Wednesday, September 2, 2015

2015 N. American Championships- a life on the D(2) list

2015 N. American Championships, Reno, NV

My third consecutive National (now North American) Championships! On the last allowed day, I changed my mind and registration, moving from One into my natural division of Two. Competition is stiff everywhere, of course, but I had absolutely no chance of moneying in the Div. One field. Playing up the last two years taught me what I needed to know about where I am in the tile-slinging world. I'm rated 1714, so in Two, I'll be the #8 seed out of 80-some, and can at least imagine making the Final Eight, who will play their own mini-event after Round 21 to determine the winner.

Hitting the road- My wife also played, and our drive from in Lexington, KY to my hometown of Cedar Rapids, IA was pleasant and uneventful – which is really saying something when there's also a three year-old in tow! Our Abby's a great traveler. I, however, am a less than perfect one it seems.

After a couple days with my parents, I ran into trouble at the airport. We had been led to believe our one large suitcase could be gate-checked, and no one in Security dissuaded us in this. The United ticket taker sure did though. Our fault, our responsibility to know the rules, and so we were perfectly cooperative...until the fourth separate time this gal initiated letting us know how terrible of people we were. I finally curtly but civilly said we understood, we were sorry, but it was time to stop goading us, too. That was enough to get nearly thrown off the flight! I'm so confused. I wouldn't have rated this gal more than a quarter-notch higher than a movie theater attendant (and I wouldn't trust this one to even do that job), but she has this power? Ridiculous.

Reno! Our Silver Legacy hotel (the host site) room was spotless, with the only small negative being no mini-fridge. The trio of attached casino-hotels were well-staffed and safe. Crossing any streets led to pretty aggressive panhandling. However, a note to the one gal: if you're clearly tipping over three bills, telling people you're hungry – even if somehow true – just doesn't seem plausible. Try another tack. :) Our area of town felt akin to the north end of the Strip in Vegas, without the flashier southern end through which to stroll. But it was all good! We're there for the games and our friends, and the play venue was spot on.

Answers to alphagrams are at the very end. * means a word is not Scrabble-valid. + means a word just recently became Scrabble-valid. Lowercase letters in played words denote blanks were used. Letters part of plays which are in parentheses were already on the board.

Day One games

Rd 1 v. Marichelle Roque-Lutz (#86 seed, rating 1213)
Phony City! She opened QUANTE*, but it gave me tws bingo AMINOSTU (1). She hit LECTORED*. I'd only studied new eights from N-Z. Plus it left me a spot for CEILMNOP (2). I missed DEEIRSST (3) with a blank for a trip-trip, instead playing AEEIRSTT (4). I followed with GARISHER*, missing the valid bingo (5). Late, I chanced ADNEXUS* and it passed, perhaps for looking like a possible singular of ADNEXA.
576 – 398       1-0       +178             me: ?SSSJX           opp: ?SQZ

Rd. 2 v. Joanne Cohen (#52, 1472)
RETELLS early for her, EILNOOS (6) for me. Drawing the only multi-point tile for the endgame saved me.
385 – 380       2-0       +182            me: SSJX             opp: ??SSQZ

Rd. 3 v. Mark Garrod (#26, 1574)
DESCEND and double-blank OMINOUS for him, just AEEILRTV (7) for me. I accidentally played BOLYA* instead of BOYLA, but survived.
388 – 312       3-0       +258           me: SJZ           opp: ??SSSQX

Rd. 4 v. Amnon Igra (#44, 1490)
Double-blank tws bingo oVERTiM(E) for him, BDEELNRS (8) for me early. I hesitantly got his PIROGIS* off – lots of new variants for that culinary delight. CEENORTT (9) to that blank-O may have been my fave bingo of the week. Back to back exchanges for me, but he tried NEURALS* unsuccessfully.
441 – 393       4-0       +306           me: SX           opp: ??SSSJQZ

Rd. 5 v. Elizabeth Ralston (#16, 1431)
Table one! I continued my poor drawing, but Quackle indicates I played even worse. At least the only bingo I missed was not in my regular study range – ACESSTT (10). Her BOUVIERS late sealed it. She played a risky game, and it paid off nicely. She told me after she'd drawn every blank so far that day.
273 – 444      4-1      +135           me: SSSS           opp: ??JQXZ

