Arden Cup 2016
This is a Scrabble tournament that
takes place every weekend in Chicagoland. My now-wife and I attended
several years in a row, and in our last together was where I proposed
to her. She and our daughter had a family girls' weekend, so I came
solo. Though now held at a hotel conference room in Elmhurst rather
than the former public facility in Skokie, and no longer quite as
well-attended as it once was, this event still holds a very special
place in my heart. This was my first year playing in
Division One there.
Solutions to parenthetically notated alphagrams are at the end of this blog piece.
Rd 1 v. Thomas Reinke
He opened PITIERS. Soon after we
traded my ABEKOSTU (1) to his ATTESTOR. His NAILABLE stayed, my
OUTCLEAN* came off. The real solution (2) didn't fit. He salted t
away with CONELRAD.
391 – 463 0-1 (72) me: SSSJXZ
Rd 2 v. Nedd Kareiva
RATTENS gave him the earlier lead.
AEHINRST (3) and EIILRST (4) nearly caught me up, but I was forced to
try challenging his late BIRDINGS.
364 – 490 0-2 (198) me: ?SJQ
Rd 3 v. Peter Schneidicke
He opened with BINDERY, I replied with
AEEGRRT (5). Being to anxious to be rid of a U, I slotted an E for
his dws-dws NOTARISE. He hit EDITION midgame to negate the TAXIES
for 63 I'd fished for. I missed ?ADEFLOS late (6).
349 – 454 0-3 (303) me: ?SSSJQX
Rd 4 v. Marty Gabriel
UNWEAVES early for Marty, ADEHISST (7)
to get close. Marty gave me a couple turns trying Collins plays, but
his PEARLIER gave him control and RAVINGLY the big spread.
339 – 458 0-4 (422) me: ?SJQ
Game 5 v. Charles Reinke
INVITED for him, EENORST (8) for me. I
got EELNOSV (9), but let his GILDABLE* for 95 stand. He drew into
COZENAGE for 116. 20 plays between us was all.
437 – 499 0-5 (484) me: ?SSSSX
I doubt I've ever seen a stretch where
my opponents averaged 472 against me, yikes! And it's not like they
were getting more than their fair share of the premium tiles.
Game 6 v. Steve Hartsman
DEIKNRRS (10), AAEGIMNT (11) plus a
challenge, and went out with EIILLSST (12).
511 – 297 1-5 (270) me: ??SSJQX
Game 7 v. Doug Lundquist
Doug opened with GREYISH I hadn't be
sure of E vs. A spelling there, but let it be. DWS-DWS AEGIMNS (13)
for 101 and ABEILST (14) for me.
409 – 368 2-5 (229) me: ??SSJXZ
Game 8 v. Thomas Reinke
I opened with AELORVY (15). Thomas
tried VENAIDAS* - thinking of ZENAIDAS – before landing NAIADES. I
should've blocked it, but opted to exchange out of a dreadful rack.
I risked slotting a Z in a triple-lane for 46 and got to score it
myself the next turn for 39. We traded my EIILNRS (16) to his
AIRDATE later.
498 – 377 3-5 (150) me: ?SSJXQZ
I was very proud of my finish after the
0-5 start. I only know so much and can only play so well, but I can
control not throwing in the towel at least.
Gam3 9 v. Nedd Kareiva
Nedd opened with exchange, 16,
exchange. Since I landed AELNOST (17), thought I was in good shape.
But then he found the gas pedal, hitting PASTIES, REALIGNS, ZED for
70+, DAINTIER and QUAKY for 50 all in a row. Had I not happened to
block the spot with a 52-pt. X-play, his QUAKY would've gone for 123!
Over that time, I missed DEMNORY (18),
that plus an S (19), CDEEIMNR (20), ENNNOOWV (21) and BDIOOOV (22).
