Dispatches from the Rimshot Cafe

Local Boy Makes Good in Backyard Tourney!

2009-11-20T17:21:35Z

Hey-o Scrabble fans and other gaming peeps! (sorry scrabblers, there are other fun games out there) I did pretty well in the main tourney, 4th/20, 9-6 +446. New peak rating is 1512. As usual, I had the opportunity to capture a higher position but choked in a couple of games. Great fun as usual, although having seen a Inn at Essex setting which is WINTRIER, I prefer the cool effect of the snow and ice backdrop while playing. My ho-hum early bird performance was 3-2 +228, finishing one rank above my seed.

note: for any newbies to the scrabble world reading this, the asterisk [*] is used to designate phonies, words not acceptable in our dictionary. It is legal to play them and occasionally advisable, but obviously risky since if your opponent suspects it’s not a word they may challenge it off and you score 0! Also, words with blanks have letter(s) in lowercase]

Early Bird BINGOES/BIOGENS
Mine | Theirs

MAESTRI | LUNCHING
0 | NEEDIER, GARNERS | but I won by 50!
FOLIAGES, MASONITE | UNSALTED, PARRIDGE
ABULIAS, REFALLS, SYBARINE* | 0
TWINIER, TSARIST, SNOOLER* | 0

MAIN EVENT:

ATRESIC | BLUNTED
EPILATES, PENSIVE, ENROBER | TRITOMA
SUNBEAM, TACRINE | 0
AEGISES, ADVENTS | ANTIPOT, UNSLAKED
SECATEUR, ORIENTED, NONELITE | 0
DENIZEN | TEETERING, TEACHING
ORGASMED, RECITALS, STAPLED | DIARIST
BEANERS*, VEGETAL | OUTWAITS
PASTURES | HERNIAS
0 | DELAINES but I won by 100!
PANELIST | TUBAIST
TRIREME, DOTTIEST | FOREVER
PILASTER | OPENEST
HEAPERS, STEELIE | EMETICS, OMENTAS*
SINGERS, TREADING, TROUPIAL | INVENTS

Blanks: 23/40 possible
Bingos: 36 to their 21, or (1.8 : 1.05) / game

[Thanks to the analytical powers of Quackle, a game analysis program:]

Misses Major- failing to see a bingo directly or indirectly cost me four games (none in EB)

ABLUTIO(N) / ABUTILO(N)- too busy trying to find a spot for TABOULI/BAILOUT
BONEYER- played EBONY for 37
ELON(G)ATE- ugh, top 500 8s
GENTEEL- too mushy? EEE intimidating
NAUtILI / NAUpLII- ugh, didn’t look that hard
NE(G)ATION- top 100 8s, no excuse
SEMATIC- letters looked familiar enough, but didn’t spend long enough scrambling
SUEDING- chickened out

Misses Minor- failure to find/play a bingo in games I won

ELYSIAN/SNEA(K)ILY – shameful to miss a SALINE 7! I saw the +K seconds too late
FOOTPACE- this would have been nice, wasn’t looking for it
MISsUIT / STIMULi
NEGATRONS
OPTATIVE- never seen it
PERFECTA- ok, now I really have to study the CFP 8s!
THINKERS
TIMOUROUS
TUTOYERS

Challenges / lack thereof

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	ONS	BHUTI* BEANERS* SNOOLER* SYBARINE*	GAEITIES* RA*
Their Plays	TRITOMA UNSLAKED	OMENTAS* TYINS*	ZUGWANGS*

This chart was generated by cross-tables.com

Discussion: All of my phonies which stayed were intentional. I was taking a risk with BEANERS* against a superior player, for I consider it to be as infamously phony as CLIT*, but it stayed against Paul Avrin. GAEi(T)IES was hardcore spelling fail. Bonus points to Sue Gable for even attempting ZUGZWANGS!!! RA* was a blank designation failure with my clock less than :10

Best game: as usual, the best fireworks were in peripheral play, this time against spherulitic.

Witness the magic

Brussels Sprouts Ahoy!

2009-09-15T17:47:13Z

(with a tip o' the cap to xpmorgan and wisemonkey for their food porn) Over the years, Brussel sprouts have gotten a bad reputation, primarily from bad prep, like spinach, beets, et al. It is not wrong for kids to dislike limp, lukewarm, flavorless food allegedly 'good for you.' As discriminating adults we should know better. Vegetables taste good when flavor profiles are added in harmony with the natural flavor. (No, not that 'Natural Flavor' on labels that usually means processed beef fat from a lab in Jersey) Brussel sprouts can be rather pricy but they're really easy to grow, so I did. (if you do grow your own, saltwater soak and salad spinner necessary like all lettuce)

Ingredients:

1/2 pound Brussel sprouts
2 large garlic cloves ( I add more)
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 tablespoon salt

Trim Brussel sprouts and halve lengthwise.

Cut garlic into very thin slices. In a 10-inch heavy skillet - melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil over moderate heat and cook garlic

stirring until pale golden. Transfer garlic with a slotted spoon to a small bowl.

