Zev Kaufman [#79] 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 Zev Kaufman, 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. Kaufman currently has a record of 15-15, -476, and is ranked #90 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): Zev Surname(s): Kaufman Home: Toronto, ON, Canada Age: 57 Awards: Qualified for Canadian World Championship Team - 1993, 1999, 2001 and 2003. Toronto Club #3 Champion 12 times. Hobbies: Talmud, Kabbalah, and Clabbers Occupation: Househusband WSC 1993 Rank: 25 WSC 2001 Rank: 44

Career History

5-year record against other players at this event	64.5-66.5 (0.492)
Past 1-12 months	13-8 (0.619)	L WWW L WWWW L WWW LL WW LL W L
Past 13-24 months	8.5-16.5 (0.340)	W L W LLLLLL WW LLTLLLLLLL WWWW
Past 25-36 months	21-17 (0.553)	WW LL W LLL WW L WWW L WW L W L WW L WW LLL W L W LL W L WWW
Past 37-48 months	8-9 (0.471)	LL WW LL W L W LLL WWW L W
Past 49-60 months	14-16 (0.467)	LLLLLLL WWWWWWWW L W LLLL W LL WW L W L W

Rank Diagram

[rank diagram]
See legend

Round-by-Round
High score: 563 Average for: 394 Average against: 410
Round 1		Kaufman played #126 James Peters (Brandon, FL) and won 522 to 370 (a spread of 152) . The last time these two played was 2002-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Kaufman's record vs. Peters 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: W. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #16. Current record: 1-0, +152.
Round 2		Kaufman played #17 Aldo Cardia (New York, NY) and won 429 to 338 (a spread of 91) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played Cardia in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #16. Current record: 2-0, +243.
Round 3		Kaufman played #14 Ted Blevins (Cecilia, KY) and lost 265 to 369 (a spread of -104) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played Blevins in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #50. Current record: 2-1, +139.
Round 4		Kaufman played #158 Geoff Thevenot (Austin, TX) and lost 330 to 422 (a spread of -92) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played Thevenot in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #74. Current record: 2-2, +47.
Round 5		Kaufman played #4 Scott Appel (Trenton, NJ) and won 403 to 398 (a spread of 5) . The last time these two played was 2002-12 at: PARSIPPANY, NJ Kaufman's record vs. Appel in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1-1 (0.500). 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: W. Current ranking: #68. Current record: 3-2, +52.
Round 6		Kaufman played #5 Chuck Armstrong (Saline, MI) and won 441 to 422 (a spread of 19) . The last time these two played was 2003-09 at: TORONTO, ONT. CAN Kaufman's record vs. Armstrong 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: #53. Current record: 4-2, +71.
Round 7		Kaufman played #34 Mark DiBattista (Astoria, NY) and lost 388 to 573 (a spread of -185) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played DiBattista in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #80. Current record: 4-3, -114. Kaufman is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit). Kaufman is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 8		Kaufman played #58 Randy Greenspan (Buffalo, NY) and lost 448 to 538 (a spread of -90) . The last time these two played was 2002-12 at: PARSIPPANY, NJ Kaufman's record vs. Greenspan in the 5 years leading up to this event: 0-2 (0.000). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: L. Past 25-36 months: L. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #101. Current record: 4-4, -204.
Round 9		Kaufman played #67 Marlon Hill (Baltimore, MD) and lost 345 to 422 (a spread of -77) . The last time these two played was 2002-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Kaufman's record vs. Hill in the 5 years leading up to this event: 0-2 (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: L. Current ranking: #118. Current record: 4-5, -281.
Round 10		Kaufman played #168 John Viloria (New York, NY) and won 428 to 397 (a spread of 31) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played Viloria in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #104. Current record: 5-5, -250.
Round 11		Kaufman played #142 Louis Schecter (Brooklyn, NY) and lost 328 to 454 (a spread of -126) . The last time these two played was 2002-12 at: PARSIPPANY, NJ Kaufman's record vs. Schecter in the 5 years leading up to this event: 3-0 (1.000). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: WW. Past 25-36 months: no games. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: W. Current ranking: #122. Current record: 5-6, -376.
Round 12		Kaufman played #103 Avi Moss (Missouri City, TX) and lost 315 to 534 (a spread of -219) . The last time these two played was 2000-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Kaufman's record vs. Moss 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: #135. Current record: 5-7, -595.
