isle of Wight Club, was placed Congratulations to all. Also many thanks to all who supported our Tombola in aid of RNLI third. (Redcar branch) which raised £60.
14 15 Havering Isle of Wight 11th October (6 games) 31st October Report by Cindy Hollyer Vectis: 140 players took part in the ‘small’ warmup event at the Isle of Wight. The tournament’s new venue was the Kelvedon Hatch Village Hall and it was generally Division A Division B accepted as a change for the better (except for those without cars). Next year, perhaps N. Turner 5 446 P. Howard 5 464 with advance warning, we can arrange lifts from the station. S. Perry 5 258 C. Emery 4 362 We were very fortunate with the weather and as the hall is surrounded by playing fields P. Titheradge 4 310 P. Thomas 4 279 and tennis courts, players were able to enjoy the autumnal sunshine. There were 92 entries and 4 divisions. Chris and David French attended which was most fitting as they are Division C Division D founder members of the club. There was a record number of draws. J. Garcia 5 315 L. Llewellyn 5 371 Congratulations to 15 year old Nicholas Robertson of the Southend Scrabble Club who S. Heal 4 273 T. Cooper 4 585 scored 223 with the word QUARRIES. J. Lyes 4 236 C. Cartman 4 199 The raffle proceeds of £104.00 will be donated to “Break Through” (Breast Cancer 1st-2nd November Research). Main Event: 172 players took part in this event.
Division A Division B S. Simonis 9 616 M. Bright 10 611 H. Lamabadusuriya 8 710 G. Newman 8 496 S. Perry 8 618 P. Thomas 8 367 D. Bekhor 8 457 H. Cruickshank 8 206
Division C Division D C. Davies 9 560 H. Corbett 9 629 M. Kirk 8 576 T. Cooper 9 460 G. Pearce 8 516 L. Llewellyn 8 399 P. Crossland-Taylor 8 303 S. Reeve 8 284 George Gruner Nicholas Robertson Glasgow Division A Division B George Gruner 6 613 Jo Ramjane 5 605 8th November Ed Martin 5 295 Paul Cartman 5 257 Catherine Schwartz, editress of Chambers Dictionary, presented the prizes Robert Richland 4 418 Georgina Cook 5 181 Ratings prize: Moby Cook Ratings prize: Gertie Roberts
Division C Division D Claudia Wiseman 5 304 Nicholas Robertson 5 358 Margaret Newnham 5 119 Reg Dendy 5 268 Cindy Hollyer 4.5 281 Dorothy Edwards 5 148 Ratings prize: Jo Holland Ratings prize: Ray Tester Elgin 25th October (5 games) Amy Byrne Miriam Moss Yvonne Templeton
Division A Division B Division A Division B Division C Neil Scott 5 396 June Lowrie 4 420 Amy Byrne 5 615 Miriam Moss 5 227 Yvonne Templeton 4 107 Ross Mackenzie 4 291 Julie Tate 4 304 (SOS=14) Christine McKenzie 4 254 Linda Bradford 4 128 Robin MacDougall 4 357 Amy Byrne 3 267 Nora Bain 4 304 (SOS=11) Carol Malkin 4 225 Teena Walls 3 474 Jessie Tollick 3.5 268
16 17 BRITISH ELIMINATION SCRABBLE Phil Appleby: Obviously I’m delighted to have won, but I’m well aware that my play was well short of TOURNAMENT 2003 the quality I would have liked. An extremely stressful week at work immediately THE FINAL STAGES preceding the Final didn’t help, but the biggest problem in the match itself was Di’s speed of play. I don’t think of myself as a particularly slow player, but in almost every The Regional Finals game I found myself behind on the clock, and on several occasions I was down to my Group 1 London & South East Area Final Roy Miller 6 - 5 Darryl Francis last two or three minutes with lots of tiles still in the bag. I guess I’m used to doing some Group 2 West London Area Final Di Dennis 6 - 1 Ed Martin of my thinking in my opponent’s time, but in the BEST Final I rarely had that luxury. I Group 3 North London Area Final Mark Nyman 6 - 1 Nick Deller am not implying that there’s something unfair about playing fast, of course there isn’t. I Group 4 South West and Wales Area Final Phil Appleby 6 - 1 Stewart Holden probably don’t help my own cause by having a scoring routine that involves writing Group 5 East Midlands Area Final Jared Robinson 6 - 5 Alec Webb down my rack and words played, my opponent’s words played, and the number of tiles played - as well as swapping writing implements to cross off the tiles played using a Group 6 W. Midlands and N.W. Area Final Lee Jones 6 - 4 Wayne Kelly marker pen. But I suspect I’d play worse if I didn’t follow my routine; I might play quicker, Group 7 North East England Area Final Allan Simmons 6 - 5 Pete Finley but I’d feel that something was “missing”, and that would put me off. Group 8 Scottish Area Final Neil Scott 6 - 3 Paul Allan For me the important thing is to have my own “natural rhythm” of play, and to maintain Quarter Finals it whether I am playing someone who plays quickly or slowly. I always tell myself that if (Losers £50) someone is playing very quickly, they’re probably missing the occasional better move; that might not be the case, but it’s good for my confidence. I know that if I play too Phil Appleby 8 - 5 Neil Scott Allan Simmons 8 - 3 Mark Nyman quickly, I definitely miss things. Lee Jones w/o Roy Miller Di Dennis 8 - 3 Jared Robinson I’d like to thank everyone who was involved in organising and running the Final, Semi-Finals particularly Evan Simpson (what a fine host, and what an excellent cooked breakfast!), (Losers £125) and I’d like to thank Di for being a gracious and predictably tough opponent. I think the tiles definitely ran my way in the last three games; it wasn’t so much what I picked, but Phil Appleby 9 - 1 Allan Simmons Di Dennis 9 - 8 Lee Jones more the “flow”. Whereas Di was struggling with some unplayable racks, it seemed I BEST 2003 Final always had a choice of decent plays. (Winner £600 Loser £300 David Webb: Di Dennis 6 - 10 Phil Appleby (David’s analysis methods, which compares the players’ moves with those considered best by the Scrabble computer program Mavin,were detailed in TLW 88) Phil won 10-6 but who played better? Equity Loss Di dropped an average of 81 points a game whereas Phil dropped 66 points a game. This is the best single statistic for assessing who played better and it shows that it was Phil, but not by a vast margin. Missed Bonuses Di missed bonuses on 10 racks while Phil missed bonuses on 6 racks (5 if you exclude SUBAUDIO which was almost certainly a less winning move than Phil’s actual play) Good Play Percentage 61% of Di’s moves were good whereas 64% of Phil’s moves were good. A good move is one less than 5 equity points from the optimal move. Conclusion Phil edged all three of these stats but the key stat is the first one, average equity loss per game. I wonder when a BEST winner will first crack the 50 point barrier. Mark has come closest with 52 last year.
18 19 149 Y Marjory Flight 142 Y Heather Cruickshank 136 Y Norma Howarth 131 N Ann Pitblado Ratings at 149 Y Gerard Fox 142 Y Ann Golding 136 Y Marjorie Smith 131 Y Teena Walls RRAATTIINNGGSS LLIISSTT 149 N Wendy Lindridge 142 Y Margaret Pritchett 135 Y Minu Anderson 131 N Margaret Yeadon (GM) Grand Master (Exp) Expert 23-11-2003 149 Y Kim Phipps 142 N Paul(Australia) 135 Y Michael Baxendale 130 Y Ann Coleman At least 30 games 149 Y Jean Rappitt Richards 135 Y Christine Gillespie 130 Y Yvonne Eade ABSP Member? Y=Yes N=No 141 Y Viv Beckmann and at least 149 Y Tom Wilson 135 N Maureen Greening- 130 N Medina Hull 148 Y Brian Bull 141 Y Margaret Bright Steer 130 N Margaret Keegan 204 Y David Acton(GM) 174 Y Chris Vicary 162 N Ricky Zinger 1 since 23-11-2001 148 Y Pat Colling 141 Y Nick Jenkins 135 Y Agnes Gunn 130 Y Helen Polhill 204 Y Andrew Fisher(GM) 174 Y Bob Violett(Exp) 161 Y Brian Jones 148 Y Moya Dewar 141 Y Mary Jones 135 N Nola Marrow 130 Y Angela Spilsbury 200 Y Phil Appleby(GM) 173 Y Roy Miller 161 N Dave Nunn 148 N Tim Hebbes 141 N Keith King 135 Y Maureen Reynolds 130 N Sheila Wall 199 Y Harshan 173 Y Ruth Morgan- 161 N Malcolm Quirie 141 Y Mark Lane 135 Y Barbara Shammas Thomas(Exp) 148 N Alastair Richards 129 Y Maureen Austin Lamabadusuriya 161 Y Peter Thompson 141 Y Helen Latchem 135 Y Jan Turner 173 Y Martin Thompson 155 N Thomas Mensah 148 Y Kenneth Ross 129 N Pat Broderick 198 Y Andrew Davis(GM) 161 Y Dianne Ward 141 Y Joy Lloyd 135 Y Evelyn Wallace 171 N Catherine Costello 155 Y Lynne Murphy 148 N Fran Thompson 129 Y Rita Brookes 196 N Mark Nyman(GM) 160 Y Alan Bailey 141 N Brenda Margereson 134 N Joe Caruana 171 Y Barry Grossman 155 Y David Shenkin 148 Y Judy Wearn 129 N Ann Davidson 195 Y Helen Gipson(GM) 160 N David Brook 141 Y Lorna Rapley 134 N Garry Clark 171 N Chris Keeley 155 Y Linda Vickers 147 N Oluyemi Adesiyan 129 Y Norma Galley 195 Y Andrew Perry(GM) 160 Y Amy Byrne 140 Y Liz Allen 134 Y Wanda De Poitiers 171 N Brendan McDonnell 155 Y Graham Wakefield 147 Y Andy Becher 129 Y Ron Hendra 194 Y Neil Scott(Exp) 160 Y Joyce Cansfield(Exp) 140 N Eryl Barker 134 Y Carolyn Emery 171 Y Austin Shin 154 Y Paul(Sale) Richards 147 Y Christina French 129 Y Mary Siggers 193 Y Paul Allan(GM) 160 N David Dawson 140 Y Louise Brundell 134 Y Pamela Kikumu 170 Y Richard Evans(Exp) 154 Y Rachelle Winer 147 Y Phil Kelly 129 N Susan Skirving 193 Y Brett Smitheram(GM) 160 Y David Delicata 140 N James Crooks 134 Y Patricia Pay 170 Y Tony Killilea 153 Y Ivy Dixon-Baird 147 Y