Wandering Words

This past Tuesday I made it out to the Lake Oswego club that I went to when I was first playing Scrabble. It was fun to see lots of folks that I knew, and I guess the Scrabble wasn't *so* bad either. I won a few games, at least.

Game 1, Mike Baker, W 380-338.
Me: ?QXZSS, Bingos: SOURInG.
Opp: ?JSS, Bingos: nOUMENA(L).
Missed Bingos: cHI(L)IDOG.
Equity Loss: 106.

Game 2, Jesse Wornum, W 442-325.
Me: JXS, Bingos: TANGIER, (N)EUTERER*.
Opp: ??QZSSS, Bingos: THRIlLS.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 48.

Game 3, Carl Johnson, L 407-488.
Me: ?QXSS, Bingos: GEOT(A)XIS, pI(S)TOLED.
Opp: ?JZSS, Bingos: HOSIERS, (P)ALEFAcE, FROTHIE(R).
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 71.

Game 4, Charley Kaplan, W 444-295.
Me: ?SS, Bingos: INSNARE, AIGRE(T)tE.
Opp: ?JQXZSS, Bingos: s(I)MPLEST.
Missed Bingos: AERA(T)IOn.
Equity Loss: 95.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	AIGRE(T)tE	(N)EUTERER*	none
Their Plays	(P)ALEFAcE	none	B(E)EDEE* (MI)N* CASK(E)* VAGuERS* G(UNION)*

Snuck in a game at club last week, but it was a busy night so I couldn't stay for more than one. I shouldn't have bothered, although I guess I made Susan happy.

Game 1, Susan Beard, L 324-374.
Me: QXZS, Bingos: LINDANE.
Opp: ??JSSS, Bingos: SHATTEr.
Missed Bingos: NIRVANI(C).
Equity Loss: 148.

Wheesh. Another messy, messy game. I was bleeding equity all over the place so badly that I don't even know where to begin. I have to say that I was a little distracted because the wife and baby stayed for dinner and weren't sitting too far away, but that's really not much excuse for how badly I played. Ah well.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	none	none	none
Their Plays	none	none	none

So the original intent was to go hiking today, but it just didn't seem like the thing to do so I went to club instead. Both Jeff and Wally showed up, too, so that was kinda nice.

Game 1, Jeff Martin, W 488-311.
Me: ??QXSS, Bingos: CERViNE, PISMIRE.
Opp: JZSS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 29.

I felt like I did a pretty good job in this game. I had a number of other pretty high scoring plays, and the breaks definitely went my way. It's all good.

Game 2, Susan Beard, L 363-375.
Me: ?SSJQ, Bingos: RASSLED, RENAILs.
Opp: ?SSXZ, Bingos: ArISTAE.
Missed Bingos: AUST(E)RER.
Equity Loss: 124.

This was a sloppy game. I wouldn't have even been in the game at all if she hadn't let me get away with a phony hook. The biggest miss of the game was actually not seeing the multiple possible extensions I had on my rack for OLOGY. That would have totally won the game for me. *sigh*

Game 3, Patty Wayne, W 417-362.
Me: ?ZSS, Bingos: MARAUDS, TOWARDs, TAVERNS.
Opp: ?JQXSS, Bingos: SaILORS.
Missed Bingos: PYROLAS, SIMILAR.
Equity Loss: 131.

From messy to much messier. Weesh. I missed the bingo in my opening rack. I wrote it down, but didn't trust myself. Then two turns later I missed the other bingo for absolutely no good reason. Yuck. I played halfway decently for the rest of the game, other than the math error I made the subtracted a whole 60 points from my score. Oops. Neither of us caught it. This game should have been a *lot* less close than it turned out.

Game 4, Wally Schultz, L 413-482.
Me: QX, Bingos: INARMED, ACONITE.
Opp: ??JZSSSS, Bingos: LAWINgS, UNSEALS, INScROL(L).
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 22.

