This year's Hills Open was officially declared open by Mr Bruce Watson, Chairman of Baulkham Hills' Orange Blossom Festival. Accompanying him were Mr Don Kemble, OBF Secretary, Mr David Johnstone, OBF Board member and "Pippa" the festival's mascot.
Weatherwise, it was a glorious sunny day in Sydney's Norwest Hills District. Scrabblwise it was a relaxed happy day for seventy Scrabblers who were keen to experience "a real difference" in tournaments' first game pairing procedures. Players have now more than welcomed their 50/50 chance of winning their first game at the Hills Open. This is achieved by player No 1 plays No 2 and so on.
Table number one was decorated for the occasion. This is an annual event where lower rated players appear to be relaxed, excited and look forward to what may happen next. The highlights were too numerous to mention - but for example. After Game One, a novice "from the street" - Gial Leslie was paired to play Paul Cleary. Apart from Paul, tables 1 to 10 were full with C & D graders. These appeared very pleased with themselves - in having the opportunity to be paired with the "heavies". By game four, the dust began to settle, and Paul who was by game 3, too far ahead from his fellow A graders knew that he had this year Hills Open already in the bag.
At game 5 Rod Talbot had a go to topple Paul . He knew that right behind him in 3rd place, were two very fine gentlemen , originally from the sub-continent , and they were both on equal third place (margin of 297) - Hari Nanayakkara & Ram Mohe (B & C divisions respectively) . Rod knew that If he fails - he will slip back badly , which he did, but not for too long. Ram moved into second position at game 6 and became he a real threat.
Final results - Paul won all seven games, second place- Rod Talbot; and Ram Mohe third place. Each player today , had seven stories to tell !.
David Wiseman a writer for The Sydney Morning Herald, and a very keen Scrabble player himself was going about watching most games with a view in mind of writing a Scrabble story very soon.
The Woy Woy Scrabble Club finished winning the "Siva" Trophy Award, thanks to Ram who is a member there.
Other awards went as follows:
Nominated by Manly & North Shore Clubs respectively, Silvana Newman and Karmel Patterson took the Encouragement awards.
The "2002 Hills Open" Champion Trophy - Paul Cleary.
Best New Player - Gial Leslie - 20th place and winning four games.
First place - in group rated 0 to 600 - Gial Leslie
First place - rated 601 to 900 - Alan Gauci
First place - rated 901 to 1200 - Lynn Parnell
First place - rated 1201 to 1500 - Moana Nepia
Highest Game Award - Joanne Craig - 611
High Word Score Award - Hari Nanyakkara - "ensuring" 131 points.
Highest rating gain - Ram Mohe - 78 points.
We feel that it was a grand day for Scrabble NSW - thanks to our supporters. John Holgate and many others like him sent us e-mails regretting their inability to attend. One can only dream, but it is in our plans to make "The Hills Open" even more attractive next year. So if any of those present today (or at previous Hills Opens) wish to forward us their feedback - we will welcome them.
One very common input from many lower graders regarding playing at the Hills Open is the fact that they really appreciate being paired with many other much higher rated player than themselves. They are appreciative of the advices which the "heavies" offer them after the game's end. Furthermore they know that for them this opportunity is very very rare. Beating higher rated players seems to bring Scrabble to its true reality and it naturally encourages the less experienced players.
I wish to thank our crew, Fred Reynolds (Tournament Director), and all the other 69 players. It was a pleasure to have you.
