5th Annual WV Scrabble Tournament

We just finished our fifth annual tournament, the one I've often called our "big" event. With only 30 people in attendance, it was the smallest "big event" we've ever had. But, we pulled people in from West Virginia and nine surrounding states, gave away 100% of players' main event entry fees as prizes (yes, even in this age of higher operating expenses), and met several people who've never come to one of our events before.

So let's get to the results, shall we? First, the early bird.

1. 3.0-1.0 +195 1336 1389 +53 David Moersdorf (A4)
2. 3.0-1.0 +5 1693 1700 +7 Ryan Fischer (A1)
3. 2.0-2.0 +41 1590 1586 -4 Brian Galebach (A2)
4. 0.0-4.0 -241 1495 1459 -36 Dorcas Alexander (A3)

1. 3.0-1.0 +180 1260 1281 +21 Cheryl Melvin (B3)
2. 3.0-1.0 +159 1282 1299 +17 George Rhyne (B2)
3. 2.0-2.0 +170 1308 1304 -4 Marcia Wade (B1)
4. 0.0-4.0 -509 1173 1140 -33 Frank Schin (B4)

1. 4.0-0.0 +369 1077 1131 +54 Jason Luci (C2)
2. 2.0-2.0 +198 1021 1025 +4 Alex Greenman (C3)
3. 2.0-2.0 +111 1149 1139 -10 Pat Hardwick (C1)
4. 0.0-4.0 -678 910 882 -28 Tina Totten King (C4)

1. 4.0-0.0 +699 679 746 +67 Rafael Barker (D3)
2. 2.0-2.0 +62 838 826 -12 Joe Larson (D1)
3. 2.0-2.0 -314 801 796 -5 Richard McHugh (D2)
4. 0.0-4.0 -447 0 500 Pat Crowley (D4)

First place in each group of four won $50, the remaining $10 per group was used to offset some of our facility rental fees and NASPA participation fees. For the most part, we broke even for this portion of our tournament. That's a first for us!

And now the main event. I'm only going to list the money winners here since our website has full results (as does NASPA, thanks to John Chew's apparent inability to sleep).

Division A

1. 10.0-2.0 +1477 2018 2021 +3 David Gibson (A1) $300
2. 8.0-4.0 +391 1700 1727 +27 Ryan Fischer (A2) $115
3. 6.0-6.0 -202 1651 1650 -1 Daniel Stock (A3) $75

Oddball prizes ($10 each)
High win: 489, Dorcas Alexander
High loss: 413, Brian Galebach
Mystery letter (P): PABLANO*, 78, Brian Galebach
High play: TIGHTWAD, 98, Will Scott


Division B

1. 7.0-5.0 +324 1304 1310 +6 Marcia Wade (B2) $200
2. 7.0-5.0 -86 1140 1182 +42 Pat Hardwick (B5) $100
3. 6.0-6.0 +315 1299 1287 -12 George Rhyne (B3) $65

Oddball prizes ($10 each)
High win: 461, Dave Moersdorf
High loss: 399, Dave Moersdorf
Mystery letter (Z): ZEDS, 79, Dave Moersdorf
High play: DESTROYS, 158, Dave Moersdorf


Division C

1. 10.0-2.0 +750 1027 1111 +84 Alex Greenman (C5) $165
2. 8.0-4.0 +641 1031 1065 +34 M W Schroeder (C3) $80
3. 7.0-5.0 +349 1001 1019 +18 Andrew Wade (C7) $55

Oddball prizes ($10 each)
High win: 495, Cecilia Huber
High loss: 402, Frank Schin
Mystery letter (Z): ZERO, 69, Joe Larson
High play: POACHERS, 107, Frank Schin


Division D

1. 9.0-3.0 +295 798 830 +32 Richard McHugh (D1) $130
2. 8.0-4.0 +746 745 770 +25 Lisa Green (D2) $65
3. 7.0-5.0 +507 619 666 +32 Betty King (D4) $45

Oddball prizes ($10 each)
High win: 438, Rafael Barker
High loss: 384, Rafael Barker
Mystery letter (H): LATHERS, 83, Pat Crowley
High play: PIQUING, 93, Rafael Barker

Oddball prizes listed were awarded to people who didn't finish in the money. David Gibson technically had the high game in Division A (and the entire event) - a whopping 610 points - but since he took first place, he was disqualified from high game. That lets us spread the money around just a little bit more.

On Saturday evening, apprentice Chris Ross and new director Lisa Green stepped up to the plate and ran our traditional Speed Scrabble competition while I was delayed at dinner. Ryan Fischer won this contest and received a one-year renewal of his NASPA membership as a prize, meaning he is now a member through December, 2011.

My thanks, as always, to everyone who came to this event or played a part in it in any way. Let's do it again in 2011.