69 players converged on the picturesque University of Wollongong for the year's first tournament. As it has always been, players were arranged into round-robins of 10. A late withdrawal due to illness spoiled the prospect of complete round robins with no byes in each section, and a few players blew in just before the starting time of 9:15, but play got underway quickly and efficiently as is expected.
We welcomed the Richards family and Olga Visser from Queensland, and Matte Dunn from Victoria, as well as the usual grab-bag of ACT die-hards and a slew of South Coasters who are not often seen at Sydney tournaments.
Top-seeded Chris May always does well at the Janboree, with two wins and a second to his name, and he lived up to expectations with 7.5 wins out of nine, getting back over 1800. He drew on 405 with Rod Talbot in the last game to ensure his win after second-placed Bob Jackman fell to John Barker in the last game - but still picked up 55 rating points. Richard Jeremy pleased himself with another 39-point gain, and pleased Joanne Craig by losing to her 321-575, giving her the day's highest game. Joan Rosenthal notched up 140 for the classy PARANOEA, the day's best-scoring word.
Alyssum's co-winner Jean McGiffen noted that she, and the other co-winner, Alastair Richards, were the section's oldest and youngest player. Jean lost to Rene Chelton and Justin Moyle, and Alastair lost to Jean and father Paul. Under aggregates, Jean would have won outright, but since they had the same wins and the same spread, we split the prize. Young Alastair let young-at-heart Jean keep the prize envelope, of which there as only one. The tying didn't stop there - Susan MacGillivray and Graeme Lock Lee tied for the High Game of 479. Karen Richards was consoled by losing to both her kin, but got the High Word for her 101-point BLIGHTED.
Alison Pollard was the clear winner in Nemesia, losing her only game by 2 points to David More and piling on 80 ratings points. David also tied with Olga Visser for the High Word - his FOAMIEST and Olga's AZIONES scored 92. Alison also got a 92 but I don't know what the word was. Alison's husband Gary got in on the prizes with the High Game of 496.
In Boronia, Mark Smith recovered his rising-star status with a clean-sweep, grabbing 71 rating points and the High Game prize along the way. His nearest rival was Natalie Tadday, whose opponents kept playing dodgy words - I saw her at the challenge computer more than anyone. Her 70-point gain, putting her over 1200 just in time for the Summer Masters, suggests her vigilence paid off. Margaret Berliner scored 111 for EXPLAIN to take the High Word.
Oleander was the only section whose leader changed after nearly every round. Linda Diamond charged to an early lead despite dropping her first game, but she was pipped by a strong finish by her first-round opponent Gordon Meggs. I think this win brought the loudest cheers of them all. I grossly mangled Daphne Bezuidenhout's name when announcing her as the winner of the High Game with 450, but did better with Nanette Reynolds' when she scored 94 for RESHINE.
Bill Condon won the day's second clean sweep in Ruellia, continuing his recent good form and grabbing another 71 rating points. The High Game and High Word went west to Canberra with Owen Randall and Heather Sorensen respectively.
It was a close tussle in Erigeron, with the game between youngster John Hamilton and keen newcomer La'reine Lang being the decisive one; John put an S on AGO - but not, alas to make SAGO, but forming AGOS*. La'reine did not challenge and John won the game narrowly, and eventually won the section on spread. John only lost to Diana Field in game 1, and with an average in the 380s, I suspect we won't be seeing him in the bottom division much longer. La'reine snared 124 ratings points to take out the $50 High Rating Gain prize, so she didn't go home empty-handed.
I did make a note of some good plays during the day, but in my (thankfully) inimitable fashion, I promptly lost the piece of paper I wrote them down on. I do remember that Chris May played three bonuses in a row, and that John Barker played five bonuses in his first game without blanks, apparently, and followed it up with another four in game 2 - including one that went unchallenged despite it being unacceptable! GAPY has no comparative or superlative forms.
Credit for the tournament getting off the mark and over the line must be given to Kim and Kris Logan for their sterling work on the barbecue and the challenge computer respectively, and to Dianne McDonald for volunteering her time, and dashing to the shops to get tea and spoons when they were missing from the kit in the morning. Rene Chelton organised fruit platters for between games, prepared and served by members of the WORDS Scrabble Club, much appreciated on an overcast but warm day. Big thanks also to the travelling Richards family, who helped me set up on Friday night, and to all those who stayed behind to help put the tables back where they belonged.
