Round 27 Commentary

Dan Stock stops by to tell me, "At one point in this game I had played 5 of the power tiles, I had a 379-150 lead, and my rack was SSZX?RT. I had all 5 of the remaining power tiles." Thus, he had had all 10 of the power tiles! His better play was LIONISER, natural, near the end of the game, for 77 points. It was challenged and found acceptable and he played DUB on his last play, leaving his opponent, very appropriately with MARTINI on her rack. Final score 584-202. His other bingos were: SQUINTS, SPRAINED, and WAGERiNG. His opponent, Carlene Wallis, was lucky to get as many points as she did.

Gregg "gave away and I mean GAVE AWAY" Foster the game in round 27. He was ahead by 101 points (having already bingoed with READIES and DEPICTS) and drew the last S and blank. He could relax. His opponent played TOASTER for 66. Oh well, not to worry, he blocked the only triple with PTUI, opponent, apparently demoralized plays off AG for 11. Gregg blocks the only bingo lane with ROLL setting up opponents play of QUAIL for for 48 (Q on the double letter in row A down to double word). Gregg is still ahead by 19 points if he doesn't blow the end game. the Q is on the triple and and Gregg has UNS?VW on his rack, no problem. Gregg has a fair amount of time and plans his endgame: he's worried about the V and the W but finds a place for them (VAW doubled) and the UNS? will make QUINS nicely across the top to triple for 39. Gregg is running out of time and slaps down VAW so that it can't be blocked and hits his clock... to his horror, his opponent makes the obvious out play for 16 and WINS THE GAME by 3 (Gregg never having played QUINS for 42). The suicide attempt failed and Gregg, demoralized and angry with himself decides to play weird words and not worry about the darned game result: he plays FARL and VOMER creating FARLE and TOON and a natural COINAGE. Gregg challenges anything weird, including CHOTT and RAS (it looked strange :). Finally, having an open A and BEDING?, he eschews BEADINGS or BREADING, he plays BADINAGE and draws a challenge... he goes on to win 415 to 308 and decides he may not give up SCRABBLE^®, maybe...

In Division 1, Gordon Shapiro eked out a 2-point win over Steven Pfeiffer, 375-373. Joel Sherman more than doubles the score of his opponent, Steve Pellinen, with a crushing 531-256 victory. Poor Steve!

Muriel Sparrow-Reedy (division 3) says, "I can't get it together. I've got 13 wins. These people are really something else: fun, fun, fun." She thinks she might enjoy working the next NSC. I inform her that the NSA told me that she was the very first person to register for the event.

-- Sherrie Saint John, Internet Reporter, NSC98

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