Naween Fernando's 1999 WSC Memories

 My WSC Memories

by Naween Fernando

Wow, Ok its my turn to relish my memories down under. I must say, reliving all those accounts from Wapnick, Sherman, Fisher, Smitheram, Schonbrun, Jackman, Holgate, Hirai, Appleby, Felt & especially Geary was truly fascinating – sorry if I missed out anybody.

Well my expedition began on the 30th of October aboard a 3 ½ hour Sri Lankan Airlines flight to Singapore & then a 6 hour one on Qantas to Melbourne. Arriving on 31st morning with Lakshan & Suresh, we were pleasantly surprised to meet Ganesh & Michael Tang at the airport who were reportedly waiting for a pickup straight from Singapore to the Geelong tournament - man talk about diehard Scrabble players.

The tiles got rattling on the 2nd of November for me at the cosy St. James Centre and found myself playing a former Gulf countryman, Arvind Abraham. I lost a closely fought end game – having missed SUNBATH early on. Further losses to Bob Jackman & Geoff Wright had me highly worried about my current form. Had the tiles flowing all the way with Stanley Njoroge, Peter Sinton & Barry Harridge – my one fan club. Lost a tight game to Andrew Fisher & was left cursing myself for not trying FOREHENTS (hooking the S on the Triple). Finished the tournament with a close win over John Barker. I was quite surprised that some of the big guns didn’t fair too well which showed that the main event was going to be pretty hotly contested – but then again this was only 8 games without the presence of the eventual top 4 finishers in the Main Event.

The Main Event

Game 1 – was against Brendan McDonnell from Ireland, a virtual unknown quantity to me. I heard from a couple of others that I could whip his ---. I was feeling quite comfortable when he asked me before the game to inform him if he was doing anything wrong during the game. My worst fears became a reality when I ended up losing 384-428 to his first move bonus of VIcIOUS & end game ABREAST despite my double–double of dICTIEST.

Game 2 – vs Roland Filio my long time Scrabble Compatriot & mentor. Was in a mid-game dilemma when he had to take back TENIUOUS*. I knew he was gonna figure it out next move & chose to give up on HANGNAIL elsewhere & block his spot as he had a poor leave minus the S on the board. Despite a bingo of SALADING, Roland’s high scoring and a late GAITERS stole the game away from me 431-466.

Game 3 – and I was getting desperate & along comes Joan Rosenthal. We both start off with bonuses but a mid game bonus for her & consistent scoring coupled with my phony DIMY* lost me 361-432.

Game 4 – This was my worst start in any tournament ever & I was hoping for a break. So I happily start of with TEABOWl against Paul Epstein & blunder the next move with CLOGsOME* onto the E. Paul kept the board tightly blocked up & I was fortunate to have some good picks through the game. Despite a late bingo of NUISANCE from Paul, I managed to pull off my first win thanx to FITON* - I didn’t really deserve to win that game.

Game 5 – Another tight game against Englishman Alec Webb. Moving into the end-game I was trailing by about 30 and needed a bonus to win. Hanging on toAEGIO QU. I play off the G opening 2 Triple  Columns– hoping to draw either the one of the 2 T’s or R (AEQUORIN). I pick a T for EQUATION and pull off another close & “fortunate to win” game.

Still 2-3 and then comes Brian Cappelletto

Game 6 – It was a closely contested game with fortune smiling both ways until I refused to try OUTRIDER – Akshay confirmed by worst suspicions after the game. Brian finished off the game with a last move LIfTMEN – a good spot given the time pressure. Incidentally if he had picked up the S, instead of the E which he did, the scores of  315-392 would have been a lot closer.

Game 7 – And I was still kicking myself for not trying OUTRIDER and now on 2-4 was feeling quite down and almost out! I’m playing Eddie Metevier the man from Trinidad & Tobago. I had the game nicely wrapped up until he bingos with DRIPPIEr & ZILLIONS for his penultimate moves. Fortunately he had emptied the tile bag & I was able to go out with CROMBIES and win 458 – 409.

Game 8 – the last for the day & just what I didn’t need – what was I doing in Table 30’s says Shafique Thobani. We both had early bingos but the last blank proved crucial as he went out with REVALUe taking the last opening & I go down 376 – 413. I felt this was the best game I had played for the day,

which probably kept me from going to “Crazy Horse” and drowning my sorrows.

Game 9 – I felt quite composed once again & surprise surprise I was playing Mr. McDonnell again. I was leading throughout the game & a play of EMBED won me by one point despite his out finish of SNAILIER through the I on a tight board. Whew.

Game 10 - Another one of my former Gulf countrymen – Ricardo Gonzalez. The tiles finally start flowing and despite having CHASUBLY* challenged off early on, I win 420 – 320 – my biggest win so far!

Game 11 - My subcontinental neighbor, Mr. Mohan Chunkath. An early bingo of eRGOTIC & then PReTENSE with consistent high scoring won me 423 – 406, despite impressive plays of ANALOGUE onto a loose E, DEBUNK and a last move ASTEROID by Mohan.

Game 12 – Well three in a row to compensate for my 1st day’s drubbing & I was now on 6-5. I’m playing Russell Byers & despite a last move bingo he wallops me 475 – 352 with a double-double of ASHIEST which was one of his 2 last move bonuses.