I look forward to an even better 2007 Janboree, only as a player rather than an organiser.
Results after game 9
07.01.2006 Janboree -- JUNIPER
Rank Player Wins Mar
---------------------------------
1 Chris May 7.5 799
2 Bob Jackman 7 572
3 Richard Jeremy 6 116
4 Joan Rosenthal 6 70
5 John Barker 4 173
6 Matte Dunn 4 -288
7 Rod Talbot 3.5 -213
8 John Spaan 3 -465
9 Joanne Craig 2 -229
10 Peter Shaw 2 -535
HIGH GAME: Joanne Craig 575
HIGH WORD: Joan Rosenthal 140
"PARANOEA"
Results after game 9
07.01.2006 Janboree -- ALYSSUM
Rank Player Wins Mar
---------------------------------
1 Jean McGiffen 7 403
1 Alastair Richards 7 403
3 Justin Moyle 6 72
4 Graeme Lock Lee 5 228
5 Tony Hunt 5 28
6 Paul Richards 5 -31
7 Karen Richards 3 -111
8 Susan MacGillivray 3 -150
9 Hanne Marks 2 -383
10 Rene Chelton 2 -459
HIGH GAME: Susan MacGillivray 479
HIGH GAME: Graeme Lock Lee 479
HIGH WORD: Karen Richards 101
"BLIGHTED"
Results after game 9
07.01.2006 Janboree -- NEMESIA
Rank Player Wins Mar
---------------------------------
1 Alison Pollard 8 498
2 Olga Visser 6 199
3 Cheryl Michler 5 164
4 Jenny Templeton 5 5
5 Moana Nepia 5 -22
6 Jan Serisier 4 -59
7 David More 4 -152
8 Gary Pollard 3 -63
9 Greg Pinchbeck 3 -213
10 Mal Ramsdale 2 -357
HIGH GAME: Gary Pollard 496
HIGH WORD: Olga Visser 92
"AZIONES"
David More 92
"FOAMIEST"
Results after game 9
07.01.2006 Janboree -- BORONIA
Rank Player Wins Mar
---------------------------------
1 Mark Smith 9 923
2 Natalie Tadday 7 225
3 Richard Birch 5 231
4 Raya Wilkinson 5 134
5 Sharon Sorensen 5 19
6 Margaret Berliner 4 19
7 Margaret Andrews 4 -299
8 Bev Purkis 2 -343
9 Michael Adler 2 -347
10 Jean Balmer 2 -562
HIGH GAME: Mark Smith 513
HIGH WORD: Natalie Tadday 109
"CRANKED"
Results after game 9
07.01.2006 Janboree -- OLEANDER
Rank Player Wins Mar
---------------------------------
1 Gordon Meggs 7 195
2 Linda Dimond 6 133
3 Rocky Sharma 6 132
4 Sunny Wright 5 261
5 Nanette Reynolds 4 93
6 Daphne Bezuidenhout 4 -2
7 George Khamis 4 -42
8 Tony Kalayzich 4 -67
9 Ann Fiddler 3 -263
10 Janine Whittaker 2 -440
HIGH GAME: Daphne Bezuidenhout 450
HIGH WORD: Nanette Reynolds 94
"RESHINE"
Results after game 9
07.01.2006 Janboree -- RUELLIA
Rank Player Wins Mar
---------------------------------
1 Bill Condon 9 602
2 Liz Jackman 6 248
3 Owen Randall 5 231
4 Heather Sorensen 5 5
5 Esther Rolfe 4 59
6 Vi Phillips 4 -31
7 Yvonne Edwards 4 -73
8 Yvonne Pollard 3 69
9 Edith Lowbeer @26 3 -725
10 Maree Heynen 2 -385
HIGH GAME: Owen Randall 520
HIGH WORD: Margaret Berliner 111
"EXPLAIN"
Results after game 9
07.01.2006 Janboree -- ERIGERON
Rank Player Wins Byes Mar
---------------------------------
1 John Hamilton 7 1 674
2 La'Reine Lang 7 1 479
3 Lexie Neale 5 1 229
4 Arie Holla 4.5 1 74
5 Lila Tucker 3.5 1 -375
6 Jon Strang 3 1 -50
7 Diana Field 3 1 -242
8 Joy Morris 2 1 -284
9 Maria Kaye 1 1 -505
HIGH GAME: John Hamilton 452
HIGH WORD: Diana Field 98
