Round 9

Fern Lindzon just had a great game against Albert Hahn, 458-369, 
at table 1. She played MOZETTA for 101, which he challenged (the 
play stayed down), UNEASILY, and FeLLOWs. She also played the 
lovely TUFA for 32 points. Albert played ERASIONS, DEMERITS, 
and the phoney DOILIE, which Fern let go. She is now 7-2 +399 and 
probably on top of the world.

Shaun Goatcher just won this last game against Craig Rowland, 409-
332. Craig played UvEITIC and Shaun instantly responded with 
SHMALTZy. 

David Boys came back this round with a win over Don Malcolm, 
448-336. I see on their board, NEARSIDE (looks to be a triple-
triple), GUNITES, CONVENTS, OUTLIER, and DILiGENT.

At table 2, James Cherry lost to Jim Nanavati. James played 
ISOMETRIC and THESPIAN and Jim got down MOUSSEs and 
STRIVeN.

Fran Silver tells me she is now up to 3-6 -78. She is looking for a 
change of fortune in the worst way.

In the game between Joe Peters and Randall Thomas, Joe lost, 347-
387. Randall, getting the better tiles this time, plopped down 
SCRiVEN and SpOTTED. He tried OVERSCaN, but Joe called it off. 
Joe tells me of an earlier game against Jeff Fleetham where he 
opened with COlYZAS. That is a phoney. But if he'd made the 
blank an R, it would have been good. Jeff didn't challenge and Joe 
won, 369-330.

Christina O'Sulllivan just had the kind of game she flew across the 
country to have. Against Steve MacNeil, she got a 548 to his 301. 
She opened with DITZ and on her second play added MANY to 
create DITZY. From then on out, she was sailing. She got down a 
triple-triple of WINGiEST for 167 and SCRIpTS for 88. Steve played 
TRAINEES with what were his only decent tiles of the game. 
Christina admits she had the lion's share of preminum tiles.  
Christina is now 4-5 and she says, "it's nice to have an actual win."

Marilyn Murray, overhearing our conversation stopped by to say 
that her luck hadn't changed yet and that she'd just been 
"trounced" by Paul Sidorsky. 

Not privy to the behind-the-scenes banter behind the head table 
last night, Siri Tillekeratne, tried BEESTING in his game against 
Steve Ozorio. When it came back unacceptable, Siri asked for a 
second opinion. The word was still not good. John Chew says, 
"That word is only acceptable in the plural form. It means 
something like 'bovine colostrum.'"

Jakob Teitelbaum just had a heartbreaking game against Glenn 
Dunlop, 381-372. When the game was over, Jakob thought he had 
won, but in a recount, he actually lost.  

We've been taking a short break for tea, coffee, and fresh air. 
Though the break hasn't been all that long, everyone seems a bit 
more energized.
 
Lynda Wise is feeding me tasty candies. She is 6-3. I think it is her 
table. She's been playing in almost the same spot for all the games 
this tournament. She just won in her last game against Sary 
Karanofsky.

She is playing Glenn Mosher next round, who is also 6-3 after 
winning his last 3 games in a row. He told me that he had wanted 
to win at least five during the tournament. Already he is ahead of 
his goal!