TLW 87 - Nomads Results

Scrabble TimersAn overview from Graeme Thomas of the better electronictimers currently available to British Scrabble playersFor a few years now I have used a SamTimer to time my Scrabble games. These areexcellent clocks, but they’re not cheap. Recently, though, I acquired an Adjudicator 3500timer, and I have been putting it through its paces, particularly at the BMSC.In shape the Adjudicator 3500 is rather like a baby SamTimer. It has the same pentagonalprism shape, and similar buttons, but it is much shorter. The displays are four digits each,rather than the six digits on its rival. Of course, to time a game of Scrabble, you only needfour digits.The first thing to say is that the timer does its job just as you might hope. The buttons arepositive in their action, and work well. The display is crisp and clear. The transition topenalty time is clearly marked. In short, the device works, without fuss, just as expected.The SamTimer is a programmable device. It can be used to time a wide variety of gamesby a bewildering variety of methods. By contrast the Adjudicator 3500 is much simpler. Itcan only be used to time a game like Scrabble. The only adjustability is that the startingtime can be anywhere from one minute to 30 minutes, in one minute intervals. That’susually plenty of choice.The one area where the Adjudicator 3500 is definitely better than its rival is the access tothe batteries. On the rival clock, changing the batteries requires removing five smallscrews to release the cover. On the Adjudicator 3500 one merely has to lever off the plasticbattery compartment cover on the base.The Adjudicator 3500 has an up-market version, the Adjudicator 3000. The two clocks areessentially the same, but the 3000 model has rather nicer buttons, with the LEDs in thebutton caps, rather than separately.In the past the great disadvantage of the Adjudicator range was the inability to order oneeasily from the UK (or, indeed, anywhere except the USA and Canada). That has nowchanged, and you can order one over the Internet. Airmail delivery takes less than a week.Payment is through PayPal, so you need a credit card and Internet access.The website for this clock is http://www.adjudicator3000.com. The Adjudicator 3000 costs$127 (£82), plus $9 (£5.81) airmail supplement if you are in a hurry. The Adjudicator 3500costs $97 (£62.64), plus the airmail supplement if required.For comparison, the website for the SamTimer is http://www.samtimer.com. A SamTimercosts $134 (£86.53).In summary, the main differences between these clocks are matters of personal taste. Allthree clocks described here will satisfy your Scrabble timing needs for years to come.Dunfermline8th June 2002Division APos Name Games Won Spread1 Paul Allan 5 9072 Simon Gillam 4 2963 Amy Byrne 4 184TOURNAMENTREPORTSPaul RichardsDivision BPos Name Games Won Spread1 Etta Alexander 4 4612 Helen Polhill 4 4563 Carol Malkin 4 368High Game Score: Alan Sinclair - 519 High Game Score: Viv Beckmann - 519High Word Score: Raymond Tate - Vaivodes 107 High Word Score: Isla Wilkie - Squander 104Luton29th JuneDivision APos Name Wins Spread1 S. Simonis 5 2572 R. MacInerney 4 4473 D. Shenkin 4 269ABSP Summer Matchplay6th-7th July 2002 - Report by Ross AlexanderDivision APos Name Wins Spread1 R. Richland 9 7762 P. Allan 8 293 A. Simmons 8 439Division CPos Name Wins Spread1 S. Wintle 5 4582 J. Rees 4 4973 R. Wilson 4 444Division BPos Name Wins Spread1 P. Howard 5 4542 B. Shammas 4 3613 A Gray 4 352Division BPos Name Wins Spread1 T. Wilson 10 3742 C. French 8.5 1893 K. McColgan 8 5446Daily Mirror 20/8/2002Division CPos Name Wins Spread1 M. Beaumont 9 5742 M. Smith 8 4563 27 S. Thompson 8 307