"SCREAMS"
Stats for Tournament : 07.01.2006 Janboree
+--------------------------+-----------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| state Name | National | State | Wins | Rating Points |
| | Old New | Old New | Exp Act | Old
| Change New|
+--------------------------+-----------+---------+-----------+---------------+
+Section: *JUNIPER + + + +
+--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| NSW Chris May | 7 5 | 2 2 | 6.2 7.5 | 1786 +28 1814 |
| NSW Bob Jackman | 20 13 | 7 5 | 4.4 7.0 | 1659 +55 1714 |
| NSW Joan Rosenthal | 18 15 | 6 6 | 4.8 6.0 | 1685 +25 1710 |
| ACT Richard Jeremy | 26 20 | 1 1 | 4.1 6.0 | 1633 +39 1672 |
| NSW John Barker | 23 25 | 9 9 | 4.1 4.0 | 1636 -2 1634 |
| VIC Matte Dunn | 17 19 | 9 9 | 4.9 4.0 | 1693 -17 1676 |
| NSW Rod Talbot | 13 18 | 5 7 | 5.2 3.5 | 1714 -33 1681 |
| ACT John Spaan | 37 38 | 2 2 | 3.5 3.0 | 1590 -9 1581 |
| NSW Joanne Craig | 25 35 | 10 12 | 4.1 2.0 | 1634 -42 1592 |
| NSW Peter Shaw | 33 41 | 12 14 | 3.7 2.0 | 1607 -34 1573 |
+-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+
+Section: *ALYSSUM + + + +
+--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| NSW Jean McGiffen | 60 37 | 15 13 | 4.8 7.0 | 1536 +45 1581 |
| QLD Alastair Richards | 69 42 | 5 3 | 4.6 7.0 | 1522 +50 1572 |
| ACT Justin Moyle | 92 70 | 4 3 | 3.9 6.0 | 1476 +42 1518 |
| NSW Graeme Lock Lee | 86 76 | 21 20 | 4.1 5.0 | 1486 +19 1505 |
| NSW Tony Hunt | 66 61 | 16 16 | 4.6 5.0 | 1527 +8 1535 |
| QLD Paul Richards | 43 46 | 3 4 | 5.2 5.0 | 1565 -3 1562 |
| QLD Karen Richards | 51 72 | 4 5 | 5.1 3.0 | 1555 -40 1515 |
| ACT Susan MacGillivray | 76 90 | 3 4 | 4.4 3.0 | 1507 -27 1480 |
| NSW Rene Chelton | 70 96 | 17 23 | 4.6 2.0 | 1521 -51 1470 |
| NSW Hanne Marks | 97 119 | 24 27 | 3.9 2.0 | 1472 -37 1435 |
+-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+
+Section: *NEMESIA + + + +
+--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| NSW Alison Pollard | 171 112 | 37 26 | 4.7 8.0 | 1370 +80 1450 |
| QLD Olga Visser | 110 108 | 11 10 | 5.8 6.0 | 1453 +4 1457 |
| NSW Moana Nepia | 129 134 | 30 31 | 5.4 5.0 | 1423 -8 1415 |
| NSW Jenny Templeton | 240 221 | 51 47 | 3.5 5.0 | 1288 +29 1317 |
| NSW Cheryl Michler | 248 227 | 53 49 | 3.4 5.0 | 1279 +32 1311 |
| NSW David More | 225 226 | 47 48 | 3.8 4.0 | 1309 +3 1312 |
| NSW Jan Serisier | 152 170 | 34 36 | 5.0 4.0 | 1389 -18 1371 |
| NSW Gary Pollard | 219 232 | 46 51 | 4.0 3.0 | 1318 -19 1299 |
| NSW Greg Pinchbeck | 188 216 | 41 46 | 4.4 3.0 | 1352 -29 1323 |
| NSW Mal Ramsdale | 156 210 | 35 43 | 4.9 2.0 | 1387 -58 1329 |
+-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+
+Section: *BORONIA + + + +
+--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| NSW Mark Smith | 258 185 | 54 39 | 5.4 9.0 | 1262 +91 1353 |
| NSW Natalie Tadday | 330 284 | 77 61 | 4.0 7.0 | 1163 +70 1233 |
| NSW Raya Wilkinson | 273 276 | 58 58 | 5.2 5.0 | 1246 -2 1244 |
