On a fine wintery day, Wollongong welcomed 74 players to its annual Marj Babb tournament. Our farthest-travelled visitor was May Waddington from Gunnedah. WIN TV was there to record all the action which culminated in the Western Scrabble Network team of Pam Bennett, Mark Smith, Tony Hunt and Pat Schuberg winning the Marj Babb Shield. Pam won 6 from 7 in topping Intermediate Division while Mark Smith won 4.5 in Advanced and Tony Hunt won 4 in Masters. Their total of 14.5 wins pipped the 14 wins achieved by the Blacktown City team led by Raya Wilkinson with 7 from 7. Mark’s draw with Jean Balmer in game 1 proved decisive.
The day was given added significance with esteemed Tournament Director celebrating her first half century on the planet. Young Wilma cut up the birthday cake after the obligatory singalong - between challenges of course.
Here are some notable individual performances:
Local schoolgirl Elle Proust won all of her games to achieve a first place in only her second tournament. With a rating gain of 94 points to reach 931 points she will probably be seen in Intermediate Division next up. One wonders if she be following in the footsteps of Chris May or David Eldar ? Beryl Pearson’s 5-point loss to Elle in game 3 was all that prevented her from taking out Recreation Division instead. Comedic punter Rudi Puntschuh managed to snatch third place in between telling jokes and playing the pokies.
In the closely-contested Intermediate Division, any of 5 players had the chance to win it in the final round. Pam Bennett clinched it with a win over Nonie English, with Joan Buchanan and “Judge” Judy Hay filling the next two places. Daphne Bezuidenhout’s High Game score of 522 was the highest game score for any player during the day.
In Advanced Division, Raya Wilkinson was unbeaten and unbeatable going into the final round, so the pursuing men Jeff Chelton and Michael Adler had to content themselves with the minor placings this time.
A 2-point win by Rod Talbot over Kerry Constable in the final game was the difference between first or fourth placing for him in Masters Division where previous Wollongong champions, Edward Oculicz and Joan Rosenthal, finished second and third.
Perennial Diana Field managed a notable achievement with her High Word score of 105 for WHACKERS being the highest-word for the day – and wasn’t she thrilled ! This was especially remarkable because it was the first time, in my memory, that both High Word and High Game were achieved by players outside the Masters and Advanced divisions.
Results after game 7
JUNE 17, 2005 -- MASTERS
Rank Player Wins Mar
---------------------------------
1 Rod Talbot 6 120
2 Edward Okulicz 5 638
3 Joan Rosenthal 5 404
4 Bob Jackman 5 278
5 Tony Hunt 4 271
6 Jan Serisier 4 241
7 Norma Tracey 4 16
8 Kerry Constable 4 5
9 Audrey Newman 4 -171
10 Graeme Lock Lee 3 19
11 John Spaan 3 12
12 Rex Shakespeare 3 -85
13 John Barker 3 -113
14 Rene Chelton 3 -312
15 Peter Shaw 2 -118
16 Betty Foreman 2 -340
17 Keith Bioletti 2 -372
18 Susan Macgillivray 1 -493
HIGH GAME: Rex Shakespeare 521
HIGH WORD: Joan Rosenthal 100
"INQUEST"
Results after game 7
JUNE 17, 2005 -- ADVANCED
Rank Player Wins Mar
---------------------------------
1 Raya Wilkinson 7 484
2 Jeff Chelton 5 357
3 Michael Adler 5 121
4 Mark Smith 4.5 47
5 Gary Pollard 4 289
6 Hanne Marks 4 204
7 Cheryl Michler@16 4 69
8 Greg Pinchbeck 4 55
9 Natalie Tadday 4 -66
10 Margaret Berliner 4 -82
11 Richard Birch 3 43
12 David More 3 -55
13 Liz Jackman 3 -154
