North Salem
Some good stuff, some not-so-good stuff ... but, all in all, the good outweighed the not-so-good. And as always, the company could not have been better.
I went in as the bottom seed in D1. So, at the very least, I hoped my rating would improve. Beyond that, I didn't dare hope. Here's a quick rundown:
Game 1 v. lordiceman . For a long time, this game looks like it will be distinguished by how shitty it is for both of us. At the end of ten moves apiece, the score is 248-247 in my favor. Then Rod bingoes (I can't recall with what), and I bingo back with CaNEWA(R)E. After that, we're again neck and neck, and it basically comes down to who gets the tiles to go out with. The score is 369-368 when Rod goes out. Interesting game, as so many of my games with Rod seem to be. I lose, 368-391.
Game 2 v. Eric Goldstein. Eric maintains a lead on me through most of the game. Then, I'm able to triple triple through an A that has remained unblocked for five turns, making ENGR(A)VED for 167. This turns out to be the high play of the tournament. I win, 489-437.
Game 3 v. dugy1001. This game would have been better if I hadn't let Sam get away with UNFUELED, which it never occurred to me to doubt. But at least I have the sense to challenge him when he tries to hook on F on the front of ROCKIER. My only bingo this game is rESIDUE. I lose, 341-386.
Game 4 v. jigsawn. I make a big mistake early on when I chicken out on STRAWIER. But nothing much is going to help really. David has my number from the beginning. I do bingo twice, with EBONITES and DEALINGS, and manage to rack up a respectable score, but there's no stopping the Koenig juggernaut this game. I lose, 530-426.
So at lunchtime, I'm 1-3, the same as cheezchick . We're having what we feared: another tournament where we have to end up consoling one another. And 2009 is starting to look like 2008. But I'm ever the optimist so....
Game 5 v. poor Mike Ecsedy. I say poor, because Mike ended up 0-8 for the tournament. I basically had a lead most of the way, especially after my double double Er(E)CTION. (I put this down for Best Valentine's Day Word, but it didn't win. And for the rest of the day, I couldn't get the song "My Unfortunate Erection" from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee out of my head -- one of the funniest show tunes ever... but I digress.) I win, 371-328.
Game 6 v. cheezchick. Well, one of us has to win. And it turns out to be me this time, as my early bingo of M(U)RDERED proves to be prophetic. Alyssa never has a chance, since it proves to be a remarkably easy board to shut down early on, and she ends up going overtime by over 3 minutes besides. I win , 426-266.
Game 7 v. Augustine Adda. Augie gets first blood with fISHPOL(E) on Turn Two. And then, everything goes my way. I bingo with (H)ARMONIc, then get big points for BIGNESS, hooking his fISHPOL(E) plus two other words. I bingo late in the game again with E(G)ESTION.
So going into the KOTH round, I'm 4-3, +217. It's actually mathematically possible for me to finish second. I also notice something weird. I have beaten everyone whose first and/or last initial is a vowel. I've lost to everybody whose initials are both consonants.
Unfortunately, the final game has me matched with David Koenig. No vowels in his monogram. And not a single bingo for me. I do miss the bingo on my last rack, DARESAY ... but even if I'd played it, I would have lost. I lose, 383-448.
So I end up 4-4, +152, which at least puts me in the top half after a bad start. I made some errors, but I also made some good plays, and I enjoyed myself. My rating will climb 15 points, to 1659 -- which is at least movement in the right direction!
Congratulations to dugy1001 and sr_orangepants for their victories!