* Ikawa Joseph Victor (ikawaj@...) [050711 00:53]:
> Why are mediocre players pooled with champions?
Certainly an issue WESPA (if it lives) can, and ought to, take up.
Several players (myself included) agree that the variability of talent
at the WSC is too large right now. The main obstacle to reducing this
variability is the fact that the world is very big and that,
consequently, it's rather expensive to get players from faraway places
together for meaningful face-to-face "qualifier" games.
> There should be regional slots for qualification to the WSC one would
> suggest and if Thailand will dominate the whole of the Asian team - so
> be it.
An interesting suggestion.
However, "Asian qualifier events" are quite impractical for much the
same reason: Asia is very big.
-AC from USA
(not on WSC'05 team)
From yesterday's Bahrain Tribune; interesting development in mind
sports:
Brainy Games Aims for the Olympics
When the last hurrah is heard after the Winter or Summer Olympics,
brainy games are intent on having their "Intellympiads" follow on in
the same host cities as the Olympic events, according to the
International Mind Sports Association, constituted last April in
Paris.
Such mind-games Intellympiads intend "to work towards the
recognition of the quality of teaching these disciplines lavished on
young people and which help them considerably in their curriculum
(career path)," according to an IMSA statement.
In Bahrain, Ebrahim Al Dairi, Bahrain Scrabble League
founding member, echoed such a sentiment, feeling that schools,
children and parents should "realise the benefits" of such games.
Using infrastructures already in place by the Olympic Games,
IMSA would seek to re-utilise the teams of volunteers from the main
event, "facilitating the admission of the national federations of
these mind sports into their respective national Olympic committees."
In dialogue with the International Olympic Committee and the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation,
IMSA says that the UN itself "is convinced of its [mind games]
capacity to improve the level of education in the world and to
participate in a more peaceful entente through the practice of these
[mind] sports."
Subsequent to a meeting of the Sport Accord Congress in
Berlin, Germany, last April, four mind-sports groups (World Bridge
Federation [WBF], International Chess Federation, World Federation
of Draught Games and International Go Federation) agreed to form
IMSA. Draught games includes the Gulf version called dama.
The world English, French and Spanish Scrabble associations
aim to be included in the Intellympiads move and are contacting IMSA
president Jose Damiani who is also WBF president.
An IMSA spokesperson said, with Scrabble, "there's a problem of
language" where linguistics are used as part of analytical skills.
Though Scrabble is played in over 30 languages, only English, French
and Spanish have regular global championships, internationally
recognised rules and world associations. In English, upwards of 40
countries are in the competitive arena.
The next winter Olympics will be in 2006 in Turin, Italy, while the
next summer event is set for 2008 in Beijing, China.
In the Gulf, brainy games are played in all six countries with
Scrabble clubs numbering nearly 20 and an annual regional
championship.
The Bahrain Mind Sports Association was constituted four years ago,
an umbrella organisation for bridge, chess, dama and Scrabble.
Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates do have
international chess events while Bahrain has taken part in global
bridge and dama tournaments.
Additionally, Bahrain has been represented at all World Scrabble
Championships.
From: "Ikawa Joseph Victor" <ikawaj@...>
Sent: Monday, July 11, 2005 5:52 AM
> The current WSC has a very poor selection process as several countries
like Nigeria and Thailand with superb Scrabbling ability have only limited
slots against certain countries which have questionable levels of Scrabble.
Indeed after the last WSC someone stated that one of the contestants had
such bad spread" the worst spread I have seen in my life" he said. If one
observes the performance by the country of origin for that participant over
time it is truly wanting in quality.
I'd like to set the record straight on that one. The country concerned could
not find one of its top players who was willing to go to the WSC in KL. I
believe the low rated player who did eventually represent that country was
the only person interested in going. It's not that player's fault that there
are country allocations and it is therefore a little unfair to criticise
their performance. Everyone present who knew the facts of the situation
expected the player in question to finish last - including that player.
Pete
Farewell, Jim.
------- Forwarded message follows -------
This is an automated email message to let you know that
jimhaefele <jimhaefele@...> unsubscribed from your sowpods
group.
--
Graeme Thomas
Welcome to the list, Judy. Farewell, Annie.
