National Scrabble Championship 2008 - Day 2

Game 8: Against Shelley Kirk, it was a close one. This is the second game that my opponent started with a bingo, this one an ELATION (64). Soon after, I caught up by REvISI(N)G (70). She then TORQUE (30) and SEX (41). But I ZAG (41) to even it out. It was towards the end game, with careful tile-tracking and careful playing, I won 374-361.

Game 9: Against Hans Oh. Got a thrashing. He was JIVIER (32) with a POOCH (40) and a WISH (30). Next, his ENT(I)TIES (62) and WARTY (38) put him more than double my score at 102-256. I could only bring NAILERS (68) ad OXY (44) to catch up a little. However, his ORIENTs (71) and ZA (36) towards the end game did me in. Lost 303-459.

Game 10: Against Marcia Wade, she InFLA(T)ED (76) her score. It was a SENATOR (75) and then a sTORIED (80) for me a few turns later on a double-double word to get ahead a little. She did challenge off my UEY# (British-only word). Sigh, SOWPODS still affects my play…. My words ARB (37) and GRAY (34) balanced out her ZORI (33) and HINTS (34). Won 413-328.

Game 11: Against Jo Anne Cohen, this was a very, very close game. My second turn, I had DEACONS (71). She answered sIZIEST (79). I had FE (30), THO (31), BULKING (30) and AQUA (34). She had REX (29), JO (36), (C)URBED (36) and SWIG (35). In this game, I drawed three ‘I’s in a bag of 25+ tiles, statistically < 1% chance. The tile gods started to dislike me. It was neck to neck and it went down to our very last play. I lost 360-361, a measly 1 point!!!

Game 12: Against Susie Page, again I got thrashed. I get to play small words mostly. Had only HE (30), DETOX (32) and ZA (28). Meanwhile, Susie SHIRKEd (70), JEU (30), REACTIVE (82) and QUIP (32) to thrash me 266-404.

Game 13: Against Diana Ittner, it was a close game. I had DEX (35) and ZOA (32). She had KETO (34) and JEER (43). We both left the triple word line open with a S hook for a long time and I think we both wanted to bingo on that line. I got lucky first with RETSiNA (8). It evened out the game a to my favor and I won with a better end-game with 339-307.

Game 14: Against Jennifer Devaney, it was a lousy rack balance for me. I had the blank and three ‘S’ at one time. I played SONS (16) just to get rid of two of them. Jennifer had BAITERS (80) on her second turn. I responded with JADES (42) with the J on double-letter onto the double-word tile on L1. She used J for JEAN to triple-word for 33. I bingoed SIeVING (69) and did EX (55) while she responded with ZOA (32) and VOIL (33). It was neck-to-neck till towards the end, she bingoed with (L)ETTERED (77) on triple-word tile. That won the game for her 387-444.

In between games, I went to meet up with Nigel Richards at Division 1. He was doing well, ended the day in the top 10 position, I believe.

Ended the day at 3W-4L again, overall 6W-8L. Woohoo!!! Off to see the Blue Man Group performance at the Sharp Aquous theatre in Universal Citywalk!!!