Steve Polatnick [#130] 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 Steve Polatnick, 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. Polatnick currently has a record of 16-14, +503, and is ranked #58 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): Steve Surname(s): Polatnick Home: Miami, FL, United States Age: 59 Awards: 2001 Worlds, 4th Place, past winner, Western Open, Boston Premier Hobbies: Travel, Poker, Bicycle riding, Foreign languages Occupation: Attorney at Law WSC 1995 Rank: 38 WSC 1999 Rank: 64 WSC 2001 Rank: 4

Career History

5-year record against other players at this event	140.5-123.5 (0.532)
Past 1-12 months	20-18 (0.526)	L W LLLL WW L WW L W L WW L WWWW LLLL WWW L W LL WW L W L W
Past 13-24 months	34.5-31.5 (0.523)	LLL WW LLLL W L W L W L WWW LLL WWW LL WW LL W L WW L W LLLL WWWW LLL WWWWW L W L W L WWWW L WWTL
Past 25-36 months	35-34 (0.507)	WW LL WWW L WWW L WW L WW LLL W LL W LLL WWTW LL WW LLLL WWW LTLLL W LLLL WWW LLLLL WWW L WWWWW
Past 37-48 months	10-15 (0.400)	L W LLL W L WW L W LLL W L W LLLLL WWW
Past 49-60 months	41-25 (0.621)	LL WWW L WWWW LL W LLL WWWWWWWWWWWWWWW L WWWW L W LL WW LLL WW L WWWW LLLL WWW LLL W L W L

