The club is now closed until Thursday January 2 2025.

 

East Berks Scrabble Club wishes everyone a peaceful Christmas and prosperous New Year!

 

Happy Scrabbling !

On the last weekend in November, Richard and Pat from East Berks played in the Winter Matchplay tournament at the Holiday Inn in Milton Keynes. There were 18 games; 10 on Saturday, and 8 on Sunday. 56 players were divided into just 2 divisions. Richard played in A, and Pat in B.

All games were played in the one conference room, which made it a little cramped.

Pat had a good day on Saturday, winning 6 games, but only won one on Sunday. Her best move score was a nine timer of SCANTIER scoring 131 - but she still lost that game.  Her next best move was QUEENLIER scoring 109, and this did win the game.

 

  

                                                                   

Richard had the reverse of Pat's experience.  He started poorly on day 1, losing the first six games and had some miserable racks resulting in 4 sub 300 scores in one day!  However, he might have got a win if he'd challenged off SULLIER in game 4.  Also in game 1 he'd noted early on that QUAIL takes a front S but forgot about it later in the game when he played a lower scoring bonus elsewhere and the opponent then used the hook.  Oops!

 

                                                                    

 

After that he ended the losing run with a nervy 8-point win in game 7, a 40-point win in game 8 and a 12-point win in game 10. Each of these could have been lost so he was pleased to get over the line and limit the damage. Day 2 started well with bonuses of KAURIES and SOFTLING giving his first good win and got 3 bonuses to win the next. 

The remaining games had a lot of one-sided games. Lost by 221 and 135 in two of them but had a 582-309 win in game 15.  The best result was the final game where Richard challenged off two phonies early on and got 4 bonuses to win by 632 -285 which was the highest score and margin in the tournament.   This meant that Richard ended the tournament with 8 wins overall

Notable bonuses were:

Richard - THRIVEN -94 POWNIES-103, KAURIES -78, SOFTLING 91, HAGRIDE 72, DISNEST 74, BUDGERO 84, INEDITA 72, ANTIHERO 92, SWINGLE 89

Opponents-    UNRAZED -81, COMPEND 77, MARGENT 95, NOSEBAG 82, CROFTER 93, PESAUNTS 83 

Here are boards from two of Richard’s games:

                                     

 

These statistics cover the year running from the beginning of October 2023 to the end of September 2024.

Committee:
Chairman - Deborah Porter
Secretary - Joy Wade
Treasurer - Wanda de Poitiers
Statistician - Helen Harding

Competition winners were as follows:
Best improver for 2023-2024:
1st Richard Spencer 2nd Deborah Porter
3rd Wanda de Poitiers 

Quarterly improver prizes:
Q1: Deborah Porter
Q2: Charles Parker
Q3: Wanda de Poitiers
Q4: Amanda Lowe 

Winter League:
Division 1: Richard Spencer
Division 2: Deborah Porter
Division 3: Charles Parker

The All-play-All:
Group A: Richard Spencer 
Group B: Deborah Porter
Group C: Pat Llanwarne
Group D: Jim Macey   

Handicap: Graham Harding 

 

The following players scored over 500 points in a game at least once during the season: 
• Richard Spencer (highest score 634)
• Helen Harding (609)
• Wanda de Poitiers (598)
• Graham Harding (595)
• Megel Barker (583)
• Fiona Titcombe (550)
• Hepzi Rodrigues (549)

The highest single moves were:
• 149 CALIBERS Richard
• 140 DELOUSER Graham
• 125 REQUITED Richard
• 115 QUESTED Wanda
• 114 REQUINS Richard
• 113 WORKABLE Joy
• 112 EXOTICS Wanda
• 112 UNFAZED Pat
• 107 SEQUINNED Wanda
• 107 TEXTERS Charles
• 106 EXTENDS Wanda
• 106 SEXPOTS Deborah
• 105 SOUPING Sharon
• 104 EJECTOR Wanda
• 104 PREBAKES Graham
• 104 SQUIRTER Joy
• 102 DORKIEST Richard
• 102 HANKERS Hepzi
• 102 MOUNTED Wanda
• 102 TRACHEAS Megel
• 101 CONVENES Wanda
• 101 QUINTARS Helen
• 101 SPANKED Wanda
• 101 ZETA Wanda
• 100 ZINCITE Helen

 