------- Forwarded message follows -------
This is an automated email message to let you know that
JudyS860@... joined your sowpods
group.
This is an automated email message to let you know that
annie_2419 <annie_2419@...> unsubscribed from your sowpods
group.
--
Graeme Thomas
I like the idea of regional qualifiers to decide the best by region.
It does help us to find a more skilful corps of players. It seems
that the objective has been to get as many countries in as possible,
and that may in itself be a laudable policy.
However, a proposed schedule for having regional qualifiers
could be:
July-Dec. 2006 National qualifiers; if a country has been allotted,
for instance, two seats, they could send double the number (4) to
the regionals. Each country would hold its qualifier in whatever
format was deemed suitable with perhaps a hundred taking part.
Jan.-June 2007 The regional qualifiers would be hosted in one of
the countries of that region at a period deemed suitable. Based on
current national allocations, regional quotas could be:
Potential
qualifier
entrants
Britain, Ireland 15 30
North America 22 44
Middle East 11 22
(includes Iraq, Israel)
West Asia 7
14
Far East 15
30
Africa 18
36
Europe (excluding Britain, Ireland) 5 10
Caribbean, Central, South
America 2
4
Each of the regionals could have double the number of players
competing as shown in column 2. Then the top players would qualify,
meaning that some countries might be edged out completely or get
more or less seats than the original national quota of 2005. The
world champ gets an automatic seat.
Let's say Canada might succeed in getting a bigger share of the 22
seats through the qualifiers than had originally been allotted.
However, the ultimate goal would be to have an even more skilful
playing corps.
The Gulf Scrabble Tournament has always decided the players in the
WSC which was the raison d'etre of the competition at the outset. In
1991, it was the top two. But in 1995, I believe, it became the top
player from each country.
Most countries used the GST as its qualifier with the top player(s)
from each country earning a seat(s). This year, Philip Nelkon
insisted that all six countries had to qualify their WSC entrants
through the GST as previously one or two countries had decided to
have its qualifying contest nationally.
However, everyone feels that the GST, with the region's 40 best
players, is the ultimate test of who's best in the region. Using
this year's GST as an example, it means that those placed first to
fourth, sixth, ninth, 11th and 15th qualified for WSC VIII.
Alternatively, if we said the Gulf gets eight seats and
takes the top eight positions, then Kuwait would've lost out in the
WSC. I'm actually in favour of taking the top players irrespective
of the countries in or out.
However, for the sake of the growth and development of the game in
countries where Scrabble is played competitively, at whatever level
of competency, it's an important consideration to have more than 40
countries represented as now. That's valid for publicity, public
relations and marketing. Whatever, most importantly, the regionals
should generate lots more interest and media coverage in the region
and beyond in the runup to the WSC. It should be worthwhile to throw
the foregoing 2006-07 national and regional qualifer schedule on the
table at the World English-language Scrabble Players Association
assembly in November to see if the majority of players, clubs and
federations would go for it. What do sowpods site members think?
From: "roykietzman05" <roykietzman05@...>
Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2005 7:12 AM
>It should be worthwhile to throw
> the foregoing 2006-07 national and regional qualifer schedule on the
> table at the World English-language Scrabble Players Association
> assembly in November to see if the majority of players, clubs and
> federations would go for it. What do sowpods site members think?
While I understand what you're trying to achieve, I think you're forgetting
two things:
1. Mattel
2. Hasbro (assuming they retain any interest in the WSC).
I have one other problem with your proposal. Currently, 8 of the 10 English
places are decided through our rating system. In future they will all be.
The rating system ranks people according to their performance in their last
100 games. I believe this is a better method than increasing the luck factor
by relying on qualification through a one-off regional qualifier.
Pete
The latest International Scrabble Rankings are now available through
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~rjackman/ratlists.html Note that players
need to have played at least 20 international games, and participated in
at least one of the 31 international tournaments in the past three years
to be ranked. A total of 449 out of 835 in players in the system are
ranked. If you are unranked, you can still determine your actual rating
from the listing by first name at
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~rjackman/RBFN.html
Bob Jackman
Welcome to the list, mbugua.
