Scrabble Tournament in Houston, Texas, August 2003

Soon after my dismal 4-7, 17th of 20 finish at the Arlington, Texas 
tournament (new rating 1613), I set my sights two months ahead to 
the Houston tournament.  I was going to study hundreds of high 
probability eights, learn every four in the book, and get a good 
dose of fives.  It would be a different story in Houston.

But my enthusiasm subsided with distractions such as 
unemployment, hot weather, and a trip to Europe from August 16-26.  
With no way to recharge my Palm with European electrical outlets, 
and packing very light, I did not study or review or play any
games for over 10 days.  The closest I came to Scrabble was 
looking at a Dutch Scrabble set at de Bijenkorf department store 
in Amsterdam.  Oh, and there was one night at a bar in Belgium 
where after a few dubbels and tripels, I was telling the locals 
all the Q words that don't need a U.

So when I got back to Texas with the Houston tournament less
than 5 days away, I really wasn't thinking about Scrabble,
and was seriously thinking about backing out.  But it was 
Houston and I wanted to support Judy's tournament especially 
since I had told her I'd be there.  It wasn't until Friday morning 
that I actually made lodging arrangements and committed to the 
tournament.  MJ reminded me that I sometimes do well after a 
break from the game.  I couldn't argue with her, but I felt it 
was more than just a break; after 10 days of exposure to 
Dutch words like zout, zeep, and zomer [1], my Scrabble 
word knowledge felt rusty.

I went to Whole Foods and H.E.B. to pick up some supplements, 
water, energy drinks, and breakfast.  I got in a few blitz games 
on ISC and got some sleep.

During the drive I went back to the basics and listened to 
a tape recording I had made several years ago of three-letter
words with definitions, and the top 100 or so seven-letter
words.  Everything else would just have to come from my base 
word knowledge, anagramming and recall ability.  I arrived at the 
tournament site with about an hour to spare; ate a Stonyfield Farms 
organic raspberry yogurt, and drank a can of Hansens Energy Pro.  
While waiting for the start I reviewed all the AEIO 7s on my Palm.

Round 1.  No easy start here -- Pat Barrett (1835).  The good thing
is I won't lose too many rating points.  Pat wins the toss
and elects to receive.  VERB at 8e.  Followed by my VAMP for 22.
But then, whamo!  I am BETRAYED for 95 points.  Six turns later 
I convert both blanks into an END(L)E(S)S double-double to pull 
within 36 points.  But immediately Pat's lead is back over 100 
with DETINUE.  Near the end I am not sure on AFHIORS [3] as a 
bingo-out play, but had it been enough for a win, I might have 
tried it.  Instead I play OAFISH en route to a 113 point loss.

JD: 325, ?? SS JX, ENDLESS 83
PB: 438, SS QZ, BETRAYED 95, DETINUE 77

Primary reason for loss: outplayed.


Round 2.  Dave Zimmerman (1555).  First time opponent.  Early on he
plays FLIC which I challenge, thinking it's possibly a confusion with 
FLOC.  Not going to Paris during the Europe trip costs me.  As well as not
learning all the fours yet.  Dave later plays AEILRTU from the Q [4]
for 104 points to go up by 126.  I miss a playable ADESTTU [5], but
get SERIATE a couple turns later and ADINRST through an E [6] a few
turns after that.  It's now 362-371, but with time running out, 
I think I can clinch the win with a bingo in ?ALNOSV with an open
-S hook at O3 and an ending S hook at 2K.  But with less time
pressure I might have figured out I don't need the bingo to win.
Instead I end up going over time and then actually needing the bingo
which isn't there.  I come to my senses four minutes over, and lose 
a winnable game, 350-384.  Now I'm 0-2 -147.  

JD: 350, ? SSSS ZX, SERIATE 73, DETRAINS 60
DZ: 384, ? QJ, QUARTILE 104

Primary reason for loss: wasting time looking for a non-existent bingo 
when other plays would do just fine in solidifying the victory.


Round 3.  Richard Johnson (1737), coming off a second place 8-win finish 
at Arlington in June.  I start off with LAZY (at 8g) and things start 
to look good when I immediately draw the first blank.  Richard exchanges 
four, and I convert ?AENNOU [6].  Richard capitalizes on the top and 
bottom TWS squares to pull within 22, but I get another blank and 
convert ?DGORST for 76, but miss the double-double nine worth 90 [8].
The next turn I miss the only bingo from EEMMRTT [9], but hang on to
a 100-point lead.  Richard finds EEFIRSU through an R [10],
but it sets up a 30-point comeback and I'm still up by 89.  The
recent study of fours helped with ABRI at 3j for 27.

j k l m n o
-----------
      R I P
F A C E T
    R =
    A
    G

I hold on and win by 101.

