Spindrift (Durham 08/28/2010)
On Saturday I felt caught in a spindrift. Over the course of 8 games my play vacillated from poor to great to OK; the tiles likewise were very generous one game but brutally unforgiving the next. I got a pretty average result out of it all; 4.5-3.5, +243, new rating of 1530. I at least kept my streak of cashing in Durham; $80 for somehow getting 2nd place with that record and spread. Yeah it was a strange day.
Game 1 vs. Scott Pianowski: L 337-473. PESKIER/RATLINs, UNIfIED, SATIRES. I missed PUMICER on the first turn (thought it but didn't think PUMICE took an R), but at least managed PESKIER on the next turn. Shortly afterwards I trade AAAOOU only to get back IIILUW. It was that kind of game. Later had a rack of BCHHNNT, I play BITCH for 32 and he has the Y to make IVY for 43. I challenged GENUS/SATIRES at the end of the game because I thought GENU only took an A back hook, and it was my only chance to save spread. I was probably thinking of how GENUA doesn't take an S hook. I mean, it should have occured to me that GENUS is a word from taxonomy. Bad tiles but I could have played better.
Game 2 vs. Bruce Shuman: L 386-396. RO(T)ATIOn/(C)ONTRoLS. Play the game here: www.cross-tables.com/annotated.php Basically from turn 18 on I'm not sure what I should be doing to get back in the game. Maybe there's not much I can do. Thoughts on this one are greatly appreciated.
Game 3 vs. Quentin Read: W 449-328. LITHIAS,MON(I)sHED (bingo-bango),MaNDATE/none. Early on I block his TAENIAE, but he subsequently blocks my GROSSI(N)G. Afterwards I pretty much draw the bag on him. I'm hoping the turnaround in tiles helps turn my game around.
Game 4 vs. Susan Bertoni: W 464-388. JETLAGS (to open for 96), ARRISES/LOCATION, SETTLeR. Power tile bingoes are always fun. Got her to challenge ARRISES.
Game 5 vs. Sandeep Bala: W 478-271. lOOBIES, REDOXES (for 116!)/RINGeRS. I feel so bad for Sandeep; every time we play, whether in club or in a tourney, I always seem to out draw him. Early on I had a rack of AINOSTU, and I "missed" a 9 starting from HO. Crazy word. The next turn I hook lOOBIES onto AECIA for 84, and even though he comes back with his own bingo, I'm able to outscore him with power tiles, including the aforementioned REDOXES for 116. This game was critical in amassing spread for the craziness that was about to unfold.
Game 6 vs. badqoph : T 377-377. CAPOTES, RETAILE(D)/(E)lOINErS. You can go over to his blog to play through the game. I declined a recount, but had I gone for it I would have won by 2. I also had a play in the endgame of XIS for 70 that blocks his highest scoring outbingoes. Beginning with this game I didn't see a single blank the rest of the tournament; I'd only get to see 5 of 16 the entire day. Yeah, I somehow ended up seeing fewer blanks than Ryan even though he started off 0-10. Just more weirdness on what was my weirdest day of tourney Scrabble to date.
Game 7 vs. Liz Gottlin: W 417-373: MOILERS, ANTIMAN/sAURIES, NEpETAS, LECTIONS. Play the game here: www.cross-tables.com/annotated.php. This one was a lot of fun to pull out, even if it required some serious luck. It also put me in 2nd place alone at 4.5-2.5, with Quentin at 5-2. I still have a chance in KOTH to pull out a 1st place.
Game 8 vs. Quentin Read: L 374-433. DAUBIER/RESOlES, ETOIlES. It is very, very difficult to win a game of Scrabble against a like-skilled opponent when you do not see any of the blanks, S's, or JQXZ. That said, Quentin took advantage of the tiles he got, and he definitely earned this tourney win. I got away with PANKO* (honestly thought it was good), however he used it to hook RESOlES. I still had a chance at 2nd, crazily enough, as I had Ryan by good bit of spread. He was kind enough to beat Scott twice in the last 2 rounds to knock him down to 4-4 and bring himself up to a tie with me record-wise.
So even though I came back with $80, I didn't really feel like I deserved it. I had moments of greatness interspersed with moments of awfulness. A real rollercoaster ride. I think at this point I just have to play more games and keep working on board vision if I want to get better. The words are there for the most part, but there are still so many things to work on. I at least won't feel cocky going into Alpharetta next week. I'll just treat the tourney as a learning experience no matter what happens, and have fun first of all of course.
