97 The bi-monthly magazine of the 87 APRIL APRIL CCAALLEENNDDAARR OOFF EEVVEENNTTSS 7 APRIL A PR IL ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH A quick reference to forthcoming competitions SCRABBLE PLAYERS (fuller list and details inside) Date Tournament (no. of games) Contact Telephone Feb 3rd Perth (7 games) Amy Byrne 0131 6613869 Feb 3rd-4th Nottingham Nomads Clive Spate 0115 9200208 Feb 10th Wirral Open Len Moir 0151 6061112 Feb 18th Andover Alan Bailey 023 92384360 Feb 24th New Malden Shirley Cave 0208 5408469 No 112 February 2007 Feb 24th Peterborough 5pp Challenge Chris Hawkins 01733 223202 Mar 3rd Leicester Marjorie Smith 01162 551176 Deadline for next issue - 5th March Mar 11th Swindon (6 games) Steve Perry 01367 244757 Mar 16th-19th Clifton Park Viv Beckmann 0191 2731705 A fund for Graeme Mar 17th East Sussex Ed Breed 01424 219334 Mar 24th Peterborough Free Challenge Chris Hawkins 01733 223202 Following Graeme Thomas's untimely death last November, the ABSP have received several Mar 25th Southampton Alan Bailey 023 92384360 suggestions of what we can do to recognise all that Graeme did for Scrabble and to keep his Apr 6th-7th Exeter Isca Ronnie Reid 01256 354604 memory alive. Apr 7th-9th Exeter Main Ronnie Reid 01256 354604 Having consulted with Graeme's family, we have decided to take a twofold approach. April 14-15th 20th Durham Tournament Laura Finley 0191 5654079 Apr 29th Bourne (6 games) Betty Benton 01778 425234 First, in recognition of Graeme's welcoming approach to new tournament players, a trophy Apr 29th Sutton Coldfield Unrated Rick Blakeway 0121 2490892 will be given to winners of the New Player Events, the first of which was successfully organised by Stewart Holden last year. We're hoping to run at least a further two events this year, one Apr 29th Harrow Sandie Simonis 020 84283397 is likely to run in parallel with the BMSC, and the winner of each event will be awarded the May 4th Best Western Viv Beckmann 0191 2731705 Graeme Thomas trophy. This will continue for future years. May 11th Lothersdale Hotel Viv Beckmann 0191 2731705 May 12th Scottish Round Robin Marion Keatings 01592 265524 Second, Graeme was always keen to encourage new young talent in the pursuit of excellence, and would no doubt have been impressed with Austin Shin's success at the inaugural World May 13th Bournemouth Ruth Marsden 01202 707148 Youth Scrabble Championships (WYSC) last year. The ABSP Committee recognise that for May 19th Warrington Wayne Kelly 01925 483530 future young UK players to travel and take part in these Championships may involve expenses May 26th-28th Stoke Rochford Christina French 01708 701578 that they are unable to afford. Therefore, we would like to establish a fund in Graeme's Jun 2nd Havering Evergrenn Cindy Holyer 01277 822050 memory that will enable us to help future prospects to attend the WYSC. Jun 3rd Melton Mowbray Maureen Rayson 01664 563330 June 9th-10th Edinburgh Amy Byrne 0131 6613869 I hope that all of us who knew and respected Graeme will be able to contribute something June 11th Cairn Hotel Viv Beckmann 0191 2731705 towards the fund. Cheques can be sent to Anne Ramsay ABSP, 8 Glen Cova Place, Kirkcaldy, Fife KY2 6UL or can be made directly through Paypal. Just go to the ABSP website July 20th Carrington Bournemouth Viv Beckmann 0191 2731705 www.absp.org.uk <http://www.absp.org.uk> . July 24th Essex Extraordinaire Phil Kelly 01702 202168 Aug 4th-5th Nottingham Nomads Clive Spate 0115920 0208 Thank you TerryTerry KirkKirk, ABSP ABSP Chairman Chairman Sept 1st Havering Cindy Holyer 01277 822050 Sept 16th Norwich Carol Smith 01603 898791 COLLINSPOLL RESULT POLL RESULT Sept22nd-23rd Durham Laura Finley 0191 5654079 Oct 14th Salisbury Bob Lynn 01722 325623 398 in favour. See page 18 for fuller details. The Last Word is printed by Keely Print, Beccles, Suffolk Tel: 01502 713930 SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark of J.W.Spear & Sons Ltd., Maidenhead SL6 4UB ISSUE CONTENTS Committee Corner 1 A Mystery Tale 27 CCOOMMMMIITTTTEEEE CCOORRNNEERR Awards & Titles 2 Obituaries 28 Event Reports 4 Edgeways 31 Across The Board 10 Player Profile 38 ATB Solutions and Poll Result 18 Fantasy Scrabble 40 The Committee met on 10th December in the run up to the festive season. At this Ratings 19 Forthcoming Events 42 time of year the renewal slips and payment of subscriptions is taking place. In A few words from Austin 26 Edgeways Answers ibc Calendar of Events obc future the renewal slips are going to go out with the October issue to allow plenty of time for renewing and to stagger the workload. This also means that members can take advantage of the discount