Wow, I played this one almost as close as I could have played it. It was pretty painful to see him play power tile after power tile, but that just how some games go, I know. I was pleased with my overall play, although Quackle showed some more math errors (on both parts) that should have given me a whole 14 more spread points. It doesn't matter so much at club, but it sure could make a difference in a tournament. I gotta be more careful with that.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	MARAUDS	(PRONE)S*	none
Their Plays	none	none	(VOX)ES*

Wheesh. I can't seem to make it to club to save my life lately. Things have been good, but busy lately. I wasn't supposed to make it last night, either, but the scout meeting I was going to head to just didn't work out. Go figure.

Game 1, Bill Barfuss, W 498-367.
Me: ??QXS, Bingos: M(E)GaPLEX, DEBAClE, ROUSING.
Opp: JZSSS, Bingos: BANGERS, (C)OTTIERS.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 37.

MEGAPLEX came down as a double-double. That was sweeet. The biggest miss was just not seeing the front hook to HEEZED. Doh!

Game 2, Nancee Mancel, W 419-365.
Me: JQXZS, Bingos: EN(T)RESOL, TERRAIN.
Opp: ??SSS, Bingos: SPL(I)NTeR, INSECTs.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 39.

She was close and scaring me for a good long while, but my second bingo gave me enough cushion to fend off her reply bingo and walk away with the win. Life wasn't so bad, really. I was pretty proud of the pair of games overall. I can deal with <40 pts of equity lost per game.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	none	(T)AURIC*	none
Their Plays	none	none	none

Game 1, Nancee Mancel, W 505-309.
Me: ?QXSSS, Bingos: (H)OSANnAS, Q(U)AYSIDE(s), TARGETE(D).
Opp: ?JZS, Bingos: INULAsE(S).
Missed Bingos: (M)ATURATE.
Equity Loss: 58.

I was pretty stoked about finding the nine, and it got a challenge out of her, too. The lions share of the equity lost was in missing the bingo. I was so frustrated at not having a place to play TUATERA that I didn't even look from the M. Bleah. Overall it was a pretty good, clean game, though. I like that.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	Q(U)AYSIDE(s)	none	none
Their Plays	none	none	none

I've been at club for the past two weeks, but I didn't get around to analyzing any of them until last night and this morning. Wheesh.

3/27 Club - Missed the first game cuz I got there late.

Game 2, Susan Beard, L 322-410.
Me: JQZSS, Bingos: STRIATE(D).
Opp: ??XSS, Bingos: BIGnESS, DETAInE(D).
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 95.

Game 3, Nancee Mancel, W 377-346.
Me: QXZSSS, Bingos: PERSONA(S).
Opp: ??JS, Bingos: ANTLERs, JAIlERS.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 136.

Game 4, Benita Romero, W 366-316.
Me: ?JS, Bingos: sTRIVI(N)G.
Opp: ?QXZSSS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 69.

4/3 Club - Sat out the third game to make us even.

Game 1, Nancee Mancel, L 240-462.
Me: JQXSS, Bingos: none.
Opp: ??ZSS, Bingos: GENIToR, (C)hARADES.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 160.

Game 2, Weslee Hendrix, W 461-211.
Me: ?JQZSS, Bingos: INCRUST, SYRINGA.
Opp: ?XSS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 95.

Game 4, Mike Baron, W 447-428.
Me: ??QXSS, Bingos: MEATiER, mENSHEN.
Opp: JZSS, Bingos: BOISERI(E), REALTER.
Missed Bingos: SHORTiA, SOLERET, CORBIES.
Equity Loss: 116.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	none	none	(TANTRIC)S*
Their Plays	HU(G)ELY	none	HOOVE* (UMM)S* E(W)*

Game 1, Wally Schultz, W 621-274.
Me: ??JQZSSS, Bingos: OCREATE, BEDOUIN, GIMLETS, SLID(E)WaY, GLOTTiS.
Opp: XS, Bingos: SIDECAR.
Missed Bingos: ACERATE.
Equity Loss: 96.