14 Pat Schuberg 2 -115
15 Christine Foot 2 -200
16 Fay Van Oyen 2 -395
17 Jean Balmer@15 1.5 -215
18 Margaret Andrews 1 -387
HIGH GAME: Hanne Marks 489
HIGH WORD: Greg Pinchbeck 98
"UNPROVEN"
Results after game 7
JUNE 17, 2005 -- INTERMEDIATE
Rank Player Wins Mar
---------------------------------
1 Pam Bennett 6 364
2 Joan Buchanan 5 299
3 Judy Hay 5 226
4 Nonie English 5 104
5 Edith Lowbeer 5 -24
6 Esther Rolfe 4.5 54
7 Betty Irwin 4 210
8 Janine Whittaker@28 4 152
9 Anne Schick 4 -32
10 Stuart Pridham 4 -72
11 Nanette Reynolds 3.5 53
12 Sue Tuckett 3 159
13 Ann Fiddler 3 75
14 May Waddington 3 -46
15 Rocky Sharma 3 -97
16 Heather Sorensen 2 -51
17 Bill Condon 2 -298
18 Lisa Terry 2 -710
19 Daphne Bezuidenhout 1 -23
20 Maree Heynen 1 -343
HIGH GAME: Daphne Bezuidenhout 522
HIGH WORD: Lisa Terry 96
"EQUALING"
Results after game 7
JUNE 17, 2005 -- RECREATION
Rank Player Wins Mar
---------------------------------
1 Elle Proust 7 550
2 Beryl Pearson 6 678
3 Rudi Puntschuh 5 -64
4 Judith Emery 4 159
5 Lila Tucker 4 78
6 Arie Holla 4 74
7 Yvonne Pollard 4 57
8 Merle Young 4 13
9 Betty Wassell 4 -2
10 Lexie Neale 3 39
11 Jon Strang 3 -105
12 Brian Irwin 3 -109
13 Diana Field 3 -143
14 Joy Morris 3 -171
15 Maria Kaye 2 -9
16 Diana Hilly 2 -76
17 Merriss Adler 1 -434
18 Jan Terry 1 -5
Stats for Tournament : JUNE 18, 2005
+--------------------------+-----------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| state Name | National | State | Wins | Rating
Points |
| | Old New | Old New | Exp Act | Old
Change New|
+--------------------------+-----------+---------+-----------+---------------+
+Section: *MASTERS + + +
+
+--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| NSW Rod Talbot | 15 13 | 7 7 | 4.3 6.0 | 1695
+35 1730 |
| NSW Edward Okulicz | 6 7 | 3 4 | 5.3 5.0 | 1798
-7 1791 |
| NSW Joan Rosenthal | 16 16 | 8 8 | 4.2 5.0 | 1688
+16 1704 |
| NSW Bob Jackman | 12 12 | 6 6 | 4.8 5.0 | 1747
+4 1751 |
| NSW Jan Serisier | 113 91 | 30 23 | 2.2 4.0 | 1452
+36 1488 |
| NSW Tony Hunt | 38 39 | 12 13 | 4.2 4.0 | 1605
-3 1602 |
| NSW Norma Tracey | 129 111 | 33 30 | 2.7 4.0 | 1430
+26 1456 |
| NSW Kerry Constable :act | 85 71 | 21 18 | 3.0 4.0 | 1497
+21 1518 |
| NSW Audrey Newman | 157 125 | 40 33 | 2.2 4.0 | 1396
+36 1432 |
| NSW Graeme Lock Lee | 93 96 | 25 26 | 3.4 3.0 | 1487
-7 1480 |
| NSW John Spaan :act | 107 106 | 27 28 | 2.8 3.0 | 1462
+3 1465 |
| NSW Rex Shakespeare | 74 74 | 19 19 | 3.2 3.0 | 1513
-3 1510 |
| NSW John Barker | 51 52 | 15 14 | 3.5 3.0 | 1554
-10 1544 |
| NSW Rene Chelton | 92 93 | 24 24 | 3.3 3.0 | 1488
-6 1482 |
| NSW Peter Shaw | 42 60 | 14 16 | 4.4 2.0 | 1582
-48 1534 |
| NSW Betty Foreman | 135 140 | 35 36 | 2.5 2.0 | 1426
-10 1416 |
| NSW Keith Bioletti | 112 123 | 29 32 | 3.0 2.0 | 1455
-20 1435 |
| NSW Susan MacGillivr :ac | 55 94 | 16 25 | 4.1 1.0 | 1543
-61 1482 |
+-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+
+Section: *ADVANCED + + +
+
+--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| NSW Raya Wilkinson | 244 162 | 58 42 | 3.6 7.0 | 1302
+90 1392 |
| NSW Jeff Chelton | 183 175 | 47 46 | 4.8 5.0 | 1372
+8 1380 |
| NSW Michael Adler :act | 302 277 | 73 67 | 2.7 5.0 | 1203
+54 1257 |
| NSW Mark Smith | 201 196 | 51 51 | 4.0 4.5 | 1348
+12 1360 |
| NSW Hanne Marks | 174 189 | 45 49 | 4.7 4.0 | 1380
-14 1366 |
| NSW Gary Pollard | 247 242 | 59 58 | 3.7 4.0 | 1298
+8 1306 |
| NSW Cheryl Michler | 257 257 | 62 62 | 4.0 4.0 | 1289
-1 1288 |
| NSW Natalie Tadday | 301 290 | 72 70 | 2.5 4.0 | 1206
+29 1235 |