Reduce heat to low and arrange sprouts in skillet, cut sides down, in one layer. I usually make sure to smear the sprout through the butter/oil mix just to make sure it gets some before it really cooks. Cook sprouts, without turning, until undersides are golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Remove sprouts from pan and toast pine nuts until pale golden brown- about 2 minutes.

Add sprouts

and garlic back in and mix for a minute. Salt to taste.

On the Sunday night during the Maine Event this was what my wifey and sis cooked up (sprouts less brown than I like- electric oven on away turf- as person being cooked for that time I couldn't complain):

We grew Fingerling potatoes and rosemary in our garden this year, and they roasted those together. Those two sides complemented the New York strips rather nicely.

Maine Reality Check! 2 games under par (sigh)

2009-09-08T18:13:43Z

12-8 got me just out of the money. D’oh! It was as fun as usual though. I was in the driver's seat for at least 4 of my losses (they were mine to win at some point), only two blowout losses where it was mostly out of my hands. I got to play greatscott66 for the first time. I bingoed* out to lose by 1 (recount-confirmed)-a real nail-biter. He had me on the ropes most of the game, though.

Bob Becker rocked the house! He extended FED with AEINOR? to bingo out one of his games- good stuff!

#Blanks Mine, Mine, Mine | Theirs

2 AMUSEDLY, OUTLINES, RIPOSTED, REBEGINS, TERMINI | 0

1 RIVULET, BORATES, SAFARIED, ANTIRIOT | RETILING

1 FINAGLE | EROTISM

1 ACTUATED, COMPOUND | SULLIES, TRAINERS

2 MISOGYNY, TIDINGS, BLAZONED | TRENAIL, HEARING, INTERRED

1 APLITES, SNARLING, HINTERS | NOISIER, RELOANED

1 RESIDED, MISDOER | RINGLESS*

1 MADDEST, BARONIES | PANTERS*, GLEAMIER, JOUSTED

1 RATLINS, ORCEINS | GENITAL

1 NONELITE, HINTERS | TEENIES*, STAGIER

0 0 | OESTRIN, DERAILED, TRUTHFUL

0 ISLANDER, ENGENDERS | SOOTHING, TINWARE

1 TRADABLE, SOLVENT, TOADYING | SATIRISE

0 SOVIETS, INDOLES | COURAGE

1 BRANDERS | POSTURED

0 RACIEST SPITING EPIDOTE | VAGINAL, AUREOLES

1 NEROLIS, SERIATE | INGOTED

1 INULASE, SHELTIE, OVERAGE | NUTLESS*

1 RETINOID, RECOLOR | HALENESS, HEADSET

2 REEDLING, URCHINS | AUSTERE, RESPITE

Bingo Ratio: 2.2: 1.6

Challenge grid (! denotes a free/final challenge # means them limeys can play it) Author’s note: I certainly welcome anything from ridicule to praise, but if you want the moral high ground feel free to post your own so we can compare, especially if you’re in Division 1, where I saw PYLWOOD* played and stay this weekend.

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	EPIDOTE! P(RESIDED)/CAPLET REEDLING SAFARIED	JINN(Y)* PODIC* ROONEY* (TAN)E* VOGIE(S)*	CO(RESIDED)* GIFTAGE* (OURIE)S* ROOTLERS*
Their Plays	BLAIN (BRAZEN)ED! HALENESS PIETA	NUTLESS* PANTERS# RINGLESS# TEENIES*	HOPF* HUNA* NEXIS* TORLAND(S)*

This chart was generated by cross-tables.com

Misses Minor (in winning games where I played for fewer points elsewhere or bingoed* next turn)

Co(T)HURNI / RU(T)HeNIC / UNCHaIR(S)- just went with URCHINs to take sluttiest hook but I didn’t see them

DACKERS- saw it, chickened out, had a 42 point play with an ADRS leave

DASYUrE- I didn’t remember/find it and played AmUSED(L)Y for fewer

DiSCRET(E)

INTRA(D)AY- wow, never seen nor drilled. I was only looking for an S to bingo with

RAINILY- McFly action- just yellow

RES(ORC)INOl- never seen it, played a 7

TOLIDI(N)E- should have seen it, top 500 8s

Misses Major (in losing games):

bOGYISM / fOGYISM / ISOGaMY- first two odder, no excuse on third. I played MISOGY(N)y for fewer and openened a TWS spot (sigh)

dROOL(I)ER- tried ROO(T)LERs* and lost- thought it was plausible but my higher-rated opp DIDN’T KNOW ROOTLES!

LACUN(A)RS / UNLEAR(N)S- failing to see this cost me a game. First miss excusable, second damn sloppy.

qUINIEL(A)- this lost me the game. I know my 5v8s very well, but making the blank a Q? Ugh! Scramble fail!