Um, yeah. This was a club record, although I don't put a whole lot of stock in that since the club isn't all that old. Still, it was kind of fun seeing the letters just come together play after play. I'm just not gonna say anything about ACERATE. I was pretty proud of seeing SLID(E)WaY, though. I almost didn't play it since I wasn't 100% sure, but I didn't have much to lose at that point...

Game 2, Jeff Martin, W 432-383.
Me: ??ZS, Bingos: ROTATeD, RESI(L)ING, BOGEyED.
Opp: JQXSSS, Bingos: ARTINES(S).
Missed Bingos: UDOMETR(Y).
Equity Loss: 120.

I remember looking at my opening rack of DEMORTU and thinking there was some real potential there, but I just didn't find the bingo. Dang it! This game was all kinds of close until I hit the last bingo pretty late in the game. It isn't quite intuitive to make that blank a Y, but that's the only bingo in there, so I'm glad I found it!

Game 4, Nancee Mancel, W 404-364.
Me: XZSS, Bingos: PITEOUS, U(N)SILENT.
Opp: ??JQSS, Bingos: REFUtED, SILENTs.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 88.

Nancee gave me the biggest scare of the night. She bingoed for the second time with the board closing down fast. I was about even with here, but it totally could have gone either way until I drew into the first decent rack in a while *right* when she opened up the board. Whew. The second bingo gave me the breathing room I needed to walk off with the win. Yay!

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	SLID(E)WaY	none	none
Their Plays	none	none	none

Game 1, Nancee Mancel, L 413-465.
Me: ?QXSSS, Bingos: TE(L)EOMES*, BAWDI(E)St.
Opp: ?JZS, Bingos: REEn(R)OLL.
Missed Bingos: SUMM(A)TES.
Equity Loss: 16 (43 lost +27 for a phony bingo).

Yikes, this had a sloppy start. SO I miss what *should* have been an incredibly obvious bingo with my opening rack, then proceed to get away with a phony bingo on the very next turn. From there on out, I lost a grand total of 9 points of equity in the whole rest of the game. I have to give her props for playing it close, and hitting the triple-triple definitely won her the game. If it weren't for my first two turns, this is one loss that I'd definitely be proud of...

Game 2, Rosalie Dion, W 413-263.
Me: ?JQZSSS, Bingos: PERSONA, RESEDAs.
Opp: ?XS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 143.

I sure like Rosalie--she's such a nice person and always a joy to play, as are all of the novices we've attracted to our club here in Rio Rancho. However, she's still got an awful long way to go to improve her game. I played a little sloppy here; there were a number of decisions where I *knew* I was making the sub-optimal play, but also knew I would get away with it. The biggest questionable play was opening the board late to avoid my Q stick when I knew she had a blank and an S, but not worrying because I knew she wouldn't hit the bingo. I was right about that, and she also set me up for more points with the Q because she wasn't tracking and didn't realize I had it. I feel just a little bit nasty doing something like that, but then I guess that's the game we play. It was a largely unremarkable game otherwise, but it's all good.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	none	TE(L)EOMES*	none
Their Plays	none	none	none

So, sheerly for the interest of completeness, I figured I'd post a club wrap on these scoresheets I've had hanging around for almost a month now. I was meaning to post them at the time, but things just didn't happen, I guess.

Game 2, Wally Schultz, W 359-358.
Me: ?SSS, Bingos: rIN(G)TAIL.
Opp: ?JQXZS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: gIFTWA(R)E.
Equity Loss: 81.



Game 3, Nancee Mancel, W 393-364.
Me: ?JS, Bingos: AUDIENT, OCTaNES.
Opp: ?QXZSSS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: UPlIFTE(D).
Equity Loss: 63.



Game 4, Benita Romero, W 393-260.
Me: ?JQZS, Bingos: ANDeSIT(E).
Opp: ?XSSS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 126.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	none	none	WAFTIEr*
Their Plays	none	none	none

It felt like it had been a long time since I went to Scrabble club. Last week I was down by UNM receiving my PE license from the state board. The week before we were in Tucson. The week before that, I was at club, but I never ended up posting about it. Oops. Maybe later (it's all analyzed already). ANYWAY, I was back this Thursday, and it went okay.