Rd. 6 v. Dave Liefer (#15, 1654)
My opening play allowed his MOUCHING with a blank, when an I or N were all that could've given him a bingo. But no whining if I'm missing AEFINORS (11) and the two in ACEIFNRS (12). I managed AEERRNS (13), but that gave him a tws three-tile underlap INTITLE. My ADEEHRS (14) just wasn't enough.
367 – 441       4-2       +61           me: ?SSXZ           opp: ?SSJQ

Rd. 7 v. Diana Grosman (#59, 1458)
AAEIMRU (15), EEELRSTV (16), EFGILNT (17), ADENOPR (18), and AEEGNST (19). Another five-bingo game, and this time without two nawtee* phonies. I let non-bingo ENROUTE* go early, recalling there was -some- knew route-related word valid (ROUTEING*).
532 – 292      5-2       +299             me: ?SSXZ           opp: SSJQ         (one ? in question)

One blank in the morning (possibly two) for 4-0, and a 5-2 day overall. I'm in the hunt for the Final Eight. Add in the strong finish that final round, and I went to bed one happy clam.

Before launching into Day Two games, propers to my friend Josh who came up all the way from San Francisco to spend two days and a night in Reno just to hang with me. We've been buds since he moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa when we were 16. Dinner, drinks, reminiscing...and The Lookit Lookit story for us to reference at one another for at least the next decade or two were all part of the fun. (Warning: This is something of a had-to-be-there sort of story.)

We were washing up in a crowded casino restroom, when in walks a fellow, three sheets to the wind, bearing a framed painting of a silhouetted horse and rider.

Lookit lookit! It's an original!” Slurred badly, over and over, around the restroom. To any- and everyone.
I thought at perhaps he was with friends, just screwing around . But as we exited, the last thing I heard was a forlorn, “Why won't anyone lookit. It's an original...”

Who was this guy? Where did he get the picture? Did he paint it himself, or was there an empty spot on a wall somewhere else in the casino, or some random Reno restaurant perhaps? Would he have tried to sell it to anyone who lookited it? And perhaps most importantly, how was he not familiar with the Guys' #1 Rule: Don't talk in restrooms...

The best part may have been that at lunch the next day, when all of six seconds into the story my friend Rich Banker exclaimed, “I saw that guy!!” Second best part: LOOKIT/-ED/-ING are -valid.

Day Two games

Rd. 8 v. Carlynn Mayer (#20, 1621)
I nearly missed AEIIMST (20), but for tile-shuffling. I let go her REROTATE*. My CDEILRS (21) earned a challenge. AEILNRT (22) was pedestrian, but disconnected nine of AEIILNNRT (23) would've been sexy.
486 – 353       6-2       +334           me: ?SSJX           opp: ?SSQZ

Rd. 9 v. Ed Gowash (#78, 1339)
CDEIORST (24) for me, REUNITER for him early. The second blank allowed me to squeak it out after his late TETANIS(E)/(KOALA)S to a tws.
438 – 402       7-2       +370            me: ??SSJQX           opp: SSZ

Rd. 10 v. Chris Williams (#4, 1771)
Double-blank bingo ALEURONE back-to-back with PERUSER early put me in a serious hole. ORIFICES made his lead nearly 100 midgame. ABDILOO (25) was another fave find for me, but too little, too late.
385 – 430       7-3       +325           me: QX           opp: ??SSSSJZ

Rd. 11 v. Marty Weisskopf (#31, 1554)
ACEEMNST (26) double-double for me. Then the wheels came off. He replied with FRETTING. I drew the second blank, and held it for -ten- moves (no missed bingos even). But I let INABLED* by and tried COGGY* of all things. He exchanged seven late and drew REVOTES for a lane I'd just opened.
364 – 458       7-4       +231            me: ??SSX           opp: SSJQZ

Rd. 12 v. Guy Ingram (#33, 1535)
His FEASTING, then my ADEINOTT (27) and ACDEERSY (28), the latter of which netted a challenge. He hit INCEPTED, and I had to laugh. I'd heard that word on “30 Rock” out of Alec Baldwin, whose character wouldn't sleep on planes for fear of being incepted. “Inception” had just come out in theatres, so I thought this was a fake word like “conversate”. Thankfully, I'd looked it up. 

