1997 World SCRABBLE® Championship

Contents:

• WSC 1997 Details
• Complete Results
• Finals Game 1
• Finals Game 2
• Finals Game 3
• Finals Game 4

WSC 1997 Details:
Venue: Stouffer Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D.C.

Dates: Nov. 20-24, 1997

No. of Players: 80

Dictionary: SOWPODS
Challenge Rule: Free Challenge

Winner: Joel Sherman
Runner-Up: Matt Graham

Top Prize: $ 25,000.00
Format:
Eighty players played a Swiss tournament of twenty-one games each, with each player playing seven games on each of the first three days. The two top players from this tournament then played a best-of-five game final to decide who would be World Scrabble Champion 1997.

Complete Results:
(Standing after 21 rounds)

1	Sherman, Joel	United States	16-5	829
2	Graham, Matt	United States	15-6	993
3	Edley, Joe	United States	15-6	915
4	Felt, Robert	United States	14-7	814
5	Nyman, Mark	England	14-7	741
6	Boyd, Kendall	New Zealand	14-7	401
7	Byers, Russell	England	14-7	396
8	Bhandarkar, Akshay	Bahrain	14-7	353
9	Logan, Adam	Canada	13-8	1064
10	Cappelletto, Brian	United States	13-8	946
11	Boys, David	World Champion	13-8	935
12	Acton, David	England	13-8	517
13	Grant, Jeff	New Zealand	13-8	478
14	Saldanha, Allan	United Kingdom	13-8	234
15	Tiekert, Ron	United States	13-8	-27
16	Okosagah, Sammy	Nigeria	12-9	816
17	Nderitu, Patrick Gitonga	Kenya	12-9	750
18	Warusawitharana, Missaka	Sri Lanka	12-9	709
19	Fernando, Naween Tharanga	Sri Lanka	12-9	588
20	Holgate, John	Australia	12-9	556
21	Downer, Penny	United Kingdom	12-9	408
22	Fisher, Andrew	United Kingdom	12-9	382
23	Thobani, Shafique	Kenya	12-9	85
24	Cleary, Paul Stephen	Australia	12-9	82
25	Ndungu, Stanley Njoroge	Kenya	12-9	16
26	Williams, Gareth	Wales	12-9	-179
27	Spate, Clive	United Kingdom	11½-9½	344
28	Awowade, Femi	England	11-10	711
29	Onyeonwu, Ifeanyi	Nigeria	11-10	613
30	Yawo, Anaga Takyi	Ghana	11-10	545
31	Perrins, Esther	Australia	11-10	377
32	Pui, Cheng Wui	Malaysia	11-10	305
33	Sukhumrattanaporn, Charnwit	Thailand	11-10	94
34	Gruzd, Steven	South Africa	11-10	63
35	Addo, Joshua	Ghana	11-10	48
36	Wapnick, Joel	Canada	11-10	27
37	Carter, Gerald	Thailand	11-10	-439
38	Daniel, Robin Pollock	Canada	11-10	-503
39	Hahn, Albert	Canada	11-10	-719
40	Sigley, Michael	New Zealand	10½-10½	516
41	Webb, Mark	England	10½-10½	127
42	Klaphajone, Jakkrit	Thailand	10-11	606
43	Blom, Roger	Australia	10-11	520
44	Hersom, Randy	United States	10-11	511
45	Mead, Jeremiah	United States	10-11	507
46	Schonbrun, Lester	United States	10-11	379
47	Geary, Jim	United States	10-11	218
48	Khan, Rashid Ateeq	Pakistan	10-11	-333
49	Luebkemann, John	United States	10-11	-400
50	Elbourne, Peter	Malta	10-11	-435
51	Grayson, John	Wales	10-11	-447
52	Khoshnaw, Karl	Kurdistan-Iraq	10-11	-582
53	Jonah, J.J.	Israel	10-11	-645
54	Chinnaiyah, Suresh	Sri Lanka	9½-11½	124
55	Mensah, Edem Kafui	Ghana	9½-11½	-296
56	Butler, Lynne	New Zealand	9½-11½	-745
57	Lao, Armando	Philippines	9-12	246
58	Lipton, Bob	United States	9-12	12
59	Quek, Sim Ho	Singapore	9-12	-284
60	Raychbart, Paloma	Israel	9-12	-351
61	Lobo, Yvonne	Bahrain	9-12	-413
62	Saldanha, Norbert	United Arab Emirates	9-12	-551
63	Saliba, Mario	Malta	9-12	-586
64	Davids, Gerald	South Africa	9-12	-643
65	Tan, Kiat Hing Austin	Singapore	9-12	-769
66	Nanavati, Jim	Canada	9-12	-964
67	Ul-Haq, Assad	Qatar	8-13	306
68	Abdullah, Raja Fuadin	Malaysia	8-13	137
69	Salih, Sala Fadl Mohamed	Saudi Arabia	8-13	-47
70	Pray, Linda Hazel	Oman	8-13	-234
71	Chune, Albert	Trinidad and Tobago	8-13	-828
72	Nakai, Ken	Japan	8-13	-865
73	Clenaghan, Nuala	Ireland	8-13	-872
74	Meghan, Eileen	Éire	8-13	-891
75	Springer, Robert	France	8-13	-1097
76	Mamadou, Wone	Kuwait	7-14	-755
77	Paolella, Libero	Canada	7-14	-862
78	Sandu, Dan Laurentiu	Romania	5-16	-1528
79	Gibbons, Randall	Guyana	4-17	-913
80	Nanayakkara, Harischandra	Seychelles	3-18	-2141