Name Old Rating New Rating Rating Change P W D L Average Highest score Highest ever
Richard Spencer 171 208 37 125 109 0 16 439.1 634 634
Deborah Porter 107 136 29 112 59 1 52 360.2 485 542
Wanda de Poitiers 156 178 22 126 93 0 33 426.2 598 598
Amanda Lowe 79 93 14 91 22 1 68 302.7 392 392
Martin Stephens 97 109 12 100 39 1 60 331.6 443 477
Fiona Titcombe 138 149 11 83 50 0 33 391.5 550 551
Helen Harding 178 187 9 149 120 0 29 434.3 609 609
Graham Harding 178 181 3 167 126 0 41 433.6 595 661
Joy Wade 109 106 -3 75 26 1 48 330.4 451 484
Hepzi Rodrigues 137 132 -5 88 46 0 42 361.7 549 554
Charles Parker 107 99 -8 110 43 3 64 327.0 470 509
Sharon Hewitt 141 131 -10 55 30 0 25 350.4 453 548
Michael Spencer 95 82 -13 116 25 1 90 301.6 424 502
Keith Radbourn 85 71 -14 121 20 1 100 282.9 380 418
Pat Llanwarne 148 130 -18 62 31 0 31 347.4 442 516
Jim Macey 141 122 -19 58 27 1 30 353.3 478 478
Maire Bennett 84 58 -26 105 9 0 96 278.1 498 498
                     
People with insufficient games (52) to qualify for best improver                    
Mary Twomey 99 105 6 35 13 0 22 316.7 430 430
Maureen Barlow 137 122 -15 11 5 0 6 351.4 411 411
Jen Brennan 72 49 -23 9 1 0 8 292.7 344 436
Ann Shaw 56 56 0 0 0 0 0   317 317
Gillian Cranston 101 101 0 0 0 0 0   0 448
                     
New members without a previous year's playing record                    
Megel Barker 173 184 11 12 9 0 3 433.3 583 583
                     
Guests                    
Polly Vallance   91 2 9 3 0 6 299.7 363 363
Joanne Hepburn   64 0 3 0 0 3 269.3 292 292
Kate Lester   101 0 0 0 0 0   0 363
Nick   106 0 2 1 0 1 321.0 336 336

 

 

 

On Wednesday 23 October Graham, representing East Berks Scrabble Club, featured on Radio Berkshire's 'Mystery Guest' slot.

 

The presenters had about 90 seconds to work and guess what job/hobby Graham had.

We are trying to upload the broadcast to this page - but at the moment that is  defeating us technically!

However if you would like to hear the broadcast and the brief discussion of East Berks Scrabble Club thereafter, please email eastberksscrabbleclub (at) yahoo.com and we will send the recording to you.

 

 

Best improver for this quarter is Amanda, ahead of Pat in second place and Jim, Deborah and Richard in joint third place.   Well done, Amanda!  Welcome to Nick, and Polly Vallance.

 

High-scoring words:

·       115       QUESTED                    Wanda

·      112       UNFAZED                     Pat

·       107       SEQUINNED                 Wanda

·       107       TEXTERS                     Charles

·       104       PREBAKES                   Graham

·       102       HANKERS                    Hepzi

·       101       SPANKED                     Wanda

·       97        ZINGERS                     Nick

·       95        DIVULGED                   Graham

·       95        ECHIDNAE                   Richard

·       93        DIATOMS                     Graham

·       92        TURNPIKE                    Charles

·       91        INTERIM                      Graham

·       90        REBITES                      Helen

·       90        VITIATE                        Graham

·       88        DABBLES                     Deborah

·       88        SMELLER                     Amanda

·       88        TRAINED                      Maire

·       86        SCARRING                   Joy

·       81        LINTERS                      Maire

·       77        ERASION                     Jim

·       76        CLINGER                     Mary

·       76        TITTIES                        Jim

·       75        OARIEST                      Jim

·       75        STARRED                     Mary

·       Other words: ARTSMAN 74 Jim, STAINER 74 Maire, STAIRED 74 Jim, MAILERS 73 Maire, TAUNTER 72 Jim, PORTALS 71 Keith, TESTIER 71 Jim, SARDINE 72 Jim, WANIEST 71 Jim, ALINERS 70 Jim, GREATER 70 Maire, PAINTERS 70 Jim, TREASON 69 Keith, HUNGERS 68 Keith, CARNETS 67 Jim, DEAREST 66 Maire, ANTSIER 65 Jim, BASINET 64 Jim, GENDERS 64 Jim, SWEETER 64 Maire, SCALDING 63 Keith, TORNADO 63 Maire, FUSSIER 62 Jim, TRAINEE 61 Maire, WHEEZED 52 Amanda, CRANIAL Amanda

 

Many bonuses or high-scoring moves by one player in a game  (scores over 100 also appear in the high-scoring words section):

·       BADGERED 66 METEORIC 63 LEGATION 80 POSSIBLE 78 (consecutive moves)
(also INSTEAD 74)                                                                                Graham