on entries for any tournament taking place in Throughout this publication, comments by the Editor do not represent the views of the January and February. Tournament Organisers of these events will be able to check ABSP Committee. Any statements by the Committee are clearly marked as such. All other contributions to The Last Word represent only the views of the contributor. the website to ensure an individual is an ABSP member. Speaking of members can I once again point everyone to their Members Handbook THE LAST WORD TEAM and the Game Rules and Code of Conduct. If you are not familiar with these please take the time to read them to avoid conflict during a tournament either with your The Last Words Team welcomes contributions from readers to their respective areas, either as letters, articles or suggestions. Contact information: opponent or the Tournament Director. Complaints by Tournament Directors about behaviour are taken very seriously. Editor: Games and Strategies: Words and Puzzles: Elisabeth Jardine Phil Appleby, David Sutton 6 Wentworth Avenue Thorns Cottage, 46 West Chiltern, With the recent death of Graeme Thomas a suitable memorial for him was discussed. Bournemouth BH5 2ED Mount Pleasant Lane, Woodcote, Reading, Berks Graeme’s family will be fully involved in this and you can read the details of what 01202 419 708 Lymington, RG8 0SG was agreed either elsewhere in this issue or if too late for this issue it will be in the [email protected] Hants SO41 8LS [email protected] next. [email protected] Co-editor: The WESPA Dictionary Committee provided a report saying that all was now in Wayne Kelly Forthcoming events: place for the Collins Word List to go to the printers and recommended acceptance Paul Cartman, [email protected] of it for our word adjudication. However, the Committee had promised at the 9 Chapel Terrace, Stafford ST16 3AH AGM that members would be balloted and by the time that you receive this issue 01785 211851 the result of that ballot will be known. The deadline for receipt of ballot papers is [email protected] 15th January 2007. The result may be headline news on the front cover. One other new development is that the Organiser of the Causeway Challenge in If you are reading this then you have probably Singapore, Michael Tang, is hoping to increase the number of teams invited to take renewed your membership.... part in 2007. If he does then he has said that the UK will be invited to take part. ...but just in case the easiest way to renew is via the ABSP website: The team will be composed of either 5 or 6 players and the Committee would be http://www.absp.org.uk interested in hearing from anyone who would be interested in playing at this event Using the Paypal function on the site is very easy and completely safe. More traditionally next November. you can join or renew by sending your details and a cheque for £15 to Anne Ramsay, membership secretary, made payable to ABSP to: The Committee is scheduled to meet again on the 25th March and if there is anything ABSP, 8 Glen Cova Place, Kirkcaldy, Fife KY2 6UL If you wish to write to Anne her email address is [email protected] that you wish raised, please write to me or speak to any Committee member who f. Anne would like to say Thank You to all those who sent Christmas Cards, notes of will raise it on your behal Amy Byrne appreciation, emails and best wishes with their renewals. Secretary 1 2006 ABSP AWARDS ABSP TITLES UPDATE - JANUARY 2007 This informationinformation supplied supplied courtesy courtesy of John of JohnGrayson, Grayson,ABSP ABSP ratings ratingsofficer officer Highest Rated Player 2006 As much as I love statistics, the more useless the better, I would dearly love not to be Highest Rated Player 2006 doing this job just yet. For as long as I can remember this had been Pete Finley’s domain Brett Smitheram(GM)Smitheram (GM)isis the the highest highest rated rated player player (202) (202) at at the the end end of 2006 with at least 30 and this is just one of the many voids that his passing away created. But ABSP Titles are ratedof 2006 games with in at 2006. least 30 Adam rated Logan's games ratingin the isyear. higher Adam (211), Logan's but he rat- played no games in 2006. to be celebrated, and I am very glad to be the bearer of good news for once - for some Bretting is will higher receive (211), the but trophy he has at playeda mutually no ABSP convenient rated gamestime. since anyway! April 2005. In last year’s predictions, only one potential Grand Master was identified for this year, and MostBrett willimproved receive player the trophy 2006 at a mutually convenient time. whaddya know, we have one GM award to dish out.