Tuesday, November 8, 2016

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


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