Mike Baron [#9] 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 Mike Baron, 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. Baron currently has a record of 12-18, +87, and is ranked #145 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
	Given name(s): Mike Surname(s): Baron Home: Corrales, NM, United States Age: 54 Awards: Matchups Scrabble Hall of Fame, Scrabble News articles (1981-87), The Wordbook (1988, 1994, 2004), The Blankbook (1994) Hobbies: writing, traveling, golf, reading Occupation: Psychologist

Career History

5-year record against other players at this event	155-145 (0.517)
Past 1-12 months	27-19 (0.587)	W L WWW LL WWW L WWWW L W LLL W L WW L W LL W L WW L WWWW LL W LL W L WW
Past 13-24 months	24-21 (0.533)	LLL WWW L WW LLLLL WWWWW LL WW LL W LL WWW LL W LL WW L WW L WWW
Past 25-36 months	45-48 (0.484)	L WWW L WWW LL W LLLL WW L WWWWW LLL WWWWW LL WWWW LL W LL W LL W LL W L W LLLL W LL WWW LLLL WW LLL WW L WW LLLLLL WWW L W LL WWW LL
Past 37-48 months	27-28 (0.491)	L W LLL W L WWWW LL WW L W LLL WWW LLLL W L WWW LLLL W LL W L W L WWW LLL WWWWW L
Past 49-60 months	32-29 (0.525)	L W LL WW LLL WW LL WWWW LL W LL W L W LL WWWWW LL WW LL WW L W L WW LL WWWW LLL W LL WW L W

