NSW Spring Marathon - 14th October 2006


Report from John Holgate

Forty long-distance Scrabble players contested this year’s marathon. Michael Hornung from Victoria was our interstate visitor and there was a goodly sprinkling of top-rated locals.

Karen Richards, Paul Cleary and Bob Jackman were the pacesetters. In round 5 I met Chris May (also on 3/1) and after my 34-point win he berated the unpropitious tile gods. Famous last words! Chris won his last seven games to storm home in a blaze of glory including two 600+ games (621 and 698 against Greg Pinchbeck – a new national record containing 6 bingos – COHEIRS CONDORES MAUSOLEA BANTERED INFLATED and INFLATE but no nine-timer). He fell short of the magic 700 only scoring 6 with his U. Yes Virginia, there are propitious tile gods after all…

Bob Jackman continued his fine form by grabbing the silver and Paul Cleary the bronze. Karen Richards was fourth and Michael Hornung fifth.

Peter Shaw high-word scored with 122 for DAINTIES and Krystyna Batten won the ratings prize (+89).

The Jammy Bastard award goes to Rex Shakespeare – not only for his 486/343 ‘granny’ against me but also for playing DEGUSTED to win against Janine Whittaker. Rex savoured his victory without having the faintest idea it was a word – how degusting.

Bob Jackman’s winning endgame play against me was particularly smart. 37 points down he found SIRIHS/CH/EXPOS for 61 and a 9 point victory. I was so impressed I missed a draw with ELHI/EXPOSE on the triple. In a subsequent game Bob played DESPOTA onto TE (DESPOTATE) for 95 and set up VENTURI holding N for VENTURING (39) later down to the TWS – nothing VENTURI-ed nothing gained…

In spite of the sweltering heat and the pother of moving the furniture out and back at the downtown ‘no frills’ Macarthur Room a good time was had by all. My suggestion for next time is a water bottle runner to do the rounds of the tables with cold refreshments and a towel – as is customary in traditional marathons.

As a footnote, the word TAPDANCE* was disallowed. Discussion over morning coffee revealed that RAPDANCE* LAPDANCE* or POLEDANCE* are not acceptable either - although LAPDANCES* does have an anagram...

Results after game 12
SPRING MARATHON 2006 -- OPEN

Rank Player Wins Byes Mar
---------------------------------
1 Chris May 10 1266
2 Bob Jackman 10 1122
3 Paul Cleary 9 1122
4 Karen Richards 8 362
5 Michael Hornung 8 250
6 Alastair Richards 8 110
7 John Holgate 7 340
8 Tony Hunt 7 234
9 Pat Schuberg 7 164
10 Ivor Zetler 7 145
11 Jean McGiffen 7 81
12 Nonie English 7 -10
13 Jean Balmer 7 -140
14 Sue Tuckett 7 -205
15 Greg Pinchbeck 7 -255
16 Rex Shakespeare 6 233
17 Edith Lowbeer 6 223
18 Peter Shaw 6 122
19 Yvonne Edwards 6 107
20 John Barker 6 76
21 Krystyna Batten 6 -69
22 Sam Greenberg 6 -109
23 Colleen Walker 6 -168
24 Audrey Newman 5 1 23
25 George Khamis 5 1 -25
26 David More 5 1 -285
27 Tony Kalayzich 5 1 -294
28 Jan Serisier 5 348
29 Gordon Meggs 5 109
30 Janine Whittaker 5 -51
31 Paul Richards 5 -139
32 Don Hadley 4 1 2
33 Maree Heynen 4 1 -202
34 Sunny Wright 4 1 -229
35 Cheryl Michler 4 1 -306
36 La'Reine Lang 3 1 -961
37 Liz Jackman 2 1 -543
38 Rhys McGuckin 2 1 -1136
39 Diana Field 1 1 -1312
HIGH GAME: Chris May 698
HIGH WORD: Peter Shaw 122
"DAINTIES"

