Orlando Woes
So, yeah, I played 28 games in Orlando and won 16.5 of them. At least I didn't change my average number of wins in a Nationals (17 in Reno, 16 in Phoenix). Yay for consistency. I've had these sitting around analyzed since the day after it ended, but I'm finally getting around to posting them.
For those that like to keep track, I played 56 bingos, had 42 played against me, and missed 20 bingos.
Anyway,
Game 1, Kristina Simon, L 349-389.
Me: QZS, Bingos: RIBWO(R)TS, C(E)NTIARE.
Opp: ??JXSSS, Bingos: SLOWnES(S), CHAINIn(G).
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 75.
Ugh. Started off poorly. Didn't play too badly, but really didn't need a loss to kick things off. RIBWORTS was kinda cool.
Game 2, Larry Gradus, W 540-311.
Me: ?JQXZSS, Bingos: (O)VIDUCtS, RAVAGER(S), T(U)RNSOLE.
Opp: ?SS, Bingos: DESIRES, DITTIEs.
Missed Bingos: (R)EHANGED, (R)EEFABLE.
Equity Loss: 118.
It felt nice to come back with a big win, though. (O)VIDUCtS was a very fun find on what otherwise would have been a crappy rack. I wrote (R)EHANGED down, and should have just played it, but I didn't even know (R)EEFABLE (thought about trying FREEABLE, but it felt too phony).
Game 3, Kevin Rickhoff, L 303-509.
Me: ?, Bingos: ADO(P)TIVE.
Opp: ?JQXZSSSS, Bingos: EARLIES(T), (H)AIRIeST.
Missed Bingos: BIRAD(I)AL.
Equity Loss: 134.
Didn't know BIRADIAL, and it was early enough that it likely could have changed the whole course of the game. Even with my bingo out of the gate, I still felt behind the whole way. I didn't even realize how lopsided the draw was until after the game was over. Ah well.
Game 4, Jeff Clark, T 348-348.
Me: ?QXSS, Bingos: LIMEAD(E)S.
Opp: ?JZSS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 122.
Jeff became my tie buddy early on, and we ended up seeing each other pretty regularly throughout the tournament (we ended up right next to each other in the final standings. I didn't make to may HUGE errors, but there were gobs of smaller ones. It just seems like any of them could have tipped the scales in my favor in a tie. Ah well.
Game 5, Mohamed Alim, W 450-297.
Me: ??JZSS, Bingos: MORDANT, AIRInGS, (N)aRRATES.
Opp: QXSS, Bingos: TRIST(A)TE.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 121.
This was the first time I've had an opponent's clock started because they were late--he was delayed getting back after lunch. It only ran down 10 minutes, and he didn't end up going over on time, but I imagine the time pressure didn't help the situation a whole lot. It was a pretty straightforward game in my favor without the time issue, though. Yee-haw.
Game 6, Yukiko Loritz, L 437-536.
Me: ?QXSSS, Bingos: GRAYeST, INCENSE, T(E)ENAGER.
Opp: ?JZS, Bingos: InH(A)ULER, DIRTIED, MOISTEN.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 84.
I played hard but it just wasn't happening for me. My plays just kept setting her up and things just didn't break my way. I found myself fishing for an I late in the game with a rack of ABCGMO and an open A on the board. Turns out she had all three of them already (out of 12 unseen tiles), so the fishing was in vain. Still, a late bingo was my only hope what with being down by so much. Ah well...
Game 7, Paul Haverly, L 318-449.
Me: ?JSSS, Bingos: STONIES(T), HEInIES.
Opp: ?QXZS, Bingos: SNARLER.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 130.
Messy, messy. I was doing okay in a tight pre-endgame until I got sloppy and played a phony. I then had to challenge an almost certainly bingo because it was my only possible chance of winning. It just ended up making the spread even worse. Grrr
Game 8, Amnon Igra, W 481-344.
Me: ??QXSSS, Bingos: INaNELY, AVERS(I)ON, ROGErED.
Opp: JZS, Bingos: ARRIVI(N)G, (E)NLISTEE.
Missed Bingos: SAMISE(N)S.
Equity Loss: 36.
