Robert Felt

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Robert Felt (1953-2002) was a computer programmer,[1] USCF-rated chess Expert, Tennessee Junior chess champion,[2] and champion Scrabble player.

Born in Memphis,[3] he entered the University of Chicago in 1971 and tested out of so many requirements that he was awarded Junior status. At the University of Chicago he a was member of the chess team, at one point being first board on the University's second team for two Pan-American Intercollegiate national tournaments. He also competed for the University at the NCAA national contract bridge tournament.

In 1978, he left the University without a degree and joined Banker's Life and Casualty as a computer programmer. At the TDM division of Rand McNally he enjoyed a reputation as one of the best CICS programmers in the world. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he established 911 systems for police and fire dispatchers.[3] Much of the technology at most 911 call centers is derived from his early work.

In 1990, Felt became the first Scrabble player to win both the US National Scrabble Championship[4] and the UK Scrabble championship in the same year, an amazing feat that required him to memorize two different dictionaries. He achieved a peak rating of 2155,[5] which in February 2008 would easily be the number one rating again.[6]

[edit] Trivia

  • While in college his nickname was "Sloth" after one of the seven deadly sins. He was often found asleep in the stairwells at Hitchcock Hall (now known as Snell-Hitchcock). because he did not want to climb all the stairs to his fourth floor suite.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Christine Montgomery, "Scrambling for the Prize in Scrabble," Washington Times, November 25, 1997, p. C8.
  2. ^ Manny Fernandez, "Spellbound by Scrabble," San Francisco Chronicle, October 12, 1997, p. Z1.
  3. ^ a b Jon Anderson, "Chicagoan ready from the word 'go'; He'll be our man in London for Scrabble Championshps, Chicago Tribune, September 26, 1991, Tempo section p. 1.
  4. ^ Rebecca Reinhardt, "Fighting Words," Village Voice, February 19, 2002, p. 193.
  5. ^ Recent Tourneys - Robert Felt
  6. ^ cross-tables.com - Ratings histogram

[edit] External links


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