Jim Barker [#1] 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 Jim Barker, who is a contestant in Division 6 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. Barker currently has a record of 15.5-14.5, +37, and is ranked #34 in Division 6.

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): Jim Surname(s): Barker Home: San Jose, CA, United States Age: 57 Awards: ate 27 pieces pizza 1965 (won 3 marathon races too) Hobbies: Running Occupation: Social Work

Career History

5-year record against other players at this event	15-13 (0.536)
Past 1-12 months	2-1 (0.667)	L WW
Past 13-24 months	2-1 (0.667)	W L W
Past 25-36 months	6-4 (0.600)	WW LL W L WWW L
Past 37-48 months	1-6 (0.143)	L W LLLLL
Past 49-60 months	4-1 (0.800)	WW L WW

Rank Diagram

[rank diagram]
See legend

Round-by-Round
High score: 420 Average for: 330 Average against: 329
Round 1		Barker played #59 Ben Settle (Edmonton AB) and lost 286 to 375 (a spread of -89) . Before this event, Barker had not played Settle in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #63. Current record: 0-1, -89.
Round 2		Barker played #26 Richard Hamilton (Harrisburg, PA) and lost 339 to 404 (a spread of -65) . Before this event, Barker had not played Hamilton in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #68. Current record: 0-2, -154.
Round 3		Barker played #2 Evadne Bartholomeusz (Winnetka, CA) and lost 259 to 279 (a spread of -20) . The last time these two played was 2004-01 at: RENO, NV Barker's record vs. Bartholomeusz in the 5 years leading up to this event: 4-0 (1.000). Past 1-12 months: W. Past 13-24 months: no games. Past 25-36 months: WW. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: W. Current ranking: #72. Current record: 0-3, -174.
Round 4		Barker played #54 Hal Peterman (Oquawka, IL) and won 389 to 346 (a spread of 43) . Before this event, Barker had not played Peterman in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #61. Current record: 1-3, -131.
Round 5		Barker played #21 Gregory Gebbie (Slidell, LA) and lost 356 to 359 (a spread of -3) . Before this event, Barker had not played Gebbie in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #66. Current record: 1-4, -134.
Round 6		Barker played #25 Mark Hamilton (Toronto ON) and lost 331 to 415 (a spread of -84) . Before this event, Barker had not played Hamilton in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #70. Current record: 1-5, -218.
Round 7		Barker played #45 Marty McCarthy (Wautoma, WI) and lost 329 to 353 (a spread of -24) . Before this event, Barker had not played McCarthy in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #70. Current record: 1-6, -242.
Round 8		Barker played #23 Marsha Gillis (Huntsville, AL) and won 335 to 298 (a spread of 37) . Before this event, Barker had not played Gillis in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #66. Current record: 2-6, -205.
Round 9		Barker played #41 Mary Mathews (Antioch, TN) and lost 270 to 333 (a spread of -63) . Before this event, Barker had not played Mathews in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #69. Current record: 2-7, -268. Barker is mentioned in this round's commentary (1 hit). Barker is mentioned in this round's photo captions (1 hit).
Round 10		Barker played #9 Charlotte Bremond (Oakland, CA) and lost 341 to 367 (a spread of -26) . The last time these two played was 2004-01 at: RENO, NV Barker's record vs. Bremond in the 5 years leading up to this event: 2-5 (0.286). Past 1-12 months: LW. Past 13-24 months: no games. Past 25-36 months: no games. Past 37-48 months: LLLL. Past 49-60 months: W. Current ranking: #71. Current record: 2-8, -294.
Round 11		Barker played #49 Sophia Murzin (Dearborn Heights, MI) and won 317 to 238 (a spread of 79) . The last time these two played was 2002-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Barker's record vs. Murzin 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: WW. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #67. Current record: 3-8, -215.
Round 12		Barker played #28 Lois M. Hawkins (Los Angeles, CA) and won 420 to 274 (a spread of 146) . Before this event, Barker had not played Hawkins in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #63. Current record: 4-8, -69.