Played this one pretty clean. Even forgoing the bingo only cost my 2 points of equity. I played M(Y)ASIS for 49 keeping ES instead of playing the low scoring bingo. It's all good.
Game 9, Francis Anum, W 441-362.
Me: ?JQXZSSS, Bingos: ECARTES, (O)VErHEAT, I(S)OGONES.
Opp: ?S, Bingos: BLE(N))DINg, (E)ARLIEST.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 65.
Played another one pretty well here. My biggest break in this game, though, was when he tried back-to-back phony bingos. You just can't say no to that kind of gift.
Game 10, TC Houlgate-West, L 425-468.
Me: ?JQXSS, Bingos: sNAILED, RECL(E)ANS, PTERINS.
Opp: ?ZSS, Bingos: DREA(D)FUL, HEAVENS.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 119.
This one was frustrating to lose. I was making mostly good plays, but she just scored a ton of points on natural bingos early and coasted on the lead through the end of the game. I missed a couple of openings, but for the most part made a valiant effort to pull this out that just fell short.
Game 11, John Karris, W 486-430.
Me: ?JQXS, Bingos: TRI(P)TANE, LeMONIS(H), FORAGER.
Opp: ?ZSSS, Bingos: DIMNESS, SALTIER, BATCHeD.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 70.
Wow, I really didn't think I'd win this game. When he bingoed for the second time in a row to pull ahead by 50 and empty the bag, blocking the spot I'd seen for my bingo, his exact words were, "This would really suck if you had a bingo on your rack." I took a little while to find the other spot I could hook my bingo and laid down it down to go out and stick him with the Z. Whew. Thus continues my tournament pwnage of Karris. Yay.
Game 12, Robert Felman, W 459-402.
Me: JQZSS, Bingos: CIGARE(T)S, (r)EFITTED, DENO(T)ION*.
Opp: ??XSS, Bingos: (A)brOGATE, SATIATE.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 51.
Played this one great, except for playing the phony I always see first when I'm studying the word NOONTIDE. It would have fit just fine, too...I'm such a patzer.
Game 13, Richard Popper, L 374-433.
Me: ?JQS, Bingos: TORSADE.
Opp: ?XZSSS, Bingos: TRiPLI(T)E.
Missed Bingos: SpANDRI(L).
Equity Loss: 106.
Grr. Would have had a much better chance here if I hadn't challenged his triple-triple. I just hadn't seen the word before. Ah well...live and learn. The rest of the game was played moderately well, but I really need to learn all the words.
Game 14, David Engelhardt, W 375-281.
Me: ??JS, Bingos: TOWMoNT, IRONIeS.
Opp: QXZSSS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: INEDI(T)ED.
Equity Loss: 172.
Played like a putz and wasn't punished for it. I SAW THE BINGO on my first rack, having first studied the word not 2 weeks previously, but chickened out on playing it. Then saw the crazy low prob bingo in MNOTTW? just a few turns later. Whatever. Played sloppy all down the stretch, but managed to end up ahead by plenty.
Game 15, Karen Fishman, L 376-496.
Me: ?ZSS, Bingos: RESTR(A)IN.
Opp: ?JQXSS, Bingos: ATREsIA, I(N)STATED.
Missed Bingos: OGREIsM.
Equity Loss: 157.
Continued my putz streak by challenging INSTATED. Whatever. It didn't help to totally miss the bingo late, but it wouldn't have changed the game. Yeesh.
Game 16, Matthew Silver, W 440-396.
Me: ?QSS, Bingos: RIVULET, sTADIAS, HERRYIN(G).
Opp: ?JXZSS, Bingos: UNEASIE(R), BRoM(I)NES.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 59.
This game felt good. I was pretty glad to see HERRYING, even though I had HENRY for a goodly number of points elsewhere. The game just kept breaking my way, which was nice. I ended up ahead, so it's all good.
Game 17, Jason Ubeika, W 354-271.
Me: ?XSSSS, Bingos: SMARTED, ANOPSIa.
Opp: ?JQZ, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: ASCET(I)CS.
Equity Loss: 105.
Wow, I won the low scoring mess of a game, even though I missed the bingo on my second rack. Whatever. The rest of the game turned out okay, and it ended up in the W column, which is great.
Game 18, Charles Smith, W 403-392.
