Mike Benjamin [#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 Benjamin, who is a contestant in Division 5 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. Benjamin currently has a record of 16-14, -553, and is ranked #37 in Division 5.

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): Benjamin Home: Knoxville, TN, United States Age: 51 Awards: Bassoonist w/Knoxville Symphony, pianist at Santo's Italian Restaurant, Pigeon Forge (2 CD's) Hobbies: Jazz playing and listening, swimming, day hikes Occupation: Musician

Career History

5-year record against other players at this event	11-7 (0.611)
Past 1-12 months	3-3 (0.500)	W L W L W L
Past 13-24 months	2-2 (0.500)	L W L W
Past 25-36 months	6-2 (0.750)	WWWW L W L W
Past 37-48 months	no games
Past 49-60 months	no games

Rank Diagram

[rank diagram]
See legend

Round-by-Round
High score: 419 Average for: 339 Average against: 358
Round 1		Benjamin played #90 Esther White (Wexford, PA) and won 414 to 310 (a spread of 104) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played White in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #10. Current record: 1-0, +104.
Round 2		Benjamin played #52 Andre Ornish (La Mesa, CA) and lost 292 to 330 (a spread of -38) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Ornish in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #34. Current record: 1-1, +66.
Round 3		Benjamin played #2 Nick Amphlett (Cambridge, MA) and lost 320 to 409 (a spread of -89) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Amphlett in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #58. Current record: 1-2, -23.
Round 4		Benjamin played #78 Roger Steward (Torrington, CT) and lost 338 to 405 (a spread of -67) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Steward in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #70. Current record: 1-3, -90.
Round 5		Benjamin played #50 Joy Nees (Dallas, TX) and won 415 to 393 (a spread of 22) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Nees in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #54. Current record: 2-3, -68.
Round 6		Benjamin played #25 Jan Feidel (Philadelphia, PA) and lost 352 to 402 (a spread of -50) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Feidel in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #63. Current record: 2-4, -118.
Round 7		Benjamin played #19 Starlite A. Clark (Seattle, WA) and won 385 to 362 (a spread of 23) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Clark in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #56. Current record: 3-4, -95.
Round 8		Benjamin played #71 Ida Ann Shapiro (Rego Park, NY) and lost 206 to 377 (a spread of -171) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Shapiro in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #71. Current record: 3-5, -266.
Round 9		Benjamin played #21 Dawn Doyle (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) and won 414 to 346 (a spread of 68) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Doyle in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #58. Current record: 4-5, -198.
Round 10		Benjamin played #15 Andrew Callies (Orlando, FL) and lost 260 to 462 (a spread of -202) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Callies in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #69. Current record: 4-6, -400.
Round 11		Benjamin played #27 Jeanne Gannon (Holmdel, NJ) and won 360 to 341 (a spread of 19) . The last time these two played was 2002-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Benjamin's record vs. Gannon 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: L. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #61. Current record: 5-6, -381.
Round 12		Benjamin played #16 Tacy Callies (Orlando, FL) and won 384 to 369 (a spread of 15) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Callies in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #53. Current record: 6-6, -366.
Round 13		Benjamin played #7 Frances Bauer (London ON) and lost 241 to 411 (a spread of -170) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Bauer in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #63. Current record: 6-7, -536.
Round 14		Benjamin played #11 Barbara Besadny (Madison, WI) and won 350 to 336 (a spread of 14) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Besadny in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #49. Current record: 7-7, -522.
Round 15		Benjamin played #39 Elaine Kunzel (Fountain Hills, AZ) and won 359 to 334 (a spread of 25) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Kunzel in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #42. Current record: 8-7, -497.
Round 16		Benjamin played #7 Frances Bauer (London ON) and lost 287 to 411 (a spread of -124) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Bauer in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #51. Current record: 8-8, -621.
Round 17		Benjamin played #15 Andrew Callies (Orlando, FL) and won 356 to 347 (a spread of 9) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Callies in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #44. Current record: 9-8, -612.
Round 18		Benjamin played #94 Justine Zollinger (Memphis, TN) and lost 372 to 377 (a spread of -5) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Zollinger in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #55. Current record: 9-9, -617.
Round 19		Benjamin played #77 Norma Stalions (Palm Harbor, FL) and lost 233 to 386 (a spread of -153) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Stalions in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #57. Current record: 9-10, -770.
Round 20		Benjamin played #20 Beulah Cooper (Austin, TX) and lost 316 to 345 (a spread of -29) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Cooper in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #67. Current record: 9-11, -799.
Round 21		Benjamin played #37 Bill Kinsella (Yale BC) and won 419 to 277 (a spread of 142) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Kinsella in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #59. Current record: 10-11, -657.
Round 22		Benjamin played #91 Myron Wilson (Port Richey, FL) and lost 287 to 412 (a spread of -125) . The last time these two played was 2003-07 at: ROME, GA Benjamin's record vs. Wilson in the 5 years leading up to this event: 2-1 (0.667). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: LW. Past 25-36 months: W. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #65. Current record: 10-12, -782.
Round 23		Benjamin played #4 Penny Baker (Laguna Woods, CA) and won 384 to 336 (a spread of 48) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Baker in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #56. Current record: 11-12, -734.
Round 24		Benjamin played #93 Jeanne Yori (Culver City, CA) and won 385 to 337 (a spread of 48) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Yori in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #48. Current record: 12-12, -686.
Round 25		Benjamin played #41 Tobin Lathrop (Seattle, WA) and lost 350 to 361 (a spread of -11) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Lathrop in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #58. Current record: 12-13, -697.
Round 26		Benjamin played #52 Andre Ornish (La Mesa, CA) and lost 240 to 401 (a spread of -161) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Ornish in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #65. Current record: 12-14, -858.
Round 27		Benjamin played #11 Barbara Besadny (Madison, WI) and won 409 to 319 (a spread of 90) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Besadny in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #56. Current record: 13-14, -768.
Round 28		Benjamin played #34 Pamela Hunter (Ottawa ON) and won 378 to 262 (a spread of 116) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Hunter in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #48. Current record: 14-14, -652.
Round 29		Benjamin played #71 Ida Ann Shapiro (Rego Park, NY) and won 346 to 339 (a spread of 7) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Shapiro in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #44. Current record: 15-14, -645.
Round 30		Benjamin played #41 Tobin Lathrop (Seattle, WA) and won 325 to 233 (a spread of 92) . Before this event, Benjamin had not played Lathrop in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #37. Current record: 16-14, -553.

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