Eugene Murray [#96] 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 Eugene Murray, who is a contestant in Division 4 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. Murray currently has a record of 27-3, +2383, and is ranked #1 in Division 4.

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
	Given name(s): Eugene Surname(s): Murray Home: Indianapolis, IN, United States Age: 52 Awards: 1st place Div. 4, New Orleans Nationals 2004 Hobbies: Scrabble & Softball Occupation: Forklift Driver

Career History

5-year record against other players at this event	25-18 (0.581)
Past 1-12 months	3-2 (0.600)	W L W L W
Past 13-24 months	8-5 (0.615)	WW LLL W L WW L WWW
Past 25-36 months	2-2 (0.500)	L W L W
Past 37-48 months	1-6 (0.143)	LLLLLL W
Past 49-60 months	11-3 (0.786)	WWW L WWW LL WWWWW

Rank Diagram

[rank diagram]
See legend

Round-by-Round
High score: 598 Average for: 434 Average against: 354
Round 1		Murray played #84 David Mahnken (Long Beach, NY) and won 465 to 403 (a spread of 62) . Before this event, Murray had not played Mahnken in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #31. Current record: 1-0, +62.
Round 2		Murray played #35 Barbara Epstein (Brooklyn, NY) and won 450 to 290 (a spread of 160) . Before this event, Murray had not played Epstein in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #6. Current record: 2-0, +222.
Round 3		Murray played #107 Sheryl Peterman (Oquawka, IL) and won 448 to 372 (a spread of 76) . Before this event, Murray had not played Peterman in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #3. Current record: 3-0, +298.
Round 4		Murray played #70 Joan Knobelsdorf (Palm Harbor, FL) and won 510 to 303 (a spread of 207) . Before this event, Murray had not played Knobelsdorf in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 4-0, +505.
Round 5		Murray played #122 Dion Saldanha (Richmond BC) and won 433 to 372 (a spread of 61) . Before this event, Murray had not played Saldanha in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 5-0, +566.
Round 6		Murray played #125 Richard Savitt (Miami, FL) and won 530 to 258 (a spread of 272) . Before this event, Murray had not played Savitt in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 6-0, +838.
Round 7		Murray played #92 Gigi Miller (Sparks, NV) and won 394 to 317 (a spread of 77) . Before this event, Murray had not played Miller in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 7-0, +915.
Round 8		Murray played #47 Travis Green (Mooresville, IN) and lost 382 to 477 (a spread of -95) . The last time these two played was 2004-02 at: INDIANAPOLIS, IN Murray's record vs. Green 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: #2. Current record: 7-1, +820. Murray is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 9		Murray played #66 Stan Khury (Las Vegas, NV) and won 407 to 388 (a spread of 19) . Before this event, Murray had not played Khury in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #3. Current record: 8-1, +839.
Round 10		Murray played #80 Anne Loring (Minneapolis, MN) and won 417 to 326 (a spread of 91) . Before this event, Murray had not played Loring in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 9-1, +930.
Round 11		Murray played #60 Diana Ittner (Brookfield, WI) and won 395 to 385 (a spread of 10) . The last time these two played was 2003-12 at: ELMHURST, IL Murray's record vs. Ittner in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1-0 (1.000). Past 1-12 months: W. 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: #2. Current record: 10-1, +940.
Round 12		Murray played #141 Victor Tantua (Los Angeles, CA) and won 441 to 372 (a spread of 69) . Before this event, Murray had not played Tantua in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 11-1, +1009.
Round 13		Murray played #58 Gavin Hyde (Santa Barbara, CA) and won 359 to 355 (a spread of 4) . The last time these two played was 2000-08 at: RENO, NV Murray's record vs. Hyde in the 5 years leading up to this event: 3-1 (0.750). 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: LWWW. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 12-1, +1013.
Round 14		Murray played #38 Alex Fiszbein (South Lyon, MI) and won 431 to 404 (a spread of 27) . The last time these two played was 2004-06 at: LIVONIA, MI Murray's record vs. Fiszbein in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1-0 (1.000). Past 1-12 months: W. 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: #1. Current record: 13-1, +1040.
