2011 World SCRABBLE Championship US qualification system

This page outlines the criteria that will be used to select the players who will represent the United States at the 2011 World SCRABBLE Championship (WSC).

Eligibility

All players wishing to qualify must be NASPA members in good standing.

United States citizens and permanent residents are eligible.

Players may not register for the qualification process if they have already registered to qualify for another nation. If a player registers to play for the U.S. and then withdraws to attempt to represent another nation at WSC 2011, they will be ineligible to compete for the U.S. at any Causeway Challenges held between 2011 and 2013 and the 2013 World Scrabble Championship.

Registering for the qualification process

In order to claim a spot on the team, interested players must register for the qualification process before the end of the qualification period. Players wishing to register can do so by contacting Sam Kantimathi or Brian Bowman.

A player who registers for the qualification process may withdraw from consideration without penalty until the qualifying tournament is held in May or June of 2011. Any player who commits to play in the WSC and withdraws after the QT (after the U.S. team has been finalized) will be ineligible to play on the U.S. team at the 2013 World Scrabble Championship.

Registered player list

The following players have registered for the qualification process:

• Peter Armstrong
• Conrad Bassett-Bouchard
• Brian Bowman
• Travis Chaney
• Evans Clinchy
• Jesse Day
• Jason Idalski
• Sam Kantimathi
• Jason Keller
• David Koenig
• John O’Laughlin
• Sam Rosin
• Geoff Thevenot
• Bradley Whitmarsh
• Dave Wiegand

Qualification period (QP)

The qualification period begins on January 1, 2010 and will end sometime in May 2011. A qualification tournament (QT) will be held sometime in May or June 2011.

Note: Tournaments that are in progress at the beginning or end of the QP will be considered to fall within the QP.

Available spots

The United States will be represented by fifteen players in 2011.

Criteria (in order)

1. World English-language Scrabble Players' Association (WESPA) bye(s)

Any spots awarded by WESPA (for example, for being a finalist at the previous WSC, or for being champion of the WYSC) do not count against the United States' allotment.

2. Top finishers from the 2009 World SCRABBLE Championship

Three spots will be reserved for the top three American finishers at the 2009 WSC. If any of these players decline to play, then additional spots will be determined by peak rating.

Note: The top three American finishers at the 2009 WSC were Dave Wiegand, Nathan Benedict and Jason Katz-Brown.

3. Peak NASPA TWL or NASPA SOWPODS rating (PR)

Nine spots will be determined by peak rating during the QP.

A player’s PR is their highest tournament rating that is achieved after the player has played at least 50 games in fully rated tournaments during the QP. Games played in either the NASPA TWL rating system or the NASPA SOWPODS system count toward the 50 game participation requirement.

Only ratings achieved at the conclusion of fully rated tournaments will be considered a PR.

If a PR includes bonus points earned from the second half of a tourney 17-32 rounds long (or from the final third of a tourney 33-48 rounds long), then those specific bonus points will be subtracted from the player's final rating that tourney before reaching the PR for that tourney only. Subsequent tourneys will again include the bonus points from the previous events.

A player with both a NASPA TWL rating and a NASPA SOWPODS rating may have a PR in each rating system, if they are each achieved after the 50 game participation requirement is met. That player will use the higher of the two peaks as their PR.

PR tie-breakers

1. Highest NASPA SOWPODS peak rating.
2. Highest number of NASPA SOWPODS games played.
3. Second highest rating achieved after playing at least 50 games in the QP.
4. Highest rating achieved after any fully rated tournament in the QP.
5. Drawing of lots.

4. Qualification tournament (QT)

Three spots (and one alternate) will be determined by a qualification tournament of at least 20 games to be held in May or June 2011 at a location to be determined. To be eligible for the QT, players must have played 20 fully-rated games (TWL or SOWPODS) during the QP. Players who sign up for the QT will be automatically registered for the qualifying process, and must commit to play the WSC if they earn a spot.

QT tie-breakers (if tied on wins and spread)

If two or more players are tied then that tie will be broken based on PR and PR tie breaker procedures will be in effect.

Alternates

1. Players who accept an allotted spot and withdraw before the QT will be replaced based on PR.
2. One alternate spot for the U.S. team will be awarded based on the standings of the QT.
3. Any further alternate spots will be awarded based on PR.