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Back to 2004 National SCRABBLE® Championship Live Coverage: Players

Nathan Benedict [#11] at 2004 National SCRABBLE® Championship

[ Congratulations to the new National Champion, Trey Wright, who defeated David Gibson in three straight games, 365-328, 355-344 and 429-328. Please tune in to ESPN to watch the final games at 1 P.M. ET on Sunday, October 3rd, 2004. We welcome your e-mailed corrections to our web site. ]

On this page, you will find information about Nathan Benedict, who is a contestant in Division 1 at the 2004 National SCRABBLE® Championship, held July 31st - August 5th in New Orleans, LA. This page is updated at least hourly between 09:00 A.M. and midnight CDT. Benedict currently has a record of 19.5-10.5, +990, and is ranked #11 in Division 1.

Lower on this page, you can find brief self-reported biographical details of the player, statistics on the player's past several years of rated tournament play in North America, a graphic showing the player's ups and downs at this tournament, and a round-by-round report on the player's opponents and games.

Background Information

[player photo]

Given name(s): Nathan
Surname(s): Benedict
Home: Tucson, AZ, United States
Age: 23
Awards: Albuquerque, First Place, 2003; Grand Canyon, First Place, 2003; WCC Earlybird, 2nd Place 2003; Phoenix, 2nd Place, 2004; 2004-05 Los Gatos, CA
Hobbies: Yoga, Travel, Reading
Occupation: Law Student

 

Career History

5-year record against other players at this event86.5-74.5 (0.537) 
Past 1-12 months40.5-23.5 (0.633)L WTWW L W L W L W L W LL W LL WWWWW L WWWW L WW LLLL WW L W LL WW LL W L WWWWWWWWW L WWWWWW L
Past 13-24 months15-22 (0.405)W LLLLLLTW LL WW LLLLL W LLLL WWWWTW LL WW L W L W
Past 25-36 months24-22 (0.522)W L WW L W L W LLLL WWW L W LLL WWWWW LL W LL WW L WW LLLL WWWW L W L
Past 37-48 months5-3 (0.625)WW L W LL WW
Past 49-60 months2-4 (0.333)LLL WW L

 

Rank Diagram

[rank diagram]
See legend

 

Round-by-Round

High score: 508
Average for: 412
Average against: 379

Round 1

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Benedict played #122 Jim Pate (Birmingham, AL) and won 495 to 279 (a spread of 216) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Pate in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #7.

Current record: 1-0, +216.

Benedict is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit).

Round 2

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Benedict played #21 Eric Chaikin (West Hollywood, CA) and lost 353 to 356 (a spread of -3) .

The last time these two played was 2002-06 at: NEWPORT BEACH, CA

Benedict's record vs. Chaikin in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1-1 (0.500).
Past 1-12 months: no games.
Past 13-24 months: no games.
Past 25-36 months: WL.
Past 37-48 months: no games.
Past 49-60 months: no games.

Current ranking: #57.

Current record: 1-1, +213.

Round 3

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Benedict played #45 Jeff Fleetham (Calgary AB) and won 484 to 351 (a spread of 133) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Fleetham in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #37.

Current record: 2-1, +346.

Round 4

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Benedict played #152 Alan Stern (Shadow Hills, CA) and lost 420 to 467 (a spread of -47) .

The last time these two played was 2004-02 at: PHOENIX, AZ

Benedict's record vs. Stern in the 5 years leading up to this event: 0-1 (0.000).
Past 1-12 months: L.
Past 13-24 months: no games.
Past 25-36 months: no games.
Past 37-48 months: no games.
Past 49-60 months: no games.

Current ranking: #59.

Current record: 2-2, +299.

Round 5

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Benedict played #73 Richard Julian (Mountainside, NJ) and won 438 to 417 (a spread of 21) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Julian in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #40.

Current record: 3-2, +320.

Round 6

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Benedict played #138 Dean Saldanha (Richmond BC) and won 457 to 361 (a spread of 96) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Saldanha in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #27.

Current record: 4-2, +416.

Round 7

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Benedict played #2 Tim Adamson (Saint Paul, MN) and won 498 to 364 (a spread of 134) .

The last time these two played was 2004-02 at: PHOENIX, AZ

Benedict's record vs. Adamson in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1.5-1.5 (0.500).
Past 1-12 months: TLW.
Past 13-24 months: no games.
Past 25-36 months: no games.
Past 37-48 months: no games.
Past 49-60 months: no games.

Current ranking: #18.

Current record: 5-2, +550.

Round 8

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Benedict played #146 Joel Sherman (Bronx, NY) and lost 374 to 463 (a spread of -89) .

The last time these two played was 2003-07 at: RENO, NV

Benedict's record vs. Sherman in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1-5 (0.167).
Past 1-12 months: no games.
Past 13-24 months: LLW.
Past 25-36 months: LLL.
Past 37-48 months: no games.
Past 49-60 months: no games.

Current ranking: #34.

Current record: 5-3, +461.

Round 9

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Benedict played #77 Carol Kaplan (San Diego, CA) and lost 407 to 463 (a spread of -56) .

The last time these two played was 2004-02 at: PHOENIX, AZ

Benedict's record vs. Kaplan in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1-4 (0.200).
Past 1-12 months: LW.
Past 13-24 months: L.
Past 25-36 months: L.
Past 37-48 months: no games.
Past 49-60 months: L.