| NSW Sharon Sorensen | 321 309 | 73 67 | 4.1 5.0 | 1174 +18 1192 |
| NSW Richard Birch | 334 317 | 79 71 | 3.9 5.0 | 1159 +21 1180 |
| NSW Margaret Berliner | 324 325 | 75 76 | 4.1 4.0 | 1172 -1 1171 |
| NSW Margaret Andrews | 289 293 | 63 65 | 4.9 4.0 | 1225 -16 1209 |
| NSW Bev Purkis | 292 329 | 64 77 | 4.8 2.0 | 1217 -54 1163 |
| NSW Jean Balmer | 320 355 | 72 85 | 4.2 2.0 | 1176 -42 1134 |
| ACT Michael Adler | 305 341 | 10 10 | 4.5 2.0 | 1196 -48 1148 |
+-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+
+Section: *OLEANDER + + + +
+--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| NSW Gordon Meggs | 386 339 | 92 80 | 4.4 7.0 | 1093 +56 1149 |
| NSW Rocky Sharma | 410 374 | 98 92 | 4.1 6.0 | 1074 +38 1112 |
| NSW Linda Dimond | 392 366 | 93 89 | 4.3 6.0 | 1090 +33 1123 |
| NSW Sunny Wright | 406 389 | 97 95 | 4.1 5.0 | 1075 +17 1092 |
| NSW Nanette Reynolds | 371 382 | 89 93 | 4.7 4.0 | 1114 -13 1101 |
| NSW Tony Kalayzich | 385 395 | 91 96 | 4.4 4.0 | 1095 -7 1088 |
| NSW George Khamis | 335 356 | 80 86 | 5.3 4.0 | 1159 -26 1133 |
| NSW Daphne Bezuidenhout | 401 406 | 95 98 | 4.2 4.0 | 1082 -5 1077 |
| NSW Ann Fiddler | 349 384 | 85 94 | 5.1 3.0 | 1141 -41 1100 |
| NSW Janine Whittaker | 395 439 | 94 106 | 4.3 2.0 | 1087 -46 1041 |
+-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+
+Section: *RUELLIA + + + +
+--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| NSW Bill Condon | 423 360 | 103 87 | 5.9 9.0 | 1056 +71 1127 |
| NSW Liz Jackman | 468 454 | 118 111 | 5.2 6.0 | 1003 +15 1018 |
| ACT Owen Randall | 544 530 | 15 15 | 4.4 5.0 | 945 +11 956 |
| ACT Heather Sorensen | 541 528 | 14 14 | 4.4 5.0 | 945 +11 956 |
| NSW Vi Phillips | 540 548 | 129 130 | 4.4 4.0 | 946 -9 937 |
| NSW Esther Rolfe | 453 482 | 111 120 | 5.5 4.0 | 1021 -30 991 |
| NSW Yvonne Edwards | 546 549 | 131 131 | 4.4 4.0 | 943 -8 935 |
| NSW Yvonne Pollard | 687 680 | 167 167 | 2.7 3.0 | 816 +6 822 |
| NSW Edith Lowbeer | 557 585 | 136 143 | 4.2 3.0 | 927 -23 904 |
| NSW Maree Heynen | 590 631 | 144 153 | 3.8 2.0 | 899 -36 863 |
+-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+
+Section: *ERIGERON + + + +
+--------------------------------------+---------+-----------+---------------+
| NSW John Hamilton | 942 826 | 237 206 | 4.3 7.5 | 646 +77 723 |
| NSW La'reine Lang | 912 731 | 230 182 | 4.5 7.5 | 661 +124 785 |
| NSW Lexie Neale | 827 814 | 205 201 | 5.2 5.5 | 721 +11 732 |
| NSW Arie Holla | 750 772 | 184 191 | 5.9 5.0 | 773 -14 759 |
| NSW Lila Tucker | 927 938 | 233 234 | 4.4 4.0 | 654 -7 647 |
| NSW Jon Strang | 981 996 | 253 255 | 4.0 3.5 | 620 -9 611 |
| NSW Diana Field | 1100 1088 | 293 289 | 3.0 3.5 | 541 +10 551 |
| NSW Joy Morris | 881 947 | 221 238 | 4.8 2.5 | 685 -43 642 |
| NSW Maria Kaye | 908 1004 | 227 260 | 4.5 1.5 | 662 -57 605 |
+-------------------------------------+---------+-----------+----------------+