Comments are welcome as always. Cheers!
Game 1 vs. Scott Pianowski: L 337-473. PESKIER/RATLINs, UNIfIED, SATIRES. I missed PUMICER on the first turn (thought it but didn't think PUMICE took an R), but at least managed PESKIER on the next turn. Shortly afterwards I trade AAAOOU only to get back IIILUW. It was that kind of game. Later had a rack of BCHHNNT, I play BITCH for 32 and he has the Y to make IVY for 43. I challenged GENUS/SATIRES at the end of the game because I thought GENU only took an A back hook, and it was my only chance to save spread. I was probably thinking of how GENUA doesn't take an S hook. I mean, it should have occured to me that GENUS is a word from taxonomy. Bad tiles but I could have played better.
Game 2 vs. Bruce Shuman: L 386-396. RO(T)ATIOn/(C)ONTRoLS. Play the game here: www.cross-tables.com/annotated.php Basically from turn 18 on I'm not sure what I should be doing to get back in the game. Maybe there's not much I can do. Thoughts on this one are greatly appreciated.
Game 3 vs. Quentin Read: W 449-328. LITHIAS,MON(I)sHED (bingo-bango),MaNDATE/none. Early on I block his TAENIAE, but he subsequently blocks my GROSSI(N)G. Afterwards I pretty much draw the bag on him. I'm hoping the turnaround in tiles helps turn my game around.
Game 4 vs. Susan Bertoni: W 464-388. JETLAGS (to open for 96), ARRISES/LOCATION, SETTLeR. Power tile bingoes are always fun. Got her to challenge ARRISES.
Game 5 vs. Sandeep Bala: W 478-271. lOOBIES, REDOXES (for 116!)/RINGeRS. I feel so bad for Sandeep; every time we play, whether in club or in a tourney, I always seem to out draw him. Early on I had a rack of AINOSTU, and I "missed" a 9 starting from HO. Crazy word. The next turn I hook lOOBIES onto AECIA for 84, and even though he comes back with his own bingo, I'm able to outscore him with power tiles, including the aforementioned REDOXES for 116. This game was critical in amassing spread for the craziness that was about to unfold.
Game 6 vs. badqoph : T 377-377. CAPOTES, RETAILE(D)/(E)lOINErS. You can go over to his blog to play through the game. I declined a recount, but had I gone for it I would have won by 2. I also had a play in the endgame of XIS for 70 that blocks his highest scoring outbingoes. Beginning with this game I didn't see a single blank the rest of the tournament; I'd only get to see 5 of 16 the entire day. Yeah, I somehow ended up seeing fewer blanks than Ryan even though he started off 0-10. Just more weirdness on what was my weirdest day of tourney Scrabble to date.
Game 7 vs. Liz Gottlin: W 417-373: MOILERS, ANTIMAN/sAURIES, NEpETAS, LECTIONS. Play the game here: www.cross-tables.com/annotated.php. This one was a lot of fun to pull out, even if it required some serious luck. It also put me in 2nd place alone at 4.5-2.5, with Quentin at 5-2. I still have a chance in KOTH to pull out a 1st place.
Game 8 vs. Quentin Read: L 374-433. DAUBIER/RESOlES, ETOIlES. It is very, very difficult to win a game of Scrabble against a like-skilled opponent when you do not see any of the blanks, S's, or JQXZ. That said, Quentin took advantage of the tiles he got, and he definitely earned this tourney win. I got away with PANKO* (honestly thought it was good), however he used it to hook RESOlES. I still had a chance at 2nd, crazily enough, as I had Ryan by good bit of spread. He was kind enough to beat Scott twice in the last 2 rounds to knock him down to 4-4 and bring himself up to a tie with me record-wise.
So even though I came back with $80, I didn't really feel like I deserved it. I had moments of greatness interspersed with moments of awfulness. A real rollercoaster ride. I think at this point I just have to play more games and keep working on board vision if I want to get better. The words are there for the most part, but there are still so many things to work on. I at least won't feel cocky going into Alpharetta next week. I'll just treat the tourney as a learning experience no matter what happens, and have fun first of all of course.
Comments are welcome as always. Cheers!