JD: 423, ?? S Z, ANNULOSE 59, STODGIER 76 
RJ: 322, SSS QJX, SUREFIRE 76


Round 4.  Steve Glass (1812).  I missed DELONRU [11] on the first turn,
and Steve converts BEHISTZ [12], but I draw ?AEINSV [13] to stay within 49
and immediately draw the second blank.  With ?AEHORT I find OATERS+H [14],  
but miss the place where it plays!  Instead I play HATH for 30.  A couple
turns later I have ?CENNOR and miss both playable sevens! [15].  Finally
I convert the blank with ?CEEINR at 15A [16], but give up 9 points in equity.
Next turn the ZEK hook at O3 is still there and I fill the spot with
JISM, but my lead is still only 25.  Somehow I play a smart late game and
unintentionally block a bingo in the end game to win it.

JD: 396, ?? SS JQX, NATIVES 72, RECLINE 78
SG: 351, SS Z, ZIBETHS 107


Round 5. Ben Withers (1857).  Ben converts ?AABEGL [17] and then I lose 
7 points equity from ADEINPT by playing ANTIPODE instead of the simple 
PAINTED (PATINED DEPAINT).  Ben plays AURORA n9, but I have one of the
hooks [18] for 37 points.  Ben converts EHINOSS through a T [19], but it 
sets up my MIZEN comeback.  Ben keeps the lead with
plays like ORRIS, PRUTA, NOTUM, and MORRIS, but then I pick up the second
blank and play UNGUIDED for 64, KEF for 39, and play off the kue to
win.

JD: 412, ? S ZQ, ANTIPODE 65, UNGUIDED 64
BW: 329, ? SSS JX, ALGEBRA 62, HISTONES 72


Round 6. Chris Cree (1929).  Chris starts with AADEILV [20].  I get the
first blank and convert ?CHOOTU through an A [21] and immediately
pick up the second blank.  Chris has three esses at once and dumps
two of them.  I pass up an immediate bingo to add ED to my previous
bingo.  Next turn I waste too much time on ERIR?NE [22], both in finding
a bingo and finding a spot for it.  The spot was very clear, but
it took me too much time to actually see it.  Time that would be precious
in the end game.  Two turns later Chris bingoes from a B with
EIINORS [23] and takes an 18 point lead.  Chris then sets up a 35-point
spot for my X and I take a 4 point lead.  But with little time
to plan, I mess up a winnable end game, go over time and lose by
21.

Primary reason for loss: impaired board vision leading to wasted
time, precious for figuring out a winnable end game.

JD: 361, ?? XJ, OUTCOACH 76, RERISEN 75
CC: 382, SSSS QZ, AVAILED 74, BRIONIES 70

It was the last game of the day and there were many people watching.
I was hoping to get done earlier since the Astros game started at
6:05 p.m.  I left and drove to my friend's house and from there
to Minute Maid Park.  It was 5-1 Astros when we got there, 7-1
after an Ensberg homer, but while I was getting a pizza, the Padres 
scored 5 in the 7th to make it interesting.  Wagner came in early 
and the Astros scored 4 more in the 8th to win it.  After the game, 
there was a fireworks show (for Labor Day, I guess).  I've always wanted 
to see fireworks where the whole thing is the grand finale and this 
was pretty much it.  Awesome.  Then a pretty good local Houston 
rock band called Silverleaf played on the field.  It was a good evening.


Day 2

The next morning I had a breakfast of scrambled eggs, a blueberry
muffin, a banana, orange juice, and coffee.  Due to construction
and detours I almost got lost driving back to the tournament site, 
but I made it in time.

Round 7.  Darrell Day (1779).  He starts with AMBERY and follows
it with two double-doubles, DEORBIT and PERTAIN.  I have the MENDIGO
rack but I didn't know it, and it didn't play anyway, but then I pick
up two esses and after Darrell's ZED, I have a place to play EGNORSS [24]
for 82, but it sticks the E at M1.  Darrell only has FEET for 33 and
I play JOUKS for 58, putting the J at A12.  He uses the U to play
QUAY C11 for 32 and it's 220-208.  I have ?EHLNOS and don't find the 8 
through an E [25], but settle for JOHN for 42.  Darrell plays PREX and
I still can't find a bingo, so I play WEANS for 41.  He follows with 
XENON for 36 to make it 303-286.  With 29 in the bag I draw the other 
blank and now have ??ILLWU, but don't know OUTWILL which played off 
the N in XENON.  Instead I dump ULL for 6 and Darrell takes a three 
point lead.  Three more turns go by before I finally have a bingo 
??EFITW [26] and the spot at C15 is still there.  The 111 points is 
enough for a win despite losing 10 on time and getting stuck with a cee.