Game 13 – and I’m on neutral playing Ganesh who also wasn’t having a great tournament. Was happy to bingo first move with FOEDARIE onto the D of JADES. Ganesh had an impressive late bingo of sEABOOTS as a result of my having a mental block of convincing myself of LEERINGS/REELINGS. Was lucky to get away with a 417 – 395 win.

Game 14 – and I was paired against Paul Cleary with whom I had shared 4 games in Singapore. I had a great game starting off with SEDGIER, having no place to play MAINBOOM onto a loose O and missing the obvious MAMBOING. Yet fortune smiled my way and a late bonus of REfUSAL after trying SERPULAS*! & Cleary trying INKWORT* (instead of the T at the front) which was duly blocked won me 487 – 332.

Game 15 – a very tight game against Rodney Judd from Pakistan. Was lucky to pick up the last blank to bingo OESTRIOL & his phony DEUX* won me a tense game 369 – 348.

Game 16 – I was now sitting pretty on 9-6 and was just hoping I could pull off the last game for the day to have a glimmer of hope for the finals – although I knew to myself that I didn’t deserve to be there…at least not this time. No problems….I got my biggest thrashing by Femi Awowade 532- 396 with the help of fINEABLE, DEVOIRS & some very high scoring plays, although I did play well.

Well all I had to do now was to win the next 8 games on the trot with
sizeable spreads.

Game 17 – Paired with Steven Gruzd and settled an old score – DC ’97, winning 399-362. Again we both made mistakes. Him trying the 9 timer SCANDALE & me not blocking his other spot of CANDELAS. What cost him the game though was missing the tough MULLITE.

Game 18 – Canadian James Cherry quickly put an end to any thoughts I had of entering the finals with a 421 – 355 win. Again I was left kicking myself for trying ACQUITED* when I could have gone with ACQUIRED for a lesser score. Yup got too greedy. Mr. Cherry had SINUATEs & finished off with COROnERS. Oh by the way, Congratulations man for your wonderful achievement, apart from the World of Scrabble.

With the pressure off, my next goal was to get within the prize money & improve my ’97 performance of 19th place & yeah I didn’t want my show in Singapore to be in vain.

Game 19 – a rematch with Ganesh who blocks my second move OXIDIZES. He bingos with WATERILY and the elegant TEUCHAT to my LAIRAGE and TOMATOES. However UNDIM* from Ganesh, helps me jump into a comfortable lead and block his outplay of HEIRESS to win 437 – 364.

Whew 11–8 and just a win away from the Top Row Tables.

Game 20 – I’m up against Jeff Grant and manage to settle a four year score (6th Round London ’95) when Jeff came 3rd. An early bonus helps greatly as Jeff runs into time trouble with the last blank on a tight board. Was happy to spot APOGEE & block the more critical of the two bingo spots to seal a comfortable victory.

Game 21 – Finally at the Top Tables playing Gareth Williams. Gareth has EQUATION for 102. The game is over in 22 moves with consistent scoring by both parties and both finish with last move bonuses, bEAUTIES for Gareth and UNTAILEd for me. Was 90% sure about ELUvIATE for a higher Spread but decided the win was more important.

I was now on 13-8 and had to win my last 3 for a Top 10 Finish due to my poor spread.

Game 22 – Yup its Joel Sherman..what was he doing here…or rather how did I get here? I manage to settle a 200+ loss in Singapore with an equally big margin thanks to some very lucky picks of REALISE, OBJET, INTARSIA, IONIZE coupled with his SPRIED* and his last move OUTFLUSH (which he didn’t try, its only in OSW).

Things were looking really good after my nightmare start now.

Game 23 – Phil Applebly blocks my early bingo of GENEtRIX. The word that cost me the game I believe was EXPUNGER with the same rack as the game might have gone either way at that stage. Applebly turns it on later in the game with FRONTER, HENBITS & VESTING & I believe he thoroughly deserved to win that game. Good thing I didn’t try adding an “S” to FRONTER but instead settled for oVERLAID but still got hammered – this time Phil exacting revenge for his defeat in Singapore.

It was quite simple really, a win would put me in the Top 16 & a loss, well I wasn’t really thinking much about that.

Game 24 - I up against Femi again and we have a very tight one with only 1 bonus for the entire game. Things a very tense till until I pick up the last blank and Femi opens up AORTA unaware that it takes a E. I gladly settle for QUeRN for 48 and hang on to win 361–354 , it was sweet revenge for my earlier thrashing and put me in the prize money and more importantly World #13.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Harshan Lamabadusuriya who was closely monitoring the Sri Lankan Team Performance with words of encouragement sent to the WSC mailing list – Thanx Man. Also wanna thank everyone in Sri Lanka & Bahrain for their support.

Thanks to Phil Nelkon for finally making WSC ’99 a reality after all those months of waiting & waiting & whom I could hardly say hello to! Thanx also for that pleasant surprise of announcing my Birthday. Also well done to every body else involved behind the scenes.

Congratulations again to Joel Wapnick and Mark Nyman – isn’t he one of the all time Scrabble Greats, not taking anything away from Wapnick. Also well done to Suresh & Phil for their records at the tournament, who probably deserved a bit more than a round of applause. Well done to all the other competitors as well for making this event a truly intense competition than ever before. I actually had my eyes burning up between the last couple of rounds – probably due to the concentration & pressure.

Special Thanx to Wilma Vialle, Sue Kyatt, the soft-spoken Angie Pearse & son Steven and Patricia Mitchell for making my stay in Australia very special. Can’t wait to return to Australia in 2000 for my studies.