Game 1, Rosalie Dion, W 530-266.
Me: ??JSSS, Bingos: mERLOTS, DENTALS, DERMATI(C)*, BENNIEs.
Opp: QXZS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 38.

I sometimes feel bad beating a novice so badly, but she's such a good sport about it that it's not SO bad. Thinking back, I remember what kind of motivation those games were for me to get better, too. The thing I felt the worst about was missing TIMECARD. I just *knew* the bingo was in there, but I played the same phony I always try in Zyzzyva, too. I had READMIT elsewhere, too, but DERMATI(C)* was more points than either one would have been. Ah well...it's not like I knowingly played the phony (although I was moderately certain she wouldn't challenge me).

Game 2, David Biswell, W 487-304.
Me: ?ZSS, Bingos: MEAlIES, POORISH, PARETIC.
Opp: ?JQXSS, Bingos: MINTERS.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 91.

The second game brought me up against another novice, but he really shows the potential to go pretty far. His bingo took him ahead of me for a while until I could get my second bingo a pull even. My third bingo put me ahead for good, but it was still more of a scare than I'd had from a novice for quite a while.

Game 3, Nancee Mancel, W 465-444.
Me: ??JXZSSS, Bingos: MiTISES, PAISANO, OVERINg.
Opp: QS, Bingos: GLOATED, ENDAN(G)ER.
Missed Bingos: tORNILL(O).
Equity Loss: 83.

She opened with GLOATED, and held a good lead until I was finally able to climb back in it with my second bingo. She came back with her other bingo, though, and was pulling away as I tried to balance clunk. I drew the second blank on a rapidly closing board, but I let her pull away with the phony extension to OUT(GLOATED)*. I the proceeded to miss my bingo opportunity to the O she'd just played. I was pretty well sunk--down by 50 or so and running low on time--when she gave me an opening for a 90+ point out-bingo and the win. Whew!

Game 4, Jeff Martin, W 450-440.
Me: ?JXSS, Bingos: ENSNARE, HEB(E)TUdE.
Opp: ?QZSS, Bingos: DARIOLE(S), DON(A)TION, DELiRIA, SADISTI(C).
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 31.

Yeesh. He was pounding me with bingos and I was down by 100 when I found myself with the rack of BEEHTU?. As soon as I drew the rack, I saw the bingo in it...if only I had an open D or E. He gave me that as he played his third bingo, so I came back with my own to pull within 20 or so. Thankfully, it drew the challenge, so I got a free turn and responded with a 40 point play, and then got a 50 point X play to go up by 60. And then he got his fourth bingo. Doh! I played out to pull within 10, but it just wasn't quite enough. Four bingos is hard to beat.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	HEB(E)TUdE	DERMATI(C)*	none
Their Plays	none	OUT(GLOATED)*	(BE)E(M)*

I sat out the first game and got caught up in Zyzzyva. Yay.

Game 2, Stan Miranda, L 347-453.
Me: QXZSS, Bingos: ACEROSE.
Opp: ??JSS, Bingos: NASTIER, REGALiA, PENTOSe.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 113.

Another game against Stan, with a familiar result. I played it close but couldn't balance for the bingo until late. I could have kept it a lot closer if I'd been able to see a play to prevent his out-bingo, but he had too flexible a rack and I just didn't see the right move (Quackle showed me, though...that's where 82 points of the equity loss came from).

Game 3, Nancee Mancel, W 416-391.
Me: ?JQXZSSS, Bingos: TOADIEs, ENSILED.
Opp: ?S, Bingos: RECOINs, SERIATE.
Missed Bingos: (R)EFErENT.
Equity Loss: 85.

Yeah, I missed a bingo (didn't even see it), but Quackle actually preferred my move anyway. I did better than my test last week. I got all the goodies, and I needed them to stay ahead of her. It was a close game that I just came out ahead on.

