Nathan Benedict [#11] 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 Nathan Benedict, 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. Benedict currently has a record of 19.5-10.5, +990, and is ranked #11 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): Nathan Surname(s): Benedict Home: Tucson, AZ, United States Age: 23 Awards: Albuquerque, First Place, 2003; Grand Canyon, First Place, 2003; WCC Earlybird, 2nd Place 2003; Phoenix, 2nd Place, 2004; 2004-05 Los Gatos, CA Hobbies: Yoga, Travel, Reading Occupation: Law Student

Career History

5-year record against other players at this event	86.5-74.5 (0.537)
Past 1-12 months	40.5-23.5 (0.633)	L WTWW L W L W L W L W LL W LL WWWWW L WWWW L WW LLLL WW L W LL WW LL W L WWWWWWWWW L WWWWWW L
Past 13-24 months	15-22 (0.405)	W LLLLLLTW LL WW LLLLL W LLLL WWWWTW LL WW L W L W
Past 25-36 months	24-22 (0.522)	W L WW L W L W LLLL WWW L W LLL WWWWW LL W LL WW L WW LLLL WWWW L W L
Past 37-48 months	5-3 (0.625)	WW L W LL WW
Past 49-60 months	2-4 (0.333)	LLL WW L

Rank Diagram

[rank diagram]
See legend

Round-by-Round
High score: 508 Average for: 412 Average against: 379
Round 1		Benedict played #122 Jim Pate (Birmingham, AL) and won 495 to 279 (a spread of 216) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Pate in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #7. Current record: 1-0, +216. Benedict is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit).
Round 2		Benedict played #21 Eric Chaikin (West Hollywood, CA) and lost 353 to 356 (a spread of -3) . The last time these two played was 2002-06 at: NEWPORT BEACH, CA Benedict's record vs. Chaikin in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1-1 (0.500). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: no games. Past 25-36 months: WL. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #57. Current record: 1-1, +213.
Round 3		Benedict played #45 Jeff Fleetham (Calgary AB) and won 484 to 351 (a spread of 133) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Fleetham in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #37. Current record: 2-1, +346.
Round 4		Benedict played #152 Alan Stern (Shadow Hills, CA) and lost 420 to 467 (a spread of -47) . The last time these two played was 2004-02 at: PHOENIX, AZ Benedict's record vs. Stern 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: #59. Current record: 2-2, +299.
Round 5		Benedict played #73 Richard Julian (Mountainside, NJ) and won 438 to 417 (a spread of 21) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Julian in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #40. Current record: 3-2, +320.
Round 6		Benedict played #138 Dean Saldanha (Richmond BC) and won 457 to 361 (a spread of 96) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Saldanha in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #27. Current record: 4-2, +416.
Round 7		Benedict played #2 Tim Adamson (Saint Paul, MN) and won 498 to 364 (a spread of 134) . The last time these two played was 2004-02 at: PHOENIX, AZ Benedict's record vs. Adamson in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1.5-1.5 (0.500). Past 1-12 months: TLW. 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: #18. Current record: 5-2, +550.
Round 8		Benedict played #146 Joel Sherman (Bronx, NY) and lost 374 to 463 (a spread of -89) . The last time these two played was 2003-07 at: RENO, NV Benedict's record vs. Sherman in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1-5 (0.167). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: LLW. Past 25-36 months: LLL. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #34. Current record: 5-3, +461.
Round 9		Benedict played #77 Carol Kaplan (San Diego, CA) and lost 407 to 463 (a spread of -56) . The last time these two played was 2004-02 at: PHOENIX, AZ Benedict's record vs. Kaplan in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1-4 (0.200). Past 1-12 months: LW. Past 13-24 months: L. Past 25-36 months: L. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: L. Current ranking: #51. Current record: 5-4, +405.
Round 10		Benedict played #114 Sammy Okosagah (Baltimore, MD) and lost 332 to 397 (a spread of -65) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Okosagah in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #65. Current record: 5-5, +340.
Round 11		Benedict played #55 Daniel Goodwin (Seattle, WA) and lost 320 to 439 (a spread of -119) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Goodwin in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #84. Current record: 5-6, +221.
Round 12		Benedict played #71 Ronald Howard (Irvine, CA) and won 483 to 254 (a spread of 229) . The last time these two played was 2004-05 at: LOS GATOS, CA Benedict's record vs. Howard in the 5 years leading up to this event: 6-2 (0.750). Past 1-12 months: WW. Past 13-24 months: LW. Past 25-36 months: WLW. Past 37-48 months: W. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #66. Current record: 6-6, +450.
Round 13		Benedict played #110 Mark Nyman (United Kingdom) and won 415 to 330 (a spread of 85) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Nyman in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #57. Current record: 7-6, +535.
