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)