Game 4, Benita Romero, W 510-292.
Me: ??QSS, Bingos: HATTErS, RETAKES, UNNAIL(E)D, EUlOGIA.
Opp: JXZSS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: EASEFUl, BAWTiES, EGALITE.
Equity Loss: 105.

I was playing a club novice who was rather intimidated by me, and the result of the game was never in too much doubt. After missing bingos on three of my first four turns, though, I was getting pretty worried about my sloppiness. The first two didn't hurt so much, equity wise, but not even seeing a wide open EGALITE was quite painful. Getting three bingos in the last five turns kind of turned things around a bit, though. It ended up being an over-500 game after all. What a crazy game we play.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	none	none	none
Their Plays	none	none	(H)AULIEST* P(R)ING*

For the first time in some time, I showed up for a full four games at club. It made for a pretty long night, but I made it through okay.

Game 1, Susan Beard, W 441-413.
Me: JXS, Bingos: UN(D)ERLIT, ROILIES(T).
Opp: ??QZSSS, Bingos: INGESTA, RATINEs.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 43.

She sure kept me scared in this game. She was right there with an answer every step of the way. I credit the win to playing PELF late, blocking the appealing bingo lane (which she could have capitalized on with ACEGST?). Quackle was somewhat equivocal on the play, but I gave myself full credit because none of the other plays it suggested made any sense whatsoever.

Game 2, Mike Baron, L 406-415.
Me: ?JQSSS, Bingos: ABSON(A)NT, NUTSIER.
Opp: ?XZS, Bingos: RIOTeRS.
Missed Bingos: OUTGNA(WE)D.
Equity Loss: 102.

Huh...why didn't I think to look for the bingo through the WE? That's where half of the equity evaporated. ABSONANT was a pretty fun find, though. It got the hold, but not the challenge, unfortunately.

Game 3, Stan Miranda, L 380-387.
Me: ?JQXZSS, Bingos: ELEGiZE, SNARLED.
Opp: ?SS, Bingos: AgONISE.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 80.

Early on in this game, I had a textbook case of when *not* to play the bingo. I failed the test. I had a plum spot to play GEEZ for 78, keeping EL?, but I was so focused on the bingo that I got it down. Doh. That likely would have turned this game right around. I had the goodies this time, but I *still* can't pull a win out against Stan. His streak is alive and well.

Game 4, Nancee Mancel, W 396-344.
Me: ?JZS, Bingos: AMREE(T)As, SLATIER.
Opp: ?QXSSS, Bingos: COINA(G)ES.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 76.

It was getting late, and I was DEFINITELY punchy for this one. Lucky for me, she was really dragging, too, so it was just a matter of screwing up less to win this one. I didn't end up playing quite as bad as I might have feared, but it still felt messy most of the way. I was actually behind down the stretch, but I got the late bingo and she got stuck with a rack of clunk that she wasn't ever gonna play off. It was still a whole lot closer than the final score indicated. She tried a phony dump, but I just wasn't going to let it go. So that's the final...ah well.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	none	none	none
Their Plays	none	none	D(E)CURB*

So, I showed up before the start of the second game so that I could spend a little more time with Matthew while he was still awake. That was fine, except that Susan was out this week so I really should have been there to direct. Oops. Nancee is an excellent director herself and took charge just fine, but it really isn't her club to manage, so it makes me feel bad. Ah well...on to the Scrabble.

Game 2, Rosalie Dion, W 433-271.
Me: ?JQXSSS, Bingos: VARIAT(E)D, ISOP(L)ETH, HEA(D)NOTe.
Opp: ?ZS, Bingos: PEARLED.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 91.

Rosalie is a fairly new club novice that started coming when we began the club up here in Rio Rancho. When we sat down to our game, she remarked that she'd love to open with a bingo. I told her she'd have to earn, but I would love for her to do so. With some trepidation, she hesitatingly laid down PEARLED as the very first play of the game. I commended her on finding the bingo, then played VARIAT(E)D through one of the Es. I proceeded to bingo on the next two turns as well and went on to win pretty thoroughly, but both still had lots of fun with it. She's got a great attitude about the game.

