90 players contested the 21-round 1999 Australian Scrabble Championships in style at the Landmark Park Royal Hotel in Sydney's Potts Point over the Easter period. All States and Territories were represented with several international players thrown in for good measure.
Bob Jackman got off to a strong start, winning his first 13 games and leading the field at the end of days 1 and 2. Paul Cleary held second position for almost all of the tourney but gained the ascendancy at the end of round 20 after scoring the tournament high game of 649.
Going into the last round, a King of the Hill final, both Paul and Bob were on 17 wins. The winner of their game would be the 1999 Champion. In a 20 move game, Paul drew most of the goodies and put down 4 bonus words (MOTELIER, DEITIES, ENHANCER, AGROUND) to win 510-295 and take the title with 18 wins, 1983 margin. Ivor Zetler took third place with 16/675 behind Bob's 17/1270.
Some of the best plays were these 9-letter bonus plays: OUVRIERES (around ES), PILCHARDS (~CH), MANHANDLE (~AN), REGULATOR (~OR), MOISTENED (~ED), ODALIQUES (~OD) and CANNONING (~ON).
Derek McKenzie played CUPOLAS for 100+ by hooking AIRWISE to PAIRWISE.
The usual handful of 9-timers included LESIONED (140), LOAMIEST (131) and Keith Bioletti's high word IDEOLOGY (176).
Congratulations to the ASPA (NSW) Committee and to all helpers for organising and running such a successful tournament. A special mention must go to Tournament Director Wilma Vialle who kept things moving with alacrity and good humour.
Results after game 21
1999 AUSTRALIAN CHAMPS -- MASTERS
Rank Player Wins Mar -------------------------------- 1 Paul Cleary 18 1987 2 Bob Jackman 17 1270 3 Ivor Zetler 16 675 4 Daniel Piechnick 15 1199 5 Glenys Lawrie 15 456 6 Joanne Craig 14 905 7 Esther Perrins 14 575 8 Sue Kyatt 13 849 9 Anne Drew 13 693 10 John Holgate 13 597 11 Derek Mckenzie 13 595 12 Rod Talbot 13 213 13 Robyn Flynn 13 201 14 Alistair Kane 12« 691 15 Audrey Newman 12« 133 16 Cheah Siu Hean (Sin)12 746 17 Joan Rosenthal 12 578 18 Trevor Halsall 12 406 19 Nicole Findlay 12 401 20 Meg Henderson 12 203 21 Robert Tomkins 12 150 22 Doris Schwenn 12 95 23 Gloria Gallagher 12 89 24 Graeme Lock Lee 12 -52 25 Veronica Baines 12 -80 26 Jeff Spring 12 -235 27 Gerald Warner (Nz) 11« 261 28 Rene Chelton 11« 130 29 Jean Mcgiffen 11« 113 30 Steve Sunter 11 493 31 Robert Archer 11 481 32 Betty Foreman 11 330 33 Sue Gergelifi 11 263 34 Harry Malcolm 11 200 35 Michael Vnuk 11 193 36 John Barker 11 138 37 Marie London 11 30 38 Penny Wells 11 -139 39 Mary Mcmahon 11 -141 40 Alison Rae 11 -220 41 Ian Close 11 -231 42 Cheryl Michler 11 -297 43 Zina Costanzo 11 -579 44 Carmel Dodd 10« 125 45 Karen Richards 10« 25 46 Sal Costanzo 10 294 47 Marie Knight 10 233 48 Marilyn Smith 10 201 49 Angie Pearse 10 106 50 Peter Shaw 10 98 51 Lesley Mack 10 -166 52 Frances Berry 10 -168 53 Khen Meerding 10 -175 54 Ethel Collins 10 -240 55 Karrin Henderson 10 -277 56 Jean Noonan 10 -298 57 Julie Gardiner 10 -499 58 Liz Jackman 10 -601 59 Ruby Kotwall 10 -624 60 Jan Serisier 9« -107 61 Sam Greenberg 9« -319 62 Ann McBain 9« -364 63 Jeff Chelton 9 174 64 Siva Sivapalasundram 9 15 65 Barbara Berlin 9 -83 66 Elizabeth Ho 9 -177 67 Gerry Reynolds 9 -197 68 Olga Visser 9 -273 69 Ros Gibbons 9 -302 70 Anne Michell 9 -329 71 Joan Watson 9 -447 72 Irene Lim (Mal) 9 -644 73 Rose Young 9 -662 74 Hanne Marks 8« -537 75 Julia Sorell 8 362 76 Patricia Mitchell 8 2 77 Bruce Michael 8 -255 78 Nanette Reynolds 8 -408 79 Keith Bioletti 8 -491 80 June Stephenson 8 -517 81 Pat Warren 8 -537 82 Trish Brighton 8 -552 83 Jean Balmer 8 -785 84 Dawn Spring 7« -685 85 Sue Flack 7 -456 86 Val Ryan 7 -487 87 Kris Logan 6 -500 88 Richard Birch 6 -1025 89 Dianne Smerdon 5 -873 90 Ann Novice 5 -940 HIGH GAME: Paul Cleary 649 HIGH WORD: Keith Bioletti 176 "IDEOLOGY" and here are the rating changes: Stats for Tournament : 1999 AUSTRALIAN CHAMPS +--------------------------+-----------+---------+-----------+---------------+ | state Name | National | State | Wins | Rating Points | | | Old New | Old New | Exp Act | Old Change New| +--------------------------+-----------+---------+-----------+---------------+ +Section: *MASTERS + + + + +--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------------+ | NSW Paul Cleary | 2 2 | 2 2 | 15.6 18.0 | 1903 +41 1944 | | NSW Bob Jackman | 1 1 | 1 1 | 16.6 17.0 | 1959 +7 1966 | | NSW Ivor Zetler | 32 11 | 11 5 | 11.4 16.0 | 1702 +95 1797 | | WA Glenys Lawrie | 33 15 | 1 1 | 11.6 15.0 | 1700 +72 1772 | | SA Daniel Piechnick | 20 10 | 1 1 | 12.3 15.0 | 1746 +57 1803 | | NSW Esther Perrins | 11 8 | 5 3 | 14.9 14.0 | 1823 -12 1811 | | NSW Joanne Craig | 68 39 | 19 13 | 10.0 14.0 | 1587 +85 1672 | | NSW John Holgate | 8 9 | 4 4 | 14.5 13.0 | 1833 -24 1809 | | QLD Anne Drew | 84 53 | 2 2 | 8.3 13.0 | 1544 +94 1638 | | QLD Derek McKenzie | 15 16 | 1 1 | 13.4 13.0 | 1776 -6 1770 | | VIC Sue Kyatt | 23 22 | 11 11 | 13.3 13.0 | 1736 -5 1731 | | NSW Robyn Flynn | 45 57 | 13 18 | 15.0 13.0 | 1665 -38 1627 | | NSW Rod Talbot | 58 38 | 15 12 | 11.4 13.0 | 1639 +33 