Des Moines tournament Feb. 2015

Iowa will always be home for me, and it was amazing to get back to Des Moines and see so many friends. Thanks to Rich Banker for directing this year's event and Pat Boddy, who has directed all previous years and helped again. To those I forget to mention who helped, my apologies and thanks!

Our two year old daughter, Abby, had been sick before and as we left for Cedar Rapids on Friday. For the first time in our short years as a family, wife Wendy and I were down some serious sleep. I normally even shun coffee, but Saturday morning was for even stronger stuff. Two large energy drinks had me barely functioning for the morning two hour drive to Des Moines and the early games. But it's not Day One tiredness tends to affect me as much.

 

Parenthetical quiz number answers at bottom of entry.

Round 1 v. Kevin Gauthier

It would be a tough weekend for Kevin, who came from Albany, NY. ADEORTU (1) and EIILNOS (2) with a blank back to back early for me. I missed CDEIILT through a wide open O (3) midgame.
414 – 332      1-0     +82                            me: ?SSJQ                opp: ?SSXZ

Game 2 v. Chuck Riordan

I held but let go WAULERS* for his first play. Inexcusable. More, I completely overlooked that my opening NUS takes more than just a G front hook and missed answering with ADILOTU (4). I managed ADLNOST (5) with a blank, but his THI(E)vERY and COESITE were too much.
365 – 459     1-1      (94)      (8)                 me: ?SSJZ                 opp: ?SSQX

Game 3 v. David Brown

Strange game. I had both blanks and all esses, but mediocre decisions kept me from more spread. I hit STELEnE, but missed the double-double that slots the S in the third slot (6). EIGNOOS (7) followed shortly with the other blank. Between us we only had one more play that was for 30+ points.
367 – 248     2-1     +119     +111              me: ??SSSSJZ           opp: QX

Game 4 v. Mike Johnson

This took all the sweet letters and more than a little serendipity this. I opened with no vowels while he took lead with REBLENT early. I picked both blanks on a three-tile draw for ??ASTTX (8), but was still down. REGINAE for him, an exchange 7 for me, down 100+ again. Then the serendipity. AACNSTT for me and an open A he doesn't happen to block (9). I was still down a bingo after his AQU(A) for 39, but outscored him with higher-point letters through the end game.
404 – 377     3-1      +27      +138               me: ??SSSSXZ         opp: JQ

Another thank you to Rich Banker for the bevy of six foot sub sandwiches he brought for everyone again this year.!

Game 5 v. Avery Mojica

?AEUWYY- how would you open (10)? My vowels hurt me more than his struggles early, and he led after we traded my ?EGLORP (11) (hadn't known GosPEL(E)R for 96) to his REMAINS.

Then my history with Avery caught up to him. I've helped him quiz for English class vocab tests before. So I tried TSARINA/T(ROPED)* with nowhere else to bingo. He held me for several minutes, let it lie. ZITi for 52 sealed the deal.

436 – 356     4-1      +80      +218                me:  ??SZ                  opp: SSSJQX

Game 6 v. Kevin Gauthier

Study all you want, I say be lucky. EILOORTV (12) with one blank and AEILNRTU (13) with the other blank early staked me a holdable lead. I did miss TEXTUAL with a blank in between. ADILNOS (14) sealed the spread late.
424 – 341     5-1       +83     +301                me:  ??SSX                opp: SSJQZ

Game 7 v. Chuck Riordan

Gotta bring A-game against Corky. I brought my D-game. CEGINOSZ (15) kept me from flunking. Chuck phonied me with FORESAY* for 98 (FORESAID is valid, so weird). Then he caught me on PREDIALS* when know valid bingos played. Should've known he'd know the real answers (16) or that PREDIAL was only an adjective. His TERAOHM was salt in the wound I'd opened myself.
322 – 460    5-2       (138)    +163                me: SSSXZ                 opp: ??SJQ

Game 8 v. David Brown

HUNDREDS with for David, AIORSTU (17) for me. David then slotted a K in the triple lane for maybe my fave play of the weekend – KWANZA! Not just a holiday, also a currency. I let him back in late, creating an overlapping lane for his ANISOLE, but held on.
395 – 357     6-2        +38     +201               me: SSXZ                    opp: ??SSJQ

Evening was time for double date dinner at Chef's Kitchen in the Beaverdale neighborhood. Dan Heck and wife Michelle live close enough to walk from their house, so it had been something of a favorite for even we former suburbanites from further north in the metro when we lived there. I surprised myself by skipping my favorite Baked Shrimp Scampi there (a dish that redefines jumbo for shrimp) for an Italian Sandwich that was half ground beef, have grazziano sausage. No regrets!