Round 14		Benedict played #157 Frank Tangredi (West Babylon, NY) and won 402 to 369 (a spread of 33) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Tangredi in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #44. Current record: 8-6, +568.
Round 15		Benedict played #151 Debbie Stegman (Kew Gardens, NY) and won 425 to 367 (a spread of 58) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Stegman in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #38. Current record: 9-6, +626.
Round 16		Benedict played #129 David Poder (Huntington Beach, CA) and won 434 to 333 (a spread of 101) . The last time these two played was 2004-05 at: LOS GATOS, CA Benedict's record vs. Poder in the 5 years leading up to this event: 7-3 (0.700). Past 1-12 months: WW. Past 13-24 months: LL. Past 25-36 months: WLWWW. Past 37-48 months: W. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #28. Current record: 10-6, +727.
Round 17		Benedict played #29 Lynn Cushman (New York, NY) and lost 296 to 519 (a spread of -223) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Cushman in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #39. Current record: 10-7, +504.
Round 18		Benedict played #66 Randy Hersom (Morganton, NC) and tied at 444 . Before this event, Benedict had not played Hersom in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #49. Current record: 10.5-7.5, +504. Benedict is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit). Benedict is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 19		Benedict played #161 Ron Tiekert (Indialantic, FL) and won 508 to 428 (a spread of 80) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Tiekert in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #37. Current record: 11.5-7.5, +584.
Round 20		Benedict played #53 Daniel Goldman (New York, NY) and won 387 to 343 (a spread of 44) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Goldman in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #26. Current record: 12.5-7.5, +628.
Round 21		Benedict played #68 Ron Hoekstra (Kentwood, MI) and won 478 to 240 (a spread of 238) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Hoekstra in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #19. Current record: 13.5-7.5, +866.
Round 22		Benedict played #154 Panupol Sujjayakorn (Thailand) and won 433 to 337 (a spread of 96) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Sujjayakorn in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #16. Current record: 14.5-7.5, +962.
Round 23		Benedict played #104 Brian Moss (Brooklyn, NY) and won 394 to 386 (a spread of 8) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Moss in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #10. Current record: 15.5-7.5, +970.
Round 24		Benedict played #51 David Gibson (Spartanburg, SC) and lost 341 to 459 (a spread of -118) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Gibson in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #18. Current record: 15.5-8.5, +852.
Round 25		Benedict played #89 Adam Logan (United Kingdom) and won 383 to 334 (a spread of 49) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Logan in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #14. Current record: 16.5-8.5, +901. Benedict is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit). Benedict is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 26		Benedict played #155 Charnwit Sukhumrattanaporn (Thailand) and won 367 to 362 (a spread of 5) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Sukhumrattanaporn in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #7. Current record: 17.5-8.5, +906. Benedict is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 27		Benedict played #29 Lynn Cushman (New York, NY) and won 458 to 353 (a spread of 105) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Cushman in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #5. Current record: 18.5-8.5, +1011.
Round 28		Benedict played #51 David Gibson (Spartanburg, SC) and lost 320 to 400 (a spread of -80) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Gibson in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #11. Current record: 18.5-9.5, +931. Benedict is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit).
Round 29		Benedict played #16 Brian Cappelletto (Chicago, IL) and lost 400 to 439 (a spread of -39) . The last time these two played was 2004-02 at: PHOENIX, AZ Benedict's record vs. Cappelletto in the 5 years leading up to this event: 0-2 (0.000). Past 1-12 months: L. Past 13-24 months: L. Past 25-36 months: no games. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #16. Current record: 18.5-10.5, +892. Benedict is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 30		Benedict played #5 Chuck Armstrong (Saline, MI) and won 418 to 320 (a spread of 98) . Before this event, Benedict had not played Armstrong in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #11. Current record: 19.5-10.5, +990. Benedict is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).

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