Scrabble Australia
Australian Masters and State Team Challenge
Qualification Criteria for 2015

Australian Masters and State Team Challenge

Criteria for both events

  1. To qualify, a player must be a financial member of ASPA for the entire qualifying period.
  2. The State of Representation is the State that the player was representing in the majority of games played during the qualifying period. Any anomalies concerning what amounts to a majority of games will be resolved by CASPA.
  3. A player must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Temporary visa holders are not eligible.
  4. The method of ranking candidates is by the three peak statistic (the Q statistic) described below.

Australian Masters - Qualification criteria

For 2015 onwards, 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. (Unlike earlier years, there is no longer any concept of a top of state representative).

State Team Challenge - Qualification criteria

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.

The three peaks Q statistic

The primary criterion for ranking candidates is the Q statistic calculated like this:


The qualification months have changed for 2015, and so there will be an overlap in 2014/2015.

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.

Etiquette for acceptance

Once the selection process is finished, it is incumbent on team members to accept their places within a reasonable amount of time. Any issues that may prevent a member from playing in the event should be discussed with CASPA as soon as reasonably possible after they arise. Such discussion may include negotiating with the reserve team members as to their ability to replace the team member."