TLW 87 - Nomads Results

ABSP Ladies Championships23-24 August 2002 - Report by Graeme ThomasThis year the Ladies Championships proved more popular than ever. A total of 71 playersentered the event, with Ian Caws graciously stepping in at the last minute to make the numberseven. The players proved easy to direct, and, with the able assistance of John Ashmore, SteveBalment, and Mike Smith as runners, and Mauro Pratesi on the computer, the event ran verysmoothly.I only received one complaint aboutbehaviour. One player, naturally distraughtat losing a game, was sufficiently moved toutter some unladylike language. Althoughthe comments were addressed to the playerherself, her opponent was upset by thevulgarity.The prizes were chosen by Jackie McLeod.The top five players in each divisionreceived elegant cut-glass vases. Theylooked splendid, especially as Jackie hadbought some flowers to demonstrate theiruse.Division APos Name Games Won Spread1 D Dennis 6 5142 Ruth MacInerney 5 4103 Amy Byrne 5 2354 Kate Leckie 5 1365 Anne Steward 4 317Ladies Champion, Di DennisDivision BPos Name Games Won Spread1 Barbara Hill 6 3162 Kath Higgins 5 4763 Margaret Boyd 5 2374 Samantha Beckwith 4 2805 Mabel Choularton 4 245The Scrabble itself went smoothly, after a start delayed by some twenty minutes. The firstsession remained delayed, risking a holdup at dinner, but after that there were few problemsrequiring the intervention of the Tournament Director.My thanks go to those who helpedmake the event run smoothly. Jackie McLeod collected all the entries (which is far moredifficult than it seems). Dave French and Yoke Shin directed the tournament, aided by therunners: Margaret Bailey, Lorna Purnell, and Mike Smith; my nieces Ann and Lucy; andDwayne from the hotel.. We could not have coped without them.BMSC/NSC Champion, Mark Nymanreceives the trophy from GraemeThomasDivision APos Name Wins Spread Prize1 Mark Nyman 14 1374 £5752 David Acton 13 636 £2603 Joyce Cansfield 13 482 £1954 Paul Allan 12 814 £1305 Shanker Menon 12 515 £65Ratings Prizes:Helen Greenaway £25Elie Dangoor £25David Meadows £25Norman Smith £25Division BPos Name Wins Spread Prize1 Ruth MacInerney 13 784 £1502 Margaret Pritchett 11.5 669 £1003 Adrienne Berger 11 409 £50ABSP BMSC/NSC24-26 August 2002 - Report by Graeme ThomasThis year’s tournament set a number of records. It was the first time that it had been heldin an hotel. It was the first time that it had been combined with the National ScrabbleChampionships. And it was the biggest ever: 178 players (and one absentee) competed ineight divisions. The top division had sixty players, counting the absentee, and theremaining seven divisions had 17 players each, playing a round-robin.The hotel was, on balance, a great success. There were, naturally, a few teething problems,but surprisingly little that everyone agreed on. Most people, for example, complained thatthe temperature in the playing rooms was wrong, but opinion differed on whether it was toohot or too cold. Similarly, the food came in for some criticism, but particular dishes offered,by some, as examples of the finest food available were held by others worthy of the greatestopprobrium. I expect that next year we’ll encounter a different set of problems.The two playing rooms were spacious, but the mixture of 6’ and 4’ tables caused someconfusion. The initial layout provided each player with 2’6” of room - sufficient, but notluxurious. The chairs soon were shifted, providing the players on the 6’ tables with a roomy3’ each, but those on the 4’ tables were cramped into 2’ each. I’m not sure what thesolution is, as (a) the hotel does not have sufficient 6’ tables, and (b) the rooms wouldbecome somewhat cramped.Division C (Prizes as Div B)Pos Name Wins Spread1 Carmen Dolan 13 3692 Kay McColgan 11 5463 Lesley Watson 11 345Division E (Prizes as Div B)Pos Name Wins Spread1 Helen Rees 13 7122 Pat Wheeler 12 6323 Val Hoskings 12 335Division G (Prizes as Div B)Pos Name Wins Spread1 Lorna Llewellyn 15 6652 Nicola Staunton 12 6743 Martin Waterworth 11 560Division D (Prizes as Div B)Pos Name Wins Spread1 Linda Vickers 13 8932 Tess McCarthy 11 4153 Margaret Bright 10 540Division F (Prizes as Div B)Pos Name Wins Spread1 Jill Parker 14 10112 Barbara Morris 12 5653 Heather Burnet 11 463Division H (Prizes as Div B)Pos Name Wins Spread1 Daphne Fletcher 14 7972 Sonia Temple 12 12763 Ruby Flood 12 7251011