Late, I found CDHIORS (22) with a
blank, but missed better ones – DCHIOOR (23), CDHIOPRW (24), and
CCDHIIOR (25). And the best play was non-bingo CDEHIOR (26) for 32
and saving the blank. I played the end game correctly, but to no
avail.
476 – 477 3-6 (151) me: ?SJX
Game 10 v. Peter Schneidicke
I opened with RAZOR, completely
forgetting ARROZ. He landed SETTLER, followed by me forgetting to
check for bingo possibilities to an A, missing AEILNRTU (26). I got
EGILNRT (27) and EIIKSTT (28) before missing ADNNOSU (29). But the
next turn I played ADEMORS (30).
434 – 394 4-6 (111) me: ?SSSJQXZ
Game 11 v. Marty Gabriel
I struck first with blank for I ADEIILS
(31), though missing tws bingos from a C (32). AACHERTT (33) with
the other blank for me as well, and then late CEHILONR (34) allowed
me to outpace is outplay of NONARIES.
483 - 381 5-6 (9) me: ??SSXZ
Game 12 v. Charles Reinke
I bingo'ed, but missed a double-double
chance early when landing EEINRSTV (35). His FALCONS blocked my next
bingo rack all three possible ways. Ten I lost the battle of
phonies, only getting RAWED* down for 9 to balance a rack while he
sneaked SMEWING* (SMEW is a noun) and MYCIN by me about 115 pts
total. My late EEGILNRT (36) left me well short.
373 – 476 5-7 (112) me: ?SZ
Game 13 v. Steve Hartsman
Steve seemed frustrated about the time
it took, but DOEsKIN for the only possible double-double was so worth
the clock. I responded with AEFLLNNS (37), but missed EIIMRSTT (38)
soon after. ATONIES for Steve as well.
311 – 440 5-8 (241) me: ?SSQZ
Game 14 v. Doug Lundquist
Tried PRETAXING* early, but Doug knew
PRETAX is only valid as an adjective. We'd trade EIPRSTV (37) to his
DECREPIT soon after. His HOARIEST would win it, as I was forced to
try extending to DECREPITRY*.
397 – 407 5-9 (251) me: ?SSJZ
Game 15 v. Steve Hartsman
SPARKLE for 100 for Steve, UNSATED for
me. He blocked an early nine for me of AACILMNST (38).
359 – 380 5-10 (272) me: ?SQ
Game 16 v. Nedd Kareiva
REFRAMED for Nedd midgame, but missing
a double-double afforded me the spot for it with DEINSSST (39). I
lost the game missing the A-front hook to BRIDGE for a
perfectly-fitting AADELRT (40). Instead I had to open the board
without the case blank in hand. Nedd landed ALEVINS there.
378 – 453 5-11 (347) me: SSSJQX
Game 17 v. Peter Schneidicke
CONFETTI for him, but AEGIKNRT (41) and
soon after ADEILOST (42) for me. UNREELS pulled him close, but
EEINORST (42) let me pull away. I sort of missed ABEINRST (43) late,
but didn't even look for a bingo there since I just needed to block a
triple-triple lane elsewhere to seal the win.
482 – 359 6-11 (224) me: ?SSSQXZ
Game 18 v. Marty Gabriel
ENTITLE and ACCEDES early for Marty,
but I got right back into it with AABELSWY (44) for 98. Turned out I
could've had 136 for an underlapping double-double with that that
rack minus the A (45) I'd played through. I chickened out on
ENROBERS with a blank, taking the lower-scoring ABEORRS (46).
I was very happy with a late decision
to score 28 for VETOED, saving QR with two U's unseen to me. As I'd
hoped, Marty had to open a scoring lane and I picked up a U, then
hitting QUERN for 54. He got RESINATE at the end.
425 – 415 7-11 (214) me: ??SSJQZ
Game 19 v. Charles Reinke
I was happy to remember at least one of
the two in AACILTTS (47), though AAFILSTT (48) would've been better.
