Scrabble Australia
World Scrabble Championship 2009

Selecting Australia's WSC team for 2009

A team of five and possibly six Australians is to be selected to play in the 2009 World Scrabble Championship. The exact time and place for this event has not yet been announced.

The qualifying period is the sixteen month span from 1 March 2008 to 30 June 2009 (thus including two national championships).
Eligibility: You must be be an Australian citizen or permanent resident on 30 June 2009, and be a financial member of ASPA on 30 June 2009.

Players who win major titles

A maximum of two eligible players are selected by winning a prestige tournament, namely

(1) The winner of the 2008 Australian Masters
(2) The winner of the 2009 Australian Championship

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

Players who qualify via ratings

All remaining eligible places will be determined by ratings as follows

1. The method of ranking candidates is by the four peak statistic (the Q statistic) described below.
2. Players may appeal to CASPA for a special dispensation in exceptional circumstances.
3. In the event of any unforeseen issue the decision of CASPA is final.

The four peaks Q statistic

• The qualifying period is 1 March 2008 to 30 June 2009.
• The qualifying statistic is Q = (P1 + P2 + P3 + 2 x P4)/5 , which is a weighted average of peak ratings in four subperiods.
• Each subperiod is 4 calendar months.
• You must have an all time rating history of at least 150 games before the first peak.
• A peak is counted when you have played 12 games in a subperiod.
• A peak is zero if you play fewer than 12 games recognised by CASPA in a subperiod.
• The last peak is counted when you have played 90 games in the qualifying period (and 12 games in the last period).

The secondary criterion is number of rated games within the qualification period. If two players have the same Q statistic, the one with the greater number of games in the qualification period is ranked higher.

While subperiods are incomplete the qualifying statistic is extrapolated.

	CONTENDERS	Games	Q Stat	Peak (games) Mar-Jun	Peak (games) July-Oct	Peak (games) Nov-Feb	Peak (games) Mar-Jun
1.	David Eldar (VIC)	63	2040.00	2040 (63)
2.	Naween Fernando (VIC)	38	1978.00	1978 (38)
3.	Chris May (NSW)	70	1977.00	1969 (50)	1985 (20)
4.	Edward Okulicz (NSW)	37	1974.00	1949 (17)	1999 (20)
5.	Andrew Fisher (VIC)	55	1934.00	1934 (55)
6.	Julian McKail (VIC)	31	1886.00	1886 (31)
	ALMOST IN
7.	Joan Rosenthal (NSW)	32	1869.00	1869 (32)
8.	Trevor Halsall (VIC)	92	1868.00	1868 (81)	0 (11)
9.	Joanne Craig (NSW)	108	1861.50	1840 (88)	1883 (20)
10.	Michael Cameron (SA)	38	1848.00	1848 (38)
11.	Michael Hornung (VIC)	92	1847.00	1847 (85)	0 (7)
12.	Esther Perrins (NSW)	37	1828.00	1820 (17)	1836 (20)
13.	Peter Kougi (VIC)	59	1824.00	1824 (55)	0 (4)
14.	Bob Jackman (NSW)	104	1820.50	1843 (71)	1798 (33)
15.	Richard Jeremy (ACT)	75	1815.50	1816 (55)	1815 (20)

Paul Cleary (currently rated 1832) is out, 0 games in period 1 so no peak.

Recently processed:
20.07.2008 Winter Masters (NSW), 22.07.2008 Morno-Arvo (QLD), 26.07.2008 Launceston (TAS), 26.07.2008 SA JULY (SA), 02.08.2008 SOUTHERN TABLELANDS 08 (!Special), 02.08.2008 VIC COUNTRY (VIC), 03.08.2008 AUGUST 2008 OPEN (WA)

Upcoming tournaments:
09.08.2008 Empire Bay (NSW), 09.08.2008 Magnetic Island (QLD), 10.08.2008 Mornington (VIC), 16.08.2008 Townsville Saturday (QLD), 17.08.2008 Townsville Sunday (QLD), 17.08.2008 Gwen Chadwick Tournament (VIC), 17.08.2008 Kitty's Youth Fundraiser (NSW), 23.08.2008 Revesby (NSW)