Round 15		Murray played #100 Linda Oliva (Woodbine, MD) and won 400 to 374 (a spread of 26) . The last time these two played was 2003-04 at: MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP Murray's record vs. Oliva 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: #1. Current record: 14-1, +1066. Murray is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit). Murray is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 16		Murray played #69 Ralph King (Melrose, FL) and won 402 to 390 (a spread of 12) . The last time these two played was 2001-08 at: MASTER'S CHAMPIONSHIP Murray's record vs. King in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1-3 (0.250). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: no games. Past 25-36 months: no games. Past 37-48 months: LL. Past 49-60 months: LW. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 15-1, +1078.
Round 17		Murray played #22 Tony Claitor (Winter Park, FL) and won 457 to 297 (a spread of 160) . Before this event, Murray had not played Claitor in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 16-1, +1238.
Round 18		Murray played #141 Victor Tantua (Los Angeles, CA) and won 403 to 337 (a spread of 66) . Before this event, Murray had not played Tantua in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 17-1, +1304.
Round 19		Murray played #47 Travis Green (Mooresville, IN) and won 476 to 422 (a spread of 54) . The last time these two played was 2004-02 at: INDIANAPOLIS, IN Murray's record vs. Green 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: #1. Current record: 18-1, +1358.
Round 20		Murray played #153 Bill Wood (Tallahassee, FL) and lost 325 to 413 (a spread of -88) . Before this event, Murray had not played Wood in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 18-2, +1270.
Round 21		Murray played #23 Jane Clark (West Hartford, CT) and lost 314 to 476 (a spread of -162) . Before this event, Murray had not played Clark in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 18-3, +1108.
Round 22		Murray played #38 Alex Fiszbein (South Lyon, MI) and won 417 to 353 (a spread of 64) . The last time these two played was 2004-06 at: LIVONIA, MI Murray's record vs. Fiszbein in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1-0 (1.000). Past 1-12 months: W. 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: #1. Current record: 19-3, +1172.
Round 23		Murray played #115 Fred Rible (Poway, CA) and won 363 to 352 (a spread of 11) . Before this event, Murray had not played Rible in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 20-3, +1183. Murray is mentioned in this round's commentary (2 hits). Murray is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 24		Murray played #89 Scott McDougall (Williamsburg, VA) and won 412 to 359 (a spread of 53) . The last time these two played was 2001-08 at: MASTER'S CHAMPIONSHIP Murray's record vs. McDougall 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: LL. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 21-3, +1236.
Round 25		Murray played #116 Rhonda Roederer (Lafayette, LA) and won 439 to 281 (a spread of 158) . The last time these two played was 1999-12 at: DAYTONA BEACH, FL Murray's record vs. Roederer in the 5 years leading up to this event: 4-0 (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: WWWW. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 22-3, +1394. Murray is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit). Murray is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 26		Murray played #146 Renato Umali (Milwaukee, WI) and won 497 to 332 (a spread of 165) . Before this event, Murray had not played Umali in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 23-3, +1559. Murray is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit).
Round 27		Murray played #146 Renato Umali (Milwaukee, WI) and won 598 to 294 (a spread of 304) . Before this event, Murray had not played Umali in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 24-3, +1863.
Round 28		Murray played #151 Brian Whitt (Goldthwaite, TX) and won 399 to 302 (a spread of 97) . Before this event, Murray had not played Whitt in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 25-3, +1960. Murray is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit).
Round 29		Murray played #19 Mark Budovitch (Scottsdale, AZ) and won 551 to 291 (a spread of 260) . Before this event, Murray had not played Budovitch in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 26-3, +2220.
Round 30		Murray played #26 Jesse Cromer (Charlotte, NC) and won 498 to 335 (a spread of 163) . Before this event, Murray had not played Cromer in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 27-3, +2383. Murray is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).

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