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NSC 2009 Commentary: Round 4

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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 4

Nathan Benedict (Tucson, AZ) saunters over to shoot the breeze with me. We talk about health, web sites, college days and then he says, "Oh, I made a fun play this past game." He held ECIJRUV and he was ruminating about what to do. As I glanced over the tiles, I thought JUICE, maybe JIVE. He nodded and said, "What if your opponent played an E?" I said "JUICE? JIVE?" (making clear an extra E meant nothing to me). Mr. smarty pants was hoping for that E and he slapped down VERJUICE! I later am told it is "juice of a sour or unripe fruit." I travel in the wrong circles.... I've never even heard that word used once. I guess this would be one of the many reasons he is seeded 3rd in division 1!

The ever-quiet Jim Kramer (Roseville, MN) comes over to my table to show me his last game this session. He was playing Alan Helfgott (Chicago, IL) and Jim got ahead by a bingo and kept closing down the openings that Alan made. Toward the end of the game, Alan played ME, making a potential front hook for an S bingo. Jim dutifully closed him down, leaving open a triple bingo lane that would have required a Y or L front hook to OWE. Well, lo and behold, doesn't Alan come down with STENOKY/YOWE for 117 points. Goodbye lead for Jim. Knowing almost certainly it was good, Jim still challenged, figuring he lost either way. The play was spectacularly good. Other plays on their board: Jim's CABInETS and Alan's cTENIDIA and cORONETS. Alan's win, 500-392.

Sam Kantimathi (Sacramento, CA) laughs and tells me he won his game this round by a "squeaker." He points at his scoresheet and sure enough, he played SQUEAKER through the E for 71, winning his game, 459-347 vs. Tony Leah (Ajax ON). Other fun bingos: ENGAINS/ZITI/GRITS, DIALOGIC to the C, and NOVELIST (all Sam's).

Hannah Lieberman (Charlotte, NC), the Orlando NSC player who wrote "The Tile God Chant" (featured in the NSA's newsletter) suggests that we think about paper useage at this event. If we only double-sided the event scoresheets, we would use half the paper and save lots of trees. I told her that this suggestion was a good one and that I'd pass it on!

We missed a 646-332 game in division 2 in round 2. Brian Galebach (Columbia, MD) had an incredible game against Erica Norris Bodrazic (Phoenixville, PA). Though Erica got down the game's first bingo, SORTIES for 66 on turn 3, the next four consecutive plays for Brian were LOONIEST for 61, ZONETIME for 126, POETISE for 82, and BAWDIES for 90. His second to last move was his fifth bingo, TINKLING for 67. Wish I'd seen it to take a photo, nice game Brian!

Be sure to check out some new blood at division 1's table 1 this round: Sam Rosin (Bernardsville, NJ) vs. Jon Shreve (Denver, CO) in the annotated game section!

We break now for lunch and then three more games this afternoon.