Me: ??JZSSSS, Bingos: CYANOS(E)d, OGREISH.
Opp: QX, Bingos: FRI(C)TION, LO(C)ATING.
Missed Bingos: SAF(E)TIED, TEVAtR(ON)S.
Equity Loss: 156.
Wow. It would have been INCREDIBLE to see the out-bingo through the ON and win by a good bit. I drew the blank on my last draw (after trying to muck up the board by forming said ON). Most of the rest of my equity loss was on missing the other bingo (no excuses there at all). Other than those, it was a pretty good game.
Game 19, David Weiss, L 389-416.
Me: ?SS, Bingos: SELENIC.
Opp: ?JQXZSS, Bingos: MOTHERS, dINKIES.
Missed Bingos: LEALTIE(S).
Equity Loss: 193.
Just when you think you can't lose much more equity than you did on the last game... Challenging dINKIES wasn't such a good idea, but at least he gave me the turn back by playing a phony on his next play. I improbably could have won the game anyway if I'd seen my natural bingo late in the game, or even played a different bingo (SILENCE instead of SELENIC) on my next turn. *sigh*
Game 20, Dan Goodwin, L 325-470.
Me: ?JQZS, Bingos: FOAMI(E)sT.
Opp: ?XSSS, Bingos: ATRESIA, DOORMEN, (P)RETRIaL.
Missed Bingos: (U)NLOADER, BLUESTE(M).
Equity Loss: 113.
Wheesh...missed two more bingos here. As it turns out, BLUESTEM woulda set up a triple-triple, so it may be just as well, but there's not excuse for not seeing UNLOADER early. That likely would have helped my case quite a bit. As it was, he kept getting his bingos down while mine died on my rack. Ah well.
Game 21, Jack Eichenbaum, W 410-369.
Me: JZSSS, Bingos: (C)INNABAR, STONILY.
Opp: ??QXS, Bingos: CLEAnSE.
Missed Bingos: EIRENIC.
Equity Loss: 155.
I saw the bingo, but I didn't see the four overlaps I needed to make to play it. That was half the equity flushed on one turn. At least I got CINNABAR down on the next turn. Made a couple other dopey plays, but nothing too terrible. It came out okay in the end.
Game 22, Stu Goldman, W 429-373.
Me: JQXSS, Bingos: UNAKITE, OVER(K)IND.
Opp: ??ZSS, Bingos: HOnORED, (L)ENITIeS.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 81.
Opened with back to back bingos and never really looked back. he got the late bingo to pull it into a respectable looking game, but it was pretty well mine the whole way.
Game 23, Susi Tiekert, W 427-285.
Me: ??JQXZSSSS, Bingos: FEUDIST, SQ(U)EEZER.
Opp: , Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: OUT(D)E(S)IGN.
Equity Loss: 122.
I challenged off DENTILE on her opening play (so yes, LENITED would have fit just fine. I got my first bingo down, and was glad she didn't block the U so that I could play my second bingo as well. I had another bingo on my rack when I foolishly challenged her RUCK. I used to know not to challenge good words...but I did an awful lot of it at this tournament. I had enough of a lead to do well down the stretch, then drew both the blanks on my very last draw. Now why was I worried about those all game??
Game 24, Andrew Solomon, W 454-444.
Me: ??XSSS, Bingos: RUSTLER, TEASiNG.
Opp: JQZS, Bingos: IN(T)EGRAL.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 45.
Played well in a game that was close the whole way. I made a couple of medium errors, but not any big ones. I was able to walk away with the win.
Game 25, Dennis Taylor, W 397-331.
Me: ?XZSSS, Bingos: SeCANTS.
Opp: ?JQS, Bingos: VENtURI.
Missed Bingos: DROU(K)INg, TARZaNS, CLASSoN.
Equity Loss: 172.
Yeesh, another sloppy, SLOPPY game. Missing the first bingo...well, that was dumb. Missing the second didn't hurt so much because I played TZAR for 45 keeping SN?. I can deal with that, and only lost 6 points of equity. Missing the next bingo on the very next turn was the most painful for equity, though. Life goes on. I ended up winning despite the awful play, though, so I guess it could have been worse.
