Scrabble Tournament in Dallas, Texas, November 2003

Seeded 9th among a field that included Chris Cree, Mike Baron, Pat
Barrett, Iffy Onyeonwu, and Darrell Day. Fortunately I got to 
play them all.  

1. Lee Brooks. I was seeded right at the top of the bottom half so 
I got to play the lowest seed, Brooks, rated 1451.  With the board 
on the table there was no room to put my rack directly in front of 
me. I had to put it off to the side.  The cramped tables also left 
little room for a scoresheet and hardly any breathing room.  The night 
before I had a softball game from 8:30-9:30 p.m. and then went out to 
eat late at a local 24 hour restaurant.  Great idea, right?  Yeah, 
except about 60 high school kids had the same idea after their in-town
rival football game.  Cutting to the chase I didn't get close to a
full 8 hours of sleep.  So drawing the lowest seed was probably a 
good thing.  If I don't blow the game!  Almost did. After turn 9 
Lee had 187 to my my 245, but my unusually sloppy handwriting 
caused me to think it was 157 when I went to add her next score. 
So from that point on my lead was 30 points artificially
inflated.  Lee has both blanks in the home stretch, but I manage to 
keep her from bingoing. What looked like a routine win ended up 
being a squeaker that could have easily gone astray.
I win 353-327 and wake up.

2. Travis Chaney.  Travis jumps early with ADNATION, but I counter
with XIS 48 and then hook WIG the next turn with a questionable 
JUSTEST.  I really wasn't sure if it was good, but for 102 I took
the chance.  Held, but not challenged. Couple turns later I tack on
KILOBAR and keep a sizeable lead to the end. I win 457-305.

3. Glenda Short.  My tournament record is 10-0 against her, and I 
keep wondering when the streak will end. My first three tiles pulled
from the bag are: E N D. I laugh it off and despite falling behind
early, I tie it up with ANTLIKE, take the lead with SPOILER, almost 
lose the lead with her OUTSINS which I hold, but don't challenge 
because I have a ZOOM counter for 72. She's not done with OXO 32, 
FUJI 42, GLIB 30, and a bingo-out OVERWEAR 68, but I hold my own 
with APED 35, ICY 26, and VISAGE 45 to preserve win #11, 448-432.

4. Chris Cree.  Going in, I'm 0-4 against the All-Star.  He bingoes 
early with RITTERS, which I suprisingly was uncertain on.  I hold,
but knowing my opponent, I keep playing the game.  I did think of
John Ritter though and had a moment of silence.  Chris builds his
lead to 59, but I pounce on a double-double VIOLATES 90, and then
SERIATES 66 two turns later.  I draw a Q without a U with 14 in the
bag, but there is still a U unseen, so I play NEVER in an opened 
triple row for 31.  Chris plays YOB for the same score and my draw 
is AOUWW.  I play QUA for 30.  It's now 356-305, which is not a 
comfortable lead against Chris with a blank unseen with 2 in the bag.


   a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o     -> JD   OLPSTWW  356
   -----------------------------        CC   -------  305  
 1|=     '       P A N N E D   =|                           
 2|  -       Z O A   "     E -  |                           
 3|    -       '   '   F A X    |
 4|'     I V Y   '     U M     '|
 5|        I           G I N    | UNSEEN TO ME: ? AEE CGHKT
 6|  "   D O C       " U     "  | Previous turns
 7|    '   L   ' M U L E   '    | JD: QUA 30, CC: JUT 10
 8|D A B ' A     O H O   '     =|
 9|  R I T T E R S '       '    |
10|I F     e "       "       "  |
11|        S E R I A T E S      |
12|' J   -       ' N O R I A   '|
13|Q U A   L O N G E R     -    |
14|  T E I I D       Y O B   -  |
15|=     ' N E V E R     '     =|
   -----------------------------     

I wrongly thought the N column was more dangerous than the A column 
and played PLOW 9j 18.  Part of the problem was I was under time 
pressure.  I luck out big time and draw AE as the last two in the bag.  
It was a mistake that never materialized.  I win 419-366.

5. Mike Baron.  He starts with QUAG and my draw is T, T, T !! F, E, 
A, S.  Oh, not so bad after all; 75-28; and I draw the first blank 
to boot.  Two turns later though I have AEUU ND?.  Next turn I pick 
up IE, but find the 8: AUDIENCE.  Mike gets CHANCIER 66, I get 
RELEASER 66.  But lack of vowels and time ruin the game for me.
I lose 358-403.

6. David Bibb.  Bingo slugfest.  I with LIGURES 70, STONIEST 74, 
VROOMING 82; David with FAILURES 76 and LATICES 71.  I win 469-425.

I eat dinner at Nicola's in the Galleria and then head to the 
Angelika Theatre; nothing playing I recognized, so I go with 
Elephant which is about high school kids.  The one-word reviews 
I read are pretty succint: Stunning, chilling, compelling.

We started the Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. instead of the original 10 
a.m. to allow us to finish before the All-Stars broadcast.  

7. First up, as expected, Darrell Day, who's 6-0.  Before the 
tournament, I told him I'm going to win the tournament; he said, 
"No, this one's mine."  This game would have much to say about it.  
He exchanges 5 to start; I have AAAEONV and do the same.  He plays
COMAE, I play INSHORE 73.  Couple turns later he has VIRTUOSE 94 
which I challenge.  Later on he tries a phony in ALIENS+P, but there
are too many openings and he converts the next turn with PLENTIES 62.  
I lose 319-437.

8. Pat Barrett.  I started with FIGGED 32, EXERTING 68, and OUTRAISE 
78, but she stays in it with KETENE 45, and ESSAYING 95.  I get down 
VENTURED 63, but she gets CANAILLE 70.  Then the tiles shift my way 
and I get a string of intermediate plays while she struggles to keep up.  
I win 489-353.

9. Mike Early.  He's 7-1 at this point; I'm 6-2.  I need to put a 
stop to him.  But it doesn't happen.  He scores 86 with QUARTERN and 
my bingo doesn't play.  He bingos again with AVIARIES 64 and gets a lead 
I don't come close to overcoming.  I lose 296-413.

10. Iffy Onyeonwu.  My first rack is AU?PSTY.  After a phony that 
doesn't stick, I find PAYOUTS 78.  Iffy rebounds with TENIASIS 62.  
But later I get SOLVATE 74 which is challenged, followed by REMAKING 82.  
My lead is strong and I continue to apply pressure, taking time out 
only to block a triple-triple setup.  I win 513-267.

11. Mike Willis.   We're both 7-3.  Darrell and Mike Early are 
battling for first/second.  Chris Cree and Mike Baron are behind us.  
Either Mike has a shot at third if they both win.  Not if I can help it.  
We trade blank-bingoes at turn 7 with my RAVINES 71, his ATTIRING 70, 
thirtysomething plays at turn 8, and then I get INDORSEE 76 while he 
gets 0 for challenging.  Later I get manna in the form of INTREAT 70, 
which precedes a double-triple ZOEAS 68.  My next play sums it up for 
Mike: OUCH 34.  I win 505-318 and take third place with 8-3 +581, 
winning a buck and about 50 rating points.