Stats for Tournament : SPRING MARATHON 2006

+--------------------------+-----------+---------+-----------+----------
-----+
| state Name | National | State | Wins | Rating
Points |
| | Old New | Old New | Exp Act | Old
Change New|
+--------------------------+-----------+---------+-----------+----------
-----+
+Section: *OPEN + + +
+
+--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------
-----+
| NSW Chris May | 11 6 | 5 3 | 8.2 10.0 | 1762 +36
1798 |
| NSW Bob Jackman | 1 1 | 1 1 | 10.1 10.0 | 1881 -1
1880 |
| NSW Paul Cleary | 4 4 | 2 2 | 9.6 9.0 | 1840 -8
1832 |
| VIC Michael Hornung | 16 16 | 7 7 | 8.7 8.0 | 1695 -10
1685 |
| NSW Karen Richards | 38 35 | 12 11 | 7.1 8.0 | 1579 +18
1597 |
| NSW Alastair Richards | 35 31 | 11 9 | 6.9 8.0 | 1585 +23
1608 |
| NSW Tony Hunt | 62 50 | 17 14 | 5.4 7.0 | 1513 +31
1544 |
| NSW John Holgate | 34 36 | 10 12 | 7.3 7.0 | 1590 -5
1585 |
| NSW Pat Schuberg | 155 143 | 40 37 | 6.2 7.0 | 1387 +18
1405 |
| NSW Jean McGiffen | 69 67 | 20 18 | 7.1 7.0 | 1492 -1
1491 |
| NSW Ivor Zetler | 131 108 | 33 26 | 5.5 7.0 | 1416 +32
1448 |
| NSW Jean Balmer | 270 257 | 62 60 | 6.0 7.0 | 1248 +22
1270 |
| NSW Greg Pinchbeck | 134 119 | 34 30 | 6.3 7.0 | 1416 +17
1433 |
| NSW Nonie English | 343 278 | 87 63 | 3.3 7.0 | 1151 +83
1234 |
| NSW Sue Tuckett | 452 382 | 113 98 | 3.5 7.0 | 1038 +75
1113 |
| NSW John Barker | 66 86 | 19 22 | 7.5 6.0 | 1501 -30
1471 |
| NSW Peter Shaw | 63 82 | 18 21 | 7.6 6.0 | 1509 -33
1476 |
| NSW Rex Shakespeare | 84 100 | 23 23 | 7.0 6.0 | 1476 -18
1458 |
| NSW Edith Lowbeer | 614 542 | 152 128 | 2.9 6.0 | 880 +63
943 |
| NSW Colleen Walker | 212 207 | 48 47 | 5.9 6.0 | 1331 +4
1335 |
| NSW Yvonne Edwards | 425 402 | 104 102 | 4.8 6.0 | 1064 +25
1089 |
| NSW Sam Greenberg | 229 242 | 52 54 | 6.8 6.0 | 1308 -16
1292 |
| NSW Krystyna Batten | 449 365 | 111 92 | 2.2 6.0 | 1040 +89
1129 |
| NSW Audrey Newman | 137 166 | 36 43 | 8.0 5.5 | 1413 -47
1366 |
| NSW Tony Kalayzich | 355 346 | 92 88 | 5.2 5.5 | 1138 +6
1144 |
| NSW George Khamis | 347 377 | 89 95 | 6.9 5.5 | 1144 -27
1117 |
| NSW David More | 295 287 | 68 66 | 4.8 5.5 | 1209 +15
1224 |
| NSW Jan Serisier | 119 154 | 30 39 | 7.6 5.0 | 1435 -50
1385 |
| NSW Gordon Meggs | 332 340 | 83 85 | 5.5 5.0 | 1161 -8
1153 |
| NSW Paul Richards | 115 142 | 29 36 | 6.9 5.0 | 1442 -37
1405 |
| NSW Janine Whittaker | 309 294 | 75 68 | 3.4 5.0 | 1187 +32
1219 |
| NSW Don Hadley | 313 342 | 77 86 | 6.2 4.5 | 1185 -33
1152 |
| NSW Cheryl Michler | 246 291 | 56 67 | 7.9 4.5 | 1286 -66
1220 |
| NSW Maree Heynen | 611 589 | 150 143 | 3.5 4.5 | 881 +20
901 |
| NSW Sunny Wright | 380 415 | 98 105 | 6.6 4.5 | 1114 -41
1073 |
| NSW La'reine Lang | 615 599 | 153 147 | 2.8 3.5 | 878 +15
893 |
| NSW Liz Jackman | 306 404 | 72 103 | 7.9 2.5 | 1190 -105
1085 |
| VIC Rhys McGuckin | 704 765 | 195 208 | 3.8 2.5 | 816 -39
777 |
| NSW Diana Field | 1122 1118 | 283 282 | 1.1 1.5 | 500 +8
508 |
+-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+-----------