Game 3, Nancee Mancel, W 389-379.
Me: ?JXZS, Bingos: TINTERS.
Opp: ?QSSS, Bingos: GOA(T)lIKE, SOR(R)IEST.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 56.

I pulled out the win despite being out-bingoed. Whew. We started out awfully tight, and I had the hardest time finally getting balanced for the bingo. Her bingos came late and almost got her the win, but I was able to pull it out in the endgame.

Game 4, Mike Baron, L 379-437.
Me: ?XS, Bingos: IRONIST, DEtINUE.
Opp: ?JQZSSS, Bingos: DInGERS, MARI(n)ATE.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 70.

Just couldn't find answers for all the good stuff Mike kept drawing out of the bag. He opened with the two bingos and never really looked back from there.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	none	none	none
Their Plays	none	none	(DITCH)IEST*

Game 1, Stan Miranda, L 312-383.
Me: SSS, Bingos: SPINETS.
Opp: ??JQXZS, Bingos: ERaSIOn.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 51.

Generally a low-excitement, low-scoring affair. I was all vowels, I bingoed, I was no vowels. Bleah. No major screw-ups, but I *still* can't beat this guy.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	none	none	none
Their Plays	none	none	none

Game 1, Stan Miranda, L 375-425.
Me: ?QXZ, Bingos: DIA(L)OGuE.
Opp: ?JSSSS, Bingos: SeRRIES, SCRUPLE.
Missed Bingos: tHIONIN, HUl(L)OAED.
Equity Loss: 135.

Messy, messy, messy. All of the challenges of the night were in this game. Blech. I finally drew at least *one* of the blanks against Stan, and maybe if I hadn't played a phony I might have had a chance. The clunk was with me, though, and it just wasn't happening.

Game 2, Susan Beard, L 288-438.
Me: JSS, Bingos: RELINES.
Opp: ??QXZSS, Bingos: GLO(A)TERs, ENtIRES.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 107.

Whack. I hardly knew what hit me. It's hard to win those game where you draw 4 Vs.

Game 3, Benita Romero, W 429-268.
Me: ?SS, Bingos: NOTATES, nEUSTIC.
Opp: ?JQXZSS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: NEON(A)TES.
Equity Loss: 75.

Played a club novice, and was able to pull this one out. Whew.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	none	none	FAH*
Their Plays	none	none	(EXOTICA)S* (EXOTICA)L*

I almost never make it down to the Tuesday club on Central because I usually have scout meetings on Tuesday nights and it's such a long trip down. However, since I had to take the wife and baby to catch a 6:00 flight, I was already close enough that I figured I'd pop on in. I only ended up staying for 3 games so that I could get back to Rio Rancho and in bed at a decent hour, though. Ah well.

Game 1, Allen Jacobson, W 388-316.
Me: ?QXSSS, Bingos: LANUGOS, MELTInG.
Opp: ?JZS, Bingos: D(E)RISIVE.
Missed Bingos: FLO(W)ERET, GLEETiE(R).
Equity Loss: 193.

It was fun to see Allen again after such a short time since our last meeting. He's still gunning for me after beating me twice in the first tourney we met in. I was a little worried when he immediately replied to my early bingo, and I wasn't out of the woods right down to the end because he held the blank late. Overall, though, I was able to build up a big enough lead and hold it through the end. Whew. I missed gobs of equity, though. Not seeing the double-double FLO(W)ERET was the big miss...I should have seen that one.

Game 2, Gertrude Savadge, W 424-294.
Me: JXS, Bingos: URINALS.
Opp: ??QZSSS, Bingos: ENATIOn.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 45.

I played four 7-letter words in this game, but only one was for a bingo. Ironically, OVER(B)UY, BRIGA(n)D, and TR(I)TIUM were all best plays, but I could have gotten more points for INSULAR somewhere other than where I played the URINALS. Ah well. I was getting plenty of points from other plays and ended up playing pretty well for most of the game. Half that equity loss came from one shoddy play in the pre-endgame.