Game 26, Andrew Friedrich, L 347-351.
Me: ?QXS, Bingos: KLAVER(N)S.
Opp: ?JZSSS, Bingos: S(L)uRRING, BUSTIER.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 48.
I've played Andrew a couple of other times now, and they've both been pretty good games. I went into this looking forward to it, and it didn't disappoint. We were back and forth until I gave him an opening to play his bingo and pull well ahead. I just didn't have enough to reply and he ended up ahead by a few despite me playing the endgame pretty much just like I should. Ah well. Next time...
Game 27, Glenn Dunlop, W 416-297.
Me: ?QSS, Bingos: SESTINE, FLYoVER.
Opp: ?JXZSS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 63.
Glenn was an...interesting...opponent. He seems to have a propensity to push his opponent's hot buttons, but I was having none of it. I think it helped that I jumped out in the lead and had him in hand pretty much from start to finish. I ended up well ahead at the end of was glad of the win.
Game 28, Andrew Solomon, L 341-359.
Me: ??JSS, Bingos: eNTAStI(C).
Opp: QXZSS, Bingos: INPHASE.
Missed Bingos: SEAwANS.
Equity Loss: 166.
It was good to meet up with Andrew again in the final game. If there was going to be just one repeat in the tournament, I'd definitely prefer him over some of the other possibilities. Unfortunately, my play wasn't quite where it needed to be. Early on, he stuck a C in the fifth spot of the triple-triple lane, and I *still* didn't see my triple-triple in AINST?? despite staring at it for 10 minutes. Yes, I *did* bingo, thank you very much, but it was a lot of equity lost by not seeing the triple-triple (one of the *four* of them...yeesh). Anyway, it turned into a close game late and I did *not* play the endgame well. This one was his, and I dropped from 12th place to 25th because of it. Whatever.
Valid, challengedPhoney, unchallengedPhoney, challengedMy Plays
LeMONIS(H)
CYANOS(E)d
ALLEE
DENO(T)ION*
RA(B)AND*
Their Plays
SNARLER
TRiPLI(T)E
I(N)STATED
dINKIES
RUCK
none
REKI(S)SED*
PR(I)MERER*
(I)MPERRER*
(FON)A*
QUINZ(E)*
DENTILE*
TUBI(C)*
For those that like to keep track, I played 56 bingos, had 42 played against me, and missed 20 bingos.
Anyway,
Game 1, Kristina Simon, L 349-389.
Me: QZS, Bingos: RIBWO(R)TS, C(E)NTIARE.
Opp: ??JXSSS, Bingos: SLOWnES(S), CHAINIn(G).
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 75.
Ugh. Started off poorly. Didn't play too badly, but really didn't need a loss to kick things off. RIBWORTS was kinda cool.
Game 2, Larry Gradus, W 540-311.
Me: ?JQXZSS, Bingos: (O)VIDUCtS, RAVAGER(S), T(U)RNSOLE.
Opp: ?SS, Bingos: DESIRES, DITTIEs.
Missed Bingos: (R)EHANGED, (R)EEFABLE.
Equity Loss: 118.
It felt nice to come back with a big win, though. (O)VIDUCtS was a very fun find on what otherwise would have been a crappy rack. I wrote (R)EHANGED down, and should have just played it, but I didn't even know (R)EEFABLE (thought about trying FREEABLE, but it felt too phony).
Game 3, Kevin Rickhoff, L 303-509.
Me: ?, Bingos: ADO(P)TIVE.
Opp: ?JQXZSSSS, Bingos: EARLIES(T), (H)AIRIeST.
Missed Bingos: BIRAD(I)AL.
Equity Loss: 134.
Didn't know BIRADIAL, and it was early enough that it likely could have changed the whole course of the game. Even with my bingo out of the gate, I still felt behind the whole way. I didn't even realize how lopsided the draw was until after the game was over. Ah well.
Game 4, Jeff Clark, T 348-348.
Me: ?QXSS, Bingos: LIMEAD(E)S.
Opp: ?JZSS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 122.
Jeff became my tie buddy early on, and we ended up seeing each other pretty regularly throughout the tournament (we ended up right next to each other in the final standings. I didn't make to may HUGE errors, but there were gobs of smaller ones. It just seems like any of them could have tipped the scales in my favor in a tie. Ah well.
Game 5, Mohamed Alim, W 450-297.
Me: ??JZSS, Bingos: MORDANT, AIRInGS, (N)aRRATES.
Opp: QXSS, Bingos: TRIST(A)TE.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 121.
This was the first time I've had an opponent's clock started because they were late--he was delayed getting back after lunch. It only ran down 10 minutes, and he didn't end up going over on time, but I imagine the time pressure didn't help the situation a whole lot. It was a pretty straightforward game in my favor without the time issue, though. Yee-haw.
Game 6, Yukiko Loritz, L 437-536.
Me: ?QXSSS, Bingos: GRAYeST, INCENSE, T(E)ENAGER.
Opp: ?JZS, Bingos: InH(A)ULER, DIRTIED, MOISTEN.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 84.
I played hard but it just wasn't happening for me. My plays just kept setting her up and things just didn't break my way. I found myself fishing for an I late in the game with a rack of ABCGMO and an open A on the board. Turns out she had all three of them already (out of 12 unseen tiles), so the fishing was in vain. Still, a late bingo was my only hope what with being down by so much. Ah well...
Game 7, Paul Haverly, L 318-449.
Me: ?JSSS, Bingos: STONIES(T), HEInIES.
Opp: ?QXZS, Bingos: SNARLER.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 130.
Messy, messy. I was doing okay in a tight pre-endgame until I got sloppy and played a phony. I then had to challenge an almost certainly bingo because it was my only possible chance of winning. It just ended up making the spread even worse. Grrr
Game 8, Amnon Igra, W 481-344.
Me: ??QXSSS, Bingos: INaNELY, AVERS(I)ON, ROGErED.
Opp: JZS, Bingos: ARRIVI(N)G, (E)NLISTEE.
Missed Bingos: SAMISE(N)S.
Equity Loss: 36.
Played this one pretty clean. Even forgoing the bingo only cost my 2 points of equity. I played M(Y)ASIS for 49 keeping ES instead of playing the low scoring bingo. It's all good.
Game 9, Francis Anum, W 441-362.
Me: ?JQXZSSS, Bingos: ECARTES, (O)VErHEAT, I(S)OGONES.
Opp: ?S, Bingos: BLE(N))DINg, (E)ARLIEST.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 65.
Played another one pretty well here. My biggest break in this game, though, was when he tried back-to-back phony bingos. You just can't say no to that kind of gift.
Game 10, TC Houlgate-West, L 425-468.
Me: ?JQXSS, Bingos: sNAILED, RECL(E)ANS, PTERINS.
Opp: ?ZSS, Bingos: DREA(D)FUL, HEAVENS.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 119.
This one was frustrating to lose. I was making mostly good plays, but she just scored a ton of points on natural bingos early and coasted on the lead through the end of the game. I missed a couple of openings, but for the most part made a valiant effort to pull this out that just fell short.
Game 11, John Karris, W 486-430.
Me: ?JQXS, Bingos: TRI(P)TANE, LeMONIS(H), FORAGER.
Opp: ?ZSSS, Bingos: DIMNESS, SALTIER, BATCHeD.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 70.
Wow, I really didn't think I'd win this game. When he bingoed for the second time in a row to pull ahead by 50 and empty the bag, blocking the spot I'd seen for my bingo, his exact words were, "This would really suck if you had a bingo on your rack." I took a little while to find the other spot I could hook my bingo and laid down it down to go out and stick him with the Z. Whew. Thus continues my tournament pwnage of Karris. Yay.
Game 12, Robert Felman, W 459-402.
Me: JQZSS, Bingos: CIGARE(T)S, (r)EFITTED, DENO(T)ION*.
Opp: ??XSS, Bingos: (A)brOGATE, SATIATE.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 51.
Played this one great, except for playing the phony I always see first when I'm studying the word NOONTIDE. It would have fit just fine, too...I'm such a patzer.
Game 13, Richard Popper, L 374-433.
Me: ?JQS, Bingos: TORSADE.
Opp: ?XZSSS, Bingos: TRiPLI(T)E.
Missed Bingos: SpANDRI(L).
Equity Loss: 106.