Rank Diagram

[rank diagram]
See legend

Round-by-Round
High score: 526 Average for: 394 Average against: 377
Round 1		Polatnick played #105 Richard Moyer (Dayton, OR) and won 473 to 296 (a spread of 177) . The last time these two played was 2003-07 at: RENO, NV Polatnick's record vs. Moyer in the 5 years leading up to this event: 3.5-1.5 (0.700). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: W. Past 25-36 months: WTW. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: L. Current ranking: #11. Current record: 1-0, +177.
Round 2		Polatnick played #74 Robert Kahn (Plantation, FL) and won 376 to 313 (a spread of 63) . The last time these two played was 2004-03 at: STUART, FL Polatnick's record vs. Kahn in the 5 years leading up to this event: 6-8 (0.429). Past 1-12 months: LLWWLW. Past 13-24 months: WLL. Past 25-36 months: WL. Past 37-48 months: L. Past 49-60 months: WL. Current ranking: #18. Current record: 2-0, +240.
Round 3		Polatnick played #80 Mark Kenas (Madison, WI) and won 494 to 301 (a spread of 193) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played Kenas in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #5. Current record: 3-0, +433.
Round 4		Polatnick played #145 Peter Schwartzman (Galesburg, IL) and won 464 to 390 (a spread of 74) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played Schwartzman in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #5. Current record: 4-0, +507.
Round 5		Polatnick played #53 Daniel Goldman (New York, NY) and lost 281 to 343 (a spread of -62) . The last time these two played was 2000-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Polatnick's record vs. Goldman in the 5 years leading up to this event: 2-0 (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: WW. Current ranking: #11. Current record: 4-1, +445.
Round 6		Polatnick played #114 Sammy Okosagah (Baltimore, MD) and lost 421 to 435 (a spread of -14) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played Okosagah in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #26. Current record: 4-2, +431.
Round 7		Polatnick played #26 Joanne Cohen (Owings Mills, MD) and won 360 to 308 (a spread of 52) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played Cohen in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #21. Current record: 5-2, +483.
Round 8		Polatnick played #9 Mike Baron (Corrales, NM) and won 497 to 271 (a spread of 226) . The last time these two played was 2003-07 at: RENO, NV Polatnick's record vs. Baron in the 5 years leading up to this event: 2-3 (0.400). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: WLW. Past 25-36 months: L. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: L. Current ranking: #13. Current record: 6-2, +709.
Round 9		Polatnick played #32 Robin Pollock Daniel (Toronto ON) and won 401 to 373 (a spread of 28) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played Daniel in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #6. Current record: 7-2, +737.
Round 10		Polatnick played #60 Albert Hahn (Calgary AB) and lost 347 to 394 (a spread of -47) . The last time these two played was 2000-08 at: RENO, NV Polatnick's record vs. Hahn in the 5 years leading up to this event: 2-0 (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: WW. Current ranking: #17. Current record: 7-3, +690.
Round 11		Polatnick played #40 Robert Ellickson (New Haven, CT) and lost 330 to 420 (a spread of -90) . The last time these two played was 2002-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Polatnick's record vs. Ellickson 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: #34. Current record: 7-4, +600.
Round 12		Polatnick played #119 Komol Panyasophonlert (Thailand) and won 456 to 386 (a spread of 70) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played Panyasophonlert in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #24. Current record: 8-4, +670. Polatnick is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 13		Polatnick played #6 Peter Armstrong (Baltimore, MD) and lost 342 to 511 (a spread of -169) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played Armstrong in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #36. Current record: 8-5, +501.
Round 14		Polatnick played #124 Steve Pellinen (St. Louis Park, MN) and lost 352 to 383 (a spread of -31) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played Pellinen in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #46. Current record: 8-6, +470.
Round 15		Polatnick played #104 Brian Moss (Brooklyn, NY) and won 377 to 323 (a spread of 54) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played Moss in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #40. Current record: 9-6, +524.
Round 16		Polatnick played #5 Chuck Armstrong (Saline, MI) and lost 388 to 389 (a spread of -1) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played Armstrong in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #47. Current record: 9-7, +523.
Round 17		Polatnick played #146 Joel Sherman (Bronx, NY) and won 462 to 376 (a spread of 86) . The last time these two played was 2003-07 at: RENO, NV Polatnick'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: L. Past 25-36 months: LW. Past 37-48 months: W. Past 49-60 months: W. Current ranking: #38. Current record: 10-7, +609.
Round 18		Polatnick played #161 Ron Tiekert (Indialantic, FL) and lost 353 to 476 (a spread of -123) . The last time these two played was 2001-04 at: WAKEFIELD, MA Polatnick's record vs. Tiekert 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: no games. Past 37-48 months: W. Past 49-60 months: L. Current ranking: #53. Current record: 10-8, +486.
Round 19		Polatnick played #90 John Luebkemann (Pineville, NC) and lost 338 to 494 (a spread of -156) . The last time these two played was 2001-04 at: WAKEFIELD, MA Polatnick's record vs. Luebkemann 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: no games. Past 37-48 months: L. Past 49-60 months: L. Current ranking: #63. Current record: 10-9, +330.
Round 20		Polatnick played #124 Steve Pellinen (St. Louis Park, MN) and lost 324 to 532 (a spread of -208) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played Pellinen in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #82. Current record: 10-10, +122.
Round 21		Polatnick played #66 Randy Hersom (Morganton, NC) and lost 307 to 342 (a spread of -35) . The last time these two played was 2002-12 at: ORLANDO, FL Polatnick's record vs. Hersom in the 5 years leading up to this event: 0-3 (0.000). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: LL. Past 25-36 months: no games. Past 37-48 months: L. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #95. Current record: 10-11, +87.
Round 22		Polatnick played #91 Rod MacNeil (Londonderry, NH) and lost 325 to 446 (a spread of -121) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played MacNeil in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #107. Current record: 10-12, -34.
Round 23		Polatnick played #6 Peter Armstrong (Baltimore, MD) and lost 356 to 371 (a spread of -15) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played Armstrong in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #123. Current record: 10-13, -49.
Round 24		Polatnick played #62 John Hart (Portland, OR) and won 410 to 395 (a spread of 15) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played Hart in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #109. Current record: 11-13, -34.
Round 25		Polatnick played #157 Frank Tangredi (West Babylon, NY) and lost 382 to 421 (a spread of -39) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played Tangredi in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #120. Current record: 11-14, -73.
Round 26		Polatnick played #7 Paul Avrin (New York, NY) and won 434 to 429 (a spread of 5) . The last time these two played was 2002-09 at: ATLANTA, GA Polatnick's record vs. Avrin in the 5 years leading up to this event: 3-0 (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: WW. Current ranking: #108. Current record: 12-14, -68.
Round 27		Polatnick played #118 Steve Ozorio (Mississauga ON) and won 417 to 246 (a spread of 171) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played Ozorio in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #95. Current record: 13-14, +103.
Round 28		Polatnick played #61 Eric Harshbarger (Auburn, AL) and won 362 to 349 (a spread of 13) . The last time these two played was 2002-09 at: ATLANTA, GA Polatnick's record vs. Harshbarger 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: #86. Current record: 14-14, +116.
Round 29		Polatnick played #171 Bruce Ward (San Francisco, CA) and won 462 to 339 (a spread of 123) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played Ward in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #69. Current record: 15-14, +239.
Round 30		Polatnick played #152 Alan Stern (Shadow Hills, CA) and won 526 to 262 (a spread of 264) . Before this event, Polatnick had not played Stern in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #58. Current record: 16-14, +503.

HASBRO is the owner of the registered SCRABBLE^® trademark in the United States and Canada. © 2004 HASBRO. All rights reserved. "SCRABBLE^® Brand Crossword Game" is the proper way to refer to this unique group of word games and related properties marketed by HASBRO. "SCRABBLE^®" is not a generic term. To use it as such is not only misleading but also does injustice to the company responsible for the trademark's longtime popularity. All we ask is that when you mean SCRABBLE^® Brand Crossword Game, you say so.

The SCRABBLE^® trademark is owned by J.W. Spear and Sons, PLC, a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. outside of the United States and Canada.

For more information about SCRABBLE^® or the NSA, or to comment on or correct the contents of this page, please e-mail: info@scrabble-assoc.com
To report technical difficulties in reading this page, please contact webmaster John Chew at: jjchew@math.utoronto.ca