Socialism: getting to meet

srockhopfor the first time and tolarjevagain was cool. Dinner Saturday with Bob Becker, Bruce Adams and other scrabblers @ DeMillo's was cool, too. Regrets: not much after-hours scene!

Pre-Maine report

2009-09-04T06:32:44Z

I will probably be playing in the second division, against which I am 41-21. I figure 14/24K 7s drilled and 3/29K 8s will serve me pretty well. I'd like to be further on my 8s, but 7s are so quickly imprinted comparatively!

I'd really love to play up; my record against Division A is 3-7 on the books and about another 7-4 off. I haven't played many Div. A people fer rills. They could do anything from play the disco. 10 INTE(N)T(NE)SS to miss TIMEOUS, both of which I saw from Can-Am. Oh well, something to aspire to.

I am harvesting the organic produce to be used for POO prizes today. Tomatillos, onions (purple and yellow) and I daresay even some Fingerling potatoes may make it to a prize package.

I came really close to landing a Dream List Word recently. I had the rack AKORTUY with an open E on the board but not another.

I am commuting from an hour away, alas no Toxic Gelatinous Masses, but after-hours hijinks should still ensue!

Club Away!

2009-06-19T15:29:06Z

I (1501) went 2-2 against fellow director Tim Hogeboom (1437)

Blowout the First
Blowout the Second

Summaries:

TRUSSING | EVADING, LACTATED, SOLITON | L 367-402
CUTESILY*, GAROTTE, TAILINGS | WEARERS, OVERLAID | L 438(counted as 413)-459
ABOMASI, ASSURED, DEVIATE | 0 | W 569-245
EXPLAINS, IMPROVED, RESOUNDS, TOILETED, BANTERED| VETERAN W 596-286

Junk cleared: his AVERING*(I told him the two good ones there) and his TIRLERS*

CUTESILY* I thought was pretty creative (and only 30% chance or so of being good). It was aided in acceptability by the fact that it was ECILTU? with a pretty open board, so I would be able to bingo elsewhere if this was found to be bad.

ABOMASI was my first OBAMA 7 played. Psych!

The misses: 3 missed-bingo turns over 4 games, 2 of which I culled into a bingo the next turn, 1 was two turns later. 70-point equity loss average, so okay.

Garden Delights / Summer Lovin'

2009-06-02T19:22:04Z

For my buds who aren't already on FaceBook, you may want to be alerted to a couple of photo albums I just posted. I find uploading photos to there much easier than here. Here's one for the foodies:

Enter the organic wonderland

For interested scrabblers, I will be bringing some sort of prize package to my next NE tourney.

Emergency Broadcast Network and The Reagans

2009-05-17T05:33:09Z

Scrabble # ads

2009-05-07T20:03:40Z

Yes, our merkin# TV stations are too weak to air these. But they're still way flocking cool! Contrary to what one otherwise-astute commenter lamented, the series of seemingly-random images make sense because THAT'S WHAT NEARLY EVERY SCRABBLE GAME IS. The Yoga one is still the coolest. The second one sounds like a 'Big Rock Candy Mountain' ripoff.

I found these all on this site. Enjoy!

Games for the asking

2009-04-21T17:55:48Z

Here's the best one of mine: The Battle of Giants

Here's another interesting one: Jeffrey vs. Florence

A word to the wise about going first: I had an opp. with the wrong idea about who should go first. If I had trusted them I'd be shy one opportunity. Always check yourself! I wouldn't ever read anything into it, but it helps to be sure

Westford HO! 9-6 +502 1445--->1501!!!

2009-04-20T20:05:01Z

Hey-o fellow scrabblers! BAT was, as usual, quite a thrill. Hanging out with some friends I haven't seen since Florida like lomakgneip was cool. Getting to play her finally (since I wasn't performing well enough to merit it before) was cool too. The games were fab. I had 39 bingos in 20 games, some words I've never played before (and some I never should again).

NASTy details: High point was beating an 1818-rated player (Mike Early). Low was losing to an 880 (in part because I missed the super-sexy J(A)MBOREE). I also got to butt heads with The Second Coolest Jeffrey (Scranton). Unfortunately, scrabblephreak maintained his daddy-hood (4-0) of yours truly, beating me by 25, but, hey, I couldn't lose to a nicer fellow wearer of funny shirts. Hey, at least I was in the driver's seat of that game when I drove it off a bridge. I cleared his WATAPES/(LOBAR)S* junk but then failed to see the only other lane for blockage. His cool bango OVER(B)LEW got held and wisely released.

Main Event: Frabjous Day! Plenty of folks I hadn't played before (10/15). Of my six losses, at least three came down to tight endgames/final single moves which I failed to play properly, so it's not as if wins were unattainable. My greatest loss spread was only 90 when the (eventual) Div. champ Jamie Ryan landed 4 bingos to my one, so I'm not really down on myself. YAY JAMIE! He totally deserves to move up, but I still have his number. I also had good times with the newer Will Anderson, who comes to us from the world of Boggle.

