Rich Baker [#7] at 2005 National SCRABBLE® Championship

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On this page, you will find information about Rich Baker, who is a contestant in Division 1 at the 2005 National SCRABBLE® Championship, held August 20th – 24th in Reno, NV. This page is updated at least hourly between 09:00 A.M. and midnight PDT. Baker currently has a record of 13-15, -267, 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): Rich Surname(s): Baker Home: Eureka, CA, United States Age: 43 Awards: Atlantic City 2000, Norway 2002 Hobbies: Travel, Reading Occupation: College Professor

Career History

6-year record against other players at this event	78.5-77.5 (0.503)
Past 1-12 months	10.5-7.5 (0.583)	W LL W L WWWW LLLTW L WWW
Past 13-24 months	8-17 (0.320)	W LL W LLLLLL W L WW LLLL W L W L W LL
Past 25-36 months	21-19 (0.525)	WWW LL WWWWW L WWWWW L W LLL WW L WW LLLLL W LLLL WW LL
Past 37-48 months	16-12 (0.571)	WW LLLL WW LL WW L W L W L WWWWWW LL WW L
Past 49-60 months	6-8 (0.429)	W LLL W L W LLL WW L W
Past 61-72 months	17-14 (0.548)	L W L WWW LL W LL WWWWWW LLL WWWW LLLLL WW

