For event coverage, see: list of all winners, Early Bird tsh results, Main Event detailed standings and prizewinners, Main Event tsh results, Pairs tsh results, Speed report, Speed tsh results.

See also: who’s registered, past winners, past Toronto tournaments, Toronto Scrabble Club, NSA Tournaments.


2008 Michael Wise Memorial SCRABBLE® Tournament
(Toronto’s 29th Annual SCRABBLE® Players Tournament)
<URL:http://tournament.torontoscrabbleclub.com/200809>
In support of the Michael Wise Memorial Fund at Princess Margaret Hospital
Friday, September 19th, Saturday, September 20th & Sunday, September 21st, 2008


The Toronto SCRABBLE® Club (National Scrabble Association Club #3) hosts its 29th annual tournament this fall, an open SCRABBLE® Brand Crossword Game tournament. The event will be codirected by John Chew and John Robertson and other staff TBA.

New This Year

Nothing definite yet, suggestions welcome.

Tournament Details

 

Leah Katz Memorial Early Bird

Friday, September 19th

12 games is not enough!

Unrated Pairs Event

Friday, September 19th

More fun with a partner!

Unrated Speed Tournament

Saturday, September 20th

Three minutes is enough!

Michael Wise Memorial Main Event

Saturday, September 20th
Sunday, September 21st

In a spirit of friendly rivalry

Check In: 8:30 A.M. 6:45 P.M. 6:45 P.M. 8:30 A.M. Saturday
First Game: 9:15 A.M. 7:00 P.M. 7:00 P.M. 9:15 A.M. Saturday, 9:00 A.M. Sunday
Entry Fee:
US$ for US residents only
CA$30/US$30 CA$15/US$15 CA$15/US$15
A B C D
CA$60 CA$55 CA$50 CA$45
US$60 US$55 US$50 US$45
Add $10 in each division after September 3rd.
Prizes: 70% of EF 70% of EF 70% of EF 55–60% of EF, including 30% to first place in each division ($360/$330/$300/$270 based on 20-player divisions); $100 to top unrated player.
Format: Two divisions split at 1500 based on September 1st ratings, with no playing up (except to even the larger division), 8 rounds. T.B.A. based on registration and according to average rating of partners, 3 rounds. T.B.A. based on registration, 15 rounds. See poslfit.com for speed rules. Four divisions split at 1700, 1300, 1000 using September 1st ratings. Players within 100 points may play up at their request unless division numbers become odd. As per NSA directive, EB results may be used to move players up, as long as other players are not unwillingly moved down as a result. 7 rounds Saturday, 5 rounds Sunday. Modified Swiss pairings by John Chew.
Food: Refreshments, opt-in pizza. Refreshments. Refreshments. Refreshments and opt-in pizza Saturday, Lunch Sunday.
Location: All events will be held at Earl Bales Community Centre in Earl Bales Park, 4169 Bathurst Street, Toronto ON. Lost or late? Call John Chew at (416) 876–7675. When asked to search for the park’s access road, Google’s on-line map puts a marker right outside the community centre.

Tournament Schedule

Friday
September 19th
2008

08:30–09:00Early Bird Registration
09:00–09:15Early Bird Announcements
09:15–13:15Early Bird Games 1–4
13:15–14:00Lunch break (see restaurant list)
14:00–18:00Early Bird Games 5–8
18:00–18:30Early Bird Awards Ceremony
18:50–19:00Pairs Registration
19:00–21:55Pairs Games 1–3
21:55–22:00Pairs Awards

Saturday
September 20th
2008

08:30–09:00Registration
09:00–09:15Main Event Announcements
09:15–12:45Main Event Games 1–3
12:45–13:45Lunch break (see restaurant list)
13:45–18:15Main Event Games 4–7
18:55–19:00Speed Registration
19:00–21:55Speed Games 1–15
21:55–22:00Speed Awards

Sunday
September 21st
2008

09:00–12:15Main Event Games 8–10
12:15–13:00Lunch (provided)
13:00–13:15Announcements of Upcoming Tournaments
13:15–15:30Main Event Games 11–12
15:30–16:00Main Event Awards Ceremony

Accommodation

If you’re travelling from out of town and would like to stay with a local player, please contact billetting coordinator Vivienne Muhling at (416) 603–0625 (phone or fax) or vivienne.muhling@gmail.com. (Please indicate smoking preference, parking requirements, special food needs and arrival and departure times.)

We also have a list of downtown and uptown hotels that past players have recommended.

Please note that games start on Sunday morning before the subway starts running, and allow extra time to travel on surface routes if you’ll be using public transit.

International Travel

As per the United States’ Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, American citizens travelling to Canada by air must now present one of the following three forms of identification (driver's licenses are no longer acceptable):

  1. Passport
  2. NEXUS card
  3. (Until 2009-06-01) Federal government-issued photo identification and proof of citizenship (children aged 18 and under do not need to provide photo ID).

The nearest U.S. airport is Buffalo International Airport (BUF). Shuttle buses operate to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) at a cost of about USD 80.00 one-way; there are also usually a reasonable number of players driving to the tournament from Buffao who may have room for passengers. Domestic flights to BUF may be sufficiently cheaper than flights to YYZ that there might even be a small cost savings in taking this route. The tournament site is 112 miles from BUF (or 12 miles from YYZ), almost all of it along Interstate or the Ontario equivalent 400-series highways.

Registration

Send your entry fees (see above for calculation) to John Chew, 9 Fulton Avenue, Toronto ON M4K 1X6 by Friday, September 12th, 2008. You may also pay John in person at the National Scrabble Championship in Orlando, FL or at the Toronto Scrabble Club most Wednesday evenings, or by PayPal (write for details). Please include your name, telephone number, address, valid NSA membership number (unless this is your first tournament) and preferred division. If you would like confirmation of your registration, please also include your e-mail address. You may register before the September 1st ratings list is published, and choose your division according to your rating in the current list. If we have received your entry fee, we will honour your division choice even if your rating subsequently declines. For more information, please contact John Chew at +1 416 876 7675 or jjchew@math.utoronto.ca.