Blank Watch:
#Blanks | Record
0   | 0-6
1   | 5-2
2   | 7-0

Mine, Mine, Mine | Theirs
TAILERS, ALIENIST | 0
OUTGLARE | WATAPES, OVERBLEW
ELOINER, ESTROGEN | STIPULE
0 | PARADER, GUNNERS
PUPILLAE*, BURSTING, TIRELESS | AERATION

GRIPERS, CARINOUS* | OUTSAID, PANTILE
ENCAENIA, FERRIAGE | 0
SLIDING, LOUNGED | BLEARED
SALIENT, SHARING, TURNSOLE | 0
TINNERS | RECENTER
EVASION, CAPTAIN | ELEVATES
STOGIES | PERFECTS
SINUATE, REDOING, WRITHING | 0
DINITRO, ENDAMAGE, DAUBIEST | LANCERS, UNCREATE
TOOTSIE | ZINCATES, TREASON
SHELLER, BINARIES, EUGLENID | OUTSAID
ECOTONE | LORDING, ACIERATE, LOUNGED, GRATEFUL
OUTFIND, BLEARING, RENITENT | REENACTS, SATIATE
GORSIER, RESENTER* | AERATION, REUNITE
REHEARSE, NEEDIER | REGENTS, SEMINAL, IDEATING

Bingo Misses Major (any miss in a loss): J(A)MBOREE (lack of duly diligent looking), WA(G)GlIER (tried sWAG(G)IER as an out bingo before I saw this and it cost me the game, no room for WAGERInG) PARTIALS

Minor: (bingo next turn, still won game)
FEIjOAS, (C)OXSwAIN, GOOD(L)IER/RODEOI(N)G,
PEAC(E)nIK / PAnICKE(D) / PICKAxE(D), REQUEST, sTAN(Z)AIC,(V)IRELAIS, WIRI(N)ESS, QUANTiL(E)

I saw PICKAxE(D) but was yeller. I thought there was no home for my orphan QUINTaL. I was psyched to draw EE to my QRST leave because then I could play QUEERS- I just rushed it.

The Bunko Squad:

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	FERRIAGE REBOZO	CARINOUS* PUPILLAE* RESENTER*	AGRA* BANGLIER* SLOUNGED* SWAGGIER*
Their Plays	(none)	PREFIT*	ANIROID* GLEEM* INSTYLED* LOBARS* ORBITTED*

This chart was generated by cross-tables.com

Next up: my lowest equity-loss game and another that has more interesting choices.

Club Fun! 4-0 +plenty

2009-04-16T19:36:28Z

WHEE! 7/8 blanks means bingo fun! I set records of high average score (479) and number of BIOGENS (11). I hope I draw this well @ BAT of course ( I never have before). Fair notice: my opp's are respectively rated 1075, 500, 1121, 1121

Mine, mine, mine | Theirs

F(L)IRTING, DEPOSIN(G), fLOWAGE, nEURI(N)ES | BLASTED 563 (should have been 560)-315
PrEDATI(ON), (P)ERLITES, (L)OMENTAS* | 0 473-250
FAIThED, dURRIES | TEENIER, ANTISEX 413-290
CAVORTs, DIGLOTs | DINGERS, ORDINAL 467-302

Misses: SANDWORT, (R)eGOLITH/O(I)LtIGHT/GOLIaTH (played bingers before and after) Two missed-bingo turns in four games may be a personal record. I did miss the sexy KUVAS(Z) for about 18 equity. Oh, and the very sexy SqUIREE(N) > nERI(N)ES.

The lowest equity-loss was a game in the low 90s (53 of which came from two of the the last moves when my opp's chance of winning was lower than .0000001 %) The duck recommends a tight out-in-two where my 'inferior' playing nets me a few more points.(ETA: the distinction is prolly* too small to notice because we both had slight math errors, but it AIN'T FIFTY POINTS O'PAIN!!!)

http://www.cross-tables.com/annotated.php?u=3660#0

I hope to use some of the newer bingers I have learned recently- 12K drilled /24 is a recent milestone. If I play you @ BAT though, I phoney plenty and could be just making shit up, like UAKARIS, I may have just made that up today!

el_jefe_rey @ 2009-04-08T16:24:00

2009-04-08T20:39:46Z

Hey-o intrepid game fanatics. Status Update!

Mine|Theirs| Result
^ = non-outplay challenged

3/22 Club

AERATION, BASINETS, ALLEGRO | STODGIER | W 427-411
TSARINA, DALLIERS | DENATURE, COASTING | W 433-369
LOITERED | PAGANISE | W 467-374

Equity 56,70,142

Minor Misses: APPLIERS (saw it, chicken) HOLYTIDE (seen it before, not found this time) SONORITY (drilled, gapped) AEROSATS (no excuse)

3/28 Para-Club

ABLUTION, GUILTIER, INTERAGE, SANTERA | TARDIER | W 562-378
AVIATES, BALONEYS | MINISUBS*, DOLERITE, FICTIVE | L 304-482
TELLINGS*, SHUDDER | OPTIONED | W 526-282
UNSALTED, ALIENATE | LAYETTE | W 420-388
UNSAFETY^, LATTEEN*, ABOLISH | POUTERS | W 418-382

Equity losses 116, 77, 98, 111, and 220 (120 of which was for missing GOSPORT as an outplay)

Minor Misses: BROODILY (should have set up -ILY and found it, didn't) ORGONES (drilled it, not recently)

Discussion: GILLNETS only, had SELLING else where and worth the try. LAtTEEN* stood because I had tons of other bingers elsewhere. I was misremembering RATTEEN.