Best-of-Five Finals: 

WSC 1997 Finalists, Joel Sherman and Matt Graham

Game 1

Graham started strongly with two consecutive bingos, FUSTIAN and MiSTHrOW (two blanks). Sherman was struggling after his TORNADIC. Graham nailed down another bingo, GUINEAS and Sherman never recovered. Graham took the first game for a 1-0 lead.

Play through by clicking Forward button or any part of the board.

Scoresheet Summary:

Matt Graham					vs.	Joel Sherman
Rack	Main Word	Pos.	Score	Total	Turn	Rack	Main Word	Pos.	Score	Total
AFINSTU	FUSTIAN	8D	78	78	1	DIJLNRZ	DJIN	J5	28	28
??HMOTW	MiSTHrOW	F6	78	156	2	ADILNRZ	ZILA	K2	32	60
CLNNRRW	CROWN	12D	22	178	3	ACDNORT	TORNADIC	H2	62	122
DEHLNPR	NEPHROL	3C	28	206	4
DEHLNPR	Lost challenge		-28	178	5	EEIIOPU	TIE	G8	15	137
DEHLNPR	PH	E5	21	199	6	EIOPRUV	NOUP	H12	18	155
DELLNRT	TROLLIED	3F	22	221	7	AEIKQRV	QUAKIER	14G	30	185
EGGNSST	TEGG	15L	26	247	8	ELNORVY	LEVO	13L	23	208
EEINSSU	ZEES	2K	31	278	9	ANORXYY	NOX	1M	36	244
AEGINSU	GUINEAS	L5	64	342	10	AAIORYY	YAY	K10	27	271
EEEINOS	AEONS	I8	24	366	11	AFIORRV	NOVA	8L	21	292
ABEEIIU	BIVIA	N6	18	384	12	DFIMRRT	DRIPT	15E	21	313
ABEEEOU	BEAUT	2D	15	399	13	FMR	EMIR	9L	18	331
EEO	BEE	D2	10	409	14	F	IF	7N	11	342
O					15		(O)		2	344
					16		(time)		-10	334

Game 2

Graham missed a good move, BOWNED in the pre-endgame and played DOWF instead. Sherman found the right moves in the endgame to even the match.

Play through by clicking Forward button or any part of the board.

Scoresheet Summary:

Joel Sherman					vs.	Matt Graham
Rack	Main Word	Pos.	Score	Total	Turn	Rack	Main Word	Pos.	Score	Total
?AIOUVZ	ZOUAVe	8d	54	54	1	?EILRSS	SIZzLERS	d6	82	82
ACEGIIU	GUAIAC	g4	13	67	2	EIIOTWY	YOWIE	c2	24	106
DEEINPT	ENDITE	h1	32	99	3	HIIQTVY	QIS	13b	24	130
EFIKPTX	KIF	14a	47	146	4	EHIOTVY	HOVE	b6	32	162
AEOPSTX	SEXPOT	15c	54	200	5	BEILTTY	BENTY	2f	24	186
ADEPRRR	PARE	d1	35	235	6	AIILRTT	LITERATI	11a	66	252
DMNORRU	URN	b1	21	256	7	AAEEENS	ALAE	10c	14	266
DGJMMOR	MM	f5	28	284	8	CDEEENS	SCENED	j8	29	295
DGJLOOR	DOJO	13j	24	308	9	BDEFNOW	DOWF	14k	39	334
ADGLLNR	GLAD	15l	48	356	10	ABEGHNT	GU	1a	9	343
AILNNRR	REIN	1g	13	369	11	ABEHNTU	EATH	3j	20	363
ALNOR	RELOAN	10i	8	377	12	BNU
	(BNU)		10	387	13

