club wrap
So it was an interesting week at Tuesday Scrabble club. I can't complain, seeing as how I went 3-1 against a pretty tough lineup, but it still didn't quite feel like it clicked on all cylinders.
I started against Ruth Hamilton, which was a reminder that I was in the top half of folks at club and was getting paired accordingly. Despite sneaking a phony three past her (she was distracted with her directing duties, too, which is probably why I got away with it...sorry Ruth!!), I played pretty well for most of the game. I extended UP to MATCH(UP), to unclutter a low-vowel rack; I had a 46 point ZA play; I played the word BODILY...fun things, all. She got down (W)INgLETS with the first blank, but I was able to hold with her and was actually up by 20 late when I finally got down HINTERS, only drawing the Y to empty the bag. She had the second blank, but no bingo, and I won 427-326. I only lost 52 points of equity in the game, so I was pretty pleased.
Winning brought me to face Alan Meyer in game 2. I played CORONAS to open, although Quackle liked RACOONS a little better. Have to remember that one. I played BWANA in the wrong spot, then sat looking at my rack of ILNTTY?. NaTTILY or NuTTILY would have played in two spots, and I also missed my best play of (S)NoTTILY. For some reason I tried TiNTILY*, which he challenged off. He blocked one spot, but I still had any of the three plays to try again the next turn. I missed them again, then went ahead and threw down TINTY*, which he let go this time. I don't know why it was so stuck in my head, but I was rewarded with ILSPQW? for playing my phony. Blech. I floundered for a couple of turns, missed another bingo (LaPWIN(G)S), then finally got to play APOSTLe (in the wrong spot). I played out the game with some more mediocre plays, but drew the other blank along the way. He never ended up getting a bingo down, and we ended up 381-332. I lost 201 equity points in the mess, but at least I got the win (another vindication win after losing to both of them in the tournament last weekend).
With two wins, I found myself across from Mike Baker again. I started fine, then missed A(D)ENOMAS on the second turn. He layed down BaLATAS, which I held, but figured he knew it. It's on my list to learn, now. I played my ATONIES (should have down ASTONIED), then drew FHILSY? and played FISHiLY the next turn. I played W(AS)PY for 39 points, to which he replied with AZO for 41, then I got down ISOT(H)ERE for 65 more. I drew DIGLMNU after that, but the O was just one column too far to the right. Oh well. The tiles turned against me *and* my play went down hill for the next few turns. I missed the extension of UN(TWINED), which he hit with IN(TWINED) for 36 points, then I totally missed my bingo of UNERR(I)NG around his I in INTWINED. Doh. I managed to sneak out a win in the endgame, though, and ended up ahead 413-396.
I got to play Rich Moyer in the last game of the night, going for my fourth win (I've never won all four games at club). I open, and he replies with ECLOGU(E)s. I wasn't as upset as I could have been, because it gave me my G for MORT(G)AGE. We were neck and neck for a while, then I bogged down, exchanging when I had a good play, then challenging a word I was almost certain was good. I really didn't neec to lose that turn. He finally gets the second blank and plays (B)RIsTLED, and I replied with (S)ARDINES, but I was still down by almost 90. I drew clunk in the endgame and he plays out to stick me with the J. Blech. The final score ended up 327-413. So much for winning all 4...
I started against Ruth Hamilton, which was a reminder that I was in the top half of folks at club and was getting paired accordingly. Despite sneaking a phony three past her (she was distracted with her directing duties, too, which is probably why I got away with it...sorry Ruth!!), I played pretty well for most of the game. I extended UP to MATCH(UP), to unclutter a low-vowel rack; I had a 46 point ZA play; I played the word BODILY...fun things, all. She got down (W)INgLETS with the first blank, but I was able to hold with her and was actually up by 20 late when I finally got down HINTERS, only drawing the Y to empty the bag. She had the second blank, but no bingo, and I won 427-326. I only lost 52 points of equity in the game, so I was pretty pleased.
Winning brought me to face Alan Meyer in game 2. I played CORONAS to open, although Quackle liked RACOONS a little better. Have to remember that one. I played BWANA in the wrong spot, then sat looking at my rack of ILNTTY?. NaTTILY or NuTTILY would have played in two spots, and I also missed my best play of (S)NoTTILY. For some reason I tried TiNTILY*, which he challenged off. He blocked one spot, but I still had any of the three plays to try again the next turn. I missed them again, then went ahead and threw down TINTY*, which he let go this time. I don't know why it was so stuck in my head, but I was rewarded with ILSPQW? for playing my phony. Blech. I floundered for a couple of turns, missed another bingo (LaPWIN(G)S), then finally got to play APOSTLe (in the wrong spot). I played out the game with some more mediocre plays, but drew the other blank along the way. He never ended up getting a bingo down, and we ended up 381-332. I lost 201 equity points in the mess, but at least I got the win (another vindication win after losing to both of them in the tournament last weekend).
With two wins, I found myself across from Mike Baker again. I started fine, then missed A(D)ENOMAS on the second turn. He layed down BaLATAS, which I held, but figured he knew it. It's on my list to learn, now. I played my ATONIES (should have down ASTONIED), then drew FHILSY? and played FISHiLY the next turn. I played W(AS)PY for 39 points, to which he replied with AZO for 41, then I got down ISOT(H)ERE for 65 more. I drew DIGLMNU after that, but the O was just one column too far to the right. Oh well. The tiles turned against me *and* my play went down hill for the next few turns. I missed the extension of UN(TWINED), which he hit with IN(TWINED) for 36 points, then I totally missed my bingo of UNERR(I)NG around his I in INTWINED. Doh. I managed to sneak out a win in the endgame, though, and ended up ahead 413-396.
I got to play Rich Moyer in the last game of the night, going for my fourth win (I've never won all four games at club). I open, and he replies with ECLOGU(E)s. I wasn't as upset as I could have been, because it gave me my G for MORT(G)AGE. We were neck and neck for a while, then I bogged down, exchanging when I had a good play, then challenging a word I was almost certain was good. I really didn't neec to lose that turn. He finally gets the second blank and plays (B)RIsTLED, and I replied with (S)ARDINES, but I was still down by almost 90. I drew clunk in the endgame and he plays out to stick me with the J. Blech. The final score ended up 327-413. So much for winning all 4...