Round 13		Barker played #44 Annette McCaffery (Baton Rouge, LA) and lost 264 to 391 (a spread of -127) . Before this event, Barker had not played McCaffery in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #67. Current record: 4-9, -196.
Round 14		Barker played #64 Ann Skylstad (Fort Stockton, TX) and tied at 318 . Before this event, Barker had not played Skylstad in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #69. Current record: 4.5-9.5, -196.
Round 15		Barker played #37 Deborah Light (Napanee ON) and won 327 to 326 (a spread of 1) . Before this event, Barker had not played Light in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #65. Current record: 5.5-9.5, -195.
Round 16		Barker played #54 Hal Peterman (Oquawka, IL) and won 369 to 285 (a spread of 84) . Before this event, Barker had not played Peterman in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #60. Current record: 6.5-9.5, -111.
Round 17		Barker played #69 Max Stewart (Stevens Point, WI) and won 323 to 267 (a spread of 56) . Before this event, Barker had not played Stewart in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #56. Current record: 7.5-9.5, -55.
Round 18		Barker played #42 Estelle Matthews (Calgary AB) and lost 331 to 334 (a spread of -3) . Before this event, Barker had not played Matthews in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #58. Current record: 7.5-10.5, -58.
Round 19		Barker played #64 Ann Skylstad (Fort Stockton, TX) and won 325 to 309 (a spread of 16) . Before this event, Barker had not played Skylstad in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #51. Current record: 8.5-10.5, -42.
Round 20		Barker played #15 Lindsay Crotty (Metairie, LA) and won 322 to 293 (a spread of 29) . Before this event, Barker had not played Crotty in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #44. Current record: 9.5-10.5, -13.
Round 21		Barker played #8 Linda Brandt (Brandon, FL) and won 341 to 320 (a spread of 21) . Before this event, Barker had not played Brandt in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #41. Current record: 10.5-10.5, +8.
Round 22		Barker played #43 Jason Maxwell (Tallahassee, FL) and lost 323 to 376 (a spread of -53) . Before this event, Barker had not played Maxwell in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #45. Current record: 10.5-11.5, -45.
Round 23		Barker played #57 Julie Robinson (Denham Springs, LA) and won 327 to 289 (a spread of 38) . Before this event, Barker had not played Robinson in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #40. Current record: 11.5-11.5, -7.
Round 24		Barker played #73 Sharon Valorose (Williamsburg, VA) and won 351 to 278 (a spread of 73) . Before this event, Barker had not played Valorose in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #32. Current record: 12.5-11.5, +66.
Round 25		Barker played #43 Jason Maxwell (Tallahassee, FL) and won 337 to 310 (a spread of 27) . Before this event, Barker had not played Maxwell in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #26. Current record: 13.5-11.5, +93.
Round 26		Barker played #65 Neva Slater (Manchester, CT) and lost 322 to 373 (a spread of -51) . The last time these two played was 2002-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Barker's record vs. Slater 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: #32. Current record: 13.5-12.5, +42.
Round 27		Barker played #50 Andy Novocin (Tallahassee, FL) and won 376 to 326 (a spread of 50) . Before this event, Barker had not played Novocin in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #29. Current record: 14.5-12.5, +92.
Round 28		Barker played #8 Linda Brandt (Brandon, FL) and won 366 to 307 (a spread of 59) . Before this event, Barker had not played Brandt in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #23. Current record: 15.5-12.5, +151.
Round 29		Barker played #3 Vera Bigall (Toronto ON) and lost 283 to 391 (a spread of -108) . Before this event, Barker had not played Bigall in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #28. Current record: 15.5-13.5, +43.
Round 30		Barker played #65 Neva Slater (Manchester, CT) and lost 332 to 338 (a spread of -6) . The last time these two played was 2002-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Barker's record vs. Slater 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: #34. Current record: 15.5-14.5, +37.

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