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Back to 2004 National SCRABBLE® Championship Live Coverage: Players

Steve Polatnick [#130] 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 Steve Polatnick, 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. Polatnick currently has a record of 16-14, +503, and is ranked #58 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): Steve
Surname(s): Polatnick
Home: Miami, FL, United States
Age: 59
Awards: 2001 Worlds, 4th Place, past winner, Western Open, Boston Premier
Hobbies: Travel, Poker, Bicycle riding, Foreign languages
Occupation: Attorney at Law
WSC 1995 Rank: 38
WSC 1999 Rank: 64
WSC 2001 Rank: 4

 

Career History

5-year record against other players at this event140.5-123.5 (0.532) 
Past 1-12 months20-18 (0.526)L W LLLL WW L WW L W L WW L WWWW LLLL WWW L W LL WW L W L W
Past 13-24 months34.5-31.5 (0.523)LLL WW LLLL W L W L W L WWW LLL WWW LL WW LL W L WW L W LLLL WWWW LLL WWWWW L W L W L WWWW L WWTL
Past 25-36 months35-34 (0.507)WW LL WWW L WWW L WW L WW LLL W LL W LLL WWTW LL WW LLLL WWW LTLLL W LLLL WWW LLLLL WWW L WWWWW
Past 37-48 months10-15 (0.400)L W LLL W L WW L W LLL W L W LLLLL WWW
Past 49-60 months41-25 (0.621)LL WWW L WWWW LL W LLL WWWWWWWWWWWWWWW L WWWW L W LL WW LLL WW L WWWW LLLL WWW LLL W L W L

 

Rank Diagram

[rank diagram]
See legend

 

Round-by-Round

High score: 526
Average for: 394
Average against: 377

Round 1

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Polatnick played #105 Richard Moyer (Dayton, OR) and won 473 to 296 (a spread of 177) .

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

Polatnick's record vs. Moyer in the 5 years leading up to this event: 3.5-1.5 (0.700).
Past 1-12 months: no games.
Past 13-24 months: W.
Past 25-36 months: WTW.
Past 37-48 months: no games.
Past 49-60 months: L.

Current ranking: #11.

Current record: 1-0, +177.

Round 2

[player photo]

Polatnick played #74 Robert Kahn (Plantation, FL) and won 376 to 313 (a spread of 63) .

The last time these two played was 2004-03 at: STUART, FL

Polatnick's record vs. Kahn in the 5 years leading up to this event: 6-8 (0.429).
Past 1-12 months: LLWWLW.
Past 13-24 months: WLL.
Past 25-36 months: WL.
Past 37-48 months: L.
Past 49-60 months: WL.

Current ranking: #18.

Current record: 2-0, +240.

Round 3

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Polatnick played #80 Mark Kenas (Madison, WI) and won 494 to 301 (a spread of 193) .

Before this event, Polatnick had not played Kenas in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #5.

Current record: 3-0, +433.

Round 4

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Polatnick played #145 Peter Schwartzman (Galesburg, IL) and won 464 to 390 (a spread of 74) .

Before this event, Polatnick had not played Schwartzman in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #5.

Current record: 4-0, +507.

Round 5

[player photo]

Polatnick played #53 Daniel Goldman (New York, NY) and lost 281 to 343 (a spread of -62) .

The last time these two played was 2000-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP

Polatnick's record vs. Goldman in the 5 years leading up to this event: 2-0 (1.000).
Past 1-12 months: no games.
Past 13-24 months: no games.
Past 25-36 months: no games.
Past 37-48 months: no games.
Past 49-60 months: WW.

Current ranking: #11.

Current record: 4-1, +445.

Round 6

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Polatnick played #114 Sammy Okosagah (Baltimore, MD) and lost 421 to 435 (a spread of -14) .

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

Current ranking: #26.

Current record: 4-2, +431.

Round 7

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Polatnick played #26 Joanne Cohen (Owings Mills, MD) and won 360 to 308 (a spread of 52) .

Before this event, Polatnick had not played Cohen in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #21.

Current record: 5-2, +483.

Round 8

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Polatnick played #9 Mike Baron (Corrales, NM) and won 497 to 271 (a spread of 226) .

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

Polatnick's record vs. Baron in the 5 years leading up to this event: 2-3 (0.400).
Past 1-12 months: no games.
Past 13-24 months: WLW.
Past 25-36 months: L.
Past 37-48 months: no games.
Past 49-60 months: L.

Current ranking: #13.

Current record: 6-2, +709.

Round 9

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Polatnick played #32 Robin Pollock Daniel (Toronto ON) and won 401 to 373 (a spread of 28) .

Before this event, Polatnick had not played Daniel in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #6.

Current record: 7-2, +737.

Round 10

[player photo]

Polatnick played #60 Albert Hahn (Calgary AB) and lost 347 to 394 (a spread of -47) .

The last time these two played was 2000-08 at: RENO, NV

Polatnick's record vs. Hahn in the 5 years leading up to this event: 2-0 (1.000).
Past 1-12 months: no games.
Past 13-24 months: no games.
Past 25-36 months: no games.
Past 37-48 months: no games.
Past 49-60 months: WW.

Current ranking: #17.

Current record: 7-3, +690.

Round 11

[player photo]

Polatnick played #40 Robert Ellickson (New Haven, CT) and lost 330 to 420 (a spread of -90) .

The last time these two played was 2002-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP

Polatnick's record vs. Ellickson 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: #34.