------- Forwarded message follows -------
This is an automated email message to let you know that
mbugua_nicholas <mbugua_nicholas@...> joined your sowpods
group.
--
Graeme Thomas
Welcome to the list, Donald.
------- Forwarded message follows -------
This is an automated email message to let you know that
hadleydonald <donnie60@...> joined your sowpods
group.
--
Graeme Thomas
Satisfying play I made at the club this weekend:
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o
-----------------------------
1 |= ' = ' =|
2 | - " " - |
3 | - ' ' - |
4 |' - ' - |
5 | - - |
6 | " " " " |
7 | ' T ' ' ' |
8 |= Z O O M E D ' =|
9 | ' A R M Y ' ' |
10 | J X I " " " |
11 | A W E - - |
12 |' K O S ' - |
13 | W ' ' - |
14 | - " " - |
15 |= ' = ' =|
-----------------------------
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o
Rack: ACEFHIS
martin
On 7/24/05, Martin DeMello <martindemello@...> wrote:
> Satisfying play I made at the club this weekend:
>
Gah, stupid webmail. See http://zem.novylen.net/board.txt
martin
I've just updated my Dream Plays list on the Verbalobe website,
having played INDUVIAE for the first time at Lincoln yesterday:
http://www.verbalobe.com/modules.php?name=Dream_Plays
It would be good to see more lists of 'Words I've always wanted to
play' from SOWPODS pLayers. Go along and make up your own list now!
Stewart
Welcome to the list.
------- Forwarded message follows -------
This is an automated email message to let you know that
trevino@... joined your sowpods
group.
This is an automated email message to let you know that
merlin@... joined your sowpods
group.
--
Graeme Thomas
Scrabblica Parrotonia
Members of the House of Assembly assembled in the
house of a member for a baptismal party. By and by,
the Speaker sat down to a game of Scrabble, and his
opponent, the Whip, enquired whether he had anything
to say before he spanked him.
The Speaker replied, "My words will speak for me."
Rejoined the Whip: "Just remember you'd be speaking to
the Whip."
Then chimed in the household's pet member from his
cage: "Just whip the member you speaking to...Just
clip the mamba you spoken to...First grip the ember
you picking to...."
After five minutes: "Don't speak the member you
weeping to!"
The Clerk, who had been listening, vituperated: "Shut
up, or you'll be baptised with alcohol."
Without blinking, the malapropian Mr. Feathers replied
with "Phut up, or you be advised leave the hall".
Sidespin.
____________________________________________________
Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
Is whatever you're on freely available? I'd like some.
Regards...
Martin A.Reed
In the future all there will be is the past.
07956-436566
www.whoobub.co.uk
martin@...
----- Original Message -----
From: "chinedu okwelogu" <sidespin1973@...>
To: <sowpods@yahoogroups.com>; <kenyascrabble@yahoogroups.com>;
<scrabblepalsnigeria@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, July 25, 2005 4:28 PM
Subject: [sowpods] Scrabblica Parrotonia.
> Scrabblica Parrotonia
>
> Members of the House of Assembly assembled in the
> house of a member for a baptismal party. By and by,
> the Speaker sat down to a game of Scrabble, and his
> opponent, the Whip, enquired whether he had anything
> to say before he spanked him.
> The Speaker replied, "My words will speak for me."
> Rejoined the Whip: "Just remember you'd be speaking to
> the Whip."
> Then chimed in the household's pet member from his
> cage: "Just whip the member you speaking to...Just
> clip the mamba you spoken to...First grip the ember
> you picking to...."
> After five minutes: "Don't speak the member you
> weeping to!"
> The Clerk, who had been listening, vituperated: "Shut
> up, or you'll be baptised with alcohol."
> Without blinking, the malapropian Mr. Feathers replied
> with "Phut up, or you be advised leave the hall".
>
> Sidespin.
>
>
>
> ____________________________________________________
> Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page
> http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
>
>
>
> To remove yourself from this list send a message to the address
> <sowpods-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com>.
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
Bahrain Scrabble League is considering organising a pre-World Scrabble
Championship tournament during the Eid al Fitr, a Muslim holiday that
falls this year at the end of October-beginning of November. It'd
certainly draw some of the WSC competitors as well as other top-ranked
players in the Gulf.
