Manchester, NH Scrabble® Club #510

This club meets every Wednesday from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at KRL/Bantry Components, 160 Bouchard St. in Manchester, NH. As of mid-May, 2010, director Don will be at the club location by 6:15 p.m., so if you want to start earlier and/or get in an extra game feel free to arrive early. Prior to mid-May, Don was seldom able to get there prior to 7:00 p.m. Club sessions generally have 6-12 players.

Matchups are typically done by the director, using modified Swiss pairings according to club ratings and that session's win-loss record. The goal is to have as many competitive games as possible, while also providing a variety of opponents.

Timers are used for all games. During a newcomer's first three visits, time penalties are not assessed, and free challenges are permitted. Use of a 2- and 3-letter word list is also available open-book during this period, as well as for players averaging less than 275.

There are no dues, as the room is free of charge for non-profit community groups. Refreshments are not necessarily provided, but some snacks have typically been available. There are a couple of vending machines and coffee just outside the room. The intention is to keep the club dues free, unless the club decides to purchase equipment, such as games, timers, etc.

Directions

• Take Exit 1 from I-293/Route 101 (Mall of New Hampshire). This road diverges from I-93 North or South between exits 5 and 6, just north of the Manchester/Londonderry line. Exit 1 is less than a mile from I-93.
  • Coming from the East, take a left from the exit ramp onto South Willow Street (Route 28) to head south.
  • Coming from the West, take a right from the exit ramp.
• Proceed past the Mall of NH (on the left) and LL Bean and Famous Dave's Barbecue (on the right).
• Continue through the lights at Goffs Falls Road (about 0.5 miles from the exit), past Olive Garden on the left and Bob's Discount Furniture on the right.
• Bear sharply left at the next set of lights (0.8 mi. from the exit) to stay on Route 28. (Public Storage is on the left.)
• Proceed past the Triangle Plaza and the airport runway (both on the right) to the next set of lights at 1.1 mi. from the exit.
• Take a right onto Harvey Road. Follow Harvey Road as it swings to the right and then sharply to the left and up a hill, passing True Value on the right and a Citgo Station on the left.
• Near the top of the hill, just after a "Wiggins Airways" sign, take a right onto Bouchard Street (1.9 mi. from the exit). KRL is about 200 yards from the corner, on the left ("Bantry Bay Park" sign).

The sign and building are not illuminated, and the sign is hard to see at night, so look for a more visible "New Hampshire Plastics" sign on the right, which is about 30 yards ahead of KRL, and a "Blind Driveway" sign almost directly across the street from KRL. The driveway is just beyond the building; use the employees' entrance to the right of the main entrance; a motion-detector light will illuminate the steps.

This is less than an hour from Boston.

A Map of the Club Location

You can view a map showing where the club meets.

Director

For more info, contact club director Don Finkey at DFinkster@aol.com or 603-321-3069.

Other Members with E-mail

• Stella Russell
• Mic Barron

Other Clubs in New Hampshire

This club is included on this web site since it is relatively close to the Boston, MA metropolitan area. This is one of the only four active clubs of which I am aware in the state of New Hampshire. The other ones are Club #331 (which also meets in Manchester), Exeter Club #587, and Epping Club.