Martin Leverton 129 Y Dorothy Taylor 192 Y Clive Spate(GM) 160 N Billy Dott 140 N Terry Jones 134 N Stuart Solomons 170 Y Sandie Simonis(Exp) 153 Y Angela Evans 147 N Eileen Meghen 129 N Margaret Williams 191 Y Andrew Cook(GM) 160 Y Debbie Heaton 140 N Doreen Marsh 134 Y Pat Wheeler 170 Y Sheila Spate 153 N Mark Hollingsworth 147 N Alec Robertson 128 Y Eileen Basham 190 Y Shanker Menon 160 N John Howell 134 Y Jean(Cardiff) Williams 170 Y Mike Willis(Exp) 153 Y Marion Keatings 146 Y Cathy Anderson 140 Y Tess McCarthy 128 Y Wasinee Beech 189 Y John Grayson(GM) 160 N Peter Preston 133 N Aaron Bell 169 Y Helen Grayson(Exp) 153 Y Kay McColgan 146 N Tony Bailey 140 Y Huw Morgan 128 Y Heather Burnet 186 Y Femi Awowade(Exp) 160 Y Wilma Warwick 133 Y Linda Bradford 169 Y Helen Greenaway 153 Y Robert Pells 146 Y Sue Bowman 140 N Kevin Sellars 128 N Jean Crowder 186 Y Gareth Williams(GM) 159 Y Caroline Atkins 133 Y Andrew Gray 169 Y Cecil Muscat 153 Y Janet Phillips 146 Y Alan Childs 140 N Richard Woodward 128 Y Michael Harley 185 Y Nick Ball 159 N Chris Davison 133 Y Mavis Harding 169 N Karen Richards 153 Y Anne Ramsay 146 Y Carmen Dolan 139 Y June Edwards 128 Y Kathleen Higgins 185 Y George Gruner 159 N Timothy Lawrence 133 Y Mike Holland 168 Y Adam Philpotts 153 Y Donna Stanton 146 Y David Longley 139 Y Lorraine Gordon 128 N Doug Hill 185 Y Allan Simmons(GM) 159 Y Ross Mackenzie 133 Y Fay Madeley 168 Y Neil Rowley 153 Y Margaret Staunton 146 N Helen Mitchell 139 Y Trish Johnson 128 Y Yvonne McKeon 184 Y Terry Kirk(GM) 159 Y Graham Maker 153 N Angela Swain 146 Y Gwynfor Owen 139 Y George Newman 133 Y Jean Swallow 128 N Ronnie Reid 183 Y Karl Khoshnaw(Exp) 168 Y Waiyapot Suttawassuntorn 159 Y Nuala O’Rourke 152 Y Paul Bassett 146 Y David Williams 139 N Bryn Packer 133 N Evan Terrett 128 N Paul Steadman 182 Y Russell Byers(GM) 167 N Paul Chadwick 158 Y Maureen 152 Y Simon Carter 146 Y Val Wright 139 N Lesley Trotter 132 Y Mary Allen 128 N Isla Wilkie 182 Y Pete Finley(GM) Chamberlain 167 Y Nick Deller 152 Y Gary Fox 145 Y Martin Bloomberg 139 Y Sheena Wilson 132 Y Carol Arthurton 128 Y Stephen Wintle 181 Y Danny Bekhor 158 Y Ruth MacInerney 167 Y Penny Downer(Exp) 152 Y Joanne Hiley 145 Y Graham Buckingham 138 Y Philip Aldous 132 Y Peter Ashurst 127 N Charley Adesoji 181 Y Elie Dangoor(Exp) 158 Y Christine McKenzie 167 Y Simon Gillam(Exp) 152 N Carole Rison 145 Y Iain Harley 138 Y Eileen(LSL) Anderson 132 N Martin Cairns 127 Y Etta Alexander 181 Y Di Dennis(GM) 158 Y Chris Quartermaine 166 Y Chris Finlay 152 Y Alison Sadler 145 Y Paul Howard 138 N Sheila(Perth) 132 Y Ceridwen Davies 127 Y Barbara Allen 181 Y Philip Nelkon(GM) 158 Y Kevin Synnott 166 Y Graham Harding 151 Y Vincent Boyle 145 Y Peter Hunt Anderson 132 Y Barbara Dein 127 Y Hilary Birdsall 180 N Gary Oliver 166 Y Martin Reed 158 Y Graeme Thomas 151 N Eddy Breed 145 Y Kate Leckie 138 Y Jill Bright 132 N Chris Dossett 127 Y Janet Bonham 180 Y Evan Simpson(GM) 166 N Martin Thomas 158 N Amy Willcox 151 Y Maurice Brown 145 Y Carol Malkin 138 Y Tony Davis 132 N Theresa Ellis 127 N Stella Brown 180 Y Brian Sugar(GM) 165 N Ed Garrett-Jones 157 N Erica Cruickshank 151 Y Heather Frankland 145 Y Danny McMullan 138 Y Eleanor Dobson 132 Y Sandra Hoffland 127 Y Kathy Bullen 180 Y David Webb(GM) 165 N Jane Gibson 157 Y Chris Fenwick 151 Y Neil Green 145 Y Carol(Norwich) Smith 138 N Alasdair Dowling 132 Y Gavin Holmes 127 Y Geoff Cooper 178 Y Martin Fowkes(Exp) 165 Y Daniel Simonis 157 Y Peter Liggett 151 Y David Lawton 145 Y Carol Stanley 138 N Patricia Fenn 132 Y Sharon Landau 127 Y Verity Cross 178 Y Stewart Holden 165 N Abraham Sosseh 157 Y Donald MacLeod 151 Y Sanmi Odelana 145 Y Lesley Watson 138 N Alan Guy 132 Y Malcolm Roberts 127 N Chris Downer 177 Y Chris Hawkins 165 N Karen Willis 156 Y Irene Bell 151 Y Matthew Pinner 145 N Mandy Weatherill 138 N Helen Jones 132 Y Joyce Squire 127 Y Jean Gallacher 177 Y Steve Perry 164 Y Pauline Johnson 156 Y Adrienne Berger 151 Y Kate Surtees 144 Y Debbie Holloway 138 Y Kathy Swan 132 Y Sylvia Swaney 127 Y Jim Lyes 177 Y Jared Robinson 164 Y Bob Lynn 156 Y Theresa Cole 151 Y Ivan Swallow 144 Y Lois McLeod 137 Y Diana Beasley 132 Y Derrick Thorne 127 Y May Macdonald 177 Y Alec Webb(Exp) 164 N Diane Pratesi(Exp) 156 Y Davina Galloway 151 Y Malcolm Wearn 144 Y Peter Thomas 137 Y Samantha Beckwith 132 N Rita Todd 127 Y Ruth Marsden 176 N Gerry Carter 164 Y Andrew 156 N Ralph Gibbs 150 N John Balloch 143 N Marta Dunsire 137 Y Syd Berger 131 Y Janice Bease 127 Y Michael Partner 176 Y Lewis Mackay Roughton(Exp) 156 Y Sheila Green 150 Y Steve Balment 143 Y David Ellis 137 Y Anand Buddhdev 131 N Janet Braund 126 Y Liz Barber 176 Y Jackie McLeod(Exp) 163 Y John Ashmore 156 N Ken Heaton 150 Y Ian Burn 143 Y Robert Johnston 137 Y Edelle Crane 131 Y Beryl Brown 126 N Eileen Douglas 175 Y Bob Berry 163 Y Theresa Camilleri 156 N Georgina Lawson 150 N Anne Hidden 143 Y Kathryn Le Grove 137 N Sheila Hinett 131 N Jean Carter 126 Y Phyllis Fernandez 175 N Jake Jacobs 163 Y JoJo Delia 156 Y Les Nyman 150 Y David Meadows 143 Y Kate McNulty 137 Y Elizabeth Hull 131 Y Joan Caws 126 Y Jill Fisher 175 N Lee Jones 163 Y Frankie Mairey 156 Y Mary Oram 150 Y Maureen Rayson 143 Y Kay Powick 137 Y Josef Thompson 131 N Val Couzens 126 Y Lynn Giles 175 Y Ed Martin 162 Y Alan Georgeson 156 Y Paloma Raychbart 150 Y Norman Smith 143 Y Chrystal Rose 137 N Brian Watson 131 Y Priscilla Encarnacion 126 Y Peter Lindeck 175 Y Gary Polhill(Exp) 162 Y Elisabeth Jardine 155 N Alan Buckley 150 Y Anne Steward 143 Y Maria Thomson 137 N Mike Whiteoak 131 N Pam Fairless 126 Y Barbara Morris 175 Y Robert Richland(Exp) 162 Y Mike O’Rourke 155 N Alan Catherall 150 N Pam Titheradge 142 Y Margaret Armstrong 136 Y Margaret Burdon 131 Y Linda Hillard 126 Y Hazel Parker 174 Y Darryl Francis(Exp) 162 Y Alan Sinclair 155 Y Moira Conway 150 Y Frances Ure 142 Y Paul Bissett 136 Y Ian Coventry 131 N Stella Magnus 126 Y Gerry Pearce 174 Y Wayne Kelly 162 Y Raymond Tate 155 Y Peter Dean 149 Y Tolani Ayo-Awojobi 142 N Jean Bridge 136 Y Peter Hall 131 Y Martha Mitchell 126 N Miri Purse 174 Y Noel Turner(Exp) 162 Y David White 155 Y Karl Kwiatkowski 149 Y Laura Finley 142 N Moby Cook 136 Y Teresa Hill 131 Y Jill Parker 126 N Jo Ramjane
20 21 126 Y Gertie Roberts 122 Y Edith Tempest 117 Y Miriam Moss 111 N Helen Cowie 104 N Pat Burgess 100 N Ian Smith 94 Y Margaret Seabrook 84 N Lionel Howard 126 N Janet Southworth 121 Y Lena Glass 117 N Helen Rees 111 Y Barbara Grant 104 Y Ann Clark 100 N Winifred Smith 94 Y Dorothy Wilks 84 N Edna Lindeck 126 Y June Wilson 121 Y Barbara Hill 117 N Doris Street 111 N Janet Milford 104 Y Eve Conlon 100 Y Nicola Staunton 93 N Carmen Borg 84 N Zoe Marlowe 125 N Linda Bird 121 Y Christabel Jackson 117 N Jo Tebbutt 111 Y Mary Morgan 104 Y Elsie Edwards 100 Y Sarah Taylor 93 Y Barrie Hall 84 Y Barbara McLaren 125 N Jennifer Clifford 121 N John Jones 117 N Kathleen Ward 111 N Stuart Ross 104 Y Lorna Llewellyn 100 Y Jessie Tollick 93 N Patricia Holmes 84 N Millie Ward 125 N Joy Coomber 121 Y Stuart May 116 Y Doreen Acton 111 Y Val Stewart 104 N Margaret Mills 100 N Geoff Waters 93 N Rosemarie Howis 83 Y Ted Anderson 125 Y Sally Fiszman 121 Y Malcolm Shaw 116 N Sheila(Romford) 111 Y Chris Wide 104 N Esme Norris 99 N Maureen Barlow 93 Y Violette Little 83 N Margaret Craig 125 Y Malcolm(Luton) 121 Y Mary Shaw Anderson 111 Y Rosalind Wilson 104 N Pamela Sparkes 99 Y Anna Blakey 93 N Christine Watkins 83 Y Mandy Isaac Graham 121 Y Carol Sienkiewicz 116 Y Mabel Choularton 111 N Claudette Wiseman 104 Y Heather Stevens 99 Y Shirley Cave 92 N Peter Basham 83 N Doris Mackay 125 Y Edith Smith 121 Y Peter Sime 116 Y Dorothy Dean 111 Y Irene Woolley 104 Y Grace Summers 99 N Marie Davie 92 N Judy Beales 83 Y Lionel Millmore 125 N Sonia Temple 121 N Stan Skinner 116 N Sheila Jeffery 110 N Don Beavis 104 Y Yvonne Templeton 99 N Gerry Gleeson 92 N Alex Beckmann 83 Y Joan Murphy 124 Y Gail Allen 121 N Gill Thompson 116 N Lilly Laker 110 Y Sheila Booth-Millard 104 N Alice Tozeland 99 Y May Gray 92 Y Beroze Mody 83 N Nicholas Robertson 124 Y Nora Bain 121 Y Jan Vokes-Taylor 116 N Rhian Lewis 110 N Beryl Browner 104 N Jacqui White 99 Y Mary Keevy 92 N Kitty Reid 83 N Monica Urquhart 124 Y Alistair Baker 120 N Anne Backley 116 Y Judy Monger 110 N Irene Catherall 103 Y Mary Adams 99 N Alice Nadin 92 Y Sheila Smith 82 Y Pamela Brown 124 N Nicholas Baker 120 N Bobbie Bennett 116 N Helen Sandler 110 Y Owen Clarke 103 Y Ron Bucknell 99 Y Jean Stevens 92 Y Elisabeth Williams 82 Y Sheila Stanton 124 Y Linda Barratt 120 Y June Clark 116 N Peter Slack 110 N Marjorie Gardner 103 N Beverley Burgess 99 N Marjorie Struggles 91 Y Kathy Carson 82 N Jane Thomas 124 Y Shirley Chidwick 120 N Marie English 116 Y Sue Thompson 110 Y Cindy Hollyer 103 N Paula Docherty 98 Y Vera Allen 91 N Margaret Coleman 81 Y Elsie Brown 124 N Georgina Cook 120 Y Vera Flood 115 Y Margaret Herbert 110 N Paul Moorefield 103 Y Sue Ison 98 Y Fred Burford 91 Y Jean Jacobs 81 N Moira Mackintosh 124 N Barbara Goodban 120 Y Lorna