Grr. Would have had a much better chance here if I hadn't challenged his triple-triple. I just hadn't seen the word before. Ah well...live and learn. The rest of the game was played moderately well, but I really need to learn all the words.
Game 14, David Engelhardt, W 375-281.
Me: ??JS, Bingos: TOWMoNT, IRONIeS.
Opp: QXZSSS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: INEDI(T)ED.
Equity Loss: 172.
Played like a putz and wasn't punished for it. I SAW THE BINGO on my first rack, having first studied the word not 2 weeks previously, but chickened out on playing it. Then saw the crazy low prob bingo in MNOTTW? just a few turns later. Whatever. Played sloppy all down the stretch, but managed to end up ahead by plenty.
Game 15, Karen Fishman, L 376-496.
Me: ?ZSS, Bingos: RESTR(A)IN.
Opp: ?JQXSS, Bingos: ATREsIA, I(N)STATED.
Missed Bingos: OGREIsM.
Equity Loss: 157.
Continued my putz streak by challenging INSTATED. Whatever. It didn't help to totally miss the bingo late, but it wouldn't have changed the game. Yeesh.
Game 16, Matthew Silver, W 440-396.
Me: ?QSS, Bingos: RIVULET, sTADIAS, HERRYIN(G).
Opp: ?JXZSS, Bingos: UNEASIE(R), BRoM(I)NES.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 59.
This game felt good. I was pretty glad to see HERRYING, even though I had HENRY for a goodly number of points elsewhere. The game just kept breaking my way, which was nice. I ended up ahead, so it's all good.
Game 17, Jason Ubeika, W 354-271.
Me: ?XSSSS, Bingos: SMARTED, ANOPSIa.
Opp: ?JQZ, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: ASCET(I)CS.
Equity Loss: 105.
Wow, I won the low scoring mess of a game, even though I missed the bingo on my second rack. Whatever. The rest of the game turned out okay, and it ended up in the W column, which is great.
Game 18, Charles Smith, W 403-392.
Me: ??JZSSSS, Bingos: CYANOS(E)d, OGREISH.
Opp: QX, Bingos: FRI(C)TION, LO(C)ATING.
Missed Bingos: SAF(E)TIED, TEVAtR(ON)S.
Equity Loss: 156.
Wow. It would have been INCREDIBLE to see the out-bingo through the ON and win by a good bit. I drew the blank on my last draw (after trying to muck up the board by forming said ON). Most of the rest of my equity loss was on missing the other bingo (no excuses there at all). Other than those, it was a pretty good game.
Game 19, David Weiss, L 389-416.
Me: ?SS, Bingos: SELENIC.
Opp: ?JQXZSS, Bingos: MOTHERS, dINKIES.
Missed Bingos: LEALTIE(S).
Equity Loss: 193.
Just when you think you can't lose much more equity than you did on the last game... Challenging dINKIES wasn't such a good idea, but at least he gave me the turn back by playing a phony on his next play. I improbably could have won the game anyway if I'd seen my natural bingo late in the game, or even played a different bingo (SILENCE instead of SELENIC) on my next turn. *sigh*
Game 20, Dan Goodwin, L 325-470.
Me: ?JQZS, Bingos: FOAMI(E)sT.
Opp: ?XSSS, Bingos: ATRESIA, DOORMEN, (P)RETRIaL.
Missed Bingos: (U)NLOADER, BLUESTE(M).
Equity Loss: 113.
Wheesh...missed two more bingos here. As it turns out, BLUESTEM woulda set up a triple-triple, so it may be just as well, but there's not excuse for not seeing UNLOADER early. That likely would have helped my case quite a bit. As it was, he kept getting his bingos down while mine died on my rack. Ah well.
Game 21, Jack Eichenbaum, W 410-369.
Me: JZSSS, Bingos: (C)INNABAR, STONILY.
Opp: ??QXS, Bingos: CLEAnSE.
Missed Bingos: EIRENIC.
Equity Loss: 155.
I saw the bingo, but I didn't see the four overlaps I needed to make to play it. That was half the equity flushed on one turn. At least I got CINNABAR down on the next turn. Made a couple other dopey plays, but nothing too terrible. It came out okay in the end.