4/5/09

ESPARTO, AREOLATE, OBVIATES | CODEINS, ELECTION | W 519-365
SNAKIER, FAIREST, DODGIER, BONITAS | STEADILY, ENLACED | W 440-435
ANTICKS, REMINTS | ACONITE, SUNSUIT^ | W 418-366
GORSIEST, RECODING | RALLIES, TUNNIES, UNITIZES, DIGHTED^ | L 421-448

Minor Misses: METEPAS (should have found it but it looks too weird to remember, apparently) THIAMINS, AGGRIEVED, SPINDLED

Equity Losses: 88, 99, 115, 85

The Straight DOpe

2009-03-16T22:26:58Z

If you ask umpteen scrabblers about when to play phonies, you will get umpteen answers. It seems everyone has their own pet isothere about Who Plays More Phonies and Which Phonies Experts Will/Won’t Accept. Is it axiomatic that the more words one knows and sees, the less one needs to phony?

There are also quite a number of theories regarding what behavior annotation induces. Do Table 1 players perform more cautiously, knowing the sting of their peers’ rebuke can be painful, or can they anticipate that that's what their OPP. would think they would do, and therefore exploit that (mis)conception?

Do some of us look for phonies the same way NASCAR fans watch for crashes? (Maybe. There are certainly some who dismiss all fandom of phonies the same way I consider NASCAR to be Makin’ A Left TV) As an attempt to perform a bit of anecdotal analysis (if that’s not too oxymoronic) I remotely observed a bunch of plays at the DO.

I also found some phonies that were un-*ed originally (so readers cannot blame the overworked Sherrie for the phony they may toss up at some point). I assume that most of the phonies (but not all) are simple typos. Thank you to Sherrie St John for comments, Dee Segrest and Kate Watson for annotation, and John Chew for the Tsh action.

All games can be found in their varying degree of glory at http://www.dallasopen.com/games/2009/. Some scrabblers undoubtedly prefer these phonies to only be considered in their proper contexts. Sometimes phonies don’t have the flash that some of the real words played like VICUGNAS, RE(GELATING) and (QUAYS)IDES do, but they sometimes decide a game. Ratings are from the beginning of the tourney. For our fans of the octothorp I have checked the Collins list for all of these. Please let me know if I’ve missed anything or send me your challenge table from the DO!

DO Board 1

Rd #	Word	Player Rtg.	Opp. Rtg.	Stayed?
1	UNMERGED*	1945	1187	Y
10	ORANGEST*	1673	1908	N
11	SCRAWING*	1865	1673	Y
17	ANTICcR/C(HIM)	1723	1865	N
18	METHIONE*	1865	1785	Y
19	STRONGS*	1845	1865	N

Octothorp Friendlies: DUNGMERE#, ORANGEST#, MICH#.

DO Commentary - new phonies(/typos?): I have included only the words in caps, previously unacknowledged, and not bothered with creative stuff like ‘maestroing*’ (which is MORGANITES!) or the ‘scoresheet’[ETA #]. Interestingly, WUNDERKIND is a~~n adjective with which one may compare,~~ noun and the plural is not –S, but -ER, making one think 'Blimey! A comparative!' if one does not look closely enough.

Round 1: ANEALED*, DUNITER*, GONERAL*

Round 7: EVANSIONS*

Round 10: PREMA?ES* (no letter works), PENSATE*, STIPIULE*

Round 12: GRUTTENS*

Round 15: KIERETSU*, TOWNEYS*

Interesting result/item:

The person who put down the greatest number of phony bingos on board one happened to win the whole thing.

Warts and All

2009-03-02T21:44:57Z

Ok, so once I got Quackle's champ player to take a long look at my best game, it looks like the not-too-shabby 79 points (from Speedy Player) became 101. No big deal, I guess, that's what I should expect.

Game #5

In other news I decided to tabulate the Table 1 challenges from the Eastern Championships recently, just as a comparison model for what my data would look like if I were an expert.