| NSW Greg Pinchbeck | 191 195 | 49 50 | 4.4 4.0 | 1365
-4 1361 |
| NSW Margaret Berliner | 337 312 | 85 76 | 2.5 4.0 | 1157
+30 1187 |
| NSW Richard Birch | 260 272 | 64 66 | 4.1 3.0 | 1286
-21 1265 |
| NSW David More | 229 246 | 55 59 | 3.8 3.0 | 1316
-16 1300 |
| NSW Liz Jackman | 286 291 | 69 71 | 3.5 3.0 | 1240
-9 1231 |
| NSW Pat Schuberg | 267 286 | 67 69 | 3.7 2.0 | 1276
-34 1242 |
| NSW Christine Foot :act | 340 345 | 86 87 | 2.2 2.0 | 1155
-4 1151 |
| NSW Fay Van Oyen | 268 283 | 68 68 | 3.5 2.0 | 1276
-31 1245 |
| NSW Jean Balmer | 296 308 | 71 73 | 2.9 1.5 | 1217
-29 1188 |
| NSW Margaret Andrews | 333 355 | 82 90 | 2.4 1.0 | 1165
-28 1137 |
+-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+
+Section: *INTERMEDIATE + + +
+
+--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| NSW Pam Bennett | 512 419 | 133 103 | 2.8 6.0 | 977
+84 1061 |
| NSW Joan Buchanan | 401 383 | 102 98 | 4.0 5.0 | 1089
+20 1109 |
| NSW Judy Hay | 382 364 | 97 92 | 4.0 5.0 | 1111
+20 1131 |
| NSW Nonie English | 349 337 | 90 85 | 4.6 5.0 | 1149
+9 1158 |
| NSW Edith Lowbeer | 445 424 | 112 105 | 3.9 5.0 | 1033
+23 1056 |
| NSW Esther Rolfe | 490 460 | 126 118 | 3.3 4.5 | 992
+24 1016 |
| NSW Janine Whittaker | 447 441 | 113 112 | 3.5 4.0 | 1032
+9 1041 |
| NSW Anne Schick :act | 348 359 | 89 91 | 4.7 4.0 | 1150
-14 1136 |
| NSW Betty Irwin | 530 502 | 138 130 | 2.7 4.0 | 960
+26 986 |
| NSW Stuart Pridham | 448 444 | 114 113 | 3.8 4.0 | 1031
+6 1037 |
| NSW Nanette Reynolds | 420 427 | 104 107 | 4.1 3.5 | 1063
-12 1051 |
| NSW Ann Fiddler | 364 394 | 92 102 | 4.5 3.0 | 1129
-29 1100 |
| NSW Sue Tuckett | 421 429 | 105 108 | 3.6 3.0 | 1062
-12 1050 |
| NSW Rocky Sharma | 528 529 | 136 137 | 2.9 3.0 | 961
+1 962 |
| NSW May Waddington | 614 605 | 164 161 | 2.4 3.0 | 885
+11 896 |
| NSW Bill Condon | 415 454 | 103 117 | 4.1 2.0 | 1067
-43 1024 |
| NSW Heather Sorensen | 554 567 | 143 149 | 2.5 2.0 | 938
-11 927 |
| NSW Lisa Terry | 606 618 | 160 165 | 2.4 2.0 | 894
-12 882 |
| NSW Daphne Bezuidenhout | 459 527 | 117 136 | 3.6 1.0 | 1016
-53 963 |
| NSW Maree Heynen | 626 662 | 166 176 | 2.3 1.0 | 876
-26 850 |
+-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+
+Section: *RECREATION + + +
+
+--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| NSW Elle Proust | 677 560 | 178 146 | 4.6 7.0 | 836
+95 931 |
| NSW Beryl Pearson :act | 734 685 | 198 181 | 4.4 6.0 | 796
+33 829 |
| NSW Rudolf Puntschuh | 799 760 | 214 204 | 3.8 5.0 | 746
+24 770 |
| NSW Yvonne Pollard | 687 703 | 181 186 | 4.5 4.0 | 827
-11 816 |
| NSW Judith Emery | 952 907 | 254 241 | 2.7 4.0 | 643
+27 670 |
| NSW Merle Young | 793 782 | 213 209 | 3.6 4.0 | 749
+8 757 |
| NSW Lila Tucker | 963 934 | 259 248 | 3.1 4.0 | 634
+20 654 |
| NSW Betty Wassel | 1150 1084 | 334 312 | 2.3 4.0 | 530
+61 591 |
| NSW Arie Holla | 872 871 | 232 231 | 4.0 4.0 | 699
+2 701 |
| NSW Brian Irwin | 1006 1002 | 280 277 | 2.9 3.0 | 610
+2 612 |
| NSW Lexie Neale | 771 840 | 207 222 | 4.4 3.0 | 762
-41 721 |
| NSW Diana Field | 1151 1149 | 335 333 | 2.5 3.0 | 526
+9 535 |
| NSW Joy Morris | 875 899 | 233 239 | 4.1 3.0 | 698
-21 677 |
| NSW Jon Strang | 966 986 | 260 272 | 3.7 3.0 | 634
-14 620 |
| NSW Diana Hilly | 755 810 | 202 217 | 4.0 2.0 | 777
-39 738 |
| NSW Maria Kaye | 986 1083 | 272 311 | 3.5 2.0 | 621
-30 591 |
| NSW Merriss Adler :act | 1148 1167 | 332 340 | 2.7 1.0 | 535
-33 502 |
|*NSW Jan Terry | 0 1201 | 0 356 | 2.2 1.0 | 500
500 |
+-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+