Sunday, August 31, 2014

I'm pretty tied up today and don't expect to show up for club.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

I will be meeting with a  prospective player - Bill - and his friend Jessica - at the Tates Creek Library from 2 til about 4 or so Friday.   Anyone interested in coming over for a couple games, feel free! :)
Matthew

Monday, August 25, 2014








oldnew
avgavg.
first
NAME
WLWin %
ratingrating
scorebingos
club rating
Marc
4450 %
1759

3991.5
1795
Steve
17673 %
16851698
4281.5
1680
Matthew
441969 %
16151616
4142
1724
Will
29976 %
1578

4301.8
1503
Jim
192048 %
1340*

3380.8
nr
Joe
5550 %
11571151
3661.2
1169
Martha
3537 %
1135*

3310.3
nr
Betty
322061 %
11171113
3701
947
Eric
3175 %
1096

3881.5
1086
Margaret
2528 %
958965
3430.7
968
Wendy
4357 %
949

3681.3
931
Lisa
5645 %
909*916*
3430.5
nr
Victoria
202346 %
908

3571.4
863
Kelly
2722 %
879

3250.6
894
Jan
173334 %
705707
3290.3
652
Janney
112530 %
448437
3140.1
312
Cheryl
3289 %
311

2850.1
311

Results, 8/24

Steve               3-0        +326                           The first two games listed were the final round of the afternoon. 
Matthew          3-1        +720                           -Three- nines!
Joe                   3-2           +5
Margaret          2-2        (145)
Jan                   1-2           +8
Lisa                 1-2         (285)
Betty                2-3        (376)
Janney             0-3         (243)

Matthew  634          Betty  248                       Joe  419                  Margaret  364            
EPITOME               SEASONED                   EGOLESS             INITIA(TO)r
RAVIGOTE                                                    (EX)ONERATE
UNREPAID
REGLAZED
B(AL)LERINA

Margaret  345         Janney  267                      Betty  346              Jan  342                         Steve  437              Matthew  388
PRIORITY                                                      RESEEDS                                                    ENTHRALL          ACTINGS
                                                                                                                                              ORALISM

Lisa  339                 Jan  315                            Jan  352                 Janney  316                   Matthew  509         Margaret  299
FOLLIES                                                                                                                              EPICALLY
                                                                                                                                              TENTHLY
                                                                                                                                              TERRINE
                                                                                                                       BINGERS

Steve  397               Betty  339                         Joe  421                 Janney  292                   Margaret  392         Betty  350
GOLIARD                                                       RACIEST                                                     WANGLES           RESINED

Steve  545               Lisa  326                           Matthew  521        Joe  348                         Betty  455               Joe  359
OPENING                                                        BANTERS            MOTIONER                  BLASTING           TURDINE
AIRWOMAN                                                   ORIENTAL                                                 RETINAS
DILATED                                                         PILSNER
SELENATE

Joe  421                  Lisa  331
RACIEST

Friday, August 22, 2014

Before it gets too far down, please see Steve's post about his new NASPA position - hooray!

Since you've asked for ideas about competitive play improvement... :)

If NASPA wants a shot at more media coverage, I think it must build some interest for nonp-layers.  One arbitrary way to do this is give viewers a reason to root.   Geography.   State vs. state/club vs. club tournaments are already popular (ie: the Michigan v. Ohio annual event).  Why not all the best from various states competing against one another?  

Invite, say, the top 3 players from each state as teams.   Set up elimination brackets, seed the teams. 

ESPN used to pony up a $50.000 prize pool for an All-Stars event, invite the top 50 players.   Throw in state names, I think you give people a little more reason to possibly give a darn.
Why does NASPA offer Collins play?  I'm not at all sure it should.

The National Champion NASPA endorses is from TWL.  It's less prestigious now that so many North American experts are playing in the Collins division.  I assume NASPA still has as a goal for tournament play to be more media-relevant, get more coverage like it used to (like on ESPN).   Splitting our experts into two divisions seems contrary to that.

If NASPA had as a goal to get all of us to switch to the Collins dictionary, that'd be one thing.   I've always heard that's not true, and its new relationship with Merriam-Webster seems to solidify that. 

