X 8No 2trasfrom Christina French“ Why do I play Scrabble? Its an obsession!! ”– Margaret HarknessSo we know Margaret is obsessed with Scrabble but are you? To discover if you are ISo we know Margaret is obsessed with Scrabble but are you? To discover if you are I havehave devised a highly scientific test which I would advise every one of us to take - just todevised a highly scientific test which I would advise every one of us to take - just to makemake sure. I have sweated over this test day and night for weeks, honing and perfecting itsure. I have sweated over this test day and night for weeks, honing and perfecting it andand have consulted knowledgeable professors worldwide, even calling on the skills of thehave consulted knowledgeable professors worldwide, even calling on the skills of thefamous Professor Munchenstrassberg of thefamous Professor Munchenstrassberg of the renowned Institute of Trial and Error. The finalrenowned Institute of Trial and Error. The final part of my research has just beenpart of my research has just been completed on my cat Mitten to find out his obsession. Icompleted on my cat Mitten to find out his obsession. I am totally ashamed of the wordam totally ashamed of the word he has just repeatedly meowed to me at the end of his testhe has just ra wise move with his obsession I suppose.so have booted him out the back door, not a wise move with his obsession I suppose.THE SCRABBLE OBSESSION TEST☺ Sit comfortably in your favouriteseat.☺ Close your eyes.☺ Clear your mind - this may taketime, up to 30 minutes if you havejust lost a game.☺ Take five deep breaths.☺ Relax.☺ Now say the first word that comesinto your mind.If the first word is “Scrabble” you are oneof The Scrabble Obsessed. If you are“obsessed beyond belief” you will keeprepeating the word, maybe up to twentytimes. Do not worry, that is classed as“normal behaviour of one obsessedbeyond belief” according to the reveredProfessor Munchenstrassberg.Please let me know the result of your test at christinafrench@ntlworld.com“ Why do I play Scrabble?”“Because it’s stimulating and you get tomeet such a variety of people (some ofthem real oddballs!) at different venuesand occasions.” – Ross MackenzieOuch, Ouch, Ouch!! Racks Painful Enough for PublicationOwen ClarkeSalisburyIn a Southern Leaguematch against Dorking, mylast rack, with no lettersleft in the bag, wasEIIOOUU!! I was able toplay old EUOI and, for mynext move, there were twoE’s to choose from for ahook so I could play itagain.Mauro PratesiLeytonOn the 18th March 2002, Iwas playing Pat MacBeanat Nellie Cox’s in a LondonLeague evening. Pat wentout with SOARING for 68points and my rack leavewas DCCLVI plus blank.That is minus 756 for meand plus 756 for Pat! Goodjob I didn’t declare whatthe blank was. Had I calledit an ‘M’ I might have lostby more than the 290-444I did lose by.Painful racks are obviously an ongoing issue - please let me know of any you may havehad recently, possibly at the BMSC.THE LUCKY CLUB...“God knows!” – Norman SmithRoss MacKenzieRenfrewOne memorable occasionwas when I heldAAIOSUU. I changedAIOUU and picked upEEOUU. (Notice how Idumped two Us only topick up the other two!).Disgusting, I thought - untilI noticed I now had thebonus EUOUAES on myrack. Then, my opponent,unaware of my rack,blocked the only place itwould go. I was a tadfrustrated...A. Zother (Lucky Club Member No 1) writes:Hi Everybody! I consider myself the luckiest player that takes part in ABSP tournamentsand thanks for The Lucky Badge - I will always wear it with pride. I always get all thegood tiles but somehow I always lose my games and usually by the same margin too. Iplay in all divisions and all the players are always so nice to me. I think <strong>TLW</strong> is fantastic,especially Xtras. I am trying to persuade the rest of the Zother family to take up Scrabbletoo. Best regards to you all and I look forward to seeing you at my next tournament.3233
Viv Beckmann (Lucky Club Member No 2) writes:I travel around to tournaments and do try to go to some in Scotland. A few years ago Istarted going to a one day tournament held in Edinburgh in aid of a charity calledWaverley Care. I could not get to the tournament this year so bought some raffle ticketsinstead. I won the first prize which was a luxury trip to Rome for two. I took mydaughter with me at the end of June - the hotel we stayed in was one used by film startsand costs £300 a night for room only. We had perfect weather, saw all the sights and ofcourse just had to sample the ice cream and pizzas!Luck comes in many forms obviously - any other lucky players in the ABSP pleasecontact me with your lucky story.www.mattelscrabble.comThis site is brilliant! I have been having hours of fun playing Scrabble Net Hangman andclocking up my wins as my Hangman runs off the screen. All you have to do is put aletter in the “guess” line. If it is incorrect it starts building the gallows and the tile isdisplayed in the squares next to the gallows. If it is correct the letter hops on to theScrabble rack in the order it appears in the word. If you have not visited this site beforeput it on your “must visit” site list. When you do please let me know what you think.I lose so havebeen hung ☹➥➥I win so runaway ☺ABSP ABSP MEMBER INTERVIEW - -PETE FINLEY - THE MUSIC MANThe The tune tune was was bright bright as as the the morning morning light, light, The The Fiddler Fiddler played played it it well, well,HowHowthethemusicmusicflowedflowedfromfromhishisdancingdancingbow,bow,nonotonguetonguecancaneverever tell.tell.From ‘The Fiddler’ by Pete Finleyfrom ‘The Fiddler’ by Pete FinleyLast year I I purchased Dawn Chorus, a a delightful CD CD written and andperformed by Pete Finley. I just had to ask him how he does it.How old were you when you discovered your musical talent?I first started writing poems when I was about nine. I started to learn to play the guitar atabout fourteen and I wrote my first song when I was 20. Before I started writing my ownsongs I used to perform a wide range of other people’s material, from traditional folk songsto Bob Dylan and the Incredible String Band. I’m an old hippy really.How do you go about writing a song?There’s a saying that creativity is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. It’s the other wayround for me. I find it almost impossible to sit down and write a song to order. They happenwhen something builds up inside me and I have to let it out. When the dam breaks itusually doesn’t take more than an hour to finish the song.How long have you been songwriting?31 years so far. I’m not terribly prolific though. I’d guess I’ve written something like fifty tosixty songs in that time - though some of them are not fit for human consumption.How did you go about getting Dawn Chorus released?I did it all privately. I have a friend who has around £5,000 worth of recording equipmentin his home and I have lots of friends who are much better musicians than I am. I sent themaster tape to a CD copying company and a work colleague designed the cover for me.Altogether, including recording costs, the album cost me £640 to produce.Has your musical career brought you into contact with any big names?Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics is from Sunderland and used to play in a band here calledLongdancer. I supported them once. I’ve also been a support act to a couple of big nameson the folk scene, such as Brian MacNeill of the Battlefield Band and Kathryn Tickell,though if you’re not a folkie, you’ll never have heard of them. I’ve even been support to anex-Beatle, although it was Pete Best, not John, Paul, George or Ringo.Do you perform as a band in clubs with the other musicians on the CD?No. Many years ago I played in a band called Quayside and some of the members of thatband played on the album with me, but apart from the concert that launched the album,we haven’t played together since.Are you working on any new material at the moment?There are always a couple of ideas festering away in there, but nothing is bubbling overjust yet. As I said, they come out when they’re ready, so I don’t try to rush them.If anyone would like a copy of Dawn Chorus how do they go about getting one?See me at a tournament - I’ve always got a few in the boot of the car. They’re £8 from mein person, or £9 including postage and packing.3435