Round 13		Kaufman played #145 Peter Schwartzman (Galesburg, IL) and won 507 to 386 (a spread of 121) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played Schwartzman in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #119. Current record: 6-7, -474.
Round 14		Kaufman played #153 Carl Stocker (Miami, FL) and lost 292 to 338 (a spread of -46) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played Stocker in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #128. Current record: 6-8, -520.
Round 15		Kaufman played #15 Mitchell Brook (Philadelphia, PA) and won 478 to 394 (a spread of 84) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played Brook in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #115. Current record: 7-8, -436.
Round 16		Kaufman played #165 Cheryl Tyler (Lubbock, TX) and won 396 to 375 (a spread of 21) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played Tyler in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #97. Current record: 8-8, -415.
Round 17		Kaufman played #50 Jim Geary (Glendale, AZ) and won 411 to 397 (a spread of 14) . The last time these two played was 2002-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Kaufman's record vs. Geary 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: W. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #84. Current record: 9-8, -401.
Round 18		Kaufman played #111 John O'Laughlin (Madison, WI) and lost 308 to 357 (a spread of -49) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played O'Laughlin in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #95. Current record: 9-9, -450.
Round 19		Kaufman played #2 Tim Adamson (Saint Paul, MN) and won 431 to 383 (a spread of 48) . The last time these two played was 2002-12 at: PARSIPPANY, NJ Kaufman's record vs. Adamson in the 5 years leading up to this event: 0-1 (0.000). 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: no games. Current ranking: #77. Current record: 10-9, -402.
Round 20		Kaufman played #164 Siri Tillekeratne (Calgary AB) and lost 368 to 414 (a spread of -46) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played Tillekeratne in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #95. Current record: 10-10, -448.
Round 21		Kaufman played #76 Sam Kantimathi (El Dorado Hills, CA) and lost 395 to 480 (a spread of -85) . The last time these two played was 2000-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Kaufman's record vs. Kantimathi 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: #110. Current record: 10-11, -533.
Round 22		Kaufman played #8 Michael Baker (Portland, OR) and won 401 to 364 (a spread of 37) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played Baker in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #96. Current record: 11-11, -496.
Round 23		Kaufman played #96 Jesse Matthews (Calgary AB) and won 418 to 408 (a spread of 10) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played Matthews in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #80. Current record: 12-11, -486.
Round 24		Kaufman played #151 Debbie Stegman (Kew Gardens, NY) and lost 381 to 406 (a spread of -25) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played Stegman in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #94. Current record: 12-12, -511.
Round 25		Kaufman played #96 Jesse Matthews (Calgary AB) and won 416 to 297 (a spread of 119) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played Matthews in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #80. Current record: 13-12, -392.
Round 26		Kaufman played #166 John Van Pelt (Arlington, MA) and won 438 to 378 (a spread of 60) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played Van Pelt in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #72. Current record: 14-12, -332.
Round 27		Kaufman played #123 Mike Paxson (Bloomington, IN) and lost 428 to 463 (a spread of -35) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played Paxson in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #84. Current record: 14-13, -367.
Round 28		Kaufman played #47 Jeremy Frank (New York, NY) and lost 241 to 569 (a spread of -328) . The last time these two played was 2003-02 at: ATLANTIC CITY, NJ Kaufman's record vs. Frank in the 5 years leading up to this event: 0-1 (0.000). 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: no games. Current ranking: #97. Current record: 14-14, -695. Kaufman is mentioned in this round's commentary (2 hits).
Round 29		Kaufman played #57 Howie Greenspan (Norwalk, CT) and won 563 to 171 (a spread of 392) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played Greenspan in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #84. Current record: 15-14, -303.
Round 30		Kaufman played #151 Debbie Stegman (Kew Gardens, NY) and lost 300 to 473 (a spread of -173) . Before this event, Kaufman had not played Stegman in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #90. Current record: 15-15, -476. Kaufman is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Final Round 3		Kaufman is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).

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