The format, prize money and other logistical details are being worked
out by Shiraz Amith who has organised other Scrabble contests. The BSL
will try to get as many details out as possible during August on the
tourney.
hi all,
in a letdown for the Arabian Gulf region, the gulf champ seat at the
wsc was scrapped. if this is the case, shouldnt the 'kurdistan-iraq'
seat be cancelled too? no offence to dr khoshnaw, but kurdistan is not
(yet) a country, and anyway, dr khoshnaw seems to be destined to get
automatic qualification to every wsc. if a kurd (or anyone for that
matter) living in iraq wants to participate, he should be welcome to
play under the iraq banner.
wot say?
shakir reshamwala (kuwait)
Does anyone know a good hotel or two in London not too far from
Regent's Park Marriott? I'm likely to be arriving a few days earlier
than the World Scrabble Championship, and perhaps there are
comfy nearby hotels where other participants will be staying.
Philip Nelkon kindly provided the names of three including the Best
Western Swiss Cottage Hotel. But some say that Swiss Cottage is far
away from Regent's Park. Though I've been to London countless times, I
seem to have lost my sense of orientation. There may be four of us -
including two players - attending the
WSC.
----- Original Message -----
From: Albert Hahn
To: UK-Scrabble
Cc: cgp
Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2005 7:22 AM
Subject: WSC Accommodation and Plans
http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=ahotels&local=0&lon=-0.1702&lat=51\
.5422&scale=25000&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&place=&lang=
This link shows you the map with six hotels, one mile from the playing site,
with prices.
I'm staying at #5, a B+B for 45 pounds, but #2 at 49.5 pounds has many more
rooms
and is only .6 miles from the Marriott. Prices include taxes.
Note that the London Zoo is only about 2 miles away from the hotels.
I will be arriving at Heathrow (28 miles away) at noon on Nov. 10.
Just in case anyone else is coming in that afternoon we may
try to meet up to make the trip to the hotel together.
I still have to find the best way to do that.
Looking forward to meeting some old friends and some new ones.
Nigeria has three first time competitors so it looks like the bans
on their top six players have not been lifted.
I was surprized that not even Femi was on the team.
Albert
ps My plane leaves Heathrow Monday about noon,
in case some of us can make the trip to the airport together.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
On 8/5/05, Stewart Holden <sholden@...> wrote:
> http://www.tilefish.co.uk
Domain Name:
tilefish.co.uk
Registrant:
tilefish
Registrant's Address:
14 Dale View Road
Nottingham
n/a
NG3 7AJ
GB
It's registered to Stewart, but it doesn't say what he's selling. :)
John O'Laughlin
In message <1ec.407baded.302554cc@...>, JackieMcLeod3a@...
writes
>In a message dated 06/08/2005 00:18:12 GMT Daylight Time, olaughlin@...
>writes:
>
>
>> It's registered to Stewart, but it doesn't say what he's selling. :)
>>
>Fish, obviously. Small cod please, hold the chips.
>
>Jackie
Or the small screen version of a Kim Basinger film ?
--
Clive
From: "John O'Laughlin" <olaughlin@...>
Sent: Saturday, August 06, 2005 12:17 AM
> It's registered to Stewart, but it doesn't say what he's selling. :)
No idea what the significance of the countdown is either - something that
either ends or starts at the end of September. I'm sure all will be revealed
in the fullness of time - but will it be worth the suspense?
It's taught me one thing though - I didn't know TILEFISH was OK. :)
Pete
From: "peter finley" <peter.finley2@...>
Sent: Saturday, August 06, 2005 12:04 PM
> No idea what the significance of the countdown is either - something that
> either ends or starts at the end of September. I'm sure all will be
revealed
> in the fullness of time - but will it be worth the suspense?
Perhaps it's going to be a photo gallery for Holden Junior and Stewart and
Julie have decided to name their offspring from the Frank Zappa Book of
Childrens' Name Ideas. Don't think young Tilefish is due that early though.
