2014 National Scrabble Championships - Buffalo, NY

2014 National Championships - Buffalo, NY

I'm grateful to Lexington clubmate Will for helping talk me into attending, a fairly late decision. Also thankful for my wife letting me go, and my parents for timing a trip from Iowa to see their 2 year-old granddaughter with the event. Thank you to my former clubmates from Des Moines - Dawn, Valerie and John - for sharing their hotel room with me.

Less thanks to MegaBus. I had to deal with a maniac the whole trip, and I mean bad -had my hand stealthily gripped on Katie the Kabar combat knife much of the ride.

Alphagram solutions are listed near the end of this nonsense :)

Game 1 v. Ian Weinstein

Would my opponent's first play being a 3-S bingo (STENOSIS) be a bad sign for the week? I took a big chance on my second play, unsuccessfully trying ASHHEAP* for 94. I landed AEHORRS (1) soon after, but he all but sealed the game late with OVERNEAT. I did make one interesting decision just before the endgame, passing on low-scoring (AEEGIPNR) (2). It simmed well, being the only option that gave me over a 50% chance to win. A desperation FA(N)A(R)T* out-play failed. I made good decisions as the game went on, but one mistake is too many against a top seed.

341 - 379 0-1 (38) Me: ?SQXZ Opp: ?JSSS

Game 2 vs. Thomas Reinke

My early ABDEORR (3) only helped me keep pace with his 40+ pt. plays. I hit AAILORRS (4), but he fired back TIMELIER. OX for 52 caught me up, but he got the to the J first for INJECT for 69. Quackle never suggested I block it cheaply, so I feel good about that. .

397 - 465 0-2 (103) Me: ?SSXZ Opp: ?SSCJQ

Game 3 vs. Morris Greenburg

My first move, I found the eight through a T with DEEIRRS (5), but missed all five higher-scoring sevens. My best Quackle-approved move of the game was clearing a bad rack the next turn with COENU(R)I, despite slotting the C in a TWS lane. Unfortunately for me, it was sandwiched between his GYRATES and double-blank VAMPIRE. I let his 40 pt. WALLEY* go and would never get close.

323 - 453 0-3 (233) Me: SSSQ Opp: ??SJXZ

Game 4 vs. Bruce Baginski

Bruce entered Nationals rated in the 900's. He plays club against some pretty good people, and so thought he might not be overwhelmed by playing all the way up from bottom top top division. Good for him. He only won six games, but gained about fifty ratings points. I hope he had fun, too.

Less fun for him was my opening rack of BEENORR (6). I landed ADEEILM (7) early as well to get a 100 pt. lead I would never let go of. DEIINRTU (8) with a blank was about the weakest bingo I could've made but worked, and SUNDIAL kept him out of shouting distance. I missed R(e)T(UR)NERS for a fun nine.

511 -352 1-3 (74) Me: ??SSJQ Opp: SSXZ

Game 5 vs. Marlene Milikent

My ACEGORS (9) was sandwiched early between her SEDATES and TENSING. Trying TENSABLE* instead of the playable NESTABLE cost me a 25% chance to come back. EEIINRT (10) got me within shouting distance, but a desperation tws lane hook from me allowed her TRIOxID.

372 - 488 1-4 (190) Me: ?SJQ Opp: ?SSSXZ

Game 6 vs. Ross Brown

Talk about one that got away. XENIA for 40 for me to open, WATCHER first for him. We then traded phony attempts with my TONGLIKE* to his FUCID*. Two turns later, we each accepted phonies, my REFORGET* to his UMBELATE*. I landed ABEMNOS (11), but allowed him to briefly take the lead with COPLITE* since I was unsure and had JEEPS for 42 to grab it back. Then came his ZA for 78. Quackle says I was correct in not blocking it for the several turns it was open, but it's hard to see it happen. His pretty IRO(N)IsT/(QAID)s/(KI)T play in the endgame sealed my deserved fate.

461 - 485 1-5 (214) Me: ?SSJX Opp: ?SSQZ

Game 7 vs. Shah Ali

Unable to read my handwriting and recreate the board, but no doubt this was winnable. I hit EGILNORW (12) to his BIGGIES and SWISHED, but the story was elsewhere. Shah had 16 ½ minutes left at the end, whereas I incurred a 10 pt. time penalty. Still, I thought I'd won by one, but lost by two on recount. A fitting end to a brutal Day One.

369 - 370 1-6 (215) Me: SSJXZ Opp: ??SSQ

DAY TWO

Game 8 vs. Siri Tillekratne

Quackle indicates I played this about as well as I can. EEINOMRV (13), AEFGILNR (14), and ACEINORT (15) for me, too-late ATTUNES and INULASES for him.

496 - 353 2-6 (72) Me: ??SJQXZ Opp: ?SSS

Game 9 vs. Tim Weiss

Blanks to the rescue! I needed both, for him to need to exchange, and him drawing the Q late for this one to come together. Neither AEELORU (16), DEEILNOT (17), or AIRSTTU (18) gave me much of a lead at any point. He only landed CIGARET yet kept scoring consistently.

432 - 373 3-6 (13) Me: ??SSX Opp: SSJQZ

Game 10 vs. Samuel Moch

I landed ABEINORT (19) early, which seemingly only served to rile Sam up. He responded with EIRENIC and AVERTED back to back, and TALESMEN shortly after. It would only have moved me up to a 21% chance to win late (from 2%), but it's sooo frustrating to miss bingos one knows. After slotting the Z in the open, I settled for GLAZED for 42 instead of spotting DEGLAZES.

339 - 441 3-7 (115) Me: SSSSQZ Opp: ??XJ

Game 11 vs. Jan Cardia

Four bingos in my opening rack of ?ACELPTY (CLYPEATE, CALOTYPE, CALYPTER, EUCALYPT). I'd never seen three, and only guessed closed with CLYPATE* (challenged). I recovered with AACELMN (20), but then gave up NORTHED* to lose the lead. EELLRSS (21) got me back in, and UVU(L)A out of a dreadful rack saved me, if barely.

373 - 350 4-7 (92) Me: ??SSQ Opp: SSJXZ

Game 12 vs. Maddy Kamen

SANITARY. TELEOST. RESIGNED. ARACEOUS for an out-play. Quackle didn't even recommend I block it. I played pretty darn well for what I had, but...

318 - 501 4-8 (275) Me: SSE Opp: ??SSJQXZ + 11 E's

Game 13 vs. David Pearl

He opened with LINEATE and landed GENITORS shortly after. ADEGIOST (22) got me close, my plays simmed well, but I could never quite get over the hump.

331 - 396 4-9 (340) Me: ??SSQZ Opp: SSJX

Game 14 vs. Robert Kahn

Another that got away. He landed the gorgeous FRE(E)hAND early, but I got one from AACEILNT (23). Unfortunately, the one I picked left a DLS/DWS spot he hammered with ZITS for 68, and then got another 51 for WALTZ. I did get to extend it to WALTZING for 63 later, and got AEEIPSTT (24) down. But he had NITRIDE with the other blank midgame.

431 - 469 4-10 (368) Me: SQ Opp: ??SSJXZ

DAY THREE

Game 15 vs. _______

I had trouble early recreating this one in Quackle and would just as soon forget the game. This player was the least pleasant person I played. The demeanor was about what I expected from a snooty jazz singer haha. Person sure had some nice bingos though - CORDITES, PENCILED, STENCIL, and SEVRUGA.

332 - 486 4-11 (522) Me: SSX Opp: ?SSJQZ

Game 16 vs. Jim Pate

I met Jim at the 2013 Vegas Nationals and almost hate eking out a win against him, especially in messy fashion. Already up fifty, I tried OUTMISSED* early, getting challenged and his OUTWEPT response. I managed DEIMNSTU (25) with the blank next, but missed the far better SEMINUDE. We traded bingos again - his POWDERED to my ?EINKRR (26), but his JEWED in a crowded space for 52 put him in the driver's seat with the end game approaching.

I placed an O in a dangerous spot out of desperation, seeing the chance for FONTANEL. Success! But then I was so sure he'd bingo out with the second blank that I forgot about my O! He missed the several bingos available to him and I missed mine. Fortunately for me, in missing his, he made my best non-bingo even more valuable. The recount held.

402 - 400 5-11 (520) Me: ?SSSQX Opp: ?SJZ

Game 17 vs. Judy Newhouse

Nice to win a catchup game, even having missed VIBRATOR. I countered her AWAITED with my ADIIRTY (27), but setting up my case A to hook NEAR for a tws 30 is what saved the game for me.

352 -326 6-11 (496) Me: ?JX Opp: ?SSSSQZ

Game 18 vs. Dave Liefer

Missed ?ACEEEU (27.5) right out of the gate. ACEEHNS (28), DEOSTTU (29) kept me ahead anyway. Dave then let UNPEAKED* go, seeing I had other bingo options and having given him spot for INOSITE.

441 - 397 7-11 (452) Me: ??SSSJX Opp: SQZ

Game 19 vs. Mark Miller

Pillar to post. ACEENFS (30) and AABIORT (31) matched his THERIAN and SARSNET, but his early clunky racks did him in.

447 - 351 8-11 (356) Me: ?SSJQZ Opp: ?SSX

Game 20 vs. Cheryl Tyler

We traded early bingos - my EEGLNST (32) to her TEENIEST. But I got a challenge on ACEEPST (33) and she never got close. ADDELRT (34) made it a runaway.

485 - 329 9-11 (200) Me: ?SSJQX Opp: ?SSZ

Game 21 vs. Brian Galebach

This was an odd game. Despite my margin of victory, Quackle downrated most of my moves in favor of similar plays with what looked to me like inferior leaves. Also weird because my inadvertent phony may have helped me win. Early I played TITTRES* by accident instead of EIRSTTT (35). After challenging, Brian felt compelled to block that lane, but the only reasonable play on his end to do so ruined a pretty good rack for him. Plus I had another playable bingo in a different spot. The game was mostly about maintaining manageable racks while he suffered through three exchanges. We went out with EINORSU (36) and his double-blank LEAVIEST.

466 - 329 10-11 (33) Me: SSSJ Opp: ??SQXZ

Game 22 vs. Mike Baron

Nothing like discovering after the fact that your opponent let a phony four go because it gave him his only chance to bingo. He left my SADS* play - I'd had SSS in hand - because it allowed him COWRITES. Oh wait, there are other things like that... such as trying to hook an L to the end of VACUA and having it challenged off, only to later find that the same main word I was playing scored better elsewhere anyway. The lesson? Don't try phoneys against the man who wrote the definitive word study book for the game. I did manage CEILLOR (37) with a blank late, though LOWLIER would've been superior for board openness. And he complimented me on what Quackle agreed was the best endgame I could've played.

323 - 299 (minus 10 for time) 10-12 (57) Me: ?SSSSXZ Opp: ?JQ

Game 23 vs. Seth Lipkin

Mr. Cross-tables.com, yet another star of our world to cut my teeth against. Neither of us knew my opening VILLA took an E backhook, so his ZeBROID did less damage. I responded with AEEGLMN (38). Playing aggressively allowed me to score big twice with my J, bookended around his OX for 52. He hit DANSEUR as the endgame neared to take the lead, but I played small ball to duck the five T's still unseen. He got saddled with them, allowing me time to block his best bingo lane late.

388 - 348 11-12 (17) Me: SSJQ Opp: ??SSXZ

Game 24 vs. Amnuay Ploysangngam

I landed CELMOPS (39). He got IODATED and LINEATES*. I lost the game on that phony. Self-forgiveness is an art, and one I have yet to master.

405 - 443 11-13 (55) Me: ?SSSJZQ (unplayed ? and Q) Opp: ?SX

Game 25 vs. Mark Pryzbyszewski

I think I was done after this with long P-names I couldn't pronounce. I made a board-shaping mistake early that gave him GREASING. If I'd known SAWLOG, maybe it's a different game. We traded pairs of bingos after that, my DEEIRST (40) and ADEEINRT (41) to his DESTINED and PLEASERS.

368 - 472 11-14 (159) Me: ?JQZ Opp: ?SSSSX

Game 26 vs. Tom Bond

Just couldn't get any traction, and he acknowledged getting a lot of serendipity. PLANKED for him, AEEILMR for me (42). He also made a fun extension for SWA(RAJ) latish.

329 - 407 11-15 (237) Me: ?SSSZ Opp: ?SJQZ

Game 27 vs. Josh Sokol

A game full of suboptimal decisions; wish I understood why my moves sim so poorly sometimes. But more to blame for no comeback was my chickening out on SELLOUT (OUTSELL didn't play) and not having ever seen SOLUTES (neither LOTUSES nor TOUSLES played). I also got caught on BLINT*. Josh had ISLETED, RAFFLING and AIGRETS to my EILOOST (43).

332 - 429 11-16 (334) Me: ?SSJQZ Opp: ?SSX

Game 28 vs Jason Ubeika

There was no keeping up this round. He had MISGIVEN, TUNICAE and HALITES.

279 - 473 11-17 (528) Me: JQZ Opp: ??SSSX

Game 29 vs. Ted Rosen

No blanks? No problem for once. I had EEINRST (44) to his CALLERS, ROUTINES to his EX for 52. The last opened a spot for me to salt the game away with VIGOR for 33.

428 - 370 12-17 (470) Me: SSQZ Opp: ??SSJX

Game 30 vs. Deen Heffgot

I got bLITZED on his opening for 102. I actually came back to lead by about fifty with DEEILRT (45) and ADEHILS (46). Needing to exchange out of a two-U rack, then his BARBIeS did me in.

385 - 458 12-18 (543) Me: SSJX Opp: ??SSQZ

Game 31 vs. Siri Tillekratne

A rematch! to determine who could climb to...oh, twelfth-to-last place haha. It was a low-scoring affair with the blanks coming out late. EFILRST (47) for me, OPERANTS for him. Having endured a particularly tough couple of days, it was nice to finish on a high note.

334 - 280 13-18 (489) Me: SSSJQX Opp: ??SZ

QUIZ ANSWERS

1. HOARSER
2. PERIGEAN
3. ARBORED also BOARDER, BROADER, REBOARD
4. RASORIAL
5. DESTRIER - a type - but not breed - of war horse, from medieval times
6. ENROBER
7. LIMEADE also EMAILED
8. UNTIDIER
9. CORSAGE also CARGOES, SOCAGER
10. NITERIE
11. BEMOANS also AMBONES
12. LOWERING also ROWELING
13. OVERMINE also VOMERINE
14. FINAGLER
15. CREATION also ACTIONER, ANORETIC, REACTION
16. AUREOLE
17. DELETION also ENTOILED
18. TURISTA - intestinal sickness infecting a tourist in a foreign country
19. OBTAINER also REOBTAIN, BARITONE, TABORINE
20. MANACLE
21. SELLERS also RESELLS
22. GODEITAS - a shrub or wildflower of the western U.S. (pl.)
23. ANALCITE - a mineral also LAITANCE
24. PEATIEST
25. MISTUNED
26. DRINKER also PRINKER
27. ARIDITY

27.5) EVACUEE

28. ACHENES also ENCHASE
29. TESTUDO - ancient Roman portable screen used as a shield
30. ENFACES
31. AIRBOAT
32. GENTLES
33. PECTASE
34. DARTLED
35. TITTERS also TRITEST, STRETTI
36. URINOSE
37. COLLIER
38. GLEEMAN also MELANGE
39. COMPELS
40. REEDITS also, DIETERS, DIESTER, RESITED
41. DETAINER also RETAINED
42. MEALIER
43. STOOLIE also OOLITES and OSTIOLE
44. ENTIRES also ENTRIES, RETINES, TRIENES
45. RETILED
46. HALIDES - a chemical, used in discharge lamps and photo development (pl.)
47. STIFLER also LIFTERS, TRIFLES, FILTERS

Bingos: 49, including two successful phonies 60 for opps, maybe 3 phonies

25 blanks

5/6 wins in ?? games

4/12 in no-? games

63 of 124 esses

64 of 124 JQXZ

152 of 310 power tiles