If NASPA is worried about losing players  (and thusly money from player dues and fees), I don't think they would.  Even if some top-flight experts want to compete via Collins for bigger prizes in WESPA events abroad, I don't believe they'll quit playing stateside.

(For club members who may not be in the know, the word list we play is TWL.  Collins is the "world English dictionary" played overseas  It has all our words plus thousands more.  Think metric vs. American standard for measurements.  WESPA is the equivalent of NASPA, runs everything Scrabble abroad.)


Wednesday, August 20, 2014

NASPA Advisory Board Appointment

Hello Scrabblers, I have an announcement (in case you haven't already heard). I've been elected to serve a 2-year term on the NASPA Advisory Board. Its purpose (from the NASPA webpage) is to "advise the Executive Committee, act as an appellate body for the rulings of Working Committtees, and to act as a general disciplinary body for association members." 

Basically this means that if you have concerns or issues on how things are going with NASPA, and/or have ideas on how we can improve the organization and grow competitive play, please let me know and I can bring it to the AB for discussion. I'm looking forward to serving!

Monday, August 18, 2014








oldnew
avg
avg.
first
NAME
WLWin %
ratingrating
score
bingos
club rating
Marc
4450 %
17751759
399
1.5
1795
Steve
14670 %
16661685
423
1.4
1680
Matthew
411869 %
16111615
407
1.9
1724
Will
29976 %
15741578
430
1.8
1503
Jim
192048 %
1340*

338
0.8
nr
Joe
2340 %
1157

339
1.2
1169
Martha
3537 %
1179*1135*
331
0.3
nr
Betty
301763 %
11131117
373
1
947
Eric
3175 %
1096

388
1.5
1086
Margaret
030 %
958

335
0.6
968
Wendy
4357 %
949

368
1.3
931
Lisa
4450 %
909*

348
0.7
nr
Victoria
202346 %
908

357
1.4
863
Kelly
2722 %
879

325
0.6
894
Jan
173334 %
704705
329
0.3
652
Janney
112233 %
448448
316
0.1
312
Cheryl
3289 %
319311
285
0.1
311
Steve          3-0      +247
Betty           3-1      +274
Matthew     2-1        (24)
Marc           2-2      +236
Will            1-1        (33)
Jan              2-2       (143)
Janney         1-2      (275)
Martha        1-3        (63)
Cheryl         0-3       (219)

Steve  431          Marc  377                       Betty  374          Martha  328                        Matthew  453          Jan  283
CODERIVE       EVASIONS                   MOTTLES        INQUIRER                         TIDDLES*             
ERADIATE                                                                                                                     RETUNING
                                                                                                                                         WATERING

Jan  391              Janney  319                    Steve  409          Betty  275                           Martha  373             Cheryl  284
LEARNING                                                                                        

Janney  340        Cheryl  273                    Steve  380          Martha  321                         Betty  405                Jan  313
                                                                  CHARITY         STENTOR                           GONDOLAS
                                                                                                                                          VIBRATED

Will  370            Marc  361                       Betty  475          Janney  205                         Marc  359                Cheryl  296
OREGANOS     SURETIES                     REROUTES
                                                                  ATONIES

Jan  342              Martha  295                   Marc  528           Matthew  292                     Matthew  475            Will  433
                                                                  TENTERS                                                     SLOPABLE*            BIGOTRY
                                                                  URINARY                                                     CIRRATE                 DROOLING
                                                                  GASHEAD*                                                  PHASING
                                                                                                                                         DEFACING

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Club Sunday (8/17)

I'll be there tomorrow, and I believe we'll have visitors from Louisville again (Marc and Martha).  Who else?

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Club today (8/10)

Sorry for the late notice, but I won't be able to make it today.  What about others?

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Good Luck to Will and Matthew at Nationals!

Wishing Will and Matthew all the best on their adventures in Buffalo for the 2014 National Scrabble Championship, which starts this weekend. One thing that I find very exciting is how results are posted online, almost real-time.  Not to put undue pressure on them, but you can follow Matthew, Will, and all your other favorites at the Live Coverage link from the following page:

http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/w/2014_National_SCRABBLE_Championship

Do us proud, guys, and bring back a bunch of rating points, or at least have a lot of fun trying.  I can't wait to hear your tales of triumph and tribulation upon your return!