Franks 115 Y Helen Morris 110 Y Kitty Rugman 103 N Jenny Jaques 98 Y Christine Cartman 91 Y Peter Shuttlewood 81 Y Evelyn Mankelow 124 Y Rhoda Gray 120 N David French 115 N Judy Young 110 N Faye Spooner 103 Y June Johnstone 98 N Alan Everitt 90 Y Rita Barton 80 N Peter Munt 124 Y Shirley Heal 120 Y Margaret Harkness 114 N Barbara Etheridge 109 N Eileen Bradshaw 103 Y Adrian Noller 98 Y Derek Neath 90 Y Graham Bonham 80 N Jill Russell 124 N Mary Hopwood 120 Y Alastair Ives 114 Y Daphne Fletcher 109 Y Joyce Jarvis 103 Y Pat Rockley 98 Y Mary Ralfs 90 Y Hazel Brannan 80 N Bobby Wright 124 Y Ann Hughes 120 N David Reading 114 Y Ruby Flood 109 Y Jill Jones 103 N Jack Waley-Cohen 98 Y Susan Richardson 90 N Bernard Bruno 79 Y Marcia Davies 124 Y Nicky Huitson 119 N Noel Barnes 114 N Eileen Foster 109 N Rosalyn Lishak 102 Y Iris Cornish 98 N Christine Spicer 90 N Agnes Gray 79 Y Peggy Lavender 124 Y Jane Lowndes 119 Y Kate Boutinot 114 Y Andrew Hart 109 Y Celia Osborn 102 N Rona Dryden 98 Y Claire Violett 90 Y Jenny Harris 78 N Cath Cameron 124 N Brenda Rodwell 119 Y Don Davis 114 N Roma Hollingworth 109 Y Joan Rees 102 N Paul Harding 98 Y Ian Whyte 90 Y Jenny Sakamoto 78 Y Michael Murray 124 N Vera Sime 119 N Geoff Howe 114 N June Lindridge 109 N Sheila Szzvanowski 102 N Olive Holroyd 97 N Una Collinson 89 Y Mike Adsetts 77 N Vanw Lloyd 124 N Rose Spencer 119 Y Sheila Jolliffe 114 N Doreen Morris 108 Y Irene Atkinson 102 N Mary Manson 97 Y Reg Dendy 89 N Margaret Emmott 77 Y Jean Ross 124 Y Margaret White 119 N Barbara Kent 114 N Olivia Patton 108 Y Ken Bird 102 Y Vivienne Newman 97 Y Renee Gilbert 89 Y Margaret Firmston 77 N Doreen Searles 123 Y Betty Balding 118 Y Eileen(Reading) 114 Y Denise Saxton 108 N Eve Dwyer 102 Y Jean Shaw 97 N Fay Goble 89 Y Jan Gibson 77 N Margaret Sutherland 123 N Sue Ball Anderson 114 N Joanna Skirving 108 N Barbara Fleming 102 N Beryl Shine 97 Y Sheila Reeve 89 Y Yvonne Goodridge 75 N Jessie Chisholm 123 N Harry Beckett 118 N Shirley Angell 114 N Isobel Smith 108 N Joy Fox 101 Y Peter Bailey 97 N Yoke Shin 89 N Audrey Jackson 75 N Mary Shiells 123 Y Winnie Buik 118 Y John Ball 114 Y Elizabeth Terry 108 Y Marian Hamer 101 Y Keith Churcher 97 N Beryl Trace 89 N Olive Matthew 74 N Norma Clunas 123 Y Paul Cartman 118 N Linda Beard 114 Y Jim Wilkie 107 Y Margaret Boyd 101 N Tricia Cooper 97 N Sonja Wyld 89 Y Audrey Medhurst 74 N Frank Goodier 123 Y Ian Caws 118 N Melanie Beaumont 113 Y Bill Anderson 107 N Jenny Burgess 101 N Peter Edwards 96 N Joan Everitt 89 N Moreen Shillitoe 74 N Douglas Reid 123 Y Peter Ernest 118 Y Betty Benton 113 N Jean Buckley 107 Y Marjorie Garrett 101 N Rona Falconer 96 N Les Searle 89 Y Anne Stevens 74 N Carl Szzvanowski 123 Y Marjorie Gillott 118 Y Jake Berliner 113 Y Olive Dolan 107 N Joy Hewgill 101 N Margaret Lowrie 96 N Hazel Smith 89 N Mary Warwick 73 Y Olive Smith 123 Y Margaret Irons 118 Y Derek Bower 113 N Kathy Gibbons 107 Y Molly Lane 101 N Margaret Macdonald 95 N Prue Buckingham 89 Y Amabel Winter 73 N Alec West 123 N Jacquie Johnstone 118 Y Jessie Brown 113 N Marjorie Hislop 107 Y Barbara Lukey 101 N Stan Morris 95 Y Chris Chapman 88 Y Brian Beaumont 72 Y Letty Burrell 123 Y John Mitchell 118 Y Florence Davies 113 Y Joy Hodge 107 Y Isabelle McLean 101 Y Christine Nicholson 95 N Jean Fothergill 88 Y Jean Greenland 72 Y Sheila Marshall 123 Y Philippa Morris 118 Y Juliet Green 113 Y Hilda Hudspeth 107 Y Sheila Miller 101 Y Russell Smith 95 N Jean Gelly 88 N Baldip Kaur 72 Y Norah Thompson 123 N Norman Partridge 118 Y Jill Harrison 113 Y Marjorie Lefley 107 Y Dorothy Pearson 101 Y Barbara Solomon 95 Y Barbara Haggett 88 N Helen Thompson 71 N Dorothy Henry 123 Y Ken Quarshie 118 Y Rosemary Jordan 113 Y June Lowrie 107 Y Vivienne Plewes 101 Y Susan Thorne 95 N Joan Johns 87 N Dorothy Black 71 N Nancy Yorkston 123 N Julie Tate 118 Y Ted Lewis 113 N Dennis Nelson 107 N Fuad Shammas 101 N Cheryl Tracey 95 N Rose Lawson 87 N Steve Davie 70 N Ena Harding 123 N Maria Treadwell 118 Y Brenda Northcott 113 N Jean Owen 107 N Jane Weston 100 N Sarah Addison 95 Y Mary Lindsay 87 N Joan Hughes 70 N Betty Meazey 123 N Maureen Underdown 118 N Joan Price 113 Y Marie Perry 106 N Sue Bullock 100 N Madelaine Baker 95 Y Gwen Linfoot 87 N Eileen Johnson 68 N Margaret Regan 123 Y Pamela Windsor 118 N Willie Scott 113 Y Cyndy Walker-Firth 106 Y Myra Copleston 100 Y Mavis Ernest 95 N Patrice McCarry 87 Y Fergus Williams 67 N Mary Kennedy 122 Y Janet Adams 118 N Harry Sinclair 112 N John Brown 106 N Ann McDonnell 100 N Angela Garrard 95 N Winifred Stitt 87 N Rod Winfield 66 N Helen Tegg 122 Y Doreen Blake 118 Y Wendy Tiley 112 N Mary Brown 106 Y Margaret Mitchell 100 Y Margaret Greenyer 95 N Richard Tempest 86 Y Jacquie Aldous 62 N Jean Lawson 122 Y Joseph Doku 118 N Rosemary Wood 112 Y Dorothy Churcher 106 N Shirley Scoberg 100 Y Audrey Harvey 95 Y Rose Wall 86 Y Caroline Elliott 61 N Barbara Yeaman 122 Y Jean Dymock 117 N Melanie Aked 112 N Joan Ellis 106 Y Ann Toft 100 N Jo Holland 95 N Jean-Iris Williams 86 N Sheila Johnston 57 Y Jean Hendrick 122 N Joyce Gershon 117 N Elizabeth Allen 112 N Wilf Gibbons 106 N Amy Vye 100 N Mollie Moran 95 N Sue Williams 85 N Winnie Haston 52 Y Barbara Horlock 122 N Angie Jones 117 Y Jean Bakewell 112 Y John Harrison 105 Y Helen Aley 100 Y Priscilla Munday 94 N Ruth Binding 85 Y Moira Metcalf 122 Y Marion Kirk 117 Y Pat Friend 112 Y Peter Kelly 105 N Peter Beales 100 N Magda Norris 94 Y Richard Brookes 85 N Reg Wiseman 122 Y Joan Lawrence 117 N Carol Grant 112 N Joy Reason 105 Y Peter Johnson 100 Y Connie Riach 94 Y Dorothy Edwards 84 N Mary Craddock 122 N Joe Marsh 117 Y Janet Hamilton 112 N Christine Strawbridge 105 Y Stephen Lally 100 N Anne Richards 94 N Anne Lawton 84 N Bernard Dolan 122 Y Marlene Skinner 117 Y Val Hoskings 111 Y Lyn Brookes 105 N Sheila Tutt 100 N Wenna Robinson 94 N John Macdonald 84 N Joyce Frost 122 N Monica Stockwell 117 N Angela Mort 111 N Martin Byrne 104 N Roy Arnold 100 N Betty Simmonds 94 Y Remie Salazar 84 Y Joan Garlick
22 23 Pakorn 3: N N O T E R V (+ 8)
abcdefghi jklmno 1 2 3 Score: 4 Pakorn 89 5 N Panupol 81 No. 11 by PHIL APPLEBY 6 JAP E 7 WEM U µThis issue it’s an “Across the Board World Championship Special”, with all of the material 8 AER I EST 9 R coming from the tournament. We have an annotated game from the Final itself, and several ENNORTV interesting board positions. So without further ado... 10 A 11 L Pakorn Annotated game: Pakorn Nemitrmansuk v Panupol Sujjayakorn 12 S WSC Final: Game 4 13 14 Going into this game, 27 year-old Pakorn was leading 2-1. Success in game 4, and he’d be 15 World Champion. In contrast, 18 year-old student Panupol knew that he had to win to keep the match alive. While playing through the game, bear in mind that for these guys, English is not their first Oh for an I, for INVENTOR/NOVERINT; or even an O, for NONVOTER. Pakorn’s choice is language - in fact their spoken English is quite limited. Consider also the style of play. extraordinary, and was greeted with incredulity by the audience. It’s the move of a gambler It seems to me that the Thais tend to play a very aggressive, open form of Scrabble. And it who’s prepared to go against the odds in the hope of a huge payout. Sometimes it comes certainly seems to work. off; more often, it fails. My play would have been REV at g9a. The leave may not be great, but 34 points is not to be sneezed at. ROVEN at n2d for 26 is also a strong candidate. Pakorn 1: AEEIRST VAN l10a 8 97 Amazingly, Pakorn took over 5 minutes on this move. It wasn’t a case of not seeing a bonus; rather, it was a case of deciding where to play it! Eventually he plumped for g8a. Was he Panupol 3: E G I L S V X (-16) right? Who knows. The one certainty was that he shouldn’t have spent 5 minutes making a There was also plenty of discussion in the audience about this move... The word that I decision. In a close game, every second might count. spotted immediately was SILEX at n2d for 83. But then again I didn’t know SILVEX, which AERIEST g8a 66 66 scores 8 more points and avoids the distinctly unappealing GV leave. The bug in the ointment is Pakorn’s last move. Obviously he’s fishing, so is the S at n1 too dangerous? Panupol 1: EELMRUW (-66) Obviously Panupol didn’t think so... Lots of choices, and no clear-cut favourites. Panupol decides to balance his rack and play SILVEX n1d 91 172 off the awkward consonants, keeping RULE on his rack. His choice of WEM at h7a also makes a double-double from Pakorn less likely. All in all it looks like a sound move. Pakorn 4: ENORT DO (-75) WEM h7a 21 21 Had Pakorn picked an I instead of an O, DRONIEST for 140 would have been down in a flash, and we’d all have been congratulating him on his foresight. But the gamble hasn’t Pakorn 2: AJNNOPT (+45) paid off. Pakorn cuts his losses and plays the highest scoring move. Perhaps flustered after his Move 1 procrastinations, Pakorn fails to spot the best play. JANN ROOTED o7d 34 131 at f9a scores well, and leaves a reasonable POT on the rack. JAP is undoubtedly inferior. Panupol 4: G BEFOQT (+41) JAP g6a 23 89 Even though Pakorn has played off six tiles, I’d still have been tempted to block the 9-timer. Panupol 2: ELRU ANS (-68) FEST would give Panupol a 74-point lead and remove the main danger spot. But he prefers A nice pick-up, and a straightforward bonus that gets Panupol right back in the game. But to play for turnover. there is a much better move - can you see it? See page 31 for the answer. BEFOGS h12a 30 202 NEUTRALS m5d 60 81
