Karen Merrill [#178] 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 Karen Merrill, 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. Merrill currently has a record of 14-16, -215, and is ranked #111 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): Karen Surname(s): Merrill Home: Portland, OR, United States Age: 55 Hobbies: weaving, piano Occupation: homemaker

Career History

5-year record against other players at this event	203-276 (0.424)
Past 1-12 months	12-14 (0.462)	W L W L WWW LL WW L W L W LLLL W L W L W LL
Past 13-24 months	46-50 (0.479)	WWWW LL W LL W L W LL W LLL WW L WWW LLL W LL WW LLLLL W L W LL WW L W LLLL W L W LLL W L W L WWW L WWWW L W L WWWW LLLLL WW LLL WWWWWW L W LLL
Past 25-36 months	54-82 (0.397)	L WWWW L W L W L W L WWW L W L W L WW LLL W L W LL W LLLL W L W LL W LLL W LLLLL W LLL WW L W L W L WWW LL WW LLLLL WW LLLLLLLLLLLLLLL WWWW LL W LLLL W L W LLL WW LL WW L WWWWW LLLLLLLLL WWW L W L W L
Past 37-48 months	46-70 (0.397)	LLLLLL WWWW L W L WWW L WW L W LLLLLL WW LLLLL WWW LL WW LL W LLL WWW L W LL W LLL WWWW L W LL W L W LLL W LLLL WWW LLLL W L W L W LLLLL WWW L W LL WW LLLLL W LL W LLLL
Past 49-60 months	45-60 (0.429)	WW LL WWWWW LLL WW L W LLL W LL W LL W LL W LLLL W L W LLLL WWW LL WWW LLLLL WWW LL WWWWWW LLLLLL W LL W LLLL WW LL W L W L WW LL WWW LLLLLLL W L WW L