I replied with AEGIILNR (29) with a blank, but missed triple-triple AEGIILMN (30). I saw AEILRRS (31), but dismissed it as invalid at first, thinking only the similar and new RAILMAN was good.

Guy flew up from Georgia to a one-day tournament all the way in reeeeallly tiny Elk Horn, Iowa once. It's essentially a club tourney between Omaha and Des Moines (where I then lived). Ever since, Guy has been a fave player of mine, and he could not have been more gracious here.
564 – 348       8-4       +447           me: ??SSJQ           opp: SSXZ

Rd. 13 v. Tod Taylor (#54, 1469)
I loved meeting Tod. He'd noticed the drama masks on my custom board and I learned he's a former opera singer Too cool! 

 I was happy with AABDINST (32), but would've been more so seeing the seven (minus the T, 33). Why? I'd slotted the S in a trip-trip lane and he double-blanked OSTIOLAR for 113. He hit OVERBEAR for nearly another 100 shortly after, but I actually managed to tie this game up kinda late.
377 – 411       8-5       +413           me: SSQXZ           opp: ??SSJ

Rd. 14 v. Kevin Bowerman (#11, 1676)
Starting the game with a confused “fine” and nothing more when asked how he was, then ending with “good game – I guess...” aren't how one gets onto my preferred players list. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go take some Metamucil, Centrum Silver, and try to find Matlock reruns. If I can figure out my tv remote...

Double-blank BRIGADES for his first move, HEARINGS later, then REPAINTS. The only bad rack it appeared he had he used a vowel dump that blocked my ADIIPRTY (34). His final rack was AEILNST. Fortunately, I practice deep breathing and bounce back from games like these.
450 – 338       8-6       +301           me: QZ           opp: ??SSSSJX

Day Three games

Rd. 15 v. Paul Mishkin (#58, 1460)
Paul hit ENTIRES early, and had a chance to all but seal it midgame. But he inadvertently made an invalid three-hook with TRAILER. But I had to let the spot stand for his coming RETRIAL for 63. The most sensible block was a tiny score, and then he would've ruined my next big (J) play with his own. All for naught as he blocked my lone bingo chance with a blank-TWEETING, leaving my blank unplayed.
300 – 449       8-7        +152           me: ?SSJZ           opp: ?SSQX

Rd 16 v. Gerry Greenspan (#14, 1655)
No singular monstrous brain fart, yet this was a game I should've had, given my draws. But AEEGLST (35) and EENRSST (36) each only pulled me even. Quackle liked my last four plays a -lot-, but I couldn't survive his good last draw and out-in-two, featuring the cool new MANEB+.
342 – 350       8-8       +144           me: ??SSSJ           opp: SXQZ

Game 17 v. Alan Stern (#6, 1756)
When asked, Alan mentioned he'd been a bit down on his Scrabble luck. I'll never win a title in all likelihood, so why not just try to be the most fun? I wished him luck, sincerely hoped he saw those blanks, got to play something I didn't know yet. And so he opened with double-blank STOKING. I knew that already haha I managed AAILRST (37), but his AUSTERE and TINTERS put me away.
337 – 528       8-9       (47)             me: SSQ           opp: ??SSJXZ
7-2 start, say hello to 2-7 stretch.

Game 18 v. Jonathan Lindh (#43, 1493)
His SARSNET to my ADDEELRT (38) were the only fireworks. The story of the game was his three exchanges. I missed BEEGNSU (39).
431 – 317       9-9       +67           me: ?SSJQ           opp: ?SSXZ

Game 19 v. Yukiko Loritz (#22, 1590)
My own double-blank bingo!- tws-tws GGINORTU (40) . She may have known my non-bingo ENVOYED* was invalid, since she had IDOLISE for reply. AEELNST (41) late for the win.
437 – 372       10-9       +132           me: ??SSJQX           opp: SSZ

Game 20 v. Carolyn Easter (#31, 1383)
We were both unsure about my opener WEBSURf*.. When she hooked VEGETES to it not long after, it created the ego-risking conundrum of whether to challenge or not. Since I had JAEGER for 44 lined up, I didn't risk challenge. I missed a chance to close the only reasonable bingo lane late and was made to pay by TELLERS. But I picked up the second blank for a winnable end game.
420 – 382       11-9       +170           me: ??SSJZ           opp: SSQX

Game 21 v. James Porter
ORGONES and ISLANDER for him,  Only interesting thing for me was phony non-bingo BOOTLET*.
340 – 416       11-10       +94           me: SJXZ           opp: ??SSSQ

I was not in the Final Eight. Alas!