Wendy and I stayed downtown at the Mariott Savery. Fancy lobby, diginified rooms. A night out of town with no Abby, and it was a nearly-literal race to bed after dinner - for passing out immediately. And yet still, no regrets!

Day Two. When a full night's sleep and another energy drink were not enough...

Game 9 v. Mike Johnson

Mike's first move was LEAFING and he never trailed. We traded AEORRST (18) to his double-blank PERIDOT later. I got away with PERMAIN* late, and probably won't ever get this rack right (19).
422 – 485     6-3       (63)    +138                                   me: SSQZ              opp: ??SSJX

Game 10 v. Avery Mojica

AEIIMRT (20) and AEEIGNPR (21) back to back for me early, but he fired off MANGROVE for 90+. I intentionally phonied EYELINE* to retake lead, but he'd picked up esses. SHEILAS for another 90+ sealed my fate in a game in which my my biggest mistakes involved not exchanging.
399 – 463    6-4        (64)    +74                                     me: ?JXZ                opp: ?SSSSQ

Game 11 v. David Brown

David started the show early with AGONIST using a blank, but AEENNMO (22) and EGILNOS (23) reversed our course. I misplayed some consonant-heavy racks late, but pulled the second blank to bingo out with DEENRST (24).
451 – 354    7-4        +97    +171                                    me: ?SSJQZ           opp: ?SSX

Game 12 v. David Brown

He's too good to not have been overdue for a win against me. CAVITIES and AVERTING let him lead pillar to post. I managed ABEINORT (25) after.
360 – 398    7-5         (38)    +133                                  me:  ?SSSJQZ         opp:  ?SX

I'd been seeded second, finished in third tied with two others on wins, lost just enough ratings points to knock me under 1700 rating again – and couldn't have had a better time. Congratulations to Avery for living up to his seed and taking Division One handily. But I must say, my most pride and joy was for Dan Heck and Rich Banker, who won Divisions Two and Three. Dan works his game away from the board very hard, had been playing me evenly for months before Wendy and I moved back to Kentucky, and continues to do so online. Rich isn't a classic studier, but plays more club games than everyone else to do his learning. They're both so deserving, and I couldn't be happier for them.

Stat me, baby -

13 of 24 blanks
27 of 48 esses
25 of 48 JQXZ
65 of 120 power tiles total 54%

24 – 17 bingo advantage

396 – 387 average score

Games with both blanks:    3-0
Games with one blank:       3-3
Games with no blanks        1-2

QUIZ ANSWERS

1)   OUTDARE            (also OUTREAD, READOUT)

2)   ELISION                (also LIONISE and ISOLINE)
3)   IDIOLECT – the variety or form of a language used by an individual
4)   OUTLAID
5)   SANDLOT             (also DALTONS)
6)   EUSTELE – plant part, weird botanical term
7)   GOONIES – albatross
                                    (also NOOGIES, ISOGONE)
8)   SEXTANT – astronomical instrument used to determine latitude and longitude
                                    (also TAXITES, POSTTAX)
9)    CANTATAS
10)   YAWEY – pertaining to an infections disease in children in tropical climes, related to syphillis
11)  PERGOLA – a shaded walkway or passage
                                    (also PROLEGS, PLEDGOR)
12)  OVERTOIL
13)  TENURIAL – pertaining to tenure
                                    (also AUNTILIER, RETINULA)
14)  LADINOS – a wild, unmanageable, vicious horse or other ranch animal
15)  COGNIZES – to become aware of in one's mind
16)  LIPREADS, PARSLIED, SPIRALED
17)  SAUTOIR – a heraldic design (St. Andrew's cross)
18)  ROASTER
19)  PERMIAN – related to amphibious part of Paleozoic era
              ^ For PERMAIN*, I combined this and PEARMAIN
20)  AIRTIME
21)  PERIGEAN – pertaining to a perigee, when a satellite is at closets point in orbit to Earth
22)  ANEMONE – plant of buttercup family
23)  LONGIES – long underwear
                                    (also ELOIGNS, LEGIONS, LINGOES)
24)  TENDERS
25)  TABORINE – a small drum, used to accompany oneself on a fife or pipe