Game 3, Janet Buchbinder, W 477-261.
Me: ??QZSS, Bingos: OSIERED, DIRNDLs, pTOMAIN.
Opp: JXSS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: SH(I)NBONE.
Equity Loss: 83.

I opened with OSIERED. I love playing that instead of its anagram--it's a new word so a lot of folks kinda space on it. This is like the third time I've gotten a challenge out of it. Very nice. It hurts that I could have had SH(I)NBONE on the very next play, but I really didn't know the word. I probably would have challenged it if I'd seen it played, in fact. Now I know. I was so excited to be able to play DIRNDLs later, though. pTOMAIN was just cake. She opened up a line late in desperation, and I happened to draw the blank the turn before. I hooked pTOMAIN, making p(OI) for the out-bingo. Ouch.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	OSIERED	none	none
Their Plays	none	none	none

Game 1, Nancee Mancel, W 426-349.
Me: ?JQXZSS, Bingos: DE(S)TAINs, AGAINST.
Opp: ?SS, Bingos: ROaDIES.
Missed Bingos: HELOTA(G)E.
Equity Loss: 103.

Missed HELOTAGE early. Oops. This game was never really in doubt, though. I got rolling and kept the lead pretty well the whole way.

Game 2, Jackie Decker, W 464-252.
Me: ??S, Bingos: STaRING, CAN(N)OLIs, HALIDOM.
Opp: JQXZSSS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: WALl(O)PED, sOLE(N)OID.
Equity Loss: 134.

Jackie is a fairly new club player, as was evidenced when she gasped when my first play was a bingo. I missed bingos the next two turns (how could I miss SOLENOID!!!!), but got the double-double with CANNOLIS. And HALIDOM was just cake. So much of the lost equity came from not knowing that HALIDOM takes the E (I had to play it one short of the double word score). That's VERY good to know...

Game 3, Susan Beard, W 431-291.
Me: ??JXS, Bingos: NEtTLES.
Opp: QZSSS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 61.

I got to play NAIRU from my opening rack of AIINNRU (Quackle agreed with me), and hooked the S on it later. That's just such an ugly looking word, and it totally unnerved Susan because she didn't know it. I had this game pretty well in hand early on and hardly looked back.

Game 4, Mike Baron, W 443-441.
Me: ?XSS, Bingos: CREATOR, OrBIEST, (T)HINNERS.
Opp: ?JQZSS, Bingos: (A)NERGIES, STEALER(S).
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 66.

I opened the game with two bingos and he was reeling to catch up. He climbed back in it with a 75 point Z play, then had two bingos in three turns to keep it pretty much a tie game going into the endgame. The tiles pretty well fell my way, though. He put himself in time trouble and I thought he might have given the game to me, but on closer inspection it looks like I had a couple of ways I could have pulled it out. Whew. Always fun to play Mike, and even more fun to win!

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	none	none	none
Their Plays	none	BOONIE*	TOER*

So, despite having an early morning flight to Texas the next day, I decided to slip over to club and get in a couple of games as a tune-up for Austin. If I was hoping for a dominating performance to encourage my confidence before the tournament, I was sadly disappointed.

Game 1, Mike Baron, L 318-436.
Me: SSS, Bingos: (R)ESIDENT.
Opp: ??JQXZS, Bingos: DEMEAN(O)R.
Missed Bingos: BE(EF)INESS.
Equity Loss: 137.

Going up against Mike means a tough game any time, but when he gets the goodies, too, it's darn near impossible. I wish I would have seen BEEFINESS...it wouldn't have been enough to turn it around, but it would have at least made things a little more interesting. I played BE(EF)S in that spot instead. Doh!

Game 2, Stan Miranda, L 303-360.
Me: JZS, Bingos: none.
Opp: ??QXSSS, Bingos: (A)VERTinG.
Missed Bingos: DOCENTS, FEDORAS.
Equity Loss: 134.