Game#	Word(s)	Chall. Rating	Opp. Rating	Success?
2	SATED/N(A)/(WEBSITE)S	1615	1990	NO
4	FORAGES/(GRIFT)S	1829	1727	NO
5	SERRIER*/R(AX)	1828	1852	YES
5	RE(T)IRERS	1828	1852	NO
5	CULVE(R)	1828	1852	NO
6	VI(DE)OED*	1828	1887	YES
8	S(I)/P(REVERSION)*/SPHERES	1921	1852	YES
9	(PAVIS)E/JET	1990	1744	NO
16	BENNO*	1990	1830	YES
16	DWINES	1830	1990	NO

Of course, 20 games (#3/21 lacked annotation) is not a very significant sample size, but I found the average of only one challenge per game to be cool. I also found the number of phonies played and accepted to be just one, the infamous (before the tourney) RECOOL*, which is not even #. I didn't find a success trend linked to rating, since out of ten challenges the winner was the higher-rated player 5:4 times, or 6:4 if you count the challenge on DWINES (when player thought game was lost if she didn't chall.).

My recent tourney total (mine + theirs) of 10 phonies remanent over 21 games was clearly a dif.

This EC count does not include any games not annotated, of course. I heard of at least one phony two played (and ignored). Does the pressure of inspection make one perform better or worse? Interesting question...

The main temptation is of course to judge the decisions made (and indeed I wouldn't have challenged any one of the six good turns there nor attempted any of the four bad ones) yet peripheral vision is 60/20. I couldn't argue with anyone's goal to have 0 phonies (personal) played and 0 (of theirs) accepted, because at the highest levels, it doesn't look like a winning strategy.

SataraGo Drop! 10-11 and -46 in rank

2009-02-27T22:16:26Z

Sadly, no 1500 for me yet, but at least the goal was again within my grasp. The highlight was almost beating Joel Wapnick (were it not for two missed-bingo turns and a relatively shitty end rack). The low point was ideating an 8 with my AAAOSY? rack and (maybe because of my opp's overdraw?) missing that he just gave me the N I needed to make it happen.

Saratoga Showdown:

Mine, Mine, Mine | Dares

Major Misses (where I lost the game):

FELLAHIN- never seen it- also good in WoadWage
GINGIVA(L)- the 7 and 8 are 18K/24 and 22K/29, so I haven’t seen them yet, but either would have won me the game
IND(A)GATE- too busy looking for an R or else
SAYO(N)ArA – crazy, I had found it (missing N/R) but opp’ overdrew and while handling that I didn’t notice he had played the N- I put one back in the bag! D’oh!
TAILFIN/FINALI(S)T- got too distracted by being one-off TAILFAN/FANTAIL, sigh.
TASTABLE/STATABLE/ABETTALS- game-changer that would have prevented me from challenging
TEAROOM(S)/AMORET(T)O –this cost me my game against Joel Wapnick. The 7+1 lane was impeded, so distraction occurred, but I should have seen the T combo.
TERaPHI(M) – PHiLTRE got a challenge (and this may have too!) but –22
UNA(V)OWED

Minor Misses:

APOgEES- 18 equity
CA(T)HEDrA/ HAC(I)EnDA – 24 equity
(CHERT)Y – cost me 80 equity points among three turns
COSHERED- haven’t seen it before
COSTmAR(Y)- WTF? played SuRCOAT instead, so only –9, but this one may have gotten a challenge! (DE)BUNKER- to a TWS for 40+
I(N)DIGNLY – haven’t seen it, looks cool, at least I saw the orphan 7
I(N)HERENT (played ETHER for 29 pts., sad opp’ blocked HEREINT(O))
OTTAVA (is ‘sexy 6’ redundant?)- this would have saved me 27 equity points
pIFFLED/rIFFLED- only -14 equity
TYIYN- I missed 23 points from not finding this one. So rare!

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	LAZYING MAYAS PREUNITES RODEOED TWINER	BACULI* CADGIEST* LEAPTIME* OCREATES* VESTAGE*	BAUHENIA* ERNABLE* HAUBERS* OUTSAGED* PYED*
Their Plays	AGENTIAL HOPLITE SILD	BLOP* OOZER* LEMONIER* PINER* TRODDING*	CATTILS* FRONTE* FRUCTION* RERULED* RELUENT* TAENS* WAYIN*

This chart was generated by cross-tables.com

Discussion- at least I dominated the (won challenges + standing stinkers) ratio- 17:13. Of mine that were cleared, I wasn't laboring under any delusion that they were good, too, mostly finger-stutters. I was psyched to get a challenge from the 44-point LAZY(I)NG because I found lazy as a verb in my JQXZ-6s study only a few weeks past (and my survey of even 1600-1700-rated folk indicated it's not widely known). AGENTIAL- misremembered ALGINATE as a uni-gram.

Lessons for next tourney: stop my 7s study (at 10K currently) and ficus awn the 8s.

Next post: the lowest-equity-loss game, around 60...

Whinge alert!

