breather for Fenech, a fillip for Brousson

Brousson takes all while Fenech ends poor run in Independence 1-Day Tournament

After seven rounds played under a shady cool canopy and a bright sunny sky, Theresa Brousson and Moira Fenech were placed just like their pre-Independence 1-Day Tournament ratings had suggested they would be, that is first and second respectively. And yet the verdict, expected though it was, must have felt liberating in different ways to the two lady champs. 

  Moira Fenech

For Fenech, who, like the rest of the members of the Malta Scrabble Club, had been itching to resume after four months of competitive void due to covid, it had so far been a rather dry summer in terms of results. Playing in both the Azure and Turquoise Summer Leagues, she failed to shine anywhere near her best and brightest in either league. What a relief, therefore, to win six games, losing only to Brousson with a high losing score of 454 points, and to watch your rating increase by 23 points!

  Theresa Brousson

For Brousson, Scrabble in the summer had been frustrating for the discontinuity of her play, as the reigning twelve-time national champion bent over backwards to juggle her personal and playing commitments. A whitewash win, adorned by the highest non-bingo of the tournament and a boost of 14 points to her player rating, were just what the doctor ordered. 

Beaten only by Fenech and Brousson, Josephine Mayo placed third in the overall standings but first in terms of rating points gained. Though not quite managing his earlier feat again, Kevin Pirotta was nevertheless the best performer among the second-tier players, finishing fourth and holding on to his steadily rising rating. 

(penned & published by Nicky Vella Laurenti, photos credit: John Chew)