24 25 Pakorn 5: N DDIWZ? (-71) Pakorn 8: CILR DEN (-18) BEFOGS has played right into Pakorn’s hands. Not a lot to think about here... There is a move that’s clearly best, but only if you know that UNCLE takes a D hook. WIZ i11a 62 193 UNCLED/ENE/DEX for 32, leaving RIN, is ideal. Pakorn settles for the more prosaic CEL in the same spot. Panupol 5: Q T GIKLU (+ 9) CEL l4d 23 325 ...and not a lot to think about here either. I guess you might consider holding back the QU and playing KIST or GLISK (if you know it), but QUIST must surely be best, particularly Panupol 8: A O C M O T U (- 5) considering the j10 hot-spot for the K. Everyone in the audience was shouting out MU at k5d. Certainly it’s the obvious play, and QUIST k1a 45 247 almost certainly the best, but Panupol comes up with an interesting alternative. With the M on his rack for ZOOM, his play potentially sets up plenty of points should he pick up Pakorn 6: DDN? TU? (-54) an E. Another straightforward move for Pakorn. Other bonus plays that score the same as OU k13a 17 337 DaUNTeD are DeTUNeD and UNDaTeD. Pakorn 9: DINR IOR (-12) DaUNTeD c13a 82 275 Pakorn maximizes his score, using the spot that Panupol had ignored the previous move. Panupol 6: GKL AABO (-28) Although his keep of INORR isn’t particularly inspiring, the -ING ending on the d column An A or O was exactly what Panupol needed to take advantage of KIF. He plays the optimal brightens his prospects. move; if you don’t know BOAK, OAK and BOK are also pretty good. DI k5d 27 352 BOAK g10a 48 295 Panupol 9: A C M O T A S (-15) Pakorn 7: CFIILNR (-20) abcdefghi jklmno Sound play by Pakorn. FINICAL at d8d for 30 is slightly better, if you know it. 1 QU I ST FIN j2a 27 302 2 FIN I Score: Panupol 7: A G L A E O Y (- 7) 3 L Panupol 337 4 abcdefghi jklmno CV Pakorn 352 1 QU I ST 5 DENE 2 FIN I 6 JAP I LEX Unseen: 3 L 7 WEM U R Score: AAEEEIIIOO 4 V 8 AER I EST O Panupol 295 GHHNNPRRRTY 5 NE 9 RO Pakorn 302 6 JAP EX 10 BOAK VANT 7 WEM U R 11 AGLEY WI Z L E AACMOST 8 AER I EST O 12 BEFOGS D 9 RO 13 D A UNTE DOU Panupol 10 BOAK VANT AAEGLOY 14 11 WI Z L E Panupol 15 12 BEFOGS D The S is a huge tile to pick up at this stage of the game. With no other S’s in the bag, and 13 D A UNTE D with both blanks played, Panupol knows that a juicy S hook could be priceless. No doubt 14 this is exactly what’s going through his mind when he plays ZOOM to bring the scores 15 level. Now let Pakorn worry... ZOOM k11d 15 352 An interesting choice of plays. The highest scoring move is GYAL at e14a for 38 - but it’s Pakorn 10: INORR AR (+ 0) awfully dangerous, leaving the BEL- hook. The ‘obvious’ move is GAY at l4d for 3, but Definitely not the pick-up Pakorn wanted. Panupol’s last play has clearly signalled that he Panupol chooses to play off more tiles, and restrict the left side of the board. has the S, so Pakorn is determined to do something about it. He can’t block directly, but at AGLEY c11a 25 320 least he can restrict Panupol’s opportunities. No doubt that’s the reasoning behind his move
26 27 of BEAR at h12d. I prefer ORRA at c14a. It also restricts bonuses ending in S, and equally As it happens, there are no moves that block both bonus possibilities, so the plan must be importantly it sets up a decent scoring spot should Panupol use the ZOOM-S hook next to block one, and score well. At first sight CHIAO at a10d for 10 doesn’t look too clever, move. but a second look reveals that it sets up CH on the b10 TLS for plenty of points. That’s the BEAR h12d 15 367 move that simulates best. Panupol 10: A A C O S T E (-15) Panupol plays ACH at a10a for 22. Not a great move, as it happens. Although it blocks RETYPING, it sets up PTERYGIA. OCH would have been better. But what has Pakorn picked The R of BEAR looks very promising, but there are no bonuses through it. In fact the rack up... yields four 8-letter words, with K, L, P and S. Can you see them? (Answers on page 31.) It’s tempting to take the points available with ZOOMS immediately, particularly if you know ACH a10a 22 408 SCEAT. Panupol doesn’t, but is happy with the 34 points for STOAE. As it happens, it’s better Pakorn 12: I R T GIPY (-21) to hold back the S and play COATE at b14a for 28. Even though there are two H’s left for Nearly PTERYGIA, but not quite. So is there any way for Pakorn to win? I think not, CH, there’s a good chance that Panupol will pick one for 50+ scoring SH- plays across from although he can get very close. If he plays GYP at m14a for 35, leaving IIRT on his rack, ZOOMS. Panupol needs to play very carefully to win the game. His best play is ANOA at a7d for 12, STOAE k15a 34 386 leaving an outplay of HERE at f15a. Pakorn can block this with TIRR, but HM from Panupol Pakorn 11: INORR IT (-19) at j14a wins by 3 points. After another unhelpful pick-up, Pakorn must feel that the game is slipping away. He is As it happens, Pakorn didn’t play GYP, so Panupol’s route to victory was rather easier. now in that awkward position of not quite knowing whether to balance his rack and hope TRY d14a 33 420 for a bonus, or keep the score ticking over and hope to win a tight endgame. With a deficit Panupol 12: AEHO EN (-12) of only 19 points and six tiles in the bag, he chooses the latter course of action, in my view HAE m14a 23 431 quite correctly. Pakorn 13: GIIP (-11) INRO a12a 20 387 PIA a8d 15 435 Panupol 11: AC AEHHO (- 1) Panupol 13: E N O (- 4) abcdefghi jklmno 1 QU I ST ONE b6d 9 440 2 FIN I Score: Final score: Panupol 446 Pakorn 435 3 L Panupol 386 4 CV Pakorn 387 5 DENE 6 JAP I LEX Unseen: 7 WEM U R 8 AER I EST O EII GNPRTY 9 RO 10 BOAK VANT 11 AGLEY WI Z L E AACEHHO 12 INRO BEFOGS D Panupol 13 D A UNTE DOU 14 AM 15 RSTOAE ...and one game later Panupol (right) was the new World With just two tiles in the bag, this was the critical move for Panupol. A bonus from Pakorn Champion. will win the game, so what are the prospects? The I of INRO gives the possibility of Tournament Director Wilma RETYPING. The R of BEAR gives the possibility of PRINTERY. Surprisingly, there are no 7- Vialle congratulates both letter words ending in Y, so the F of FIN isn’t a danger. So Panupol’s strategy should involve finalists blocking potential bonuses, but also scoring well enough to win should Pakorn play out in Photo: Paul and Helen Gipson two. Not an easy balance.
28 29 A key play Walker’s special moment abcdefghi jklmno Arguably the most elegant move in the World Championship was played by Walker 1 Willingham from the USA. In his game against Lakshan Wanniarachchi from Sri Lanka, he This position occurred early in Stewart 2 was faced with the following situation? What would you play? Holden's match against Rasheed 3 Balogun from Nigeria. What did Stewart abcdefghi jklmno 4 1 JD play? 5 See next page for the answer. 2 AIG 6 3 VXA 7 4 LLAMA I I 8 BA I ZED 5 ORDERER EEKNOT? Score: 9 6 T Walker 98 10 Stewart 7 SNOBBY Lakshan 1097 11 8 UNL I T FOY 12 9 DENTW? ? 13 10 14 11 Walker 15 12 13 An untypical bonus rack 14 To find out Walker’s move, see below. 15 A little bit of imagination and a lot of word knowledge can be a powerful combination. Consider the following position, sent to me by Andy Davis. Andy was playing Andrew Perry, and was 20 points down. Annotated game abcdefghi jklmno Better move: SEMILUNAR/JAPE for 80. 1 MOW J U V E Bonuses with AAECOST: OATCAKES, CATALOES, PEACOATS, SEACOAST 2 ABY I 3 N ON V AEEOQSU Answer: A key play 4 TD OE Stewart spotted the lovely parallel play of KEyNOTE at c9a for 92. The kind of move you dream 5 LR Andy about! In fact there are several other interesting bonus words available, including BETOKENS, STEENBOK, and KNOTWEED. 6 IR 7 NTAF FETA I Unseen: An untypical bonus rack: 8 GLEG HERDS AAEEIIOU Andy admits that he didn’t spot all of these at the time, but after playing the E and keeping 9 I CHLMNNPRRSTT AEOQSU, the possible bonus plays are: 10 CX Score: * With an I, SEQUOIA at c5a for 94, or at m4d for 71 11 OW I D * With a T, EQUATORS at e5a for 99 (or QUAESTOR at d5a for 84) Andy D 331 12 FRAP ZITIS * With an R, VAQUEROS at n2d for 94 13 NY O K Andrew P 351 * With a C, COEQUATES at h1d for 140 14 EBE * With a U, NONAQUEOUS at a3a for 70 15 ANALOGUE D In the game, he picked up a T and played EQUATORS.