Game 3
Graham made another error when he played HERB instead of BERTH and Sherman took another close game

Play through by clicking Forward button or any part of the board.

Scoresheet Summary:

Matt Graham					vs.	Joel Sherman
Rack	Main Word	Pos.	Score	Total	Turn	Rack	Main Word	Pos.	Score	Total
ADGHINN	HANDING	8D	82	82	1	ACDFLUY	YUCA	9I	25	25
EEIOSVX	VIXEN	F4	31	113	2	DDEFILT	FLED	8L	45	70
AAEIOOS	AIAS	9C	28	141	3	DEFINRT	NIFTIER	5E	40	110
EJLOOOT	JOE	N6	26	167	4	ADIIIOR	IDIOT	H1	21	131
ELOORTZ	ZOO	O4	31	198	5	ACGIORT	ARGOTIC	B8	83	214
BEHLLRT	HERB	A5	39	237	6	?ADEOQV	QI	3G	21	235
AEILLMT	MALLET	B1	29	266	7	?ADEEOV	AMOVE	1A	42	277
EGIIOST	GIO	A11	13	279	8	?DENRSW	WIDeNERS	1G	62	339
EEEISTU	EE	10I	16	295	9	AKLMNSW	MAWK	4J	32	371
EEISTUY	GOUTY	11A	18	313	10	BLNPSUU	PULU	10L	16	387
EEEIRRS	REX	6D	12	325	11	ABNNOST	BATONS	H10	32	419
EEIPRST	POETRIES	13G	78	403	12	?N
	(?N)		2	405	13

Game 4

Sherman got off to a big lead and began shutting down the board. Graham took a chance on FLEXERS for 101 points, but Sherman successfully challenged it off. Graham drew a rack full of consonants. Sherman won the game and was crowned World Scrabble Champion, after losing in the final two years earlier.

Play through by clicking Forward button or any part of the board.

Scoresheet Summary:

Joel Sherman					vs.	Matt Graham
Rack	Main Word	Pos.	Score	Total	Turn	Rack	Main Word	Pos.	Score	Total
EHORRRU	HOUR	8G	14	14	1	AAEEGIT	TAIGA	7F	24	24
AEPRRUY	YAUPER	6B	31	45	2	AEEEFIJ	JEFE	6J	56	80
ABGOORT	TABOO	5I	40	85	3	AEEEGIZ	ZIP	E4	28	108
EEGLNRS	GLEANERS	C3	72	157	4	AEEEGOQ	GLOZE	4B	30	138
??ALRTW	StALWaRT	10C	63	220	5	ACEEIMQ	MEtIC	D8	31	169
IIINNUY	UNCINI	12B	8	228	6	AEIOQSX	QUAI	B11	26	195
ADILSUY	SLAY	15A	47	275	7	ELMOSWX	MOW	14D	23	218
BDEINOU	OBIED	15F	29	304	8	EEFLRSX	FLEXERS	13G	103	321
AENNSTU					9	EEFLRSX	Lost challenge		-103	218
AENNSTU	NUT	13G	8	312	10	EEFLRSX	EXEME	8A	42	260
AEHIINS	HI	11G	16	328	11	EFLRRSV	REV	A7	6	266
AEIKNOS	SINK	N6	27	355	12	DEFLRST	FEND	8L	36	302
AACENOO	OCEAN	14J	23	378	13	DLPRSTV	PRE	F2	11	313
ADOT	ODA	4L	24	402	14	DLSTV	DEV	L13	11	324
T	TA	N3	2	404	15	LST
	(LST)		6	410	16

FINALS RECAP:
Game 1: Graham 409 - Sherman 334
Game 2: Sherman 387 - Graham 363
Game 3: Sherman 419 - Graham 405
Game 4: Sherman 410 - Graham 324

YouTube clip of WSC 1997: