Ashevllle 2014

Game 1 vs. Curtis Lee

Chickened out on ACIMNORU (1). Missed ACDINRU (2). Found ACEINORV (3)! Missed

?DEELMNP (4). But Curtis appeared to be struggling with unbalanced racks, and so tried to get OVERRISE* through. His ACQUITS late cut the spread.

430 - 348 1-0 +82 me: ?(?)SSJX opp: SSQZ

Game 2 vs. David Turissini

The only play I made that simmed bad was my last play, with the game long lost. Everything else I played about as well as I could've. I was especially pleased to find INDRAWN as a nonbingo, much better than all other options that turn. IORSSTU (5) and ACEILLOT (6) - C had to fit in the fifth slot) only served to mitigate late. David had OVERSETS and TIERCEL.

350 - 459 1-1 (27) me: SQX opp: ??SSSJZ

Game 3 vs. Liz Gottlin

I started with ?AAFOOR. Only one bingo possible, an eight (7), but Liz did not give me either necessary letter. Her THIRAMS slotted the T in a tws lane. ?ADELOV in hand, there were three trip-trips possible with the T in the six slot (8) and I managed one. Her SENARRI put the I in another one, so my DIZENED for 54 balanced that out. Later she added BE- do it for a fun 57.

436 - 399 2-1 +10 me: ?SSJQZ opp: ?SSX

Game 4 vs. Jeff Clark

Jeff remembered from meetings past I claim to be about the luckiest draw-er in the game. Thusly, I got ?AILRST on a tws to an E (9) and the nice ?ADIRSY starting with the S later (10). I don't feel badly about missing the nine from KA on the latter rack (11).

368 - 330 3-1 +48 me: ??SSSJQXZ opp: S

Game 5 vs. Will Scott

Will scored two 90 point double-doubles, FELONIES and SOLITARY. I hit ANOORTT (12) in between to stay within shouting distance. FRIZ, A(BA)MP for 33 and LIVYER kept me there. He blocked my STUDIED late and forced me to risk CUDDIEST* for 92. I was completely unsure. It moved me to about a 2/3 chance of winning from 10%. Will let it go and then suffered the lesser endgame draw. In short, I stole one.

434 - 397 4-1 +85 me: SJX opp: ??SSSQZ

Game 6 vs. Kevin Bowerman

I opened by getting caught on SEGUING*. Turns 3, 4 5, and 7 I got EGINNRS (13), ACEOPST for 102 (14), AINORST (15) and ?ADEIOUW (16). I let BEMUSERS* go late because the only way to lose was to risk a challenge.

503 - 416 5-1 +172 me: ??SSX opp: SSJQZ

Game 7 vs. Ruchi Gupta

One good play - all it takes to win a game once in a blue moon. I missed (Z)OECIA out of a vowel-heavy rack for 34 when it was tons better than all other options. I saw homeless ACHENES, yet missed a chance to play the singular for 46. KEX for 42. (C)AJOLER for 64! I saw PEDLARS and flat out missed the overlap spot for it... But I got a challenge on ?EEENSY (17) early and the extra turn balanced out her ATTORNS.

378 - 341 6-1 +209 me: ?SSSSJX opp: ?QZ

Game 8 vs. Guy Ingram

My first play was ADEEILM (18) with a blank. But then I messed up dually by letting INLOASE* go and getting caught hooking a D to it later. I got the turn back when he tried EUHARIES*. I couldn't Quackle the rest, but think I may have had comeback chance. But time shortage caused me to open nice-scoring nonbingos for him late. He landed NIOBITE and TETANOID.

390 - 425 6-2 +179 me: SSSJZ opp: ??SQX

A bunch of us went out to Zia Taqueria that night. Unique layout- wait staff present, yet everyone must order at the side of the bar, next to an alcove next to a giant around-a-corner painted wall menu. My pastor plato was passable, and everyone else did as well or better, so huzza!

Game 9 vs. Jeremy Jeffers

I missed DOE/(E)D/(M)O(C)/(P)E(A) as a NON-out-play for 100% chance to win. The slot only existed because he had one game-winning move the turn before that -didn't- create it, but scored a less. I landed EEGSRSTU (19) and EINRSTV (20) to his LANGUAGE and 70+ pt LAZIER. Jeffrey and Guy finished at the bottom of our division, but I lost to both. A tight, talented field!

407 - 410 6-3 +182 me: ?SSSSJX opp: ?QZ

Game 10 vs. Cynthia Seales

With blank for an A, my first move was perhaps my fave of the weekend, ABAEEMPR (21). Despite having to fight through multiple multiple-U racks after ditching the Q, bingos came: EGNOOTU (22), EENILRTT (23), and EHILRSD (24). Each took the only bingo lane or blocked the only decent ones for her. Board-shaping! Her phony of COCOID* was neat, and I challenged her SHIVE late.

458 - 353 7-3 +287 me: ?SSSQ opp: ?SJXZ

Game 11 vs. John Merlau

I reviewed my heavy fives and sixes, but still forgot D to OOZY early. Meanwhile, he landed CURITES, which I challenged, and then MENORAH. I had a blank from start to turn eight, missing/not knowing VITIATOR and VICTORIA respectively. Best I could scrape up was AEIINRT (25), missing more fun ones like HETAIRAI and VIZIRATE. AADENRL (26) helped me save a little face. Not knowing COXLESS did not.

359 - 496 7-4 +150 me: ??SSSJX opp: SQZ

After a whupping like that, I figure I'm no longer leading or anywhere very close. To my surprise, no one else in contention broke away that round either. Surprising 2^nd place for me with just three rounds to go. Next up, guy who had been 1^st most of the weekend.

Game 12 vs Mark Schmidt

I hadn't known AEEENPTT (27) for my first play. Made up for it by getting AEELNRTV (28) challenged. Really blew it by missing EILNNOST (29) and then BEEILNST (30). Mark made a sweet tws-dws play of COPES/C(HI)/P(REX) for 57 and then took lead the next turn with TAILORS. I hadn't known EHHILMNT (31) but finally landed EILNRTY (32) for a small lead. Then Mark made the game-swinging mistake, knowing he'd get GODE* challenged off seconds after laying it down.

409 - 353 8-4 +206 me: ??SSJZ opp: SSQX

Game 13 vs. Carl Davis

This one ended up hinging mainly on phonies. I did hit AEFIILT (33) early. Midgame, I caught him on RATHERS*. I'd been unsure, but had a bunch of bingoes to play with a blank in hand. And instead of a valid one, I got away with NONAGERS*. He laid down TRASHER for 75, but missed a 90-+ pt. three-tile underlap tws spot. The cases two esses for me made the the win, and blocking his possible DIOXANE(S) out-play bingo.

401 - 378 9-4 +229 me: ??SSSQZ opp: SJX

Game 14 vs. John Merlau

No runaway players, so championship round! I picked a great time to finally play a pretty clean game. Opening with a blank-bingo helps much - AEENNTU (34). One fun miss was (LIQUID)ATING to a triple. I'd let myself be blinded by an underlap play with a dws under a Z. I wasn't 100% on MARTINS with a blank late, and the only way to let him back in was to have something challenged off. So we traded - AIIMNRT (35) to his SERICIN.

424 - 345 10-4 +310 me: ??SSSJ opp: SQXZ

Much respect to all my opponents! It seemed to me a very even field. Thank you to Will Scott, my club and division two compadre, and his wife Barb for driving me down. Having just returned from Iowa before the weekend, those mountain roads in the dark would've been a lot for me. Thank you to

William Snoddy, the Asheville club members, and sponsor Dancing Bear Toy Company for a sensational event. They add more little touches than anywhere I've been.

Stat me, baby...

Blanks 17/28

Esses 36/56

JQXZ 28/56

TOTAL 81/140 power tiles 57%

Bingos: 29-18 (1 phony, 2 phonies)

BINGO QUIZ

1. COUMARIN - chemical used in soap and perfume, etymology is 'tonka-bean tree' - fun!
2. IRACUND - piss-off-able
3. VERONICA - it is said St. Veronica gave Christ a handkerchief with which to wipe his face Calvary and it came away with his image miraculously printed upon it
4. EMPLANED - to have boarded an airplane
5. TOURIST
6. TEOCALLI - Aztec temple on a top-flattened pyramid
7. FOOFARAW - excessive ornamentation or fuss; origin unknown, but started appearing in 1930's
8. OVULATED (also SOLVATED, VIOLATED)
9. STARLIKE
10. SATYRID - brown butterfly
11. KAILYARDS - also spelled KALEYARD, Scottish for 'cabbage garden'
12. RATTOON (also ARNOTTO) - to sprout from previous year's growth; etymology is shared with word 'autumn'
13. RINGERS
14. CAPOTES (also TOECAPS) - hooded cape, or a bullfighter's cape or a buggy's canopy
15. AROINTS (also RATIONS) - to drive away; Shakespeare used 'aroint' as an imperative, like “Begone!”
16. MIAOUWED
17. SHEENEY - currently an offensive word for a Jew, before 1870's it was not considered vulgar and was used by Jews and Gentiles
18. EMAILED (also LIMEADE)
19. GESTURES
20. STRIVEN (also INVERTS)
21. ABAMPERE - equal to ten amperes, the unit of electrical current
22. OUTGONE
23. NETTLIER
24. HIRSLED - to slide along; whereas 'hirsel' is 'to herd sheep'
25. INERTIA
26. ADRENAL
27. PATENTEE - the holder of a patent; PATENTOR is the grantor of the patent
28. LEVANTER (also RELEVANT) - an easterly Mediterranean wind, it brings airplanes to a near standstill in flight around the Strait of Gibraltar in spring and autumn
29. INSOLENT - etymology is 'departing from custom'
30. STILBENE - chemical used in dyes; stems from Greek for “shine”
31. HELMINTH - a parasitic worm
32. INERTLY
33. FILIATE - commonly 'to associate closely with', but legally means to judicially determine the paternity of a child born out of wedlock; from Latin for 'son'
34. UNEATEN
35. MARTINI - could be named for vermouth manufacturer Martini & Rossi, or be a back formation from Spanish drink Martinez