The computer reckons that the best move is LASQUE at a5a for 42. But Andy had more Walker’s special moment: ambitious ideas. He played off an E, forming NYE/PE for 10. Fishing for a bonus isn’t There are lots of playable bonuses, with the highest-scoring ones being eNTWiNED, iNTWiNED normally something you think about with a Q on your rack, but in this case no fewer than and uNTWiNED at b7d for 86. But Walker wasn’t messing around with 8-letter words. Or even eight of the 20 unseen tiles result in a bonus, if the openings aren’t blocked. See how many 9-letter words. His play was DeWATErING at a2a for 80. It’s not often you get to play 10-letter words through three disconnected tiles; definitely worth giving up 6 points for! you can spot, then see next page for the full list.
30 31 Can’t Be Scrabble and ran his race to suggest he can pick up a Your racing correspondent, Clive Spate gives you the info small contest. to help you decide whether this horse is worth risking your pennies on. 13/7/03 Stratford 1st Place “Rondetto has fallen, The Fossa has Fallen, Kirtle Lad has fallen. It’s a right pile up.” A change of tactics did the trick here for ex- point-to-pointer Can’t Be Scrabble. He has If that famous bit of commentary by Michael O’Hehir doesn’t ring a bell you are probably been held up in recent races but then done too young to remember Foinavon winning one of the most remarkable Grand Nationals in for speed, so the plan on this occasion was 1967. “ What has this to do with Scrabble ? “ I sense you asking. Not a lot is the answer. to let him bowl along and take the sting out However, one horse that might have caught your eye recently is a 10-year old bay gelding of the opposition - which is exactly what he called Can’t Be Scrabble. The name presumably stems from the fact that the horse’s dam (or did. He is not the easiest of rides, having a mother, to the uninitiated) was called Scribble Along. tendency to hang, but he enjoyed himself It is quite unusual for a horse to make its racing debut at the age of ten. That most famous out in front on this occasion and, though of horses, Red Rum, made its debut on the flat as a two-year old, and won the first of its there was not a lot left in the tank at the unequalled three Grand Nationals as an eight-year old in 1973. finish, he had opened up a big enough lead by the home turn to win readily enough. I first noticed “Scrabble” on At The Races , the satellite racing channel, running in June at Worcester. On this occasion it finished second at odds of 25-1 behind the odds-on favourite 14/8/03 Newton Abbott Pulled Up in a three mile hurdle race. The next day’s Racing Post described the run : Led until approaching 2 out, 3rd and “Can’t Be Scrabble, who had winning form in point-to-points, was well in touch until weakening when blundered and saddle throwing away his chance by jumping right in the home straight.” slipped 2 out, soon pulled up No, not Can’t Be Scrabble, but one of the I wondered if the owner had any connection with Scrabble. What had the horse achieved Fontwell 18/8/03 4th Place in point-to-point races ? In such cases Google and other Internet resources are invaluable. eyecatching pewter exhibits admired by Can’t Be Scrabble, who had the beating of WSC participants at the Royal Selangor The furthest back I could go was 2001 and some less-then-impressive form figures–FPUU, the winner if adhering strictly to the Pewter Works in Kuala Lumpur during their which, as a coincidence, don’t look a very promising Scrabble combination either. This formbook, was well below par and lost third sight-seeing tour means that the horse fell, was pulled up and twice unseated the rider. Jockeys hate to see to Morchard Mill, who was outpaced badly the letter U against a horse they have ridden - it means they fell off, usually when a horse but at least stuck at it well. has hit a fence but the horse managed not to fall. The comment in a racecard at a point-to- point meeting of South Tetcott Foxhounds in June 2002 indicates that on its next outing the horse and rider did at least complete the course, albeit in fifth place. The comment “made ADVERTISEMENT mistakes, tricky ride” doesn’t come as a surprise. Tile Tracker Kits The first reference I can find to the horse running this year is at a point-to-point meeting on Never have to pay for tile tracking sheets printed again! Use a wipe-off tracker, May 14 at Cothelstone in deepest Somerset. as seen recently at a Scrabble event near you. 14/5/03 Cothelstone 1st Place Each kit comes in a neat presentation wallet Can’t Be Scrabble led throughout the last mile to take this Restricted race and give rider comprising a pad, a tracker and Philip Yorke his 23rd winner of the season. Can’t Be Scrabble is trained at Cullompton by a wipe-off marker. Richard Down for Sampford Peverell (near Tiverton) owner-breeder Julian Selby who was Trackers can be made to suit you - vowels especially keen to credit Philip for his ability to settle the horse during his races. first, premium tiles first, you choose the layout and colour and size- A6, A7, A8 etc. 18/6/03 Worcester 2nd Place Pens come in bullet or wedge end. Can’t Be Scrabble, who had winning form in point-to-points, was well in touch until throwing away his chance by jumping right in the home straight. Kits cost £3 including postage to mainland Britain. £5 to USA, other prices on request. Extra trackers can be included for 50p or £1 if ordered separately. Uttoxeter 29/6/03 2nd Place Produced by Elisabeth Jardine Can’t Be Scrabble is a former point to pointer who was having only his second outing over To order please contact: [email protected] hurdles. He did not repeat his trait of jumping to the right which had been evident that day,
32 33 Part XX EXAMPLES pl. EXAMPLE, e.g. a specimen, for instance EXOPLASM the oozy ooze that oozes oozily from a medium (of any size) during a seance MAGNOXES pl. MAGNOX, a nuclear reactor with magnesium alloys in it MARTEXTS pl. MARTEXT, someone who talks about something of which they know Guest compiler for this issue: nothing. Why are you all looking at me? Ross Mackenzie MASTIXES pl MASTIX, that yellow cement-like gum that can be spelt MASTIC and (Puzzle solutions on inside back cover) MASTICH
EDGEWAYS MATRIXES pl. MATRIX, the best of a set of three films Given it’s the XXth issue I thought of listing all the words with two Xs in them, but MAXILLAS pl. MAXILLA, the jawbone fascinating though the seventeen of them are, there’s a limit on their usefulness: the MAXIMALS pl. MAXIMAL, a phrase of words constituting a noun’s modifier in grammar chances of them cropping up in a conversation are probably as likely as finding MAXIMINS pl. MAXIMIN, the strategy of maximising the chances of a minimum loss, exotoxins while xeroxing a list of executrixes. such as hedging or insuring oneself MAXIMISE to achieve the highest possible score for, e.g. by using the -IZE ending rather While you’re sitting there wondering what the other than -ISE fourteen are (answers on a paxwax to the usual address) MAXIMIST a maxim-monger, or one who keeps trotting out cliches and proverbs have a gander at the sevens and eights to feature the MAXIMUMS pl. MAXIMUM, a high-point seasonal letters of X, M, A and S. MAXWELLS pl. MAXWELL, a tiny tiny measure of magnetic flux. But before you start ADMIXES from verb ADMIX, to mix with laughing at the size of his unit, bear in mind he has a Demon named after him, so give EXAMENS pl. EXAMEN, a religious scrutiny of one’s conscience him kudos for that EXCAMBS from verb EXCAMB, an exchange of land in Scotland MONAXONS pl. MONAXON, a sponge with just one axis. The things they can do with LAXISMS pl. LAXISM, a view that, in morals, an opinion only slightly probable may cakes nowadays... be safely followed. Sounds like you then need your head examened... PANMIXES pl. PANMIXIS, the end of natural selection MALAXES from verb MALAX, to relax by soft kneading, rubbing, massaging... PAROXYSM a fit of pain, coughing, passion or laughter. Some Scrabble games have all aaahhhh...... four! MAXIXES pl. MAXIXE, everyone’s favourite Brazilian tango, and another double X SMALLPOX an alternative cause of those paroxysms you’ve just had word crossed off your list SMILAXES pl. SMILAX, a kind of broccoli used by florists as a decoration. Tasty! MYXOMAS pl. MYXOMA, what we gave the rabbits, i.e. mucus-like subdermal TOXEMIAS pl. TOXEMIA, a poisoning of the blood tumours WAXWORMS the larva of the wax moth, generally found in beehives TAXEMES pl. TAXEME, the order of stressing syllables in a compound word XANTHAMS pl. XANTHAM, a mastix-like xanthan, a thick yellow gum XEROMAS pl. XEROMA, what you get in your eyes when you don’t get enough vitamin A XYLOMAS pl. XYLOMA, a fungi that chooses to develop spores in-house instead of FESTIVE FEGHOOTS: outsourcing (1) A maidservant was instructed by her mistress to attend and AMPLEXUS the clinch amphibians go into when they’re enjoying each other’s clothe the multitude of male army officers present in her abode, company and was advised not to get disheartened no matter what she saw... APOMIXES pl. APOMIXIS, when there’s no “sexual fusion” in reproduction. Perhaps you need amplexus councilling? (9 words) AXONEMES pl. AXONEME, the fibrils making up the core of a cilium. As if you care... (2) At a primary school’s mock Olympic Games, the teacher was calling out the list of AXOPLASM the living matter surrounding the nucleus of a nerve cell’s extension, events and participants - each time she’d name the sport, the girl and boy playing each and a convenient word when there’s no E on the board to play EXOPLASM off other, then whether the stakes would be high or low. When it was the turn of indoor BOMBAXES pl. BOMBAX, a South American tree racket events and Miss Pierce was drawn against Master Trotski, the teacher duly CLIMAXES the humourous anagram of EXCLAIMS (joke submitted by Mr. S. Holden, announced: Notts) – EXAMINES scrutinises or looks closely at e.g. one’s conscious as in an examen (5 words)