Current ranking: #51.

Current record: 5-4, +405.

Round 10

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Benedict played #114 Sammy Okosagah (Baltimore, MD) and lost 332 to 397 (a spread of -65) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Okosagah in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #65.

Current record: 5-5, +340.

Round 11

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Benedict played #55 Daniel Goodwin (Seattle, WA) and lost 320 to 439 (a spread of -119) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Goodwin in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #84.

Current record: 5-6, +221.

Round 12

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Benedict played #71 Ronald Howard (Irvine, CA) and won 483 to 254 (a spread of 229) .

The last time these two played was 2004-05 at: LOS GATOS, CA

Benedict's record vs. Howard in the 5 years leading up to this event: 6-2 (0.750).
Past 1-12 months: WW.
Past 13-24 months: LW.
Past 25-36 months: WLW.
Past 37-48 months: W.
Past 49-60 months: no games.

Current ranking: #66.

Current record: 6-6, +450.

Round 13

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Benedict played #110 Mark Nyman (United Kingdom) and won 415 to 330 (a spread of 85) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Nyman in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #57.

Current record: 7-6, +535.

Round 14

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Benedict played #157 Frank Tangredi (West Babylon, NY) and won 402 to 369 (a spread of 33) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Tangredi in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #44.

Current record: 8-6, +568.

Round 15

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Benedict played #151 Debbie Stegman (Kew Gardens, NY) and won 425 to 367 (a spread of 58) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Stegman in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #38.

Current record: 9-6, +626.

Round 16

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Benedict played #129 David Poder (Huntington Beach, CA) and won 434 to 333 (a spread of 101) .

The last time these two played was 2004-05 at: LOS GATOS, CA

Benedict's record vs. Poder in the 5 years leading up to this event: 7-3 (0.700).
Past 1-12 months: WW.
Past 13-24 months: LL.
Past 25-36 months: WLWWW.
Past 37-48 months: W.
Past 49-60 months: no games.

Current ranking: #28.

Current record: 10-6, +727.

Round 17

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Benedict played #29 Lynn Cushman (New York, NY) and lost 296 to 519 (a spread of -223) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Cushman in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #39.

Current record: 10-7, +504.

Round 18

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Benedict played #66 Randy Hersom (Morganton, NC) and tied at 444 .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Hersom in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #49.

Current record: 10.5-7.5, +504.

Benedict is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit).

Benedict is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).

Round 19

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Benedict played #161 Ron Tiekert (Indialantic, FL) and won 508 to 428 (a spread of 80) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Tiekert in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #37.

Current record: 11.5-7.5, +584.

Round 20

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Benedict played #53 Daniel Goldman (New York, NY) and won 387 to 343 (a spread of 44) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Goldman in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #26.

Current record: 12.5-7.5, +628.

Round 21

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Benedict played #68 Ron Hoekstra (Kentwood, MI) and won 478 to 240 (a spread of 238) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Hoekstra in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #19.

Current record: 13.5-7.5, +866.

Round 22

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Benedict played #154 Panupol Sujjayakorn (Thailand) and won 433 to 337 (a spread of 96) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Sujjayakorn in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #16.

Current record: 14.5-7.5, +962.

Round 23

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Benedict played #104 Brian Moss (Brooklyn, NY) and won 394 to 386 (a spread of 8) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Moss in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #10.

Current record: 15.5-7.5, +970.

Round 24

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Benedict played #51 David Gibson (Spartanburg, SC) and lost 341 to 459 (a spread of -118) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Gibson in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #18.

Current record: 15.5-8.5, +852.

Round 25

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Benedict played #89 Adam Logan (United Kingdom) and won 383 to 334 (a spread of 49) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Logan in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #14.

Current record: 16.5-8.5, +901.

Benedict is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit).

Benedict is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).

Round 26

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Benedict played #155 Charnwit Sukhumrattanaporn (Thailand) and won 367 to 362 (a spread of 5) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Sukhumrattanaporn in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #7.

Current record: 17.5-8.5, +906.

Benedict is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).

Round 27

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Benedict played #29 Lynn Cushman (New York, NY) and won 458 to 353 (a spread of 105) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Cushman in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #5.

Current record: 18.5-8.5, +1011.

Round 28

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Benedict played #51 David Gibson (Spartanburg, SC) and lost 320 to 400 (a spread of -80) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Gibson in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #11.

Current record: 18.5-9.5, +931.

Benedict is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit).

Round 29

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Benedict played #16 Brian Cappelletto (Chicago, IL) and lost 400 to 439 (a spread of -39) .

The last time these two played was 2004-02 at: PHOENIX, AZ

Benedict's record vs. Cappelletto in the 5 years leading up to this event: 0-2 (0.000).
Past 1-12 months: L.
Past 13-24 months: L.
Past 25-36 months: no games.
Past 37-48 months: no games.
Past 49-60 months: no games.

Current ranking: #16.

Current record: 18.5-10.5, +892.

Benedict is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).

Round 30

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Benedict played #5 Chuck Armstrong (Saline, MI) and won 418 to 320 (a spread of 98) .

Before this event, Benedict had not played Armstrong in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #11.

Current record: 19.5-10.5, +990.

Benedict is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).


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