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NSC 2009 Commentary: Round 20

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Go to: Before the Tournament, Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Round 4, Round 5, Round 6, Round 7, Round 8, Round 9, Round 10, Round 11, Round 12, Round 13, Round 14, Round 15, Round 16, Round 17, Round 18, Round 19, Round 20, Round 21, Round 22, Round 23, Round 24, Round 25, Round 26, Round 27, Round 28, Round 29, Round 30, Round 31, After the Tournament.

Round 20

Max Karten (Barrington, RI) brings me over to see his game with Christopher Walleck (Lakewood, OH). Each player made three bingos: INFRACT, UNFAIRER through the first R, and OUTLIVE for Max. Chris played WIdGEON, MUSTIER, and DIGLOTS. A close game that went to Max, 421-410. Max is no2 17-3 and Chris is 13-7.

Division 5: Linda Nervis (Dayton, OH) vs. David Goldberg (Loveland, CO). I see Dave's GENTLES for 66 (she challenged) and Linda's DIFFErS for 83. Dave's win, 357-346. They both end this round with 10-10 records.

Division 2's Scott Garner (Champaign, IL) tells me he had to "bring out the beads." I see that he has a shell necklace and realize it is the one that the NSA handed out at last year's NSC in Orlando! He said that they bring him luck.

Eric Harshbarger (Auburn, AL) tells me that he fished for the letter V to play ISOGRIV, which front hooked to make VIRID. He drew the challenge for the play and won the game. His other bingo, SEQUINED, also drew a challenge. In retelling this story to Adam Logan (New York, NY), Adam said, "Oh yeah, that play came up in the Joel Wapnick (Montreal QC) vs. Mark Nyman WSC game in the early 90s." I politely nodded and thought to myself: How do people remember such esoterica in such detail? I can't remember what I had for lunch!

Orry Swift (Dayton, TX) vs. Peter Schwartzman (Galesburg, IL). Someone got away with CORDATES* and I see Peter's GUIPURE. Orry's win, 464-373.

Canadian superstars squared off this round: Adam Logan (New York, NY) vs. Robin Pollock Daniel (Toronto ON). Robin got down EmIGRANT, DRAGNET, and OFTENER. She was up 271-91. Adam then got down DRUNKaRD, INEDITA/LI/EN/HOWE for 92, SOOTIER/MOILS for 74 and he was then down by only 5 points. She tossed down QUA for 32 and he replied with POOD on the triple for a bunch of points. In the end, it was her win, 451-435.

David Pearl (Long Beach, CA) vs. Frank Tangredi (West Babylon, NY). A nailbiter if there ever was one. At the game's end, they thorugh it was a 394-392 win for David, so they set out to do a recount. Two mistakes later--Frank shorting himself by 2 points on the first play and David giving himself one extra on the last play--turned this puppy around to a 394-393 win for Frank. Our favorite playright was still visibily shaking. And he admits to being very glad that they each had made an error. I point out like a pedant that they both were wrong on each play as counting opponents' plays is a very good idea always. Frank's next opponent is Peter Schwartzman (Galesburg, IL).

Sam Kantimathi (Sacramento, CA) loved his game with round with Evans Clinchy (Boston, MA). Evans and he traded great plays throughout: Evan's GAINERS for 70, Sam's SUNDRIED* for 64, Evan's JUTTED for 42 down the triple, Sam's WAFTS (from a rack of 7 consonants), Evan's LATINIZE through the first I for 88 and then ANOREXIA for 82, Sam;s DEY/LATINIZED for 42, and Evan's sILICONE. At this point, Sam was down by 181. He then got down BUTANES for 83 and sOAPLIKE for 88, winning 482-480. At some point, LATINIZED became PLATINIZED!

Nigel Richards (MYS) continues his winning ways, defeating Jerry Lerman (San Francisco, CA) at div 1, table 1 (check out this game in the annotated game section) and Thomas Reinke (Middleton, WI) in division 2 is now 19-1.