34 35 PUZZLE #78: Anagrid PUZZLE #79: SIX GEESE AL-LAYING
1abcdef gh ijklmno Many nouns and verbs can be made into cognate verbs by prefixing them with A and their initial, 2 e.g. AT-TRIBUTE, AC-COMPANY, AN-NOTATE, AC-CREDIT. The initial is changed for some 3 awkward consonants, as seen in AD-JUDGE, AC- QUAINT and AC-KNOWLEDGE. The following 4 twelve words are ALL allowed in Scrabble as you’d expect - but which six are still good to 5 cumulate points with when they drop their first two letters, and which six are ar-rogantly as- 6 suming a place in a list in which they have no right to be? 7 AC-CIDENT AC-CRUAL AF-FECTION AF-FILIATE AG-GRAVATE AD-JACENT AL-LEVIATE AP-PEASE 8 AP-PREHEND AC-QUIESCE AR-RAIGN AS-SIST
9 PUZZLE #80: 10 Which is the only word in OSWI that takes W, R, F and U as end-hooks?
11 PHONEY GOINGS ON (contributed by David Sutton) 12 I have long admired the intellect of my friend Jeremiah Wanwordy, in particular his ability
13 to take a strikingly original, if occasionally somewhat laborious, approach to all tasks of a cerebrative nature. Last Christmas I introduced him to the game of Scrabble and presented
14 him with a copy of OSWI. He perused it briefly, then immediately embarked on an entirely logical but possibly unique course of study: he would, he said, learn every possible word 15 that was not in OSWI and that way, whenever he had an unfamiliar combination of letters on his rack, he would immediately know that it was valid for Scrabble. Horizontal clues: Vertical clues: This task is naturally taking him some time (but then so would its converse), and unlike 1: JETCORE - MAYALAK a: SEVENOZ - EMUJELL some of our top players who profess little interest in the meanings of the words they play, 2: EVID - DAYMEEL b: OIJA - LEASIDE he is very conscientious about learning what the non-words he studies don’t mean. Not 3: ARIZE - BEEDRER c: LEEDI - IISNORE surprisingly, he sometimes gets confused. This morning, for example, I found him studying 4: TOOLIE - MADBEERS d: RECHIP - REISCENT a list of archaic insults, but I noticed that by mistake he had included three words which 5: PHEAH - IAMIRIS e: RETHE - CILLIES are in fact valid. Can you put him right? 6: TEEHS - INESIS f: AHEET - EINORS LEWDSBY a lewd person 7: BHURM - BINSS g: HUGHE - DENST 8: GERSE h: MARSE NUDESBY a person given to appearing naked 9: SNINJ - MASHE i: SMELY - REKAB RUDESBY an ill-mannered person 10: ISLUTI - ARSIA j: MABASE - MISSR DUDESBY an inexperienced person 11: LEEDSME - LLIRK k: RESIMER - CISSA WEAKSBY a weakling 12: SNEESIER - ETSTAC l: MEGADINE - EELVES 13: INCRIUS - MEEES m: ASSIDIE - AIMAL SNEAKSBY a person given to tittle-tattle 14: CLUBROT - IVER n: BILTRED - REET SHRIEKSBY a vociferous woman; a termagant 15: RESARSE - NEARLER o: NARCISS - ANNTREL LEAKSBY an incontinent person
36 37 PUZZLE #81:
2612118410219812137 X 8 tras 20 7 203 6 1220 1720 No 9 from Christina French 5 1025720 1 16125 24165
18 17 7 12 23 4 16 3 5 10 17 25 A LITTLE PUZZLE FOR YOU ALL
16 19 19 4 15 15 16 12 3 Liz Barber sent me the following puzzle. What is the answer? (see p.40) 10 17 12 22 17 15 11 11 17 25 10 24
5 11171919 1625123 8 4 16
12 14 17 20 20 19 17 15 11 JET & JAK HANDWRITING ANALYSIS SERVICE
16 21 20 5 16 5 2 17 4 15 11 8
2 125 8 16310 257 175 12
20 21 20 5 10 12 16 18 16
20 17 14 25 12 26 17 3 3 17 12 21
10 17 16 5 16 3 3 5 25 8 4 5
20 15 20 5 17 10 16 15 11 ANALYSIS 12 21 17 5 20 10 8 5 16 5 15 5 Last issue Jet & Jak A cool chick analysed the handwriting Scrabble abilities on the up of Margaret White from the A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A whiz with the organising Hockley Club 12345678910111213 Dear Christina... In the last issue of TLW you were not sure where your inflatable Scrabble board lay in the pecking order of boards at tournaments. 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 I would suggest that one peck would quickly finish it off for good. Also I wonder, if you filled it with the right mix of air and helium could you dispense with a table to put it on. I presume inflatable M racks are also provided. Bob Berry
38 39 A Tour of the Islands Wexford Tournament 27th-28th September 2003 We got home, caught our breath and then nipped over to Ireland. This time we were not alone with Bob Violett and Robert The UKCA (Paphos) Scrabble Club is born .... Richland coming with us. Bob did the driving from Dublin airport down to Wexford (good man!), Robert I interviewed Karl Kwiatkowski from Cyprus in the did the navigating (good man!) and we Frenches fell last issue. Karl explained he was starting a club in Paphos asleep. We reached the hotel, in the village of Cyprus and he emailed me the following further CYPRUS Curracloe to the north-east of Wexford at around information: • 12.30am. A lot of the Irish players were still up and drinking so we joined them for a few nightcaps along The first few weeks were difficult with only 6-8 turning up, and two people phoned me with Nuala O’Rourke. Ireland is totally different from Wexford stating they were interested, only to say that they wouldn’t bother coming until there were Malta, yet exactly the same - we were again made so more people. I put notices on all notice boards and the response was much better, plus now welcome by all the players. Cork • members are bringing friends too, and this week we are up to 21. The standard is fairly low, Mike O Rourke reported to ukscrabble as follows: I haven’t lost yet in 25 games, but there are at least 5 with some real potential. I keep 8 intrepid UK souls (2 from Scotland, 2 from the • statistics of all the games and all except two of the players increased their average scores Midlands and 4 from London/Home Counties) joined 40 this month. Just as important though, they are a good friendly bunch who are enthusiastic Irish Scrabblers for a weekend of frivolity, craic, karaoke, good eating, pool, chat and oh and keen to learn. yes, Scrabble. The hotel had a vast meeting room which could probably have held 3 times the number of Good news - can’t wait for the Paphos Club first tourney! Scrabblers. The food and service generally were excellent and the tournament itself was a superb advertisement for Irish Scrabble. If any members will be holidaying in Cyprus Karl would like to hear from you. Email him on [email protected] The competitors were divided into 4 groups of 12. As there were so few from the UK, it was decided to have 2 A divisions and 2 B Divisions and thus spread the visitors around. Everyone displayed that warmth and generosity of spirit that we have come to know and The Frenches On Tour .... love in the Irish. None of the complaints that we so frequently hear in the UK tournament scene such as “you had all the goodies” were heard. Malta Tournament 21st September 2003 Robert Richland won his A division ahead of Wilma Warwick and Mike O’Rourke whilst the other A Division went to Alan Sinclair with Brendan McDonnell second and Nuala Going to Malta for a holiday is always a real treat. The locals third. A certain Mr French came second in his B Division and both Bob Violett and I won Ta’xbiex - The Maltese Scrabble Club - really know how to make you spot prizes..The applause was very generous - despite the fact that most of the glassware welcome. From the time we landed in Malta airport to the was going back to Britain. time we returned home we were given the red carpet It was lovely to renew old acquaintances, make new friends and share the magic of an Irish MALTA treatment by them all. Especial thanks, as always, to David weekend. Unfortunately David and I could not extend our stay in Wexford and were Delicata and also to Theresa Camilleri for organising a quickly on the plane back to Stansted. Roll on next February, for the Cork tournament. welcoming party in her beautiful home. A freak storm hit the island on the first Monday of our visit and a national day of emergency was declared: everybody was told to stay at Mystery Guest home. In true Scrabble fanatic style the club still met on that evening and we watched as their National League games came to a thrilling end which was won by David Delicata. I first got involved in the UK Scrabble scene in 1994, playing with members of The tournament took place on the Thursday evening and Sunday (which the Club extended Chorlton Scrabble Club in Manchester to a two day event just for us!) and was won by Nicky Vella Laurenta and a certain Mr French won the B Division.