Day Four games

Game 22 v. Mark Fidler (#23, 1589)
ACGHIINN (42) double double for 98, ACEHORTU (43) and AEIRSST (44) early gave me what should've been a big enough lead. It was a good thing I added AAEILMS (45) late, because I totally blew blocking his bingo-out lane, where he hit PLAUDITS.
478 – 438       12-10       +134           me: ?SSSJ           opp: ?SQXZ

Game 23 v. Ruchi Gupta (#18, 1633)
ADEOSTTU (46) for me, ERECTILE for her. I nearly exchanged away both Y's, but held one for a spot and landed NARY for 50.
393 – 335       13-10       +192           me: ?SSSZ           opp: ?SJQX

Game 24 v. Geoff Tongue (#7, 1715)
Easily my fave non-bingo for the week was ALKOXY for 56. An exact-fit EIIMNRST with E in the fourth slot (47) answered his STIFLES, and my ACELPRST (48) rebuffed his AEROLITE.
452 – 387       14-10       +257            me: ?SSJQXZ           opp: ?SS

Game 25 v. Gwen Stewart (#74, 1366)
My EEMNOST (49) was nearly challenged off for the hook (BLANDS*) I gaffed in missing AEGLNRT (50),  but matched her pretty pODIA(T)RY with my AEGILNNT (51), good for an unsuccessful challenge.
414 – 322       15-10       +349            me: ?SSQZ           opp: ?SJX         (one S unknown)

Game 26 v. Paul Avrin (#13, 1659)
Paul was like the villain in a B-horror movie – he kept. Coming. BACK! The first five turns, I hit ACDLNORU (52) (though missing ones solution for a double-double), DENOSTU (53), and the new AELSRTY (54). And was up less than 90. -And- I'd riled up his tiles, because he went back-to-back with AIRPORTS and GUNBOATS (on which the first blank of the game was used)! I replied with the ADEEISV (55) I never thought I'd have needed, finally pulling away.
499 – 341       16-10       +507            me: ?SSSXZ           opp: ?SJQ

Game 27 v. Michael Baker (#12, 1675)
HOSTAGES for his first move, and then my OXALID* comes off (OZALID). Best time phony is right after busting your opp, and so his rack-cleaning (S)HIURA* passed. Got the turn back taking away ZINKED*. Quackle indicates I made a lot of best moves, but there was no getting past his SWEETIE and TINGLED.
353 – 467       16-11       +393            me: SJXZ           opp: ??SSSQ

Game 28 v. Carlene Wallis (#10, 1687)
ISLANDS for her, ANIRSTU (56) for me after an aggressive setup. After missing the unfamiliar AERTTUXY (57), I landed GROSZE for 78. Her late TRAPPING only got her within shouting distance.
421 – 359       17-11       +455           me: SSQXZ           opp: ??SSJ

Day Five games

Game 29 v. Stephen Sneed (#30, 1555)
I opened GUNNEYS*, which is in unabridged sources as slang for gunnery sergeant. It stayed, maybe becayse he had NUDITIES. I got a challenge on double-double non-bingo PLAUDIT and then was nearly challenged on EIIONRST (58). AEILRRST (59) to a triple sealed it.
420 – 371       18-11       +504           me: ?SSSJX           opp: ?SQZ

Game 30 v. James Porter (#29, 1561)
Overly-aggressive play from gave him prime spot for OMELETS. I missed EIILNORS (60) on my way to AEILOST (61). Desperately opening the board allowed him DORMIENT late.
319 – 400       18-12       +423           me: SSJZ           opp: ??SSQX

Game 31 v. Paul Mishkin (#58, 1460)
Paul first with PEACHIER, but I got the turn back challenging his UNWAX* next. I got away with FASTERS* when the valid solution (62) played. ABDDEOR (63) left me down only tempo midgame. Either of us could've salted the game away by knowing WITTING took a back S-hook, as his play dangled it right above a corner tws.
357 – 341       19-12       +439           me: ?SSSJQ           opp: ?SXZ

So I came away in 14th place, one slot out of the money and prizes. Too bad, too, since I had my eye on an Merriam-Webster novelty dictionary I could've taken for 13th. I finished right at my mathematical expectation for wins, and so my rating moved little (up to 1720).