Game 22, Stu Goldman, W 429-373.
Me: JQXSS, Bingos: UNAKITE, OVER(K)IND.
Opp: ??ZSS, Bingos: HOnORED, (L)ENITIeS.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 81.
Opened with back to back bingos and never really looked back. he got the late bingo to pull it into a respectable looking game, but it was pretty well mine the whole way.
Game 23, Susi Tiekert, W 427-285.
Me: ??JQXZSSSS, Bingos: FEUDIST, SQ(U)EEZER.
Opp: , Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: OUT(D)E(S)IGN.
Equity Loss: 122.
I challenged off DENTILE on her opening play (so yes, LENITED would have fit just fine. I got my first bingo down, and was glad she didn't block the U so that I could play my second bingo as well. I had another bingo on my rack when I foolishly challenged her RUCK. I used to know not to challenge good words...but I did an awful lot of it at this tournament. I had enough of a lead to do well down the stretch, then drew both the blanks on my very last draw. Now why was I worried about those all game??
Game 24, Andrew Solomon, W 454-444.
Me: ??XSSS, Bingos: RUSTLER, TEASiNG.
Opp: JQZS, Bingos: IN(T)EGRAL.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 45.
Played well in a game that was close the whole way. I made a couple of medium errors, but not any big ones. I was able to walk away with the win.
Game 25, Dennis Taylor, W 397-331.
Me: ?XZSSS, Bingos: SeCANTS.
Opp: ?JQS, Bingos: VENtURI.
Missed Bingos: DROU(K)INg, TARZaNS, CLASSoN.
Equity Loss: 172.
Yeesh, another sloppy, SLOPPY game. Missing the first bingo...well, that was dumb. Missing the second didn't hurt so much because I played TZAR for 45 keeping SN?. I can deal with that, and only lost 6 points of equity. Missing the next bingo on the very next turn was the most painful for equity, though. Life goes on. I ended up winning despite the awful play, though, so I guess it could have been worse.
Game 26, Andrew Friedrich, L 347-351.
Me: ?QXS, Bingos: KLAVER(N)S.
Opp: ?JZSSS, Bingos: S(L)uRRING, BUSTIER.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 48.
I've played Andrew a couple of other times now, and they've both been pretty good games. I went into this looking forward to it, and it didn't disappoint. We were back and forth until I gave him an opening to play his bingo and pull well ahead. I just didn't have enough to reply and he ended up ahead by a few despite me playing the endgame pretty much just like I should. Ah well. Next time...
Game 27, Glenn Dunlop, W 416-297.
Me: ?QSS, Bingos: SESTINE, FLYoVER.
Opp: ?JXZSS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 63.
Glenn was an...interesting...opponent. He seems to have a propensity to push his opponent's hot buttons, but I was having none of it. I think it helped that I jumped out in the lead and had him in hand pretty much from start to finish. I ended up well ahead at the end of was glad of the win.
Game 28, Andrew Solomon, L 341-359.
Me: ??JSS, Bingos: eNTAStI(C).
Opp: QXZSS, Bingos: INPHASE.
Missed Bingos: SEAwANS.
Equity Loss: 166.
It was good to meet up with Andrew again in the final game. If there was going to be just one repeat in the tournament, I'd definitely prefer him over some of the other possibilities. Unfortunately, my play wasn't quite where it needed to be. Early on, he stuck a C in the fifth spot of the triple-triple lane, and I *still* didn't see my triple-triple in AINST?? despite staring at it for 10 minutes. Yes, I *did* bingo, thank you very much, but it was a lot of equity lost by not seeing the triple-triple (one of the *four* of them...yeesh). Anyway, it turned into a close game late and I did *not* play the endgame well. This one was his, and I dropped from 12th place to 25th because of it. Whatever.
Valid, challengedPhoney, unchallengedPhoney, challengedMy Plays
LeMONIS(H)
CYANOS(E)d
ALLEE
DENO(T)ION*
RA(B)AND*
Their Plays
SNARLER
TRiPLI(T)E
I(N)STATED
dINKIES
RUCK
none
REKI(S)SED*
PR(I)MERER*
(I)MPERRER*
(FON)A*
QUINZ(E)*
DENTILE*
TUBI(C)*