2004 National SCRABBLE® Championship Photos: Round 30

Stefan Fatsis, author of Word Freak, inteviewed by Bill Geist from CBS.

The NSA's Jane R. Williams, kindly helps division 7's Doris Roll (Arlington, TN) to her seat.

Laura Klein leads the room to a group scream.

Division 3's Nancy Hanley (Wilmington, DE) vs. Roger Cullman (Toronto ON). See commentary.

Division 1's Avi Moss (Missouri City, TX) defeated Tom Singleton (Laguna Hills, CA), 384-351. See commentary (this game was from round 28).

Division 1's David Gibson (Spartanburg, SC) defeated Nathan Benedict (Tucson, AZ), 400-320. See commentary (this game from from round 28).

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Division 1's Peter Armstrong (Baltimore, MD) defeated Libero Paolella (Toronto ON), 469-330.

Division 1's Matt Graham (New York, NY) goes into an endgame analysis, Dominick Mancine (Louisville, CO) looks on.

Division 2's Bernard Gotlieb (Cote Saint-Luc QC) and Division 1's Zev Kaufman (Toronto ON).

Division 2's Win Inthara (Winter Park, FL) defeated Kevin Fraley (Madera, CA), 412-396. See commentary (this game from round 28).

Division 1's Mark Nyman (United Kingdom) vs. Steven Alexander (Portland, OR).

Division 1's Susi Tiekert (Indialantic, FL) and Marcia McPhee (Centreville, VA) and their 386-386 tie game. See commentary.

Crowding around top division 1 tables.

Division 1's Adam Logan (United Kingdom) defeated John Luebkemann (Pineville, NC), 415-390. See commentary.

Division 1's Komol Panyasophonlert (Thailand), sensing the bingo he couldn't stop on the other side of the board, held his scoresheet on his head and in front of his face. Nigel Richards (Malaysia) did go on to play AWARDER as an outbingo.

Adam Logan (United Kingdom) and Lisa Kessler (Toronto ON).

CBS cameraman, Bill Geist from CBS, ESPN producer, NSA's Andrew Rubenstein, and Stefan Fatsis stand around the Trey Wright (Los Angeles, CA) vs. Chris Cree (Dallas, TX) matchup.

Happy post-event division 2 SCRABBLE^® players: Glenn Dunlop (Brantford ON), David Pearl (Long Beach, CA), Rick Wong (San Jose, CA), Rusty Peltz (San Diego, CA), and his wife, Elaine.

Division 1's Nigel Richards (Malaysia) defeated Komol Panyasophonlert (Thailand), 463-353. See commentary.

Division 1's Nigel Richards (Malaysia) and his annotator, Beth Lerman.

Division 1's David Gibson (Spartanburg, SC) defeated Charnwit Sukhumrattanaporn (Thailand), 447-437. See commentary.

The crowd around division 1's top games.

Division 1's Charnwit Sukhumrattanaporn (Thailand) and David Gibson (Spartanburg, SC) completing endgame paperwork while the throng watches Chris Cree (Dallas, TX) in his endgame with Trey Wright (Los Angeles, CA).

Division 1's Adam Logan (United Kingdom) checks in on the Brian Cappelletto (Chicago, IL) vs. Joel Wapnick (Montréal QC) endgame.

Division 1's Brian Cappelletto (Chicago, IL) defeated Joel Wapnick (Montréal QC), 423-409. See commentary.

Division 1's Chris Cree (Dallas, TX), seemingly oblivious to the onlookers.

Division 1's board 2 game and an excited group of onlookers, some standing on chairs to gain a better angle.

Division 1's Chris Cree (Dallas, TX) stands and pulls his hands to his face when he discovers the bag's last tile. A very dramatic endgame, which Trey won.

Division 1's Chris Cree (Dallas, TX) gives Trey Wright (Los Angeles, CA) a heartfelt congratulations on a game well played. Trey had to stand to hear Chris speak since the room was so noisy at this point.

Division 1's Trey Wright (Los Angeles, CA) defeated Chris Cree (Dallas, TX), 432-339. See commentary.

The NSA's Joe Edley (Coram, NY) and John D. Williams, Jr., congratulate [error: no such id: chris] and Trey Wright (Los Angeles, CA) on a run of games well played.

Division 1's Chris Cree (Dallas, TX) who was so close, just not close enough, to making a major events final.

Bill Geist of CBS, helps Chris Cree (Dallas, TX) pick up his tiles as they discuss Chris' run of games.

Nick Amphlett (Cambridge, MA) and his Mom Janet Amphlett at the big board.

John Ezekowitz (Boston, MA) and his mom, Deborah Lunder, at the big board.

Nick Amphlett (Cambridge, MA) and John Ezekowitz (Boston, MA). SCRABBLE^® friends for years.

Division 7 player and longtime NSA volunteer, Donna Paul (Newberg, OR) in her letter shirt.