Results after game 7
BLKHILLS OPEN 2002 -- OPEN
Rank Player Wins Mar
---------------------------------
1 Paul Cleary 7 1363
2 Rod Talbot 6 405
3 Ram Mohe 6 381
4 Tony Hunt 6 193
5 Joanne Craig 5 597
6 Peter Shaw 5 514
7 Moana Nepia 5 429
8 Jean McGiffen 5 399
9 John Barker 5 330
10 Lynn Parnell 5 179
11 Jan Serisier 5 149
12 Alan Gauci 5 140
13 Louise Kobler 5 118
14 Rex Shakespeare 5 99
15 Donna Macdonald 5 4
16 Hari Nanayakkara 5 -38
17 Peggy Womersly 4 310
18 Audrey Newman 4 227
19 Bob Jackman 4 214
20 Gial Leslie 4 177
21 Ann Fiddler 4 120
22 Krystyna Batten 4 100
23 Richard Birch 4 94
24 Elizabeth Ho 4 74
25 Prasanna Nanayakkara 4 70
26 Margaret Andrews 4 62
27 Collen Howie 4 61
28 Margaret Ackman 4 48
29 Nanette Reynolds 4 34
30 Gordon Meggs 4 29
31 Victor Tung 4 6
32 Noel Coulter 4 -94
33 Veena Mohe 4 -100
34 Jacquelin Hochmuth 4 -248
35 Sng Tze Vheow 4 -259
36 Jean Balmer 3 322
37 Therese Newman 3 152
38 Sandra Elliott 3 86
39 George Khamis 3 74
40 Liz Jackman 3 49
41 Andree Lajoie 3 41
42 Claire Dove 3 -21
43 Lauraine Overton 3 -27
44 Janine Whittaker 3 -49
45 Helen Ostler 3 -53
46 Jan Tomlin 3 -63
47 Tony Kalayzich 3 -143
48 Alison Maynard 3 -166
49 Zeena Shroff 3 -180
50 Joy Morris 3 -199
51 Sunny Wright 3 -214
52 Margaret Coulter 3 -275
53 Silvana Newman 3 -312
54 Frank Hunt 3 -332
55 Helen Blanks 2 146
56 Teresa Traynor 2 -58
57 Raya Wilkinson 2 -76
58 June Brewin 2 -175
59 Diana Field 2 -238
60 David Ragen 2 -239
61 Adine Christian 2 -287
62 Anne Henderson 2 -302
63 Yvonne Cossins 2 -324
64 Karmel Patterson 2 -386
65 Alice Pullen 2 -394
66 Jason Ruck 2 -603
67 Chiza Nwokolo 1 -257
68 Rashna Shroff 1 -457
69 Hank Damhoff 1 -465
70 Stephen Lenehan 0 -762
HIGH GAME: Joanne Craig 611
HIGH WORD: Hari Nanayakkara 131
"ENSURING"
Stats for Tournament : BLKHILLS OPEN 2002
+--------------------------+-----------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| state Name | National | State | Wins | Rating Points |
| | Old New | Old New | Exp Act | Old Change New|
+--------------------------+-----------+---------+-----------+---------------+
+Section: *OPEN + + + +
+--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| NSW Paul Cleary | 7 6 | 4 4 | 6.1 7.0 | 1812 +17 1829 |
| NSW Rod Talbot | 5 4 | 3 2 | 5.5 6.0 | 1829 +9 1838 |
| NSW Tony Hunt | 75 76 | 19 20 | 5.9 6.0 | 1540 +4 1544 |
| NSW Ram Mohe | 282 233 | 71 62 | 2.9 6.0 | 1231 +78 1309 |
| NSW Joanne Craig | 31 31 | 8 8 | 5.0 5.0 | 1662 -1 1661 |
| NSW Peter Shaw | 83 72 | 23 19 | 3.5 5.0 | 1524 +31 1555 |
| NSW Jean McGiffen | 35 38 | 10 10 | 6.0 5.0 | 1642 -20 1622 |
| NSW John Barker | 48 52 | 14 15 | 5.7 5.0 | 1603 -13 1590 |
| NSW Moana Nepia | 151 165 | 43 48 | 5.9 5.0 | 1421 -19 1402 |
| NSW Hari Nanayakkara | 237 216 | 61 58 | 3.3 5.0 | 1301 +34 1335 |
| NSW Rex Shakespeare | 433 411 | 107 101 | 3.5 5.0 | 1028 +30 1058 |
| NSW Louise Kobler | 163 159 | 48 46 | 4.8 5.0 | 1404 +4 1408 |
| NSW Lynn Parnell | 490 455 | 119 114 | 3.2 5.0 | 956 +38 994 |
| NSW Jan Serisier | 78 81 | 21 22 | 5.1 5.0 | 1534 -2 1532 |
| NSW Alan Gauci | 591 503 | 146 123 | 2.1 5.0 | 866 +73 939 |
| NSW Donna MacDonald | 312 306 | 81 81 | 4.5 5.0 | 1169 +9 1178 |
| NSW Peggy Womersley | 462 448 | 112 113 | 2.8 4.0 | 981 +23 1004 |
| NSW Audrey Newman | 143 143 | 40 40 | 3.9 4.0 | 1432 +2 1434 |
| NSW Bob Jackman | 2 3 | 1 1 | 6.3 4.0 | 1881 -37 1844 |