I still can't beat this dude, although if I'd seen the out-bingo I'd set up for myself I could have made it a 5 point game. Stupid FEDORAS. For the record, I passed on playing DOCENTS, opting for 44 for DOCENT and keeping the S. I was down by 120 late and needed to score big and get lucky. The amazing thing is that it *almost* worked.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	none	none	none
Their Plays	none	none	UNGIVES*

So, I don't typically make it to the Saturday club since the Thursday one is so much closer and more convenient with my schedule. I didn't officially make it to club yesterday, either, although I did go by and say Hi. Mike Baron was having a book signing yesterday afternoon, though, and most of the local Scrabble nerds made their way over there at some point. Many of us hung out and played for a while. I got in a whole three games. My mind wasn't totally in it, though. Despite flashes of good play, I was horrible on the whole.

Game 1, Nancee Mancel, L 347-378.
Me: ?SJ, Bingos: SANTeRO.
Opp: ?SSSQXZ, Bingos: BOWLeRS.
Missed Bingos: EVICTEE(S), JeSTING.
Equity Loss: 184.

Um, yeah. Missed a wide open EVICTEE(S). Saw the word and almost immediately dismissed it. Doh. And yeah...no excuse for JeSTING (saw JuSTING, and that woulda played, too, but I didn't like that either--bleah). It was a well-deserved loss.

Game 2, Jeff Martin, W 424-353.
Me: ?SSJQXZ, Bingos: VACCI(N)iA, ARSINES.
Opp: ?SS, Bingos: ARENOUS, (Y)EASTIER.
Missed Bingos: HAY(F)IELD, TURNIPS.
Equity Loss: 90.

SO I held HEADILY on my rack, but didn't see a good place to play it, so I played it through an A, keeping an A, for 48 points. Not so bad, right? Except for that wide open F on the other side of the board... So, yeah. Now I know that word. How ridiculous is it that I can hit VACCI(N)iA on one turn, and miss TURNIPS on the very next turn??

Game 3, Stan Miranda, L 370-481.
Me: JS, Bingos: RENTERS.
Opp: ??QXZSSS, Bingos: SnARLED, PArTI(N)GS.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 116.

I can't beat this dude.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	none	none	none
Their Plays	PArTI(N)GS	none	none

Game 1, Nancee Mancel, W 413-359.
Me: ?JXSSS, Bingos: PENSION, uNLEARN(S).
Opp: ?QZS, Bingos: gOODIES.
Missed Bingos: UNWHiTE.
Equity Loss: 101.

This was a frustrating game, but at least it had a happy ending. I bingoed early with PENSION, drawing the blank right after. Then I couldn't bingo again until 9 turns later. Well, I missed UNWHiTE two turns after, but rapidly went to no vowels and stayed there for a long time, allowing her to climb right back into the game. I finally got down uNLEARN(S) and took it from there, but it was quite a fight...

Game 3, Mike Baron, L 433-439.
Me: ?QXZSS, Bingos: ATTORNS, TESTiNG.
Opp: ?JSS, Bingos: MEAnIES, HABITED, CERATOI(D).
Missed Bingos: PEPTIDS.
Equity Loss: 98.

I sat out the second game and took a call from my parents, but I came back to play Mike in game 3. We had a very good game, but his three bingos in four turns was just a little too much for me. I had every chance in the world to win it in the endgame, but made a boneheaded play and gave it to him. Ah well...at least we both had fun. I actually saw PEPTIDS, but didn't trust myself that it was good. Silly me.

Game 4, Bill Barfuss, W 464-333.
Me: ??Q, Bingos: (A)EROBIUM, VAINEsT, (D)IAlOGUE.
Opp: JXZSSSS, Bingos: none.
Missed Bingos: none.
Equity Loss: 76.

This was my AEIOU-bingo game. (A)EROBIUM on the second turn was sweeet. After playing VAINEsT, I was all vowels all the time, scoring crap for a few turns in a row. I finally happened into (D)IAlOGUE to give me a happy enough lead. Whew. Bill is definitely much better than his rating. He needs to get to more tournaments and get that number up...

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	none	none	none
Their Plays	none	none	CUTINES*