Waiting for the awards to begin, Joel Wapnick (Montréal QC) and David Johnson (Red Hook, NY) play a team game against Robin Pollock Daniel (Toronto ON) and Fern Lindzon (Toronto ON).

Division winner crystal trophies by Tiffany.

Close up of the division 2, first place trophy.

Hasbro's Mark Morris makes congratulatory remarks.

NSC organizer, Laura Klein, and Division 7 leader, John Robertson.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Whitney Gould (Kentfield, CA), 5th place in division 7.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Matthew Levine (Oak Park, CA), 4th place in division 7.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Jason Oppenheim (Seminole, FL), 3rd place in division 7.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Anna Rahman (Cincinnati, OH), 2nd place in division 7.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Jon Rumzis (Chandler, AZ), winner of division 7.

NSC organizer, Laura Klein, and Division 6 leader, Matt Hopkins.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Daniel Gerling (Austin, TX), 5th place in division 6.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Marty McCarthy (Wautoma, WI), 4th place in division 6.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Daniel Gerling (Austin, TX), 3rd place in division 6.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Ben Harrison (Cambridge, MA), 2nd place in division 6.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Mel Skolnik (New York, NY), winner of division 6.

Division 5 leader, Wendell Smith.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Paul Mistrette (Little Falls, NJ), 5th place in division 5.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Geoff Tongue (Tacoma, WA), 4th place in division 5.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Darren Johnson (Bend, OR)], 3rd place in division 5.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Asif Rahman (Cincinnati, OH), 2nd place in division 5.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Ryan Barrett (Englewood, CO), winner of division 5.

Division 4 leader, Bryan Pepper.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Rhonda Roederer (Lafayette, LA), 5th place in division 4.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Alex Fiszbein (South Lyon, MI), 4h place in division 4.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Travis Green (Mooresville, IN), 3rd place in division 4.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with John Stardom (Ottawa ON), 2nd place in division 4.

Into game 2 during the awards, Ann Sanfedele (New York, NY) joins Fern Lindzon (Toronto ON) and Robin Pollock Daniel (Toronto ON) on their side of the board.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Eugene Murray (Indianapolis, IN), winner of division 4.

Division 3 leader, Larry Rand.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Mitch Bayersdorfer (Menlo Park, CA), 6th place in division 3.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Sandy Carman (Lady Lake, FL), 5th place in division 3.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Greg Heidler (Waialua, HI), 4th place in division 3.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Kenneth Rubin (New York, NY), 3rd place in division 3.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Alan Kraus (Philadelphia, PA), 2nd place in division 3.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Jerry Scheiten (Buffalo, NY), winner of division 3.

Division 2 leader, Mary Rhoades.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Chris Abordo (West Paterson, NJ), 8th place in division 2.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Rick Wong (San Jose, CA), 7th place in division 2.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Fern Lindzon (Toronto ON), 6th place in division 2.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., withJim Nanavati (Burlington ON), 5th place in division 2.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Bob Lundegaard (Minneapolis, MN), 4th place in division 2.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with [error: no such id: chrisfraley], 3rd place in division 2.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Win Inthara (Winter Park, FL), 2nd place in division 2.

Division 1 leader, Bonnie Rudolph.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with David Pearl (Long Beach, CA), winner of division 2.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Gigi Miller (Sparks, NV), 6th place in division 4. (Photo taken out of sequence, should follow photo of Bryan Pepper)

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Ted Blevins (Cecilia, KY), 10th place in division 1.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Joel Wapnick (Montréal QC), 9th place in division 1.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Adam Logan (United Kingdom), 8th place in division 1.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Pakorn Nemitrmansuk (Thailand), 7th place in division 1.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Komol Panyasophonlert (Thailand), 6th place in division 1.

John D. Williams, Jr., takes the microphone to say a few words about this 20-year friendship with Chris Cree (Dallas, TX). It was an emotional moment for us all.

Chris Cree (Dallas, TX) thanks everyone for the years or support and he lets us know he'll be back next time.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Chris Cree (Dallas, TX), 4th place in division 1.

John D. Williams, Jr., says a few words about the second appearance of Nigel Richards (Malaysia) in our NSC (he was in San Diego in 2002) and thanked him for coming all the way from Malaysia. A quiet guy, Nigel smiled and opted to not speak to the crowd.

Hasbro's Mark Morris and NSA's John D. Williams, Jr., with Nigel Richards (Malaysia), 3rd place in division 1.

A view of the room giving Trey Wright (Los Angeles, CA) and David Gibson (Spartanburg, SC) (back in his room studying for tomorrow!), a standing applause for making the finals.

Another view of the awards ceremony with everyone on their feet applauding Trey Wright (Los Angeles, CA) and David Gibson (Spartanburg, SC).

Plotting the future of SCRABBLE^® in Texax, Caesar Jaramillo (Austin, TX) and Division 2 leader, Mary Rhoades.