JD: 452, ?? SSSS J, ENGROSS 82, SWIFTER 111
DD: 392, QXZ


Round 8.  Carole Drake (1605).  She trades 7 to start, I play BOND,
keep SET, and pick up EERY.  Next turn I play the bingo at i1 and it's
challenged [27], giving me FYCE for 36 to follow.  Then Carole tries
"unmoist*" and I soon have a 141-25 head start.  She doesn't bingo
until turn 11, but I'm still up by over 100.  Nothing extraordinary
happens on either side from then on, and I win by 100.

JD: 405, SSSS, YESTREEN 63
CD: 305, ?? ZQJX, INERTIA 66


Round 9.  Paul Holser (1722).  At turn 4 Paul takes the lead with
HEADLINE 3G, but I back hook it with ROOMING for 96.  He plays ZOEA
for 42 and I pick up the blank and play NOISIER for 76.  At turn
9 it's 324-272 and I use the second blank for a non-bingo GONeF
for 47.  Paul immediately DELISTS for 74 and the score is 371-346.
I hook QUIRE with CANED for 43, but Paul sends a FAX for 48; 414-394.
Paul's last rack is EMUS, but I find a 23 point GOAT that guarantees
a victory.

JD: 437, ?? JQ, ROOMING 96, NOISIER 76
PH: 429, SSSS XZ, HEADLINE 84, DELISTS 74


Round 10.  Caesar Jaramillo.  He bingoes early with JOUSTED and
my highest plays are GYRUS 41, HERL 44, and MIFFs 31 before
I take the lead 283-278.  But then I pick up EDIOS to go with
RT and a spot opens for SORTIED for 79.  Caesar has ?EEINNS, but
the board is not conducive for a bingo, and I take the win. 

JD: 381, ? SS X, SORTIED 79
CJ: 271, ? SS JZQ, JOUSTED 85


Round 11.  Caesar Jaramillo.  We both have 7 wins; Iffy and
Cree have 7.5 wins, and Barrett and Dave Zimmerman have 6.
The best I could do is win and get 2nd; I could lose and 
possibly get fourth depending on spread.  I start with
AAAIEUR and play URAEI and pick up ?AIOT to go with the
other two A's.  Caesar lands CHOREA on a TWS for 36 and
two turns later I convert ?AEIILT for 69 [28].  A few turns
later Caesar plays RAINLESS for a 6 point lead that only
increases to 12 four turns later.  But then I pick up
the second blank and play ENTERInG for 77 and empty the
bag which had: CDDFGHZ!  Despite this and a few mistakes
on my part, I manage to retain the lead and win by 24.

JD: 392, ?? Z, LAITIES 69, ENTERING 77
CJ: 368, SSSS XJQ, RAINLESS 68

Final 8-3 +363.  2nd place.  My best finish in division 1 play.
A new peak rating at 1724; above 1700 for the first time.  
And the most cash ($175) won at a tournament.
Also a new high average opponent rating at 1730.

Answers.

[1] salt, soap, summer
[2] BETRAYED
[3] OARFISH
[4] QUARTILE (REQUITAL)
[5] STATUED
[6] DETRAINS (RANDIEST STRAINED)
[7] ANNULOSE (also playable were NONEQUAL, NEURONAL, NOUMENA, and NOUMENAL 
which all set up triple-triples; TONNEAU, the other 7, did not play)
[8] STODGIER (DIGESTOR) (DIGESTORS through ES would have been real nice)
[9] TERMTIME
[10] SUREFIRE (FUSILEER also played; REINFUSE did not)
[11] ROUNDEL
[12] ZIBETHS
[13] NATIVES (et al.)
[14] EARSHOT
[15] CONCERN, CONNERS
[16] RECLINE (also ECCRINE, ENTICER, CERVINE, although SINCERE scores the most)
[17] ALGEBRA
[18] AURORAE, AURORAL, AURORAS
[19] HISTONES
[20] AVAILED (VEDALIA)
[21] OUTCOACH
[22] RERISEN (I needed the S hook; or DERNIER with the D hook on LUBE)
[23] BRIONIES
[24] ENGROSS
[25] ECHELONS
[26] SWIFTER (of FITCHEW, WHIFFET, and WIFTIER, WHIFFET would have also played,
hooking AIRER)
[27] YESTREEN 
[28] LAITIES (CILIATE and FILIATE also played)