Rank Diagram

[rank diagram]
See legend

Round-by-Round
High score: 555 Average for: 394 Average against: 403
Anagrams Championship		Baker is mentioned in this round’s photo captions (1 hit).
Round 1		Baker played #59 Lisa Odom (St. Louis Park, MN) and lost 326 to 467 (a spread of -141) . The last time these two played was 2000-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Baker’s record vs. Odom in the 6 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: no games. Past 61-72 months: W. Current ranking: #80. Current record: 0-1, -141.
Round 2		Baker played #31 Randy Hersom (Morganton, NC) and won 421 to 347 (a spread of 74) . The last time these two played was 2004-04 at: BOSTON AREA TOURNAMENT Baker’s record vs. Hersom in the 6 years leading up to this event: 0-5 (0.000). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: L. Past 25-36 months: LL. Past 37-48 months: LL. Past 49-60 months: no games. Past 61-72 months: no games. Current ranking: #55. Current record: 1-1, -67.
Round 3		Baker played #32 Marlon Hill (Baltimore, MD) and won 410 to 385 (a spread of 25) . The last time these two played was 2002-10 at: PHILADELPHIA, PA Baker’s record vs. Hill in the 6 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: L. Past 49-60 months: no games. Past 61-72 months: no games. Current ranking: #40. Current record: 2-1, -42.
Round 4		Baker played #73 Nigel Richards (New Zealand) and lost 389 to 448 (a spread of -59) . Before this event, Baker had not played Richards in at least 6 years. Current ranking: #54. Current record: 2-2, -101. Baker is mentioned in this round’s commentary (1 hit). Baker is mentioned in this round’s photo captions (1 hit).
Round 5		Baker played #64 Trip Payne (Boca Raton, FL) and lost 378 to 417 (a spread of -39) . Before this event, Baker had not played Payne in at least 6 years. Current ranking: #57. Current record: 2-3, -140.
Round 6		Baker played #88 Gail Wolford (Portland, OR) and won 375 to 321 (a spread of 54) . The last time these two played was 2002-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Baker’s record vs. Wolford in the 6 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: W. Past 49-60 months: no games. Past 61-72 months: no games. Current ranking: #50. Current record: 3-3, -86.
Round 7		Baker played #30 Albert Hahn (Calgary AB) and won 430 to 422 (a spread of 8) . The last time these two played was 2000-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Baker’s record vs. Hahn in the 6 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: no games. Past 61-72 months: W. Current ranking: #43. Current record: 4-3, -78.
Round 8		Baker played #29 Steve Grob (Fenton, MI) and lost 343 to 402 (a spread of -59) . Before this event, Baker had not played Grob in at least 6 years. Current ranking: #49. Current record: 4-4, -137.
Round 9		Baker played #89 Trey Wright (Van Nuys, CA) and won 416 to 402 (a spread of 14) . Before this event, Baker had not played Wright in at least 6 years. Current ranking: #44. Current record: 5-4, -123.
Round 10		Baker played #60 Sammy Okosagah (Baltimore, MD) and won 473 to 360 (a spread of 113) . Before this event, Baker had not played Okosagah in at least 6 years. Current ranking: #33. Current record: 6-4, -10.
Round 11		Baker played #21 Paul Epstein (Ann Arbor, MI) and won 375 to 343 (a spread of 32) . The last time these two played was 2003-08 at: ALL*STARS CHAMPIONSHIP Baker’s record vs. Epstein in the 6 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. Past 61-72 months: no games. Current ranking: #25. Current record: 7-4, +22. Baker is mentioned in this round’s commentary (1 hit).
Round 12		Baker played #83 Steve Tier (New York, NY) and won 448 to 298 (a spread of 150) . The last time these two played was 2002-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Baker’s record vs. Tier in the 6 years leading up to this event: 3-0 (1.000). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: no games. Past 25-36 months: no games. Past 37-48 months: WW. Past 49-60 months: no games. Past 61-72 months: W. Current ranking: #14. Current record: 8-4, +172.
Round 13		Baker played #48 John Luebkemann (Pineville, NC) and lost 378 to 391 (a spread of -13) . The last time these two played was 2003-08 at: ALL*STARS CHAMPIONSHIP Baker’s record vs. Luebkemann in the 6 years leading up to this event: 0-3 (0.000). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: no games. Past 25-36 months: LL. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: no games. Past 61-72 months: L. Current ranking: #22. Current record: 8-5, +159.
Round 14		Baker played #42 Jim Kramer (Roseville, MN) and lost 396 to 502 (a spread of -106) . The last time these two played was 2003-08 at: ALL*STARS CHAMPIONSHIP Baker’s record vs. Kramer in the 6 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: no games. Past 61-72 months: L. Current ranking: #28. Current record: 8-6, +53. Baker is mentioned in this round’s commentary (1 hit).
Round 15		Baker played #29 Steve Grob (Fenton, MI) and won 524 to 352 (a spread of 172) . Before this event, Baker had not played Grob in at least 6 years. Current ranking: #21. Current record: 9-6, +225.
Round 16		Baker played #51 Kenji Matsumoto (Aiea, HI) and lost 293 to 416 (a spread of -123) . The last time these two played was 2004-04 at: BOSTON AREA TOURNAMENT Baker’s record vs. Matsumoto in the 6 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: W. Past 49-60 months: no games. Past 61-72 months: no games. Current ranking: #26. Current record: 9-7, +102. Baker is mentioned in this round’s commentary (1 hit).
Round 17		Baker played #36 Sam Kantimathi (El Dorado Hills, CA) and won 460 to 332 (a spread of 128) . The last time these two played was 2003-08 at: ALL*STARS CHAMPIONSHIP Baker’s record vs. Kantimathi in the 6 years leading up to this event: 2-1 (0.667). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: no games. Past 25-36 months: LWW. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: no games. Past 61-72 months: no games. Current ranking: #21. Current record: 10-7, +230.
Round 18		Baker played #31 Randy Hersom (Morganton, NC) and lost 404 to 413 (a spread of -9) . The last time these two played was 2004-04 at: BOSTON AREA TOURNAMENT Baker’s record vs. Hersom in the 6 years leading up to this event: 0-5 (0.000). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: L. Past 25-36 months: LL. Past 37-48 months: LL. Past 49-60 months: no games. Past 61-72 months: no games. Current ranking: #28. Current record: 10-8, +221. Baker is mentioned in this round’s photo captions (1 hit).
Round 19		Baker played #57 Pakorn Nemitrmansuk (Thailand) and won 418 to 328 (a spread of 90) . Before this event, Baker had not played Nemitrmansuk in at least 6 years. Current ranking: #22. Current record: 11-8, +311.
Round 20		Baker played #4 Peter Armstrong (Baltimore, MD) and lost 397 to 468 (a spread of -71) . Before this event, Baker had not played Armstrong in at least 6 years. Current ranking: #32. Current record: 11-9, +240.
Round 21		Baker played #51 Kenji Matsumoto (Aiea, HI) and lost 381 to 437 (a spread of -56) . The last time these two played was 2004-04 at: BOSTON AREA TOURNAMENT Baker’s record vs. Matsumoto in the 6 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: W. Past 49-60 months: no games. Past 61-72 months: no games. Current ranking: #37. Current record: 11-10, +184. Baker is mentioned in this round’s commentary (1 hit).
Round 22		Baker played #82 Geoff Thevenot (Austin, TX) and won 416 to 386 (a spread of 30) . Before this event, Baker had not played Thevenot in at least 6 years. Current ranking: #31. Current record: 12-10, +214.
Round 23		Baker played #10 Evan Berofsky (Thornhill ON) and lost 356 to 416 (a spread of -60) . The last time these two played was 2004-04 at: BOSTON AREA TOURNAMENT Baker’s record vs. Berofsky in the 6 years leading up to this event: 3-1 (0.750). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: WL. Past 25-36 months: no games. Past 37-48 months: W. Past 49-60 months: W. Past 61-72 months: no games. Current ranking: #37. Current record: 12-11, +154.
Round 24		Baker played #68 Mark Pistolese (Hilo, HI) and lost 346 to 409 (a spread of -63) . Before this event, Baker had not played Pistolese in at least 6 years. Current ranking: #43. Current record: 12-12, +91.
Round 25		Baker played #36 Sam Kantimathi (El Dorado Hills, CA) and lost 271 to 476 (a spread of -205) . The last time these two played was 2003-08 at: ALL*STARS CHAMPIONSHIP Baker’s record vs. Kantimathi in the 6 years leading up to this event: 2-1 (0.667). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: no games. Past 25-36 months: LWW. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: no games. Past 61-72 months: no games. Current ranking: #51. Current record: 12-13, -114. Baker is mentioned in this round’s commentary (1 hit).
Round 26		Baker played #82 Geoff Thevenot (Austin, TX) and lost 289 to 522 (a spread of -233) . Before this event, Baker had not played Thevenot in at least 6 years. Current ranking: #60. Current record: 12-14, -347. Baker is mentioned in this round’s photo captions (1 hit).
Round 27		Baker played #2 Steven Alexander (Portland, OR) and won 555 to 337 (a spread of 218) . The last time these two played was 2000-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Baker’s record vs. Alexander in the 6 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: no games. Past 61-72 months: W. Current ranking: #50. Current record: 13-14, -129.
Round 28		Baker played #26 J Goard (Foresthill, CA) and lost 351 to 489 (a spread of -138) . The last time these two played was 2002-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Baker’s record vs. Goard in the 6 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: W. Past 49-60 months: no games. Past 61-72 months: no games. Current ranking: #58. Current record: 13-15, -267.
Final Round 1		Baker is mentioned in this round’s commentary (1 hit). Baker is mentioned in this round’s photo captions (1 hit).
Final Round 2		Baker is mentioned in this round’s commentary (1 hit).

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