The Malta Scrabble Club meets at Les Lapins Hotel, Ta’xbiex near Sliema. Last issue’s Mystery Guest was Di Dennis If you do intend to visit Malta at any time and get the Scrabble craving contact Joe Micallef. His email address is [email protected] and his phone number is 00 356 99440650.
Puzzle Answer: Water (H2O)
40 41 ABSP MEMBER INTERVIEW - SUE RICHARDSON What prompted you to start playing Scrabble? FFOORRTTHHCCOOMMIINNGG EEVVEENNTTSS About 15 years ago I started a weekly Scrabble evening at home. One of the players took us to the Leeds Club where we discovered the 2 Compiled by Paul Cartman letter lists. A few weeks later in the local paper there was an article about Pauline Robinson (since deceased) who had qualified for the Each tournament approved for rating will get a listing including: date, number of games regional finals of National Scrabble competition. I said to my friends and contact details. For one day tournaments, further details will be given as regards - dare I invite her round for a game? I took the plunge and Pauline and her husband, Doug pricing, start times etc, to allow members to utilise the generic entry form. Note that joined us one evening. Scrabble had a new meaning. They told us about the competitions some organisers have indicated that rated tournaments will occur on particular dates, all over the country, taught us new words and we talked about starting a club in Harrogate. but that full details are not yet available. These tournaments are included for completeness and once details are known, they will be published as appropriate. How did you get involved in organising your local club? This symbol denotes that the tournament organiser has let it be known that It was the fact that Pauline and Doug Robinson had joined our group which prompted me the venue is disabled friendly. The absence of a symbol does not mean that to hire a room for weekly Scrabble sessions. I suggested I did the organising. The Robinsons disabled access is not possible, and in these circumstances the prospective took us to a rated tournament at Bradford and a few months later we decided to have our entrant should check with the organisers first event inviting a few players from the clubs nearest to us. Over the years I have organised spring events, a big summer one, a Christmas one and I took over the running of Note to Entrants the Evergreen. Now the majority of members are retired ladies who meet on a weekday These rules apply to all tournaments afternoon and I am unable to attend as I work full time. I have Scrabble evenings for 6 with The entry cost of all rated tournaments includes the ratings levy supper in my home once a fortnight. In the Harrogate club there are 6 rated players. It is Positions are determined on win and spread unless otherwise stated proving difficult to find new members. We have put notices in the local newspaper and in Smoking is not permitted in the playing area(s) shop windows but without much success. You will normally be placed in a division equivalent to your rating or ability. You may request to enter a higher division but the Tournament Organiser reserves the Do you think being a legal secretary helps with your Scrabble vocab? right to reject your request. Yes. When I am reading through documents I spot the 7 letter words, such as counsel, Entries are at the sole discretion of the Tournament Organiser. council, acreage, overage, vesting etc and the more unusual words in the medical reports. You must always include a SAE with your entry for application. Please arrive on time What would you consider is your best word you have played? It was exciting for me to play SEXTILE and DECORUMS but I think the best has to be as Stoke Rochford (12 games) Contact Christina French follows: At the Middlesbrough tournament last month I had just played a bonus word which was not allowed. My opponent came out with a bonus which put her in the lead Saturday13th -Sunday 14th December 01708 701578 with a score of 330 to my 285. The only way I could win was to play a word hooking on 2/3 divisional tournament. to HA with the fourth letter an S to tag on to Viola. My letters were D E L O T U and blank, West Berkshire (6 games) Tea/Coffee available throughout the day, as and I had a brainwave and thought of TOUSLED which scored 71. Saturday 17th January 2004 is afternoon cake. Lunch is not included Contact: Ian Burn So how did you get involved in a fashion show? Entry costs: £11.50 0118-984-5045 Deduct 50p if bringing timer 2 years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer and I attended an after breast care cancer Venue: The Barn, Beech Road, Purley group. To raise funds they decided to hold a fashion show. 21 of us prepared for the show Add 50p if not ABSP or on Thames, Berkshire W. Berks member by practicing the walk and dance routines for about 6 weeks. The show featured Marks and Charity event proceeds going to local Spencer and Jigsaw clothes and the whole purpose of the evening was to get the message Cheques payable to West Berks Scrabble charitable causes. Club and sent to: across that you can still look good and feel great even when you have had this experience. Registration: 09:15 The audience and all the models loved it. Ian Burn, Valley View, 92 Purley Rise, First game: 10:15 Departure: 17:55 Purley-on-Thames, Berkshire, RG8 8DH What do your friends think about your Scrabble playing? I impress them, and some of the Scrabble players think I have improved over the last 6 Amsterdam Contact: Anand Buddhev months; I am becoming more adventurous at trying words that may be allowed! Saturday 24th-Sunday 25th January +31 20 345 2890
42 43 Pitlochry (15 games) Contact: Wilma Warwick New Malden (6 games) 3/4 Divisions Sunday 25th-Wednesday 28th January 2004 0131 669 7316 Saturday 28th February Tea, Coffee and biscuits will be provided Contact Shirley Cave Entry costs: £11.50 For ABSP members Chester (16 games) Contact: Kathy Rush 020 8949 1566 £12.00 For non-ABSP members Friday 30th January - Sunday 1st February 2004 01928-733-565 Venue Christ Church Centre, Coombe Deduct 50p if bringing a timer Road, New Malden , KT3 4RE Cheques payable to: West Sussex (6 games) First game: 10:20 Departure: 17:45 Registration 9.15 S I Cave, 34a Aboyne Drive, London, SW20 3/4 divisional tournament. Saturday 7th February First game 10:00 Departure 17.45 0AL Tea/Coffee available all day but lunch is not Contact: Peter Hall provided. Ramada Jarvis, Bingley Contact Viv Beckmann 01903-717571 Entry costs: £14.00 For ABSP members 27th February - 1st March 2004 0191-273-1705 Emergency no on day: £14.50 For non-ABSP members 0711 283557 Cheques payable to Rustington Scrabble Leicester (6 games) Tea/Coffee available on arrival, at lunctime Venue: Field Place, The Boulevard, Club and sent to: Saturday 6st March and after the fourth game. Worthing Peter Hall, Flat 12, 40-42 Arundel Road, Contact: Marjorie Smith Entry costs: £10.50 For ABSP members Registration: 10:00 Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 7DD 0116 2551176 £11.00 For non-ABSP members Nottingham Nomads (16 games) Contact Clive Spate Venue: The Church of the Blessed Deduct 50p if bringing a timer Cheques payable to Leicester West End Saturday 7th-Sunday 8th February 2004 0115-920-0208 Sacrament, Gooding Avenue, Leicester Scrabble Club MP event and sent to: Registration: 10:00 Marjorie Smith, 9 Brazil Street, Hotel Sol don Pedro, Torremolinos Contact Viv Beckmann First game: 10:15 Departure: 17:30 Leicester, LE2 7JA Sunday 8th - Sunday 15th February 2004 0191-273-1705 Swindon (6 games) 5/6 divisional tournament. Venue: John Hanson School, Andover Andover (6 games) Sunday 14th March Tea/Coffee available throughout the day, Registration: 09:00 4th GRAND HAMPSHIRE OPEN Contact: Steve Perry finger buffet provided for lunch. First game: 10:00 Departure: 18.00 SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP (competitive) Entry costs: £12.00 For ABSP members Hot lunch will be provided as will 01367-244757 Incorporating £14.00 For non-ABSP members Tea/Coffee in breaks Venue: Nationwide Building Society 4th ANNUAL TEST VALLEY SCRABBLE Deduct 50p if bringing timer Entry Cost: £17 for the competitive section Head Office, Swindon, Wiltshire CHAMPIONSHIP (recreational 5 or 6 Cheques payable to Highworth Scrabble Deduct 50p if