NASPA Scrabble mini, Sunday September 19, 2010
After last month’s WGPO tournament, I played in the NASPA tournament this past Sunday. Same location, same third Sunday of the month, just under a different banner. It appears that the tournaments will alternate between NASPA and WGPO for the rest of 2010. Mountain View may switch fully to a WGPO venue by next year as current NASPA memberships expire at the end of the year while Berkeley will remain a NASPA venue. My WGPO rating shot through 1200 finally, now at 1259. NASPA rating is at 1172.
Game 1 – Opponent: Gloriosa Ondoy Agdeppa, rated 936
A rather disappointing game and a little disappointed in myself. I picked up a blank tile on the opening rack and played DELeT(I)ON for a low scoring 59 points. Gloriosa bingoed with a better scoring QUIETER (+80 points) in two turns later. The game was fairly close and she was able to continue scoring well with small plays. I even played wrongly with EW at one point. And my biggest mistake was missing the bingo PUNIEST along the triple word line which would have kept me way ahead. Lost the game by a measly 4 points, 356-360.
Game 2 – Opponent: Sandy Parry, rated 1026
This game fared better. I bingoed with low scoring R(E)MINTED (+61) and IODATEs (+71). Sandy had TANSIES (+64). My end rack after IODATEs was one of the worst: EEEIOUU. Still, I won handily 415-345.
Game 3 – Opponent: Joan Mocine, rated 1061
This game went very well for me. My second rack was CNORSTU and I hoped for an E to come up. Joan nicely played TAENIA to expose the E for my bingo COUNT(E)RS for +70. She PARTIED immediately (+79) after that. I continued to play fairly high scoring plays while Joan had bad racks and had trade tiles twice. Meanwhile, I saw a nice play and wished for a E and a U, and I actually got it pulling two tiles! Played QUEEN for +48 with that. Had a bad rack myself with IIFNNVV. Traded it, got a blank, next turn got the second blank and played MotIvES (+66). Won 460-273.
Game 4 – Opponent: Phil, rated?
Phil is a new player, this being his second tournament. I bingoed with (C)RULLINg +61. Phil, on the other hand, played some phonies such as PO, YAD, ROY which I challenged off. He did play fairly well. I won 369-322.
Game 5 – Opponent: Pat Diener, rated 1313
This is a game I could have won if I had guts to challenge her words… She played VENTAL which I doubted and not challenged. More importantly, towards the end I did not challenge her MISWoRN (+89) on a triple word despite having serious doubts. I was worried that with a closed up board and if I lose my turn, I may not have been able to respond with my own bingo ERInGOS (+76). I could have challenged that word off and used that triple word score myself to build a lead. Lost 389-408.
Game 6 – Opponent: Pat Diener, rated 1313
Played Pat again as we were the top two. This time, I played really carefully. My opening rack was a natural bingo BRAVEST (+76) which she immediately responded with AdMIRE(R)S (+70) across the R in BRAVEST. Later on, I bingoed with RATTLER (+68) and then she had EQUATEd (+81). I then continued to play a tight game and slowly build the lead I had. Won 446-372.
Overall, came out second placed after Pat. Not too bad, although I wished I could have won the other two games with just a little better foresight and more guts to challenge the doubtful words…
My bingoes:
DELETION
REMINTED
IODATES
COUNTERS
CRULLING
ERINGOS
BRAVEST
RATTLER
Monday, September 20, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
I participated in my first tournament under the WGPO banner. WGPO was formed out of unhappiness on how NASPA was being managed. I must say, great start to a new beginning! Won my division with a 5-1 record despite being the 6th and last ranked with rating 1172.
Game 1 – Opponent: (B1) Joan Clark rated 1544
Had pretty good tiles in this game. Managed 3 bingos: REFLIPS# (did not see PILFERS), cOVERIN(G) and DeGRAD(E)S. Had both the blanks, 2 S, the Q and Z as well. My opponent, on the other hand, had not much to go with, biggest score was AXE for 30. Joan has not been playing for 20+ years. Cross-tables recorded her last tournament in 1986! Perhaps I got lucky she did not warm up yet. Won 430-315, +115.
Game 2 – Opponent: (B4) Jon Demeter rated 1345
Jon mostly won in our numerous matches. He started with a bingo, ARREArS and I responded in my 2nd move with COATTAI(L). Then I scored well with EX (31 pts), ZINC (45 pts) in the next few moves, and another bingo DArTING later. Jon was keeping up with good scoring words in strategic spots with FOVEA (39 pts), YEOMEN (35 pts), WENS (46 pts) and KI (34 pts) but was not able to take the lead after my second bingo. Won 415-373, +42, total +157.
Game 3 – Opponent: (B2) Pat Diener rated 1329
Again, Pat usually won in our matches. And she was leading in the first half of the game until my first and the only bingo in this game with REASOnS. I started off with 3 S’ on my first rack and little vowels. Had to change 4 tiles on my second turn. After my bingo, she almost caught up playing NERTZ (50 pts) but I managed to keep ahead. The board quickly closed up and I edged a win. Won 333-313, +20, total +177.
Game 4 – Opponent: (B5) Alan Whitman rated 1262
I do not get to play with Alan much as he is usually a division above. I did surprise him with a win the first time we played many years back in an open division tournament in Los Gatos back in 2006. I was rated 836 while he was 1529, a major upset. He started with AMATIVE, which I challenged and it was good. By his second turn, he was 122-0 ahead. I tried to catch up. Even with 3 bingos: ASTERIA, (R)EOILINg and PUNI(S)HER, I could not overcome his lead. He scored well with strategic plays of GANJA (39 pts) and SYNES (43 pts) on the triple words. At least I did not get steamrolled… Lost 373-437, -52, total +125.