:)
Pete
Guys
It thrills me to let you you know that I am ranked 5th on the mighty Kenya
Scrabble Association Rating List. I am even more thrilled to reveal that I
am way a head of World beaters like Dr. Patrick Litunya (WSC 2003 No. 15 and
4 times Africa top 7). At least I am ranked a head of two players who will
be representing kenya at 2005 WSC ( David Kangethe and Patrick Litunya) so
should any of them hit you squarely, then know that I could have punched you
deader.
NICKstateNAME naivasha.tou
MOTI --- Manase Otieno 235 1930 19950307
MGON --- Michael Gongolo 307 1922 19950608
SNJO --- Stanley Njoroge 181 1912 19950608
NMBU --- Nicholas Mbugua 235 1869 19950608
JMAN --- Joash Manyasa 343 1867 19950608
FWAC --- Francis Wachira 199 1866 19950608
JIKA --- Joseph Ikawa 217 1832 19950506
DKAN --- David Kangethe 253 1831 19950307
WAKI --- Wenwa Akinyi 90 1830 19941211
RMAG --- Robins Magaki 253 1828 19950307
Looking at this list, I am proud of Nicholas Mbugua, Joseph Ikawa and Robins
Magaki for withstanding all odds to appear in the top 10. The times and
resources engaged by the three can not be compared to one tenth of such Pros
like Manase Otieno, Michael Gongolo, Patrick Litunya, Dixon Assesa etc.
MONA --- Onani Magwanga 162 1826 19941211
WMWA --- Willy Mwangi 181 1823 19950608
MWAF --- Mackton Wafula 72 1815 19950307
MMWA --- Martin Mwaka 162 1812 19950307
PLIT --- Patrick Litunya 289 1805 19950608
If Mackton Wafula, Gordon Dudi, Steve Muhima and Fred Magu can put in some
more energy in the next 4 months, then Abuja will likely miss some Big names
from the Kenyan domain.
SMUH --- Stepheen Muhima 72 1789 19950307
DASS --- Dixon Assesa 199 1776 19950307
JOMO --- Jack Omondi 109 1776 19950508
PBOS --- Paul Bosita 90 1772 19950305
GDUD --- Gordon Dudi 18 1771 19950608
CKIM --- Charles Kimani 144 1770 19950608
FMAG --- Fred Magu 325 1768 19950608
AWEN --- Akinyi Wenwa 36 1768 19941115
BAMU --- Benard Amuke 90 1760 19940821
BONY --- Boniface Onyango 18 1756 19941115
CNTE --- Chris Ntege 18 1749 19950508
FTHE --- Francis Theuri 55 1738 19950502
JCHA --- Joseph Chavutia 307 1734 19950608
CRUT --- Cecilia Ruto 199 1724 19950307
M --- Makambora 18 1722 19950608
Kudos also to Chris Ntege for being best foreign ranked Player at Pos 27.
and to Ismail Mushataq for leading foreign onslought with 108 games.
Only 4 players:- Joseph Chavutia, Fred Magu, Michael Gongolo and ofcourse me
have played over 300 games.
Get more details of Scrabbling in Kenya here below
www.geocities.com/kenyascrabble
Farewell carmel and cupcake.
------- Forwarded message follows -------
This is an automated email message to let you know that
carmel@... unsubscribed from your sowpods
group.
This is an automated email message to let you know that
tarot_cupcake <tarot_cupcake@...> unsubscribed from your sowpods
group.
--
Graeme Thomas
This year's Michael Wise Memorial Scrabble Tournament, the 26th annual
Toronto Scrabble Tournament, will take place on September 23-25. The
tournament flyer can be found online at
http://tournament.torontoscrabbleclub.com/200509
The weekend's events include an 8-game early bird, a 3-game pairs,
15-game speed and 12-game main event. New this year are a SOWPODS
division to provide practice for WSC contenders and help raise funds
for the Canadian WSC team, a guest lecture by Canadian Champion Adam
Logan, and a staff change (Lisa Deift and Lisa Kessler are retiring,
John Robertson is taking their place).
Early registration rates apply until September 9th, and I am happy to
save players postage by accepting registration in Reno.
John
--
John J. Chew, III * jjchew@... * +1 416 876 7675
Director, Toronto SCRABBLE(R) Club (National SCRABBLE(R) Association Club #3)
http://www.torontoscrabbleclub.com
Send Email
