2023 AUSTRALIAN MASTERS

Twenty of the top players hope to play the Australian Masters as a round robin somewhere, sometime in September 2023.
At the same time, teams of three players from each of seven states or territories would play the State Team Challenge as head-to-head matches.
The lexicon is that which is used in the majority of states (probably Collins Scrabble Words 2019).

Rule variation

Masters section has 5 point penalty for each word challenged but correct.

The contenders

The table below shows the teams according to qualification criteria set by the Council of the Australian Scrabble Players Association.

Australian Masters

The selection comprises the best twenty active players (those players who have played at least one game during the qualification period) ranked by Q statistic.

State Team Challenge

Each state team will comprise three eligible players who have not already been selected for the Masters event and are the next best three from their state, ranked by Q statistic.
If insufficient eligible players are available, the state will not be permitted to participate in the State Team Challenge for that year unless a maximum of one stand-in can be fielded before the tournament from any state (generally, but not necessarily, that state in which the tournament takes place). That stand-in must also meet the above criteria.
An eligible stand-in may also be fielded in the event of illness or other unforeseen circumstance during the tournament.

Selection by major titles

A maximum of two eligible players are selected by tournament success, namely

(1) The winner of the 2022 Australian Masters. ♚ Naween Fernando
(2) The highest placed eligible Australian in the 2023 Australian Championship.♛

Players who qualify this way must also play 40 games recognised by ASPA during the qualifying period.

If any of these berths is unfilled for any reason, the place is taken by another player selected via ratings as described below.

Selection by ratings

The primary criterion for ranking candidates is the Q statistic
Details

Players may appeal to CASPA for a special dispensation in exceptional circumstances. In the event of any unforeseen issue the decision of CASPA is final.



The Qstat is Q = (P1 + P2 + 2 x P3)/4 where P1, P2, P3 are peaks from Jun to Sep 2022, Oct to Jan and Feb to May 2023. Extrapolated Qstat is shown, together with the peak(games) in each period. 40 games required.

Australian Masters 2023

Contender
Q Stat
31.01.2023
Games Peak (games)
Jun to Sep
Peak (games)
Oct to Jan
Peak (games)
Feb to May
1David Eldar (VIC) 2087.0071✓ 2099 (35)2075 (36)
2Andrew Fisher (VIC) 1994.0059✓ 1971 (28)2017 (31)
3Naween Fernando (VIC) 1955.0094✓ 1949 (49)1961 (45)
4Cameron Farlow (QLD) 1951.0083✓ 1975 (43)1927 (40)
5Chris May (NSW) 1948.00*24   1844 (0)2052 (24)
6Edward Okulicz (VIC) 1930.50108✓ 1930 (53)1931 (55)
7Peter Kougi (VIC) 1904.0033   1903 (19)1905 (14)
8Esther Perrins (NSW) 1896.00112✓ 1888 (18)1904 (94)
9Daniel Piechnick (SA) 1820.0065✓ 1824 (34)1816 (31)
10Trevor Halsall (VIC) 1812.0082✓ 1803 (40)1821 (42)
11Joanne Craig (NSW) 1804.00173✓ 1783 (60)1825 (113)
12Rod Talbot (NSW) 1786.00187✓ 1806 (65)1766 (122)
13Bob Jackman (NSW) 1779.50185✓ 1776 (54)1783 (131)
15Victor Tung (NSW) 1761.00116✓ 1682 (18)1840 (98)
17John Holgate (NSW) 1749.50169✓ 1780 (47)1719 (122)
19Adam Kretschmer (SA) 1719.0060✓ 1705 (22)1733 (38)
20Stephen Mooney Purse(TAS) 1716.0031   1712 (8)1720 (23)
State Challenge Trophy 2023

Contender
Q Stat
31.01.2023
Games Peak (games)
Jun to Sep
Peak (games)
Oct to Jan
Peak (games)
Feb to May
1 VICNick Ivanovski (VIC) 1686.5047✓ 1650 (19)1723 (28)
1 NSWRyan Sutton (NSW) 1679.00*107✓ 1581 (0)1777 (107)
2 NSWTony Hunt (NSW) 1675.50200✓ 1727 (67)1624 (133)
1 SAJane Taylor (SA) 1668.50207✓ 1658 (83)1679 (124)
3 NSWWayne Jones (NSW) 1660.0013   1660 (13)
2 VICGeoff Wright (VIC) 1658.0091✓ 1632 (44)1684 (47)
1 ACTRonnie Bennett (ACT) 1648.0058✓ 1633 (7)1663 (51)
Rocky Sharma (NSW4) 1647.00108✓ 1635 (32)1659 (76)
2 ACTJohn Spaan (ACT) 1644.5053✓ 1671 (23)1618 (30)
3 ACTJohn Hamilton (ACT) 1634.0013   1634 (13)
Noel Barrett (ACT4) 1625.50172✓ 1602 (60)1649 (112)
1 QLDKaren Richards (QLD) 1618.50251✓ 1626 (93)1611 (158)
3 VICNat Podesser (VIC) 1616.0056✓ 1616 (56)
2 QLDPaul Richards (QLD) 1587.00218✓ 1577 (75)1597 (143)
3 QLDJane Brown (QLD) 1571.5075✓ 1593 (58)1550 (17)
2 SACarmel Dodd (SA) 1565.50137✓ 1563 (68)1568 (69)
Rael Hayman (NSW5) 1560.50*88✓ 1397 (0)1724 (88)
1 TASDianne Brumby (TAS) 1556.0091✓ 1559 (43)1553 (48)
3 SAAntony Kimber (SA) 1550.0099✓ 1545 (29)1555 (70)
Dianne Davis (VIC4) 1546.5084✓ 1531 (41)1562 (43)
Helen Hynes (QLD4) 1543.5015   1556 (10)1531 (5)
Liz Blanch (QLD5) 1528.50111✓ 1523 (72)1534 (39)
Norma Fisher (VIC5) 1526.00151✓ 1543 (68)1509 (83)
Alistair Kane (VIC6) 1523.50*10   1434 (0)1613 (10)
Graeme Lock Lee (NSW6) 1519.0090✓ 1471 (25)1567 (65)
Sheryl Davidson (QLD6) 1509.5096✓ 1542 (66)1477 (30)
Michael Vnuk (SA4) 1505.5045✓ 1571 (28)1440 (17)
2 TASMartin Rose (TAS) 1488.0074✓ 1515 (59)1461 (15)
3 TASKhen Meerding (TAS) 1478.5059✓ 1550 (36)1407 (23)
Trevor Tao (SA5) 1465.00*5   1356 (0)1574 (5)
Tony Williams (ACT5) 1452.0084✓ 1444 (18)1460 (66)
Tony Miller (SA6) 1445.00*15   1341 (0)1549 (15)
Ros Wilkinson (TAS4) 1441.5027   1410 (4)1473 (23)
Jon Ford-King (TAS5) 1439.0065✓ 1512 (42)1366 (23)
Margaret Webb (TAS6) 1371.5023   1366 (14)1377 (9)
Tim Reddan (ACT6) 1346.0041✓ 1346 (41)


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