Game 5 – Opponent: (B3) Mary Stevens rated 1372
The last time I played against Mary was 2006. Again, she usually is in the higher division. She started with HM, and I bingoed with REMANDS/HM/MA under HM. Had great scoring plays with QUINCY (40 pts), QI (41 pts) and JESTER (67 pts, non-bingo). Tried ACETINE# but it got challenged off. I had a end-game outplay bingo of RETINES but I chickened out from playing it as I was not sure of it and she had 7 tiles which might be a bingo. So, I played safe instead. Won 436-377, +69, total +194.
Game 6 – Opponent: (B5) Alan Whitman rated 1262
As predicted by Alan, we met again for the final game of this 1-day tournament. I started with SURLIED# but was challenged off. He had ITCHY (34 pts) to start and I bingoed down the T with oU(T)SIDER. He responded immediately with T(R)EELINE. Later on, I bingoed NaMELES(S) and he responded in kind with BE(A)TNIKS. I was leading till towards the but it became very close. In fact, he led 370-387 before my out-play. I had ALERT on my rack and he did not check that I have only one out-play of TAL(L)ER and failed to block. Won 394-387, +7, total +201.
That’s it. My first WGPO tournament and a win! The results was almost a complete reversal of the ranking: B6, B5, B4, B3, B1 and B2.
Bingos:
REFLIPS#
COVERING
DEGRADES
COATTAIL
DARTING
REASONS
ASTERIA
REOILING
PUNISHER
REMANDS
OUTSIDER
NAMELESS
I participated in my first tournament under the WGPO banner. WGPO was formed out of unhappiness on how NASPA was being managed. I must say, great start to a new beginning! Won my division with a 5-1 record despite being the 6th and last ranked with rating 1172.
Game 1 – Opponent: (B1) Joan Clark rated 1544
Had pretty good tiles in this game. Managed 3 bingos: REFLIPS# (did not see PILFERS), cOVERIN(G) and DeGRAD(E)S. Had both the blanks, 2 S, the Q and Z as well. My opponent, on the other hand, had not much to go with, biggest score was AXE for 30. Joan has not been playing for 20+ years. Cross-tables recorded her last tournament in 1986! Perhaps I got lucky she did not warm up yet. Won 430-315, +115.
Game 2 – Opponent: (B4) Jon Demeter rated 1345
Jon mostly won in our numerous matches. He started with a bingo, ARREArS and I responded in my 2nd move with COATTAI(L). Then I scored well with EX (31 pts), ZINC (45 pts) in the next few moves, and another bingo DArTING later. Jon was keeping up with good scoring words in strategic spots with FOVEA (39 pts), YEOMEN (35 pts), WENS (46 pts) and KI (34 pts) but was not able to take the lead after my second bingo. Won 415-373, +42, total +157.
Game 3 – Opponent: (B2) Pat Diener rated 1329
Again, Pat usually won in our matches. And she was leading in the first half of the game until my first and the only bingo in this game with REASOnS. I started off with 3 S’ on my first rack and little vowels. Had to change 4 tiles on my second turn. After my bingo, she almost caught up playing NERTZ (50 pts) but I managed to keep ahead. The board quickly closed up and I edged a win. Won 333-313, +20, total +177.
Game 4 – Opponent: (B5) Alan Whitman rated 1262
I do not get to play with Alan much as he is usually a division above. I did surprise him with a win the first time we played many years back in an open division tournament in Los Gatos back in 2006. I was rated 836 while he was 1529, a major upset. He started with AMATIVE, which I challenged and it was good. By his second turn, he was 122-0 ahead. I tried to catch up. Even with 3 bingos: ASTERIA, (R)EOILINg and PUNI(S)HER, I could not overcome his lead. He scored well with strategic plays of GANJA (39 pts) and SYNES (43 pts) on the triple words. At least I did not get steamrolled… Lost 373-437, -52, total +125.
Game 5 – Opponent: (B3) Mary Stevens rated 1372
The last time I played against Mary was 2006. Again, she usually is in the higher division. She started with HM, and I bingoed with REMANDS/HM/MA under HM. Had great scoring plays with QUINCY (40 pts), QI (41 pts) and JESTER (67 pts, non-bingo). Tried ACETINE# but it got challenged off. I had a end-game outplay bingo of RETINES but I chickened out from playing it as I was not sure of it and she had 7 tiles which might be a bingo. So, I played safe instead. Won 436-377, +69, total +194.
Game 6 – Opponent: (B5) Alan Whitman rated 1262
As predicted by Alan, we met again for the final game of this 1-day tournament. I started with SURLIED# but was challenged off. He had ITCHY (34 pts) to start and I bingoed down the T with oU(T)SIDER. He responded immediately with T(R)EELINE. Later on, I bingoed NaMELES(S) and he responded in kind with BE(A)TNIKS. I was leading till towards the but it became very close. In fact, he led 370-387 before my out-play. I had ALERT on my rack and he did not check that I have only one out-play of TAL(L)ER and failed to block. Won 394-387, +7, total +201.
That’s it. My first WGPO tournament and a win! The results was almost a complete reversal of the ranking: B6, B5, B4, B3, B1 and B2.
Bingos:
REFLIPS#
COVERING
DEGRADES
COATTAIL
DARTING
REASONS
ASTERIA
REOILING
PUNISHER
REMANDS
OUTSIDER
NAMELESS
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