Mel Skolnik [#63] 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 Mel Skolnik, who is a contestant in Division 6 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. Skolnik currently has a record of 23-7, +686, and is ranked #1 in Division 6.

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): Mel Surname(s): Skolnik Home: New York, NY, United States Age: 55 Awards: National Bridge champion, winner of McKinney trophy, 1st place Div. 6, New Orleans Nationals 2004 Hobbies: Bridge, reading, travel.. Occupation: Private Equity Manager

Career History

5-year record against other players at this event	1-0 (1.000)
Past 1-12 months	1-0 (1.000)	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

Rank Diagram

[rank diagram]
See legend

Round-by-Round
High score: 424 Average for: 357 Average against: 334
Round 1		Skolnik played #67 Eunice Smith (Southfield, MI) and won 369 to 243 (a spread of 126) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Smith in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #8. Current record: 1-0, +126.
Round 2		Skolnik played #9 Charlotte Bremond (Oakland, CA) and won 402 to 368 (a spread of 34) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Bremond in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #9. Current record: 2-0, +160.
Round 3		Skolnik played #58 Sarah Rumzis (Chandler, AZ) and won 358 to 322 (a spread of 36) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Rumzis in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #6. Current record: 3-0, +196.
Round 4		Skolnik played #74 Margaret West (Calgary AB) and won 345 to 269 (a spread of 76) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played West in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #3. Current record: 4-0, +272.
Round 5		Skolnik played #64 Ann Skylstad (Fort Stockton, TX) and won 423 to 308 (a spread of 115) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Skylstad in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #2. Current record: 5-0, +387.
Round 6		Skolnik played #22 Daniel Gerling (Austin, TX) and won 348 to 343 (a spread of 5) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Gerling in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #2. Current record: 6-0, +392.
Round 7		Skolnik played #23 Marsha Gillis (Huntsville, AL) and won 340 to 315 (a spread of 25) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Gillis in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 7-0, +417.
Round 8		Skolnik played #45 Marty McCarthy (Wautoma, WI) and won 410 to 334 (a spread of 76) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played McCarthy in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 8-0, +493.
Round 9		Skolnik played #57 Julie Robinson (Denham Springs, LA) and won 382 to 327 (a spread of 55) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Robinson in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 9-0, +548.
Round 10		Skolnik played #16 Sharon Downing (Cleveland, GA) and won 313 to 296 (a spread of 17) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Downing in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 10-0, +565. Skolnik is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 11		Skolnik played #3 Vera Bigall (Toronto ON) and won 394 to 327 (a spread of 67) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Bigall in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 11-0, +632. Skolnik is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit). Skolnik is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 12		Skolnik played #21 Gregory Gebbie (Slidell, LA) and won 424 to 282 (a spread of 142) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Gebbie in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 12-0, +774.
Round 13		Skolnik played #46 Marci Mikesell (New York, NY) and lost 333 to 422 (a spread of -89) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Mikesell in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 12-1, +685.
Round 14		Skolnik played #5 Ellen Blottman (Keystone Heights, FL) and lost 315 to 326 (a spread of -11) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Blottman in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 12-2, +674.
Round 15		Skolnik played #73 Sharon Valorose (Williamsburg, VA) and won 357 to 307 (a spread of 50) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Valorose in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 13-2, +724. Skolnik is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit). Skolnik is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 16		Skolnik played #46 Marci Mikesell (New York, NY) and won 377 to 287 (a spread of 90) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Mikesell in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 14-2, +814.
Round 17		Skolnik played #3 Vera Bigall (Toronto ON) and won 296 to 248 (a spread of 48) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Bigall in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 15-2, +862.
Round 18		Skolnik played #32 Eileen Johnson (Freeport, NY) and won 395 to 333 (a spread of 62) . The last time these two played was 2004-03 at: CORONA, NY Skolnik's record vs. Johnson 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: 16-2, +924.
Round 19		Skolnik played #21 Gregory Gebbie (Slidell, LA) and won 386 to 372 (a spread of 14) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Gebbie in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 17-2, +938.
Round 20		Skolnik played #40 Lane Lynn (New York, NY) and won 345 to 343 (a spread of 2) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Lynn in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 18-2, +940.
Round 21		Skolnik played #32 Eileen Johnson (Freeport, NY) and lost 304 to 376 (a spread of -72) . The last time these two played was 2004-03 at: CORONA, NY Skolnik's record vs. Johnson 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: 18-3, +868.
Round 22		Skolnik played #13 Marc Carnegie (New York, NY) and lost 313 to 382 (a spread of -69) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Carnegie in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 18-4, +799. Skolnik is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 23		Skolnik played #27 Ben Harrison (Cambridge, MA) and won 365 to 275 (a spread of 90) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Harrison in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 19-4, +889. Skolnik is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit).
Round 24		Skolnik played #13 Marc Carnegie (New York, NY) and won 353 to 348 (a spread of 5) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Carnegie in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 20-4, +894.
Round 25		Skolnik played #55 Jerome Pivnik (Miami, FL) and lost 277 to 430 (a spread of -153) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Pivnik in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 20-5, +741. Skolnik is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit). Skolnik is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 26		Skolnik played #27 Ben Harrison (Cambridge, MA) and won 406 to 361 (a spread of 45) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Harrison in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 21-5, +786. Skolnik is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit).
Round 27		Skolnik played #40 Lane Lynn (New York, NY) and lost 368 to 384 (a spread of -16) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Lynn in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 21-6, +770.
Round 28		Skolnik played #13 Marc Carnegie (New York, NY) and won 383 to 362 (a spread of 21) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Carnegie in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 22-6, +791.
Round 29		Skolnik played #27 Ben Harrison (Cambridge, MA) and lost 269 to 435 (a spread of -166) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Harrison in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #2. Current record: 22-7, +625. Skolnik is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit).
Round 30		Skolnik played #27 Ben Harrison (Cambridge, MA) and won 366 to 305 (a spread of 61) . Before this event, Skolnik had not played Harrison in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #1. Current record: 23-7, +686. Skolnik is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).

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