| NSW Ann Fiddler | 410 397 | 100 97 | 3.2 4.0 | 1056 +16 1072 |
| NSW Prasana Nanayakkara | 564 549 | 139 136 | 3.5 4.0 | 881 +15 896 |
| NSW Elizabeth Ho | 224 231 | 59 61 | 4.7 4.0 | 1326 -13 1313 |
|*NSW Gial Leslie | 0 435 | 0 108 | 4.0 4.0 | 1025 1025 |
| NSW Colleen Howie | 364 342 | 92 89 | 2.7 4.0 | 1103 +26 1129 |
| NSW Victor Tung | 263 272 | 68 70 | 4.7 4.0 | 1269 -15 1254 |
| NSW Margaret Andrews | 357 373 | 90 93 | 5.3 4.0 | 1113 -25 1088 |
| NSW Richard Birch | 258 268 | 65 68 | 4.6 4.0 | 1272 -11 1261 |
| NSW Gordon Meggs | 259 258 | 66 65 | 4.0 4.0 | 1271 +1 1272 |
| NSW Nanette Reynolds | 308 304 | 80 79 | 3.7 4.0 | 1174 +5 1179 |
| NSW Noel Coulter | 300 305 | 78 80 | 4.6 4.0 | 1191 -12 1179 |
| NSW Krystyna Batten | 609 596 | 153 150 | 3.1 4.0 | 842 +19 861 |
| NSW Veena Mohe | 605 592 | 151 149 | 3.1 4.0 | 850 +18 868 |
| NSW Margaret Ackman | 746 722 | 193 186 | 3.1 4.0 | 724 +19 743 |
| NSW Sng Tze Cheow | 593 583 | 147 148 | 3.7 4.0 | 862 +8 870 |
| NSW Jacquelin Hochmuth | 636 608 | 161 154 | 2.6 4.0 | 820 +28 848 |
| NSW Jean Balmer | 381 394 | 94 95 | 3.5 3.0 | 1083 -9 1074 |
| NSW Therese Newman | 318 324 | 83 87 | 3.6 3.0 | 1164 -12 1152 |
| NSW George Khamis | 416 428 | 102 104 | 3.8 3.0 | 1046 -16 1030 |
| NSW Liz Jackman | 253 266 | 63 67 | 3.8 3.0 | 1279 -16 1263 |
| NSW Lauraine Overton | 0 757 | 0 195 | 3.0 3.0 | 717 717 |
| NSW Jan Tomlin | 577 565 | 144 141 | 2.5 3.0 | 871 +11 882 |
| NSW Sandra Elliott | 516 538 | 126 133 | 3.8 3.0 | 922 -17 905 |
| NSW Andree Lajoie | 775 764 | 198 199 | 2.5 3.0 | 700 +9 709 |
| NSW Alison Maynard | 861 854 | 221 222 | 2.6 3.0 | 628 +12 640 |
| NSW Claire Dove | 669 651 | 170 166 | 2.4 3.0 | 796 +13 809 |
| NSW Sunny Wright | 474 485 | 115 120 | 3.5 3.0 | 969 -9 960 |
| NSW Tony Kalayzich | 983 911 | 259 239 | 1.5 3.0 | 548 +50 598 |
| NSW Helen Ostler | 865 845 | 223 220 | 2.2 3.0 | 626 +24 650 |
| NSW Janine Whittaker | 693 690 | 174 174 | 2.8 3.0 | 767 +7 774 |
| NSW Joy Morris | 1007 973 | 266 256 | 1.6 3.0 | 531 +28 559 |
| NSW Silvana Newman | 800 783 | 205 202 | 2.4 3.0 | 686 +12 698 |
| NSW Margaret Coulter | 784 758 | 200 196 | 2.4 3.0 | 695 +19 714 |
| NSW Frank Hunt | 631 635 | 158 162 | 3.1 3.0 | 822 -2 820 |
|*NSW Zeena Shroff | 0 901 | 0 235 | 3.0 3.0 | 609 609 |
| NSW Helen Blanks | 726 760 | 186 197 | 2.8 2.0 | 739 -25 714 |
| NSW Raya Wilkinson | 272 299 | 70 77 | 5.3 2.0 | 1253 -64 1189 |
| NSW Teresa Traynor | 797 797 | 203 206 | 2.0 2.0 | 688 +1 689 |
| NSW David Ragen | 725 747 | 185 194 | 2.7 2.0 | 739 -15 724 |
| NSW June Brewin | 0 701 | 0 179 | 4.5 2.0 | 837 -74 763 |
|*NSW Adine Christian | 0 1034 | 0 284 | 2.0 2.0 | 514 514 |
| NSW Karmel Patterson | 1119 1165 | 319 330 | 2.1 2.0 | 500 -3 497 |
| NSW Anne Henderson | 759 807 | 195 208 | 3.6 2.0 | 712 -31 681 |
| NSW Yvonne Cossins | 943 929 | 244 243 | 1.6 2.0 | 578 +11 589 |
| NSW Diana Field | 1048 1044 | 285 286 | 1.8 2.0 | 500 +5 505 |
| NSW Alice Pullen | 804 868 | 206 226 | 4.0 2.0 | 684 -58 626 |
|*NSW Jason Ruck | 0 1166 | 0 331 | 2.2 2.0 | 500 -14 486 |
|*NSW Chiza Nwokolo | 0 1120 | 0 319 | 2.1 1.0 | 500 500 |
|*NSW Rashna Shroff | 0 1167 | 0 332 | 2.4 1.0 | 500 -86 414 |
|*NSW Hank Damhoff | 0 1168 | 0 333 | 2.5 1.0 | 500 -96 404 |
|*NSW Stephen Lenehan | 0 1169 | 0 334 | 2.6 0.3 | 500 -143
357 |
+-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+