ABSP member Charity event, proceeds Prospect House games depending on demand) Club Tournament a/c and sent to: Deduct 50p if bringing a timer Hospice Sunday 15th February 2003 Steve Perry, 29 Elm Road, Faringdon, £9 for the recreational section Registration: 09:00 Contact: Alan Bailey First game: 10:15 Oxfordshire, SN7 7EJ Cheques payable to Andover and District 02392 384360 Scrabble Club and sent to: Southampton (6 games) In emergency on the day phone: 4 Divisional tournament Alan Bailey, 84 East Lodge Park, Farlington, Tea and coffee will be available during 07887 720928 Sunday 21st March Portsmouth, PO6 1AQ Contact: Alan Bailey breaks 023 9238 4360 Entry costs: £12.00 For ABSP members Brentwood (6 games) Tea/Coffee available at points during the Venue: Waterside Theatre , Long £12.50 For non-ABSP members day but lunch is not provided. Saturday 21st February Lane, Holbury, SO45 2PA Deduct 50p if bringing a timer Entry costs: £11.50 For ABSP members Contact: Cindy Hollyer Emergency no on day: Cheques payable to Southampton Scrabble £12.00 For non-ABSP members 01277-822050 07763 894738 Club, and sent to: Deduct 50p if bringing timer Venue: Kelvedon Hatch Village Hall, Registration: 09:25 - 09:55 Alan Bailey, 84 East Lodge Park, Farlington, Cheques payable to Brentwood Scrabble Kelvedon Hatch, Brentwood, First game 10:00 Departure 17:50 Portsmouth, P06 1AQ Essex Group and sent to: Registration: 09:30 Cindy Hollyer, 78 Peartree Lane, Durham Event (10 games) Contact Laura Finley First game: 10:15 Departure: 18:00 Doddinghurst, Brentwood, Essex, Sat. 27th - Sun 28th March 2004 0191-565-4079
44 45 Brighton & Hove (6 games) Tea/Coffee available at points during the Bourne (6 games) Tea/Coffee available all day Sunday 18th April 2004 day but lunch is not provided. Sunday 9th May Entry costs: £12.00 For ABSP members Contact Jim Lyes Entry costs: £12.50 For ABSP members Contact: Betty Benton £12.50 For non-ABSP members 01273 813006 £14.50 For non-ABSP members 01778 425234 Deduct 50p if bringing a timer Venue Southwich Community Centre, Deduct 50p if bringing timer Venue: Bourne Corn Exchange Cheques payable to Bourne and District Southwick, City of Brighton & Cheques payable to Brighton & Hove Registration: 09.45 Scrabble Club and sent to: Hove, West Sussex, BN42 4TE Scrabble Club, and sent to: First game: 10:00 Departure: 18.00 Betty Benton, Walnut Farm, Twenty, Registration 09:30 Jim Lyes, 4 Delves Close, Ringmer, Lewes, 2/3 divisional tournament of up to 96 Bourne, Lincs, PE10 0BE First game 10:15 Departure: 18.00 BN8 5JW players Closing Date for entries: 23rd April 2004 Divisions according to entries Closing date for entries 11th April 2004 Lothersdale Hotel, Morcambe Contact Viv Beckmann Newcastle (5 games) Refreshments available during most parts of 14th - 17th May 2004 0191-273-1705 the day, lunch is not provided Saturday 24th April 2004 Entry costs: £10.00 for ABSP members Contact: Viv Beckmann Bournemouth (7 games) Round Robin format (groups of 8 players) £12.00 For non-ABSP members Tea/Coffee available throughout the day 0191 2731705 Deduct 50p if bringing timer Sunday 16th May Entry costs: £12.50 For ABSP members Venue: West Denton Community Closing date for entries: 10th April 2004 Contact: Ruth Marsden £14.50 For non-ABSP members Association, Hillhead Road, Cheques payable to Newcastle Scrabble 01202 707148 Deduct 50p if able to lend a Newcastle upon Tyne Club, and sent to: Venue Rooper Hall, 5 Victoria Park timer 0191 2674242 Rona Falconer, 18 Nuns Moor Crescent, Road, Moordown, Cheques payable to Bournemouth Charity Registration: 09.45 Fenham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE4 9BE Bournemouth Tournament and sent to First game: 10:15 Departure: 18.00 ( 0191 2738473) (on day only) 07720 949 822 Registration: 09:30 Ruth Marsden, 27 Spencer Road, Canford Cliffs, Poole, BH13 7ET Southend-on-Sea (6 games) First game: 10:10 Departure: 19.00 Tea/Coffee available at points during the Saturday 24th April day but lunch is not provided. Stoke Rochford Contact Christina French Contact: Evelyn Wallace Entry costs: £12.50 for ABSP members Saturday 29th - Monday 31st May 01708 701578 01702-302569 £14.50 For non-ABSP members Venue: The Civic Centre, Victoria Deduct 50p if bringing timer Melton Mowbray (5 games) Tea/Coffee available on arrival and after Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, Cheques payable to Southend-on-Sea Sunday 6th June game 4. Essex Scrabble Club and sent to: Contact Maureen Rayson Food will not be provided Registration: 09:30 Evelyn Wallace, 2 Shakespeare Avenue, 01664 563330 Entry costs: £10.00 for ABSP member First game: 10:00 Westcliff on Sea, Essex, SS0 0ST 4 divisional tournament. Venue Council Offices, Nottingham £12.00 for Non-ABSP member Road, Melton Mowbray, Leics. Deduct 50p if bringing timer Cheques payable to Melton Mowbray Rhein International Scrabble Tournament Contact Jim Lyes Charity event in support of the Mayor's appeal Scrabble Club, and sent to “ (RIST), Germany. (14-18 games) 01273 813006 Registration 10:00 Maureen Rayson, 57 Highfield Avenue, or email [email protected] 30th April - 3rd May 2004 First game 10:45 Melton Mowbray, Leics. LE13 0NQ 2 divisional tournament. Closing date for entries 22nd May 2004 Best Western, Worthing Contact Viv Beckmann 30th April - 2nd May 2004 0191-273-1705 Best Western, Bridgend Contact Viv Beckmann 11th - 14th June 0191-273-1705 Don’t forget to enclose a stamped self-addressed Jarvis Caledonian, Ayr Contact Viv Beckmann envelope when making entry applications 25th - 28th June 2004 0191-273-1705
46 47 Lincoln (6 games) Tea/Coffee available on arrival, at lunctime Answers to Edgeways XX Saturday 24th July and after fourth game Contact Teresa Hill Entry costs: £10.50 For ABSP members PUZZLE #78: 01427-838741 £12.50 For non-ABSP members Venue Bracebridge Community Deduct 50p if bringing timer FIXTURES DEFLEA Centre, Newark Road/Maple Cheques payable to Lincoln Scrabble Club INORNATE JURATS Street, Lincoln and sent to Teresa Hill, Granville, SCAUDING ELENCH Registration 10:00 Heapham, Nr Gainsborough, Lincs, DN21 TINEA A BORDER First game 10:30 Departure 17:30 5PT ISOSTASY EGESTA Closing date for entries 12th July 2004 2/3 divisional tournament. CENTER MALI MEM Moat House, Harrogate Contact Viv Beckmann NAOS AFARA 23rd - 26th July 0191-273-1705 ECU SACLESS NAS MIMIC ETAT Nottingham Nomads (16 games) Contact Clive Spate EBB REDE YIPPEE Saturday 7th - Sunday 8th August 0115-920-0208 NOESES NEEDLING DU L C E T A L ANDE Clifton Hotel, Penrith Contact Viv Beckmann ALLUDE ARSENOUS 3rd - 6th September 0191-273-1705 TEETER VERSELET ESTERS EDITRE SS Norwich (6 games) 3 divisional tournament. Tea/Coffee and homemade cakes provided Sunday 12th September (but not lunch) PUZZLE #79: Contact Carol Smith Entry costs: £10.00 to ABSP members FILIATE, JACENT, PEASE, PREHEND, QUIESCE and SIST are all in OSWI. 01603 898791 £12.00 to non-ABSP members Venue Hethersett Village Hall, No further discounts FEGHOOTS: Hethersett, Norwich, Norfolk Cheques payable to Carol Smith, (1) Go dress the many general men (let nothing you dismay!) Registration 09.30 31Christine Road, Spixworth, Norwich, (2) Ping-pong, Mary, Leon, high First game 10:15 Departure 18.00 NR10 3PH PUZZLE #80: Best Western, Falkirk Contact Viv Beckmann PILA, making PILAF, PILAR, PILAU and PILAW. 1st - 4th October 0191-273-1705 PHONEY GOINGS ON: Hotel Le Relais, Alpin, Switzerland Contact Viv Beckmann RUDESBY, LEWDSBY and SNEAKSBY are all acceptable Sunday 17th - Saturday 23rd October 0191-273-1705 PUZZLE #81: 1=G, 2=B, 3=N, 4=U, 5=S, 6=J, 7=Y, 8=H, 9=Z, 10=T, 11=P, 12=O, 13=F, 14=V, 15=M, Refer-a-friend Scheme 16=I, 17=A, 18=K, 19=L, 20=E, 21=D, 22=C, 23=Q, 24=X, 25=R, 26=W. If by 30th June, through your encouragement, someone joins the DOUBLE X WORDS: ABSP for the first time, you will receive a voucher giving you £5 Okay, it wasn’t explicitly a puzzle, but in case you’re going crazy trying to find them all discount on your subscription for 2005. Be sure to make Viv Beckmann aware of they are: EXECUTRIX(ES), EXOTOXIC, EXOTOXIN(S), MAXIXE(S), PAXWAX(ES), your entitlement. Tel: 01912 731705 or email: [email protected] SAXITOXIN(S), XANTHOXYL(S) and XEROX(ES,ED,ING). There is a limit of three vouchers per member.
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