2009-01-29T19:59:55Z

...so I recently cleaned out quite a bit of my ISC no-play list (oldest offenders first). I was half-inspired by a friend who cleared his entire list recently (Jubillee/other religious observation?) and half-motivated by ISC telling me I had maxed out my list. Oh. Among the persons I took off the list was brdmistress. Originally, she had some pretty snarky (but not funny) attitude and was not a gracious loser about a year ago. No big whoop, second chances and all. (Wait, that's right, she had also posted a sordid whinging tale about Winter to CGP, shit I forgot how idiotic that was: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/crossword-games-pro/message/91140

) Anywho*, I sent out a seek recently (game is in my library- does anyone know how to do a PC screen capture?). She accepted and the game progressed fairly normally. She eventually put down (J)EFE. I playfully said 'Hey, that's my line!' She typed 'Go screw, you got everything.' (So far, my JKQS?? to her ZSSS) Cutting her the possible slack of mock indignation, I typed back the still-playful :P. She types 'I hate greed more than anything.' Feeling flippant at this point, I typed 'Yeah, I usually throw the good tiles back but the bots wouldn't let me.' She types 'geez, would you just play, you are ahead by 200 pts. it is not rocket science.' (It had been a whole minute or two since (J)EFE, 20-minutes-each game, about 10 left on hers, 8 on mine.) I typed 'Now I remember why I had you on my no-play list so long' and no-played her. She then resigned.

I know this is rather rhetorical, but why do poor sports try to rush you if they think you're taking too long? Does it work for them? Is it really soul-crushing to lose by 200 points (particularly in an ISC game) and does it preclude humor or small talk?

Meme Roundup

2009-01-23T20:19:35Z

Okay, so I'm about -8, -8 on that political quiz. Yep, bleeding liberal tendencies, you know those folks who invented the weekend? I'm going to avoid posting the sprawling graphs. I think ideas and political concepts are worth evaluating on a case-by-case basis, usually. They were pretty loaded questions to begin with. The 'importance' of something can be really nebulous.

Some consider this demented tune a bizarre bit, perhaps a tad cacophonous, but I like it (hell has getofftheoven played it on tour? maybe...)

Good times! I used to have a bit of that song on my answering machine back in the 90s.

Great Minds Think Alike Department:

So, on Inauguration Day, what do I find on Jon Stewart's Daily Show? Within a few hours of spherulitic and I making the Cheney-Strangelove-Imperial March connection, they feature it as if we had written it! I won't use the c-word but let's just say it's rare. They don't, unfortunately, make the deeper John Williams connection (but Dennis Miller would have before he sold his soul to The Dark Side). The line is about 2:51 in, but the entire clip is worth watching (of course):

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Changefest '09 - Obama's Inauguration

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Four Recent Matches

2009-01-08T23:25:09Z

For your viewing pleasure two losses:

36 EPL vs Jim Brooks
31 EPL vs Michael Fleck

Two wins:

57 EPL vs Rebecca Lambert
67 EPL vs Roger Cullman

Discipline in the Albany room: superb! For the most part peeps had good doses of STFU. My need for director-calls was at a minimum. In general, equity ranged from 100-130, which I wasn't extremely thrilled about.

Any thoughts? Particularly the first win I squeaked out?

(Banally - L) near-Status Quo#! 14-10 and $50

2009-01-06T21:35:49Z

The ratings are up! Yay, I went up to 1508! Alas, I was not there to stay. 1491 currently. I wish I hadn't given two games away, but oh well. Oddly, this tournament had four losing games under 55 each for equity loss, which tells me that even when I lose I am making the correct choices. Of course one could argue the great tiles did not swing my way in order for me to make the ridiculous errors, but whatever. I prefer to think more highly of myself. As far as my learning curve, I would say my near-complete study of 5s helped me out in several situations. In others, forgetting higher-prob 7s did not. I fully pushed the envelope in terms of phoneying on my opponents. I'm not as proud of that as other details, but it's one strategy for dealing with poorer tiles- phony!

BINGO RACE- (48:42)/24 games = 2:1.75 MINE, MINE | THEIRS
BLANKS: exactly half (yay!)

1) EDITABLE, GREENIER, ECHOINGS* | MESHIEST
2) QUAVERS, COTINEAU*, PLUNDERS | CHEATING
3) RADIOMAN, REVALUED | OREIDES
4) 0 | VITAMINS, STEAMERS, HEIRLESS
5) INPUTTER, ARSENIDE, UNKISSED | ENTRAINS
6) SINTERS, CARGOES | ROUTINE
7) HANDLER, INGRATES | ROLAMITE, NOTIFIES, AQUIVER, OPALINES
8) STOOLED, ORANGIER, TRAWLING | CARRIAGES, AREOLES
9) NESTLERS | SODALITE
10) GLAIVERS* | LENTOID, TARRIED
11) VICTUALS, POISING | STINKER, FLOWERED
12) RESPACED, ORGIAST | VENEERS, SPLATTER, HASTIER
13) ANIMISTS, GELATIN | GARNETS, ANEROIDS, DIVERTED
14) WARRANT, SNEERING, TAENIAS | 0
15) COPLANS*, GLINTIER, TUATERAS | 0
16) CATIONS, BALLEENS* | TENDRILS, DURRIES, KNOTLIKE
17) UNNOTED, RUTILES | ERADIATE, GASSIER
18) ROUSING, MELANITE | EQUINOX, MINARET
19) NESTLED, TANNERS | IRONIZES, EXEMPTED
20) SWEATERS, PROMISED, DONATERS* | INDITES, NEOLOGIC
21) ANIMATED, HEARTHENS | ENGRAINS
22) RETINOLS | PAINTED, READMIT
23) ERETITES*, PTOMAINE | IGNORED
24) NONARTS | NAILSET, NEARSIDE