Rank Diagram

[rank diagram]
See legend

Round-by-Round
High score: 508 Average for: 375 Average against: 382
Round 1		Merrill played #170 Joel Wapnick (Montréal QC) and lost 337 to 411 (a spread of -74) . The last time these two played was 2000-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Merrill's record vs. Wapnick in the 5 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: W. Current ranking: #129. Current record: 0-1, -74.
Round 2		Merrill played #16 Brian Cappelletto (Chicago, IL) and lost 319 to 464 (a spread of -145) . The last time these two played was 2003-02 at: PHOENIX, AZ Merrill's record vs. Cappelletto in the 5 years leading up to this event: 0-3 (0.000). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: L. Past 25-36 months: L. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: L. Current ranking: #155. Current record: 0-2, -219.
Round 3		Merrill played #169 Daniel Wachtell (New York, NY) and won 418 to 415 (a spread of 3) . Before this event, Merrill had not played Wachtell in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #134. Current record: 1-2, -216.
Round 4		Merrill played #23 Travis Chaney (Van Buren, AR) and lost 351 to 467 (a spread of -116) . Before this event, Merrill had not played Chaney in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #150. Current record: 1-3, -332.
Round 5		Merrill played #49 Joe Gaspard (Minneapolis, MN) and lost 298 to 437 (a spread of -139) . Before this event, Merrill had not played Gaspard in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #165. Current record: 1-4, -471.
Round 6		Merrill played #124 Steve Pellinen (St. Louis Park, MN) and won 475 to 273 (a spread of 202) . The last time these two played was 2003-08 at: PORTLAND, OR Merrill's record vs. Pellinen in the 5 years leading up to this event: 3-2 (0.600). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: W. Past 25-36 months: WW. Past 37-48 months: L. Past 49-60 months: L. Current ranking: #141. Current record: 2-4, -269.
Round 7		Merrill played #168 John Viloria (New York, NY) and lost 294 to 358 (a spread of -64) . Before this event, Merrill had not played Viloria in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #150. Current record: 2-5, -333.
Round 8		Merrill played #99 Mark Milan (Laguna Niguel, CA) and lost 296 to 370 (a spread of -74) . The last time these two played was 2003-08 at: PORTLAND, OR Merrill's record vs. Milan in the 5 years leading up to this event: 4-3 (0.571). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: WWW. Past 25-36 months: W. Past 37-48 months: LLL. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #160. Current record: 2-6, -407.
Round 9		Merrill played #86 Robin Levin (San Francisco, CA) and won 417 to 367 (a spread of 50) . The last time these two played was 2002-07 at: OAKLAND, CA Merrill's record vs. Levin 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: LL. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #148. Current record: 3-6, -357.
Round 10		Merrill played #59 Dominic Grillo (Somerset, NJ) and won 442 to 334 (a spread of 108) . Before this event, Merrill had not played Grillo in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #130. Current record: 4-6, -249.
Round 11		Merrill played #117 Kristiina Overton (Thornhill ON) and lost 316 to 417 (a spread of -101) . Before this event, Merrill had not played Overton in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #141. Current record: 4-7, -350.
Round 12		Merrill played #50 Jim Geary (Glendale, AZ) and lost 270 to 398 (a spread of -128) . The last time these two played was 2003-03 at: PORTLAND, OR Merrill's record vs. Geary in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1-7 (0.125). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: LLL. Past 25-36 months: LL. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: WLL. Current ranking: #148. Current record: 4-8, -478.
Round 13		Merrill played #20 Vincent Castellano (Fairfax, VA) and won 348 to 309 (a spread of 39) . The last time these two played was 2003-01 at: RENO, NV Merrill's record vs. Castellano in the 5 years leading up to this event: 2-0 (1.000). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: WW. Past 25-36 months: no games. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #140. Current record: 5-8, -439.
Round 14		Merrill played #144 Marjorie Schoneboom (Central Islip, NY) and lost 349 to 383 (a spread of -34) . The last time these two played was 2003-09 at: SHELTON, CT Merrill's record vs. Schoneboom in the 5 years leading up to this event: 3-3 (0.500). Past 1-12 months: W. Past 13-24 months: no games. Past 25-36 months: WLLWL. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #149. Current record: 5-9, -473.
Round 15		Merrill played #121 Jeffrey Parsons (Logy Bay NL) and won 428 to 290 (a spread of 138) . The last time these two played was 2003-02 at: VANCOUVER, BC CANADA Merrill's record vs. Parsons in the 5 years leading up to this event: 1-1 (0.500). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: W. Past 25-36 months: no games. Past 37-48 months: L. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #136. Current record: 6-9, -335.
Round 16		Merrill played #142 Louis Schecter (Brooklyn, NY) and won 364 to 339 (a spread of 25) . The last time these two played was 2000-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Merrill's record vs. Schecter in the 5 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: W. Current ranking: #123. Current record: 7-9, -310.
Round 17		Merrill played #75 Terry Kang (Philadelphia, PA) and won 434 to 359 (a spread of 75) . Before this event, Merrill had not played Kang in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #105. Current record: 8-9, -235.
Round 18		Merrill played #18 Jean Carol (Cincinnati, OH) and lost 342 to 351 (a spread of -9) . The last time these two played was 2003-07 at: RENO, NV Merrill's record vs. Carol in the 5 years leading up to this event: 3-3 (0.500). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: L. Past 25-36 months: WW. Past 37-48 months: WL. Past 49-60 months: L. Current ranking: #118. Current record: 8-10, -244.
Round 19		Merrill played #162 Susi Tiekert (Indialantic, FL) and won 345 to 324 (a spread of 21) . Before this event, Merrill had not played Tiekert in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #104. Current record: 9-10, -223.
Round 20		Merrill played #99 Mark Milan (Laguna Niguel, CA) and won 391 to 335 (a spread of 56) . The last time these two played was 2003-08 at: PORTLAND, OR Merrill's record vs. Milan in the 5 years leading up to this event: 4-3 (0.571). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: WWW. Past 25-36 months: W. Past 37-48 months: LLL. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #90. Current record: 10-10, -167.
Round 21		Merrill played #115 Steve Oliger (Holtwood, PA) and lost 439 to 449 (a spread of -10) . The last time these two played was 2002-02 at: DANBURY, CT Merrill's record vs. Oliger 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: L. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: W. Current ranking: #104. Current record: 10-11, -177.
Round 22		Merrill played #127 Howard Pistol (Oakland Park, FL) and lost 370 to 447 (a spread of -77) . Before this event, Merrill had not played Pistol in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #118. Current record: 10-12, -254.
Round 23		Merrill played #74 Robert Kahn (Plantation, FL) and won 392 to 339 (a spread of 53) . The last time these two played was 2002-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Merrill's record vs. Kahn 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: L. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: L. Current ranking: #104. Current record: 11-12, -201.
Round 24		Merrill played #74 Robert Kahn (Plantation, FL) and lost 325 to 467 (a spread of -142) . The last time these two played was 2002-08 at: NATIONAL SCRABBLE CHAMPIONSHIP Merrill's record vs. Kahn 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: L. Past 37-48 months: no games. Past 49-60 months: L. Current ranking: #119. Current record: 11-13, -343.
Round 25		Merrill played #175 Dave Wiegand (Portland, OR) and won 465 to 463 (a spread of 2) . The last time these two played was 2003-01 at: RENO, NV Merrill's record vs. Wiegand in the 5 years leading up to this event: 2-5 (0.286). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: L. Past 25-36 months: WWL. Past 37-48 months: LLL. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #104. Current record: 12-13, -341.
Round 26		Merrill played #97 Marcia McPhee (Centreville, VA) and lost 382 to 448 (a spread of -66) . Before this event, Merrill had not played McPhee in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #116. Current record: 12-14, -407.
Round 27		Merrill played #13 Neil Bines (Whitestone, NY) and won 372 to 299 (a spread of 73) . Before this event, Merrill had not played Bines in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #104. Current record: 13-14, -334.
Round 28		Merrill played #162 Susi Tiekert (Indialantic, FL) and lost 370 to 384 (a spread of -14) . Before this event, Merrill had not played Tiekert in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #113. Current record: 13-15, -348.
Round 29		Merrill played #97 Marcia McPhee (Centreville, VA) and lost 397 to 445 (a spread of -48) . Before this event, Merrill had not played McPhee in at least 5 years. Current ranking: #124. Current record: 13-16, -396.
Round 30		Merrill played #99 Mark Milan (Laguna Niguel, CA) and won 508 to 327 (a spread of 181) . The last time these two played was 2003-08 at: PORTLAND, OR Merrill's record vs. Milan in the 5 years leading up to this event: 4-3 (0.571). Past 1-12 months: no games. Past 13-24 months: WWW. Past 25-36 months: W. Past 37-48 months: LLL. Past 49-60 months: no games. Current ranking: #111. Current record: 14-16, -215.

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