NSC 2012: Ben Withers [#18]

[ Congratulations to Nigel Richards, the 2012 National SCRABBLE Champion. This is Nigel's fourth title, and third consecutive one. The site will continue to be updated and corrected throughout the rest of the day. ]

On this page, you will find information about Ben Withers, who is competing at the 2012 National SCRABBLE Championship. This page was updated at least hourly between 09:00 A.M. and midnight local time. This player currently has a record of 18-13, +1122, and is ranked #12 in Division CSW.

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): Ben Surname(s): Withers Home: Houston, TX, United States Awards: 2003-02, 2005-02 Salado, TX; 2005-01 Waco, TX; (51st) 2003 WSC; Texas State Champion 2003 and 2005 Hobbies: Travel, Reading Occupation: Physician

Round by Round
High score: 548 Average for: 432 Average against: 396
Round 1		Withers played #26 Eric Kinderman (Burlington, VT) and won 486 to 377 (a spread of 109). Current ranking: #6. Current record: 1-0, +109.
Round 2		Withers played #37 Ezekiel Markwei (Miramar, FL) and lost 426 to 508 (a spread of -82). Current ranking: #17. Current record: 1-1, +27.
Round 3		Withers played #4 Matthew Bernardina (Durham, NC) and lost 338 to 528 (a spread of -190). Current ranking: #30. Current record: 1-2, -163.
Round 4		Withers played #32 Zbigniew Wieckowski (Woodbury, MN) and lost 407 to 464 (a spread of -57). Current ranking: #31. Current record: 1-3, -220.
Round 5		Withers played #28 Sandy Nang (Malibu, CA) and won 407 to 385 (a spread of 22). Current ranking: #30. Current record: 2-3, -198.
Round 6		Withers played #21 John Van Pelt (Centreville, VA) and won 548 to 395 (a spread of 153). Current ranking: #22. Current record: 3-3, -45.
Round 7		Withers played #25 Jeremy Hildebrand (Ottawa ON) and won 517 to 294 (a spread of 223). Current ranking: #12. Current record: 4-3, +178.
Round 8		Withers played #2 Geoff Thevenot (Austin, TX) and won 474 to 357 (a spread of 117). Current ranking: #9. Current record: 5-3, +295.
Round 9		Withers played #9 Mark Kenas (Madison, WI) and won 449 to 406 (a spread of 43). Current ranking: #6. Current record: 6-3, +338.
Round 10		Withers played #13 Marty Gabriel (Charleston, IL) and lost 440 to 443 (a spread of -3). Current ranking: #8. Current record: 6-4, +335.
Round 11		Withers played #6 Brian Bowman (Villa Hills, KY) and lost 351 to 411 (a spread of -60). Current ranking: #12. Current record: 6-5, +275.
Round 12		Withers played #3 Sam Rosin (Bernardsville, NJ) and won 471 to 359 (a spread of 112). Current ranking: #8. Current record: 7-5, +387. Withers is mentioned in this round’s commentary (1 hit).
Round 13		Withers played #1 Sam Kantimathi (Sacramento, CA) and lost 362 to 421 (a spread of -59). Current ranking: #11. Current record: 7-6, +328.
Round 14		Withers played #14 Steve Polatnick (Miami, FL) and lost 362 to 376 (a spread of -14). Current ranking: #18. Current record: 7-7, +314.
Round 15		Withers played #23 Marcia Richards (Centreville, VA) and won 413 to 314 (a spread of 99). Current ranking: #13. Current record: 8-7, +413. Withers is mentioned in this round’s commentary (1 hit).
Round 16		Withers played #8 Chris Lipe (Rome, NY) and won 383 to 367 (a spread of 16). Current ranking: #12. Current record: 9-7, +429.
Round 17		Withers played #35 Wendell Haynes (Loxahatchee, FL) and won 452 to 400 (a spread of 52). Current ranking: #12. Current record: 10-7, +481.
Round 18		Withers played #22 Robert Linn (Potomac, MD) and lost 364 to 378 (a spread of -14). Current ranking: #12. Current record: 10-8, +467.
Round 19		Withers played #5 David Koenig (Silver Spring, MD) and won 449 to 331 (a spread of 118). Current ranking: #10. Current record: 11-8, +585.
Round 20		Withers played #12 John OLaughlin (Cambridge, MA) and lost 405 to 437 (a spread of -32). Current ranking: #14. Current record: 11-9, +553.
Round 21		Withers played #10 Laurie Cohen (Tempe, AZ) and won 410 to 318 (a spread of 92). Current ranking: #12. Current record: 12-9, +645.
Round 22		Withers played #8 Chris Lipe (Rome, NY) again and won 477 to 289 (a spread of 188). Current ranking: #8. Current record: 13-9, +833.
Round 23		Withers played #19 Winter Zxqkj (Houston, TX) and won 469 to 436 (a spread of 33). Current ranking: #5. Current record: 14-9, +866.
Round 24		Withers played #3 Sam Rosin (Bernardsville, NJ) again and won 510 to 377 (a spread of 133). Current ranking: #5. Current record: 15-9, +999.
Round 25		Withers played #13 Marty Gabriel (Charleston, IL) again and won 513 to 288 (a spread of 225). Current ranking: #3. Current record: 16-9, +1224.
Round 26		Withers played #14 Steve Polatnick (Miami, FL) again and lost 387 to 418 (a spread of -31). Current ranking: #6. Current record: 16-10, +1193. Withers is mentioned in this round’s commentary (1 hit).
Round 27		Withers played #2 Geoff Thevenot (Austin, TX) again and won 446 to 370 (a spread of 76). Current ranking: #4. Current record: 17-10, +1269.
Round 28		Withers played #14 Steve Polatnick (Miami, FL) for the third time and lost 322 to 514 (a spread of -192). Current ranking: #7. Current record: 17-11, +1077.
Round 29		Withers played #7 Joel Wapnick (Montreal QC) and lost 440 to 445 (a spread of -5). Current ranking: #10. Current record: 17-12, +1072.
Round 30		Withers played #34 Susan Gordon (Australia) and won 495 to 358 (a spread of 137). Current ranking: #7. Current record: 18-12, +1209.
Round 31		Withers played #23 Marcia Richards (Centreville, VA) again and lost 424 to 511 (a spread of -87). Current ranking: #12. Current record: 18-13, +1122.

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