Rank Diagram

[rank diagram]
See legend

Round-by-Round
High score: 555 Average for: 385 Average against: 382
Before the Tournament		Baron is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 1		Baron played #71 Ronald Howard (Irvine, CA) and won 408 to 328 (a spread of 80) . Before this event, Baron had not played Howard in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #39. Current record: 1-0, +80.
Round 2		Baron played #166 John Van Pelt (Arlington, MA) and won 433 to 322 (a spread of 111) . Before this event, Baron had not played Van Pelt in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #26. Current record: 2-0, +191.
Round 3		Baron played #10 Dan Barry (Redondo Beach, CA) and lost 309 to 351 (a spread of -42) . The last time these two played was 2003-07 at: RENO, NV Baron's record vs. Barry 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: #48. Current record: 2-1, +149.
Round 4		Baron played #106 Joe Neff (Oreland, PA) and lost 328 to 458 (a spread of -130) . Before this event, Baron had not played Neff in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #86. Current record: 2-2, +19.
Round 5		Baron played #12 Evan Berofsky (Thornhill ON) and won 456 to 406 (a spread of 50) . The last time these two played was 2000-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Baron's record vs. Berofsky in the 5 years leading up to this event: 0-1 (0.000). 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: L. Current ranking: #66. Current record: 3-2, +69.
Round 6		Baron played #38 Joe Edley (Coram, NY) and lost 277 to 375 (a spread of -98) . The last time these two played was 2004-06 at: SWILLNS Baron's record vs. Edley in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1-4 (0.200). Past 1-12 months: WLL. Past 13-24 months: no games. Past 25-36 months: no games. Past 37-48 months: L. Past 49-60 months: L. Current ranking: #87. Current record: 3-3, -29. Baron is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit).
Round 7		Baron played #151 Debbie Stegman (Kew Gardens, NY) and lost 366 to 389 (a spread of -23) . Before this event, Baron had not played Stegman in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #106. Current record: 3-4, -52.
Round 8		Baron played #130 Steve Polatnick (Miami, FL) and lost 271 to 497 (a spread of -226) . The last time these two played was 2003-07 at: RENO, NV Baron's record vs. Polatnick in the 5 years leading up to this event: 3-2 (0.600). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: LWL. Past 25-36 months: W. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: W. Current ranking: #135. Current record: 3-5, -278.
Round 9		Baron played #74 Robert Kahn (Plantation, FL) and won 403 to 303 (a spread of 100) . The last time these two played was 2002-12 at: ORLANDO, FL Baron's record vs. Kahn in the 5 years leading up to this event: 2-1 (0.667). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: L. Past 25-36 months: no games. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: WW. Current ranking: #111. Current record: 4-5, -178. Baron is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit). Baron is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 10		Baron played #107 Larry Neilson (Hollis, NY) and lost 361 to 410 (a spread of -49) . Before this event, Baron had not played Neilson in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #128. Current record: 4-6, -227.
Round 11		Baron played #39 Joel Elkins (West Hollywood, CA) and won 555 to 316 (a spread of 239) . Before this event, Baron had not played Elkins in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #95. Current record: 5-6, +12.
Round 12		Baron played #131 Mark Przybyszewski (Depew, NY) and won 463 to 327 (a spread of 136) . The last time these two played was 2004-01 at: RENO, NV Baron's record vs. Przybyszewski in the 5 years leading up to this event: 3-0 (1.000). Past 1-12 months: W. Past 13-24 months: no games. Past 25-36 months: WW. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #76. Current record: 6-6, +148.
Round 13		Baron played #69 Joel Horn (Reading, MA) and lost 306 to 344 (a spread of -38) . Before this event, Baron had not played Horn in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #93. Current record: 6-7, +110.
Round 14		Baron played #90 John Luebkemann (Pineville, NC) and lost 394 to 410 (a spread of -16) . The last time these two played was 2004-06 at: SWILLNS Baron's record vs. Luebkemann in the 5 years leading up to this event: 3-2 (0.600). Past 1-12 months: W. Past 13-24 months: no games. Past 25-36 months: no games. Past 37-48 months: WLL. Past 49-60 months: W. Current ranking: #106. Current record: 6-8, +94.
Round 15		Baron played #55 Daniel Goodwin (Seattle, WA) and won 347 to 317 (a spread of 30) . The last time these two played was 2003-07 at: RENO, NV Baron's record vs. Goodwin 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: #96. Current record: 7-8, +124. Baron is mentioned in this round's photo captions (2 hits).
Round 16		Baron played #69 Joel Horn (Reading, MA) and won 517 to 295 (a spread of 222) . Before this event, Baron had not played Horn in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #74. Current record: 8-8, +346.
Round 17		Baron played #71 Ronald Howard (Irvine, CA) and won 427 to 387 (a spread of 40) . Before this event, Baron had not played Howard in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #66. Current record: 9-8, +386.
Round 18		Baron played #3 Steven Alexander (Portland, OR) and lost 317 to 410 (a spread of -93) . Before this event, Baron had not played Alexander in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #74. Current record: 9-9, +293.
Round 19		Baron played #157 Frank Tangredi (West Babylon, NY) and won 431 to 420 (a spread of 11) . Before this event, Baron had not played Tangredi in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #65. Current record: 10-9, +304.
Round 20		Baron played #137 Craig Rowland (Mississauga ON) and lost 372 to 401 (a spread of -29) . The last time these two played was 2001-07 at: RENO, NV Baron's record vs. Rowland in the 5 years leading up to this event: 0-1 (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: no games. Current ranking: #75. Current record: 10-10, +275.
Round 21		Baron played #109 Rita Norr (Danbury, CT) and won 385 to 377 (a spread of 8) . The last time these two played was 2004-06 at: SWILLNS Baron's record vs. Norr in the 5 years leading up to this event: 3-0 (1.000). Past 1-12 months: W. Past 13-24 months: no games. Past 25-36 months: no games. Past 37-48 months: W. Past 49-60 months: W. Current ranking: #66. Current record: 11-10, +283.
Round 22		Baron played #138 Dean Saldanha (Richmond BC) and lost 465 to 469 (a spread of -4) . Before this event, Baron had not played Saldanha in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #78. Current record: 11-11, +279.
Round 23		Baron played #3 Steven Alexander (Portland, OR) and lost 405 to 427 (a spread of -22) . Before this event, Baron had not played Alexander in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #90. Current record: 11-12, +257.
Round 24		Baron played #146 Joel Sherman (Bronx, NY) and lost 399 to 414 (a spread of -15) . The last time these two played was 2003-07 at: RENO, NV Baron'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: W. Past 25-36 months: L. Past 37-48 months: W. Past 49-60 months: WL. Current ranking: #105. Current record: 11-13, +242.
Round 25		Baron played #61 Eric Harshbarger (Auburn, AL) and lost 403 to 404 (a spread of -1) . Before this event, Baron had not played Harshbarger in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #117. Current record: 11-14, +241.
Round 26		Baron played #19 Gerald Carter (Thailand) and lost 341 to 379 (a spread of -38) . The last time these two played was 2000-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Baron's record vs. Carter in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1-0 (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: W. Current ranking: #129. Current record: 11-15, +203.
Round 27		Baron played #109 Rita Norr (Danbury, CT) and lost 320 to 450 (a spread of -130) . The last time these two played was 2004-06 at: SWILLNS Baron's record vs. Norr in the 5 years leading up to this event: 3-0 (1.000). Past 1-12 months: W. Past 13-24 months: no games. Past 25-36 months: no games. Past 37-48 months: W. Past 49-60 months: W. Current ranking: #138. Current record: 11-16, +73.
Round 28		Baron played #62 John Hart (Portland, OR) and won 431 to 307 (a spread of 124) . The last time these two played was 2004-06 at: SWILLNS Baron's record vs. Hart in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1-2 (0.333). Past 1-12 months: W. Past 13-24 months: LL. Past 25-36 months: no games. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #127. Current record: 12-16, +197.
Round 29		Baron played #100 Marlene Milkent (Hattiesburg, MS) and lost 343 to 363 (a spread of -20) . The last time these two played was 2000-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Baron's record vs. Milkent in the 5 years leading up to this event: 0-1 (0.000). 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: L. Current ranking: #137. Current record: 12-17, +177.
Round 30		Baron played #160 Randall Thomas (Calgary AB) and lost 310 to 400 (a spread of -90) . Before this event, Baron had not played Thomas in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #145. Current record: 12-18, +87.

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