·       ALLICES 70 ROOTAGE 75 DEXTERS 87 EPEIRIDS 83                         Richard

·       CODIFIED 98 PONGIER 77 WEARIES 70 SITUATE 69                          Wanda

·       OREGANO 68 EXPERTS 109 TERTIAN 75 SEQUINNED 107                 Wanda

·       EERIEST 64 REORDAIN 94 IRRIGATE 61 CLAIMANT 65                      Richard

·       FRIANDE 93 RESIGNED 70 HIREABLE 76 JIRGA 50                             Helen

·       OUTLEAP 64 UNHOPED 72 EXPIRES 92 ORIGANES 67                       Helen

·       SKATINGS 92 BOOTEES 72 SPANKED 101 QUESTED 115                  Wanda

·       TEXTERS 107 URINATED 61 RAINIER 67 STAINED 79                         Charles

·       TUMBLERS 64 BROWSES 95 NANNIES 79 KING 57                             Helen

·       CANNONS 69 UNEAGER 70 HOMEBOYS 90                                        Helen

·       CAJOLES 85 BRANDIES 76 BATHROBE 90                                          Charles

·       CREATING 76 REPROVED 95 DEVOTING 74                                       Wanda

·       DEVIOUS 80 STRAWEN 81 FOOLERS 93                                             Helen

·       ELOGISTS 83 RAIDERS 96 SATIATED 72                                             Graham

·       ENNEADS 73 RELISTS 72 DEARIES 73                                                Richard

·       ENTAILS 72 FINANCE 85 ARTISAN 70                                                  Helen

·       EPISTLE 77 TARDIEST 83 PRONAOI 65                                               Richard

·       ETERNAL 70 TOELESS 66 EPITOME 78                                               Graham

·       FAIRLEAD 86 DOSSERET 66 MANHOOD 85                                        Richard

·       LEGATEES 80 CUSTARDS 86 TREATIES 64                                        Helen

·       MINTERS 71 SHIRTED 70 SERIATE 66                                                 Wanda

·       REBAITS 68 TRANCES 76 FRONTERS 62                                            Wanda

·       SABOTAGE 74 EPSILON 90 RETURNEE 61                                         Graham

·       SPIRITS 86 MINUTES 73 TOADIED 78                                                  Fiona

·       SUITORED 80 FINEISH 73 OVERGOT 77                                             Richard

·       TUNABLE 62 TRAYNES 72 QUAI 69                                                     Helen

·       ZELANTS 90 EROSIONS 70 EXTERNS 83                                            Graham

 

Other things:

·       New personal bests:      Richard 634, Megel 583, Mary 430

·       9-letter word:                 BATHROBES Deborah 46

·       Unusual word:               PHWOAR Charles

 

 

Name

Old rating

New rating

Rating change

P

W

D

L

Average

Highest score

Highest ever

Amanda Lowe

82

93

11

22

7

1

14

306.3

360

392

Pat Llanwarne

123

130

7

14

8

0

6

351.6

431

516

Jim Macey

116

122

6

13

9

0

4

357.5

455

478

Deborah Porter

130

136

6

27

15

0

12

364.3

482

542

Richard Spencer

202

208

6

34

31

0

3

449.9

634

625

Maire Bennett

55

58

3

15

2

0

13

286.5

402

498

Keith Radbourn

69

71

2

34

5

0

29

277.4

337

418

Graham Harding

179

181

2

40

28

0

12

427.0

533

661

Sharon Hewitt

130

131

1

21

11

0

10

350.7

453

548

Helen Harding

186

187

1

37

28

0

9

424.1

598

609

Joy Wade

107

106

-1

23

8

1

14

334.6

451

484

Fiona Titcombe

152

149

-3

21

10

0

11

365.1

466

551

Martin Stephens

113

109

-4

26

10

0

16

335.1

437

477

Wanda de Poitiers

182

178

-4

29

18

0

11

400.7

591

598

Charles Parker

104

99

-5

29

11

0

18

331.3

470

509

Hepzi Rodrigues

137

132

-5

23

10

0

13

352.0

418

554

Michael Spencer

93

82

-11

21

4

0

17

289.0

358

502

Insufficient games – a previous quarter’s results, or 13 games in a quarter, needed to qualify

Nick

106

 

0

2

1

0

1

321.0

336

336

Polly Vallance

89

 

2

9

3

0

6

299.7

363

363

Megel Barker

174

184

10

6

5

0

1

465.8

583

583

Mary Twomey

106

105

-1

9

3

0

6

310.2

430

430

Maureen Barlow

122

 

0

0

0

0

0

 

0

528

Jen Brennan

50

 

0

0

0

0

0

 

0

436