CNY Scrabble

Sunday Jan 29, 2006
Chinese New Year
Scrabble!!!

Ya, I know. First day of Chinese New Year, and I do the most untraditional thing.... played Scrabble. What to do? Los Gatos tournaments happens once a month, usually last Sunday of the month. If I don't go, I'll suffer withdrawal symptoms, I think.

Wearing a red underwear outside my pants.... just kidding lah, not Superman... want a bit more luck, a little more balanced racks only.

Game 1
Opponent: David Stewart, rated 830

Nice guy, pretty good player. Bingoed on his second rack, with UnSWEPT for 74 points and I replied immediately with EX for 55 points, with the 'X' tile on the triple letter score. Then, with my fourth rack, I laid down RINGLET. He, in turn, had another bingo, with LENDING. I kept behind him closely and towards the end-game, I picked up the 'Q'! Luckily, I was holding on to a 'U' tile. This would never have upset me if it was SOWPODS, but with TWL right now, having the Q at the end usually is not good. On our last racks, I was barely leading with 346-343, but had the Q. The board was pretty closed up too. I was gonna give up and eat the Q, when I spied an open 'A' tile. My last chance to play out the Q, so I played AQUA for 15 points, exposing the 'A' on J15 on the triple word score line. I knew he may have bingo-able tiles, but hoped for the best. He played ST(A)IRS for just 21 points to bring him to lead 361-364, but I played out (G)'OING' for just 8 points, but enough to beat him by 5 points, and took his 2 points extra to boot. Turns out he was holding the 'E' as his last tiles. He could have played out with S(A)TIRES to win the game. Phew.

Game 2
Opponent: Jon Demeter, rated 778

Nice guy, Jon. Played him before. Not much to say on this game, except for lousy tiles. Lost badly with 269-404. He phoneyed me with a bingo SUPINED*.

Game 3
Opponent: Lynn Joseph, rated 855

She is a very pushy lady. Interruptive too. Not liking her personally too much, but she plays well. Started out well, and bingoed twice, with RISKIeR and REStAGE, but the 'I's clung to me at the end game. Proceeded to close up the board, but she bingoed with BANGLES, hooking the 'S' to FOND. Challenged FONDS and lost a turn. Big mistake, as she then played ZITI on the triple word for another 47 points. Lost 357-410.

Game 4
Opponent: David Carlson, rated 1131, first seed

Good player. He bingoed with s(Q)UIRTED and I replied with DelET(I)NG immediately. But lost towards the end with racks like AIIOURS. But close game. Lost 334-372.

Game 5
Opponent: Gloriosa Agdeppa, rated 904

This was a good game. I bingoed early with DRAiNER and she replied later on with sOLDIER. I then started to had bad tiles, and changed one rack for all 7 tiles. Immediately, she played SUQS for 54 points on the bottom triple word line to lead 323-265. I started to track every move, and ended with my second last play of AIDS to hook D on BATHE for 22 points to edge a lead of 377-360. I held my 'I' tile, and she had to play out 3 tiles with 15 points to draw. But she could only score 14 points! I got another 3 points for my end game and took 2 points from her to win 382-374. Great end game play for me! Learning my lessons well....


Game 6
Opponent: David Stewart, rated 830.

I faced Stewart again! I knew I had to play carefully with him, since he will be out for revenge. I drew a blank tile on first rack, and bingoed with TACTI(l)E. Later on, I bingoed with LAIRISE#, a OSW-only word. I think since I played it down so confidently, he did not challenge the word. I had HORNETs on my last rack, but unfortunately blocked by his move. I knew he had the JO on his last rack, and there was an exposed triple letter square with an 'O' beside it. Thank goodness, I track tiles in all my games! I blocked it, and won 351-323. Phew again!! My end-game moves are getting better.

So, met just 1 target. Won 3 games, that's half the games. Had a negative spread, so I failed that. And I was not in the top half. Was 5th of 8. Oh well.