Eric Maywar has games at New Hope Book Cellar
By: Gwen Runkle
NEW HOPE Ready, set, Scrabble!
Better break out the pocket dictionaries because the New Hope Book Cellar is sponsoring its first Scrabble Invitational on Sunday when its 14 highest ranked players will compete in a final showdown.
Among the local competitors participating in the event are Ian Gentles, a truck driver from Lambertville, and Emily Bolzak, a residence counselor from New Hope, who tied for the third- place ranking during the bookstore’s regular season play. Lisa Stolzer, a Montessori teacher from Lambertville, is ranked seventh, and Alice Kennedy, a student from Lambertville, is ranked 14th.
The winner of the Jan. 21st Scrabble showdown will receive $100, the second-place finisher will get a $50 Blockbuster gift card, and both the third- and fourth-place finishers will win one free Blockbuster rental.
Since the New Hope Book Cellar opened last summer on the corner of Main and Ferry streets, people have been gathering Thursday and Friday nights to play the crossword-style board game. The bookstore, which is beneath the store Hot Plates, has attracted Scrabble players not only from New Hope, but many other communities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
It is a tradition New Hope Book Cellar owner Eric Maywar brought from his home to the bookstore, his first retail establishment.
"Before I worked buying book lots for other used book stores," he said. "We were more of the middlemen scouting out good spots."
During this time, he would have friends and co-workers over to play Scrabble. Once he opened up his own shop, they encouraged him to bring the game to his store.
"At the bookstore, it’s a real informal setting," he said. "(Scrabble) really helps to bring people to the store and get the community together. "We have a couple people who are really serious," but described the players as "a really fun group of people."
Ms. Bolzak, the third-ranked player, agreed.
"We have a pretty diverse crowd, but it’s worked quite well," she said. "We’ve all really become friends playing."
In addition to her counseling job, she works part time at the store above The Book Cellar and got to know Mr. Maywar as he was moving in.
"He mentioned the Scrabble, and I decided to drop by. I try to go every week, but it doesn’t always fit into my schedule. I really enjoy it because there’s a ton of great people, and it’s nice just to get together."
As with any game, they are competitive and keep score, "but it’s never been nasty, just friendly competition," she said.
One of the more serious players is Bruce Gross, a Realtor from Furlong, who is ranked first and, according to Mr. Maywar, is favored to win Sunday’s final competition.
"He is really good," Mr. Maywar said. "It’s like watching a surgeon since he is so focused."
Mr. Gross’ focus has helped him win 12 games this season, including the highest single score of 226. Four of the highest scoring games were won by Mr. Gross who also holds the record for four of the top eight best individual word scores, including 100 points for the word "relaxer."
"And once, while playing nine games in a row, he managed to get a seven-letter word in each game," Mr. Maywar said, noting it was an impressive feat because if you play all seven tiles on one turn a "bingo" you receive 50 bonus points to your word score for that turn.
Other ways to score big in Scrabble are to use the premium letter squares on the board. The light blue square doubles a letter’s value, and the dark blue triples it. In addition, premium word score squares can be helpful. The score for an entire word is doubled when one of its letters is placed on a pink square and tripled if placed on a red square.
Robert Elliot, a computer programmer from Hillsborough, N.J., is ranked second during regular season play "and just might beat Bruce," Mr. Maywar said.
Mr. Elliot was one of the original players that came to Mr. Maywar’s home to play before the bookstore opened. He has won three games this season, including two games which he scored 222 and 198 points.
The other rankings are as follows: Alice Weber of Fairless Hills, whom the event program lists as "a woman of leisure," is ranked fifth; Richard Behrens, a computer programmer from East Windsor, N.J., is sixth; Ms. Stolzer is seventh; Linda Howe, a multi-media designer from Pennsylvania, is eighth; Catherine Weber, a student from Fairless Hills, and daughter of contestants Alice and John Weber, is ranked ninth; and Steve Corrigan, a college student from New Hope, is 10th.
There is a three-way tie for the 11th ranked spot among Sandie Behrens, of East Windsor, N.J., who like her husband and fellow contestant, Richard, also works as a computer programmer; Dennis Tillet, an emergency services senior trainer from Annandale, N.J.; and John Weber, a radio producer from Fairless Hills, who is married to contestant Alice Weber. Alice Kennedy, the student from Lambertville, placed 14th.
"These players are the top 14 of the 40 or so that normally show up," Mr. Maywar said. "All the regulars are on the list."
The fun begins at 11 am in the bookstore where four boards will be set up for the invited players. Each board will play two games, and the four players with the highest scores will move on to a final "survivor round."
Some of the rules for the tournament will be more specific than when the group normally plays. For example, "There will be a five- to six-minute time limit for moves and a more formal procedure for challenges," said Mr. Maywar, noting judges will be on hand to look up words in dictionaries.
Otherwise, the rules will remain unchanged. Scrabble can be played with two to four players. Each player receives seven letter tiles and uses them to create words of two or more letters. After a player’s turn, his or her score is counted, and he or she picks up new tiles from the remaining pool.
If players cannot make a word, they may exchange some or all tiles for new ones from the pool. The game ends when all the letters have been drawn and one player uses his or her last letter, or when all possible plays have been made.
Mr. Maywar encourages anyone who is interested to stop in Sunday or come to play on Thursday or Friday evenings. The store’s winter hours are 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Scrabble is played starting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday and 7:30 p.m. Friday. He suggests anyone interested give him a call at the store at (215) 862-6812 to let him know how many people are coming.