Thank you to NASPA and all the volunteers for putting on a first-class event once again. Congrats on fine performances to all my friends in the Des Moines club who game, and to Lexington director for a solid finish in Division One. Fort Wayne, IN 2016!

Stat me, baybeeeee –
Blanks: 25/61 (one unaccounted for)
Esses: 63/123 (one unaccounted for)
JQXZ: 62/124
TOTAL: 150/308

Bingos: 54-52 23 eights, 31 sevens for me
Avg. Score: 407-390

Two-blank games: 4-2
No blank-games: 5-7
One-blank games: 10-2
The game I had either one or two blanks: 1-0

BINGO QUIZ ANSWERS
1) TINAMOUS – S. American game bird (pl.) (also MANITOUS)
2) COMPLINE – last of the seven canonical prayers in a day, following vespers
3) EDITRESS – a female editor (also SISTERED, DIESTERS, RESISTED)
4) TREATIES (also ARIETTES, TREATISE, ITERATES, TEARIEST)
5) GHARRIES – horse-drawn carriage of India (pl.)
6) LOONIES – Canadian one-dollar coin (pl.)
7) RELATIVE (also LEVIRATE)
8) BLENDERS (also REBLENDS)
9) TRECENTO – the 14th century
10) STACTES – spice used in incense by the ancient Jews (pl.)
11) FARINOSE – resembling farina, which is cereal grain or in Brit. potato starch
12) FANCIERS and FRANCISE – to force to adopt French customs, language
13) EARNERS (also REEARNS)
14) ADHERES (also HEADERS, HEARSED, SHEARED)
15) URAEMIA – retention of urinary waste products in the blood
16) VERSELET
17) FELTING
18) OPERAND – a quantity on which a math operation is performed
(also PANDORE, APRONED, PADRONE)
19) NEGATES
20) AMITIES – friendship (pl.)
21) CLERIDS – predatory beetle (pl.)
22) TRENAIL – a wooden peg used for fastening timbers
(also RATLINE, LATRINE, RELIANT, RETINAL)
23) TRIENNIAL
24) CORDITES – a powdered explosive (pl.)
25) DIABOLO - a game involving a spinning top, or the top itself
26) CASEMENT
27) TETANOID – pertaining to tetanus
28) DECAYERS
29) GAINLIER
30) EMAILING
31) RAILERS
32) TABANIDS – horse and deer flies, for example (pl.)
33) INDABAS – meeting of S. African tribes (pl.)
34) RAPIDITY
35) TELEGAS – a crude Russian wagon (pl.) (also EAGLETS, GELATES, LEGATES, SEGETAL)
36) RENESTS (also NESTERS, RESENTS)
37) LARIATS – a lasso (pl.) (also LATRIAS)
38) TREADLED – to work a kind of foot lever (v.)
39) BUNGEES
40) GROUTING
41) LATEENS – a kind of triangular sail, or vessel (pl.) (also LEANEST)
42) CHAINING
43) OUTREACH
44) SATIRES (also ARTISIES)
45) MALAISE
46) OUTDATES
47) INTERIMS (also MINISTER, MISINTER)
48) SPECTRAL (also SCEPTRAL)
49) TONEMES – a tonal unit of speech (pl.)
50) TANGLER
51) LATENING (also GANTLINE)
52) CAULDRON (also CRUNODAL)
53) SNOUTED
54) SALTERY
55) ADVISEE
56) NUTRIAS – an aquatic rodent (pl.)
57) TEXTUARY – pertaining to text, a critic of texts, or a specialist of the Scriptures
58) IRONIEST – resembling iron (adj.)
59) TRAILERS (also RETRIALS)
60) LIONISER
61) ISOLATE
62) STRAFES
63) BOARDED (also ROADBED)