Current record: 7-4, +600.

Round 12

[player photo]

Polatnick played #119 Komol Panyasophonlert (Thailand) and won 456 to 386 (a spread of 70) .

Before this event, Polatnick had not played Panyasophonlert in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #24.

Current record: 8-4, +670.

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

Round 13

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Polatnick played #6 Peter Armstrong (Baltimore, MD) and lost 342 to 511 (a spread of -169) .

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

Current ranking: #36.

Current record: 8-5, +501.

Round 14

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Polatnick played #124 Steve Pellinen (St. Louis Park, MN) and lost 352 to 383 (a spread of -31) .

Before this event, Polatnick had not played Pellinen in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #46.

Current record: 8-6, +470.

Round 15

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Polatnick played #104 Brian Moss (Brooklyn, NY) and won 377 to 323 (a spread of 54) .

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

Current ranking: #40.

Current record: 9-6, +524.

Round 16

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Polatnick played #5 Chuck Armstrong (Saline, MI) and lost 388 to 389 (a spread of -1) .

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

Current ranking: #47.

Current record: 9-7, +523.

Round 17

[player photo]

Polatnick played #146 Joel Sherman (Bronx, NY) and won 462 to 376 (a spread of 86) .

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

Polatnick's record vs. Sherman in the 5 years leading up to this event: 3-2 (0.600).
Past 1-12 months: no games.
Past 13-24 months: L.
Past 25-36 months: LW.
Past 37-48 months: W.
Past 49-60 months: W.

Current ranking: #38.

Current record: 10-7, +609.

Round 18

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Polatnick played #161 Ron Tiekert (Indialantic, FL) and lost 353 to 476 (a spread of -123) .

The last time these two played was 2001-04 at: WAKEFIELD, MA

Polatnick's record vs. Tiekert 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: no games.
Past 37-48 months: W.
Past 49-60 months: L.

Current ranking: #53.

Current record: 10-8, +486.

Round 19

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Polatnick played #90 John Luebkemann (Pineville, NC) and lost 338 to 494 (a spread of -156) .

The last time these two played was 2001-04 at: WAKEFIELD, MA

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

Current ranking: #63.

Current record: 10-9, +330.

Round 20

[player photo]

Polatnick played #124 Steve Pellinen (St. Louis Park, MN) and lost 324 to 532 (a spread of -208) .

Before this event, Polatnick had not played Pellinen in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #82.

Current record: 10-10, +122.

Round 21

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Polatnick played #66 Randy Hersom (Morganton, NC) and lost 307 to 342 (a spread of -35) .

The last time these two played was 2002-12 at: ORLANDO, FL

Polatnick's record vs. Hersom in the 5 years leading up to this event: 0-3 (0.000).
Past 1-12 months: no games.
Past 13-24 months: LL.
Past 25-36 months: no games.
Past 37-48 months: L.
Past 49-60 months: no games.

Current ranking: #95.

Current record: 10-11, +87.

Round 22

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Polatnick played #91 Rod MacNeil (Londonderry, NH) and lost 325 to 446 (a spread of -121) .

Before this event, Polatnick had not played MacNeil in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #107.

Current record: 10-12, -34.

Round 23

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Polatnick played #6 Peter Armstrong (Baltimore, MD) and lost 356 to 371 (a spread of -15) .

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

Current ranking: #123.

Current record: 10-13, -49.

Round 24

[no photo available]

Polatnick played #62 John Hart (Portland, OR) and won 410 to 395 (a spread of 15) .

Before this event, Polatnick had not played Hart in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #109.

Current record: 11-13, -34.

Round 25

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Polatnick played #157 Frank Tangredi (West Babylon, NY) and lost 382 to 421 (a spread of -39) .

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

Current ranking: #120.

Current record: 11-14, -73.

Round 26

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Polatnick played #7 Paul Avrin (New York, NY) and won 434 to 429 (a spread of 5) .

The last time these two played was 2002-09 at: ATLANTA, GA

Polatnick's record vs. Avrin in the 5 years leading up to this event: 3-0 (1.000).
Past 1-12 months: no games.
Past 13-24 months: W.
Past 25-36 months: no games.
Past 37-48 months: no games.
Past 49-60 months: WW.

Current ranking: #108.

Current record: 12-14, -68.

Round 27

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Polatnick played #118 Steve Ozorio (Mississauga ON) and won 417 to 246 (a spread of 171) .

Before this event, Polatnick had not played Ozorio in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #95.

Current record: 13-14, +103.

Round 28

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Polatnick played #61 Eric Harshbarger (Auburn, AL) and won 362 to 349 (a spread of 13) .

The last time these two played was 2002-09 at: ATLANTA, GA

Polatnick's record vs. Harshbarger in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1-0 (1.000).
Past 1-12 months: no games.
Past 13-24 months: W.
Past 25-36 months: no games.
Past 37-48 months: no games.
Past 49-60 months: no games.

Current ranking: #86.

Current record: 14-14, +116.

Round 29

[no photo available]

Polatnick played #171 Bruce Ward (San Francisco, CA) and won 462 to 339 (a spread of 123) .

Before this event, Polatnick had not played Ward in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #69.

Current record: 15-14, +239.

Round 30

[player photo]

Polatnick played #152 Alan Stern (Shadow Hills, CA) and won 526 to 262 (a spread of 264) .

Before this event, Polatnick had not played Stern in at least 5 years.

Current ranking: #58.

Current record: 16-14, +503.


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