ASHEVILLE, NC – autumn 2016
I came in with a rating of 1721, seeded
14th of 16 players in Division One. Top contenders would
be two players rated over 2000 – reigning North American champion
David Gibson and Joey Krafchick.
My win expectation was 6.1, and likely
ended up a little lower since I played five games against the number
one and three seeds.
Rd 1 vs. Clay Daniel (#3 seed, Rating
1846)
Me: ADDERST (1) to open, BESPENT* (was
thinking of BEERPNST) (2)
Clay: SECONDI and LEGATOS, both of
which I held, waiting for caffeine to kick in I guess.
365 – 450 0-1 (85) me: ?SSZ
Rd 2 vs. Kate Fukwa-Connelly (#8,
1793)
me: EINORSTV (3), ADDEEPRT (4).
Kate: FIANCEES and TEASING back to
back.
She also made really sweet ANOR(A)K /
O(BA) / R(EM) / K(A) for 44.
Behind with one in the bag, Kate
finished for bingo, creating a second lane. I missed AILNPST (5), a
top 5.000 prob bingo. She had picked up the Z, and so most -any-
play I made that blocked her TRIAZO(L)E also would've won for me.
Instead, I took the highest-scoring non-bingo for a soul-crushing
defeat.
423 – 434 0-2 (11) (96) me: ?SSX
Rd 3. vs. Ken Kasney (#10, 1770)
me: ACELPPRS (5) with a blank, though
I missed ACEELNPRS (6) through AN. ADELOTU (7) with the other blank,
missing ABDDELOT (8).
Ken: EARNEST and BANTERER
back-to-back, plus MOIETY for 53.
462 – 417 1-2 +45 (54) me: ??SSJXZ
Rd 4 vs. Kevin Bowerman (#7, 1795)
me: EINOSTT (9), ADEHIRST (10).
Missed ?ADEFMS – 2 (11)
Kevin: LEXES for 57
452 – 293 2-2 +159 +105 me: ??SSJQZ
Rd 5 vs. Jeff Cook
Me: RETAX for 60, GAZEBO for 84,
ABEEILS (12).
Jeff: TUSSLING, LAITIES.
Blanks or no, any game I can come back
from 100+ down is a rare treat.
422 – 408 3-2 +14 +119 me: ??SXZ
Rd 6 vs. Randy Hersom (#4, 1845)
me: AEGNRST (13). Missed ADGOPRST
(14).
Randy: REFUTES
418 – 291 4-2 +127 +246 me: ?SSSJXZ
Rd 7 vs. Aaron Finkel (#16, 1536)
me: ABDERST (15), but missed the eight
with a W. Found one of the two in ?AABBCST (16)
Aaron: ONERIEST, JUTTER*
388 – 379 5-2 +9 +255 me: ?SSSSQ
Rd. 8 vs. David Gibson (#1, 2143)
Me: AEIOMTZ (17) for 106 to open.
Turn three missed ADGIILLO to an I (18). Turn four slipped
FIRELOGS* by with a blank, which David
only let go because I'd had other options and he thought was a tiny
chance it was new. AEIRSTT (19).
David: BROUGHT, TRASHING, COLLEGE
455 – 475 5-3 (20) +235 me: ?SSJZ
Rd. 9 vs. Paul Erland (#6, 1826)
Me: AEGNORY (20) with a blank, but
missed better AENOPRWY (21).
Paul: LAYWOMEN, INEPTEST, INERTIA
Any tie game is likely filled with lots
of tough decisions, and this was no exception.
385 – 385 5-3-1 0 +235 me: ?SSSQX
Rd. 10 vs. Ellis Roy Reynolds (#12,
1740)
me: AEINSTZ (22), BCEIMNO (23),
ADILNOOR (24)
Ellis: TOGGLER, tried UREDIAS*,
WANIEST, tried OVERGONE*
Had Ellis found RESIDUA either turn,
this would've been a very different game, as he'd have been ahead by
over 100.
482 – 399 6-3-1 +83 +318 me: SSXZ
Rd. 11 vs. Clay Daniel
me: ADEIILR (25)
Clay: WARTIME
May have hinged on me missing BOUTON
midgame, allowing him WENNY for 60.
388 – 404 6-4-1 (16) +298 me:
?SJQZ
Rd 12 vs. David Gibson
me: ANESTRI (26)
David: RELYING, GUTTLES
321 – 498 6-5-1 (177) +121 me: SQ
Rd. 13 vs. Aaron Finkel
me: AEFIRST (27), ACEIORT (28)
Aaron: DARNEST, RATLINS
Excellent comeback from over 100 down
by Aaron.
389 – 374 7-5-1 +15 +136 me: ?SSSZ
Rd. 14 vs. Clay Daniel
me: BEOORST (29), FGIINRTU (30),
ABEEENTS (31)
Clay: CAMERALY*, AVIATION, ARGUSES
The sweet-looking, plausible phony nine
w both thought was likely valid aside, this came down to a 25% chance
at an out-bingo draw for Clay after he'd brilliantly made himself a
second lane late while also blocking a 50+ point J-play of mine.
466 – 473 7-6-1 (13) +123 me:
?SSJZ
Despite seemingly blowing at least a
couple very winnable games, I came away with a 28 point rating gain,
putting me at 1749. I finished in 6th – one spot out
of the prize money positions. I had two losses with over a 450
score, but someone else won high loss prize seeing defeat despite a
479. A deserving Aaron Finkel – seeded 16th – won the
class prize by finishing one more spot of his seed than I managed.
So like always, some ups and some downs, but always good times.
After all – Scrabble money isn't exactly poker-sized money.
There's nothing I'd rather be doing.
Kudos to Director William Snoddy and
everyone from the Asheville club for putting on a fabulous event.
They hold multiple tournaments a year and it is always worth the 250-mile drive and weekend stay.
Stat me, baybeeee –
Blanks: 15/28
Esses: 30/56
JQXZ: 27/56
TOTAL: 72/140
Avg. score: 415 – 406
Bingo count: 26 – 26
Quiz Answers
1) ADDREST
2) BESPRENT –
sprinkled over
3) INVESTOR
4) DEPARTED
5) SCRAPPLE –
a seasoned mixture of ground beef and cornmeal
6) PRECLEANS
7) OUTLEAD
8) DEADBOLT
9) TONIEST
10) HARDIEST
11) DEFAMES,
DEFOAMS
12) BAILEES –
a person to whom property is bailed
13) GAARNETS
(also ARGENTS, STRANGE)
14) POSTGRAD
15) DABSTER –
one that dabbles, involves himself in a superficial interest
16)
BACKSTAB (also SABBATIC)
17) ATOMIZE
18) GLADIOLI –
segments of the sternum
19)
STRIATE (also ARTISTE, ARTIEST, ATTIRES, IRATEST, RATITES, TASTIER)
20) ORANGEY
21) WEAPONRY
22)
ZANIEST (also ZEATINS)
23) COMBINE
24) DOORNAIL
25) DELIRIA
26)
ANESTRI (and eight others)
27) FAIREST
28) EROTICA
29)
REBOOTS (also BOOSTER)
30) FRUITING
31) ABSENTEE
No comments:
Post a Comment