Causal bingo-misses:

INERRANT-
REFUGIA
dACOITS- played cATIONS instead, this would have underlaid existing board a lot better

Man, can that possibly be? Ten losses and in them I only missed three (2 1/2?) bingos? I kept all my games and 99% of their rax.- missed a rack or two of 80% vowels before an exchange.

Casual ones:

ADO(P)TERS- played a phony through the N instead
BIOTITES- saw it but chickened out
CULVeRS- though about it as I assumed it was a phony (CULVERTS - T) but rejected it since outplay = almost-guaranteed challenge
WINDFALL- I played INF(A)LL with a DW leave!
PApYRIAN/ AgRYPNIA - WTF? Cool!
MANDRILs/MANDRILl
UNVARIED
SUBVENED- never seen it- tried UNBEStE(D)* but it was cleared- bingo came two turns after (BEENUS? meant fish off BE somewhere) w/ UNKISsE(D)
VOCALIST

The Red/Green Parade:

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	BIKIE NONARTS RETINOLS VICTUALS	ATANGLE* BALLEENS* COPLANS* COTINEAU* DONATERS* ECHOINGS* ERETITES* FANGY* GLAIVERS* JAMUN* LEZES* ZOOMY*	CAS* CRURO* ENTOSIS* KIRT* OVIBO* REASONNED* SYMP* UNBESTED* UNREALER*
Their Plays	DURRIES ENGRAINS MESHIEST ROLAMITE	CORDRAY* (LEKU)S* NOOGY* PHAGIC*	DISTEMA* IMPIER* OURANGES* REH* RELOOSE* TEARGUNS*

This chart was generated by cross-tables.com

Discussion: CAS* was a finger reaching for the G and plunking down the C(AS)*. Of the words in red, only one game was attributable to the a bad challenge. OVIBO* is sticky-S OVIBOS only and I know it, misremembered previous trip to challenge computer about a year ago.

Quality adversaries: both Jason Keller and Judy Horn beat my twice, but I beat Judy in a third game. (Both of the losses to Judy were wins I gave away in the last move, tragically.) While it looks like the 1500 mark is still elusive to him, Jason is still underrated. Bravo, he of the orange pants! You were my worthiest opp.!

(P.S. although Kevin G. is not known by the moniker, by sheer thriftiness and age I will wager he has owned his for 5 years longer or so. He is the sort of person who might tell you exactly what day it was (15 years ago?) and what the weather was.)

To follow: lowest equity losses and wins.

What Happens To A Dream Deferred? AnyBurd 10-7, new rating 1492

2008-12-18T19:25:30Z

Your brave protagonist made a Hughes/Colon cocktail! I finished 20 spread points out of the money in the main event, $100 combined. Ugh. I gave away too many games. Oh well. I got my mom to play the newcomers' 4-game tourney, so I've got a convert under my belt! She went 2-2, 9th/22 and played ORYX/(GAME)Y for 70 as her star play!

Bingos- Mine, Mine, Mine | Theirs

UNSAVED, TARDIES | ORANGEY
(ETA:) ELEGAIC*, VIBRATES | PUSHIER, GENTLES
0 | DABBLED, EDITION, TASTIEST
TRUNDLER, ASTEROID, UPRATES | SCRIVEN*, SEVERAL, OUTGOING
INJURED, VOLANTE, DENIERS | ADENITIS, NARCIST
PATINAE, AMUSABLE | WEARIEST
EUCAINE, NIOBATES | QUINTAR, RISSOLE
ENTREES | SOKEMAN, RESTIVE
INDORSEE | COINABLE, UNSTORED*
SOOTIER, OBVIATE, IGNEOUS | 0
0 | DESTINY, SHRINES
GUNNERS | INFLATER, WAVERED
REVOLTED, TRIPTANS | BREEZING, SUETING*
OESTRIN | DUELIST
LABELING, TERTIANS, DASHIER | SCUFFER, INDITER
OTALGIA, SITUATED | AGENISES*, NAILERS
COSEYING*, TANDOORS | 0

Ratio: 30/17 : 29/17 = ~~EQUAL~~ vera close, rarity!

Critical Misses- During losing games, potential/definite swingers

BEECHEN (saw it but was yeller)
NEGRITUDE (just wow, didn't know it)
NETIZEN
NEWTONS (I should know better)
UNENDED
PERITUS (tried PURITES*, [sigh])