The Reinkies had been phonying me all weekend, and I finally got a
couple by, if accidentally. I thought REBAKES* was valid, but missed
the two valid plays (49). I chickened out on DEFILNOR (50) before
getting away with YANkERS* when AENRSWY (51) and AEIMNSRY (52) were
available. EEIGNNQU (53) for 104 late.
526 – 339 8-11 (27) me: ??SSSJQZ
Game 20 v. Marty Gabriel
Played this match pretty darn well.
Except for the missed bingos. TREASON and SNORTER for Marty while I
missed AAIILRTX (54) in between. AAEEGLRY (55) and AACELRTY (56).
I managed AEEGLRRS (57), but OBEDIENT with the second blank ended me.
371 – 447 8-12 (103) me: ?SSJQXZ
And so I finished in 6th,
just as I was seeded. Congrats to Charles Reinke on his Division One
win. Special kudos to my roommate for the weekend and good friend
Dan Heck for winning the third division. Like me, he'd had a rough
start, but was equally gracious in victory as in defeat. No one
could've deserved a trophy more. Thank you to Director Marty Gabriel
and all who contributed for a fine event!
Stat me, baybeeee –
Blanks: 23/40
Esses: 43/80
JQXZ: 51/80
TOTAL: 117/200 58 %
Avg. score: 415 – 418
Bingos: 38 – 41
QUIZ
ANSWERS
1) OUTBAKES
2) CLEANOUT
3) THERIANS – mammals which give
birth to live young without shelled eggs
– also INEARTHS, HAIRNETS
4) SILTIER
5) REGRATE also GREATER
6) LEADOFFS
7) SHADIEST also DASHIEST
8) ESTRONE – an estrogen
9) ELEVONS – type of aircraft control
surface
10) DRINKERS
11) ENIGMATA also AGMINATE
12) SILLIEST
13) GAMINES – tomboys also
ENIGMAS, SEAMING
14) ASTILBE – Asian perennial, of the
saxifrage family
also ABLEIST, ALBITES, BASTILE,
BESTIAL, BLASTIE, STABILE
15) OVERLAY also LAYOVER
16) INLIERS also RESILIN
17) TOLANES – organic compound used
in organic synthesis
also ETALONS
18) DORYMEN – one that fishes from a
dory (a flat-bottomed boat)
19) SYNDROME
20) ENDERMIC – acting by absorption
through the skin
21) NONWOVEN (a noun to my mild
surprise)
22) OBOVOID – ovoid with the narrow
end at the base
23) CHOROID – a membrane in the
eye also OCHROID
24) WHIPCORD
25) DICHROIC – have two colors
26) RETINULA – neural receptor of an
arthropod's eye
also AUNTLIER, TENURIAL
27) RINGLET also TINGLER
28) KITTIES
29) ADNOUNS – adjective when used as
noun
30) RADOMES – domelike device used to
shelter a radar antenna
31) SEDILIA – one of the seats in a
church used for officiating clergy
also DAILIES, LIAISED
32) CEDILLAS, CITADELS, CAMELIDS
33) REATTACH also ATTACHER
34) CHLORINE
35) REINVEST also NERVIEST,
SIRVENTE
36) GREENLIT
37) FLANNELS
38) CLAIMANTS
39) DISSENTS
40) LATERAD – toward the side
41) RETAKING
42) DIASTOLE also ISOLATED
43) BANISTER also BARNIEST
44) SWAYABLE
45) BYELAWS – same as a bylaw
46) ARBORES – a tree when contrasted
with a shrub, plural of ARBOR
47) CATTAILS – a marsh plant also
STATICAL
48) FATALIST
49) BEAKERS, BERAKES
50) INFOLDER
51) YAWNERS
52) SEMINARY
53) QUEENING
54) TRIAXIAL
55) LAYERAGE – a method of
propagating plants by which shoots are made to take root while still
attached to the parents
56) ACRYLATE – same as acrylic
57) REGALERS