1672 | | VIC Alistair Kane | 5 7 | 3 4 | 15.5 12.5 | 1857 -46 1811 | | NSW Audrey Newman | 71 55 | 20 17 | 9.4 12.5 | 1568 +66 1634 | |*NSW Cheah Siu Hean (Sin | 0 50 | 0 16 | 12.0 12.0 | 1648 1648 | | NSW Graeme Lock Lee | 137 94 | 38 27 | 8.1 12.0 | 1449 +82 1531 | | NSW Trevor Halsall | 19 17 | 8 7 | 12.9 12.0 | 1763 -18 1745 | | VIC Meg Henderson | 40 60 | 23 33 | 14.6 12.0 | 1672 -50 1622 | | NSW Joan Rosenthal | 7 14 | 3 6 | 16.3 12.0 | 1844 -68 1776 | | VIC Nicole Findlay | 56 56 | 33 31 | 12.4 12.0 | 1640 -8 1632 | | SA Veronica Baines | 76 72 | 3 3 | 10.7 12.0 | 1555 +31 1586 | | NSW Gloria Gallagher | 98 87 | 28 26 | 11.1 12.0 | 1522 +19 1541 | | SA Doris Schwenn | 140 95 | 8 4 | 7.8 12.0 | 1446 +85 1531 | | NSW Robert Tomkins | 203 118 | 49 35 | 5.3 12.0 | 1331 +155 1486 | | NSW Jeff Spring | 144 109 | 39 32 | 8.8 12.0 | 1441 +67 1508 | |*NSW Gerald Warner (Nz | 0 70 | 0 21 | 11.5 11.5 | 1588 1588 | | NSW Jean McGiffen | 24 33 | 10 10 | 13.9 11.5 | 1735 -45 1690 | | NSW Rene Chelton | 62 59 | 16 19 | 11.2 11.5 | 1615 +8 1623 | | NSW John Barker | 18 40 | 7 14 | 15.9 11.0 | 1768 -97 1671 | | QLD Michael Vnuk | 108 76 | 4 3 | 8.5 11.0 | 1511 +51 1562 | | VIC Robert Archer | 53 51 | 31 28 | 11.4 11.0 | 1650 -6 1644 | | TAS Marie London | 55 61 | 3 3 | 13.0 11.0 | 1649 -36 1613 | | VIC Steve Sunter | 12 19 | 6 8 | 15.5 11.0 | 1804 -68 1736 | | NSW Sue Gergelifi | 96 64 | 27 20 | 7.2 11.0 | 1525 +76 1601 | | NSW Cheryl Michler | 227 122 | 54 36 | 3.0 11.0 | 1284 +195 1479 | | VIC Mary McMahon | 81 97 | 44 48 | 12.2 11.0 | 1550 -22 1528 | | VIC Harry Malcolm | 17 32 | 9 19 | 14.8 11.0 | 1770 -74 1696 | | NSW Betty Foreman | 63 82 | 17 25 | 13.8 11.0 | 1604 -54 1550 | | NSW Penny Wells | 251 182 | 62 48 | 4.4 11.0 | 1240 +151 1391 | | NSW Alison Rae :act | 123 113 | 35 33 | 10.0 11.0 | 1478 +22 1500 | | VIC Zina Costanzo | 115 125 | 59 57 | 12.2 11.0 | 1495 -22 1473 | | NSW Ian Close | 150 142 | 41 41 | 10.4 11.0 | 1432 +15 1447 | | SA Carmel Dodd | 35 62 | 2 2 | 15.0 10.5 | 1695 -89 1606 | | WA Karen Richards | 194 162 | 16 11 | 7.0 10.5 | 1348 +71 1419 | | VIC Sal Costanzo | 43 63 | 26 34 | 13.1 10.0 | 1666 -61 1605 | | NSW Marie Knight | 21 28 | 9 8 | 11.9 10.0 | 1743 -37 1706 | | NSW Peter Shaw | 16 30 | 6 9 | 13.7 10.0 | 1771 -73 1698 | | QLD Julie Gardiner | 174 172 | 9 9 | 9.8 10.0 | 1394 +6 1400 | | TAS Khen Meerding | 60 66 | 4 4 | 12.0 10.0 | 1633 -39 1594 | | VIC Lesley Mack | 79 129 | 43 60 | 14.4 10.0 | 1552 -87 1465 | | VIC Angie Pearse | 54 67 | 32 36 | 12.9 10.0 | 1649 -57 1592 | | QLD Marilyn Smith | 167 115 | 7 5 | 5.4 10.0 | 1400 +93 1493 | | QLD Karrin Henderson | 247 181 | 19 11 | 3.7 10.0 | 1249 +142 1391 | | SA Frances Berry | 157 168 | 9 10 | 11.1 10.0 | 1429 -23 1406 | | NSW Ethel Collins | 175 166 | 44 45 | 9.2 10.0 | 1392 +19 1411 | | NSW Jean Noonan | 113 127 | 32 37 | 11.6 10.0 | 1500 -31 1469 | | NSW Ruby Kotwall | 119 114 | 33 34 | 9.4 10.0 | 1482 +14 1496 | | NSW Liz Jackman | 265 195 | 66 51 | 3.8 10.0 | 1223 +136 1359 | | NSW Jan Serisier | 121 137 | 34 39 | 10.9 9.5 | 1480 -27 1453 | | VIC Ann McBain | 163 180 | 77 80 | 10.7 9.5 | 1415 -24 1391 | | NSW Sam Greenberg | 109 139 | 31 40 | 12.3 9.5 | 1506 -56 1450 | | VIC Barbara Berlin | 10 23 | 5 12 | 15.8 9.0 | 1823 -106 1717 | | NSW Jeff Chelton | 155 154 | 42 43 | 9.1 9.0 | 1429 +1 1430 | | SA Anne Michell | 233 201 | 17 14 | 4.9 9.0 | 1268 +82 1350 | | QLD Olga Visser | 212 171 | 13 8 | 4.9 9.0 | 1318 +83 1401 | | QLD Joan Watson | 221 214 | 15 13 | 7.7 9.0 | 1300 +25 1325 | | NSW Elizabeth Ho | 283 234 | 71 60 | 4.0 9.0 | 1196 +99 1295 | | VIC Rose Young | 114 165 | 58 76 | 13.0 9.0 | 1497 -81 1416 | | QLD Gerry Reynolds | 192 196 | 10 12 | 8.6 9.0 | 1351 +8 1359 | | NSW Siva Sivapalasundram | 169 158 | 43 44 | 7.6 9.0 | 1398 +30 1428 | | NSW Ros Gibbons | 149 174 | 40 46 | 10.9 9.0 | 1437 -38 1399 | |*NSW Irene Lim (Mal | 0 222 | 0 58 | 9.0 9.0 | 1316 1316 | | NSW Hanne Marks | 176 187 | 45 50 | 8.9 8.5 | 1386 -7 1379 | | VIC Patricia Mitchell | 50 116 | 29 56 | 16.5 8.0 | 1657 -168 1489 | | NT Bruce Michael | 0 200 | 0 1 | 4.4 8.0 | 1279 +73 1352 | | QLD Trish Brighton | 232 232 | 16 17 | 6.8 8.0 | 1273 +24 1297 | | NSW Keith Bioletti | 66 106 | 18 31 | 11.9 8.0 | 1589 -77 1512 | | TAS Julia Sorell | 180 209 | 21 25 | 10.2 8.0 | 1377 -43 1334 | | NSW Pat Warren | 83 144 | 24 42 | 13.2 8.0 | 1547 -105 1442 | | NSW June Stephenson | 302 277 | 76 73 | 5.1 8.0 | 1155 +57 1212 | | NSW Nanette Reynolds | 256 240 | 64 64 | 5.9 8.0 | 1233 +42 1275 | | NSW Jean Balmer | 255 242 | 63 66 | 6.2 8.0 | 1233 +37 1270 | | NSW Dawn Spring | 244 244 | 60 67 | 6.9 7.5 | 1254 +12 1266 | | NSW Sue Flack | 125 179 | 36 47 | 10.9 7.0 | 1471 -78 1393 | | NSW Val Ryan | 188 213 | 46 54 | 8.6 7.0 | 1359 -32 1327 | | NSW Kris Logan | 104 184 | 30 49 | 12.6 6.0 | 1514 -131 1383 | | NSW Richard Birch | 267 267 | 67 70 | 5.6 6.0 | 1219 +8 1227 | | SA Dianne Smerdon | 269 290 | 19 19 | 6.3 5.0 | 1218 -26 1192 | | SA Ann Novice | 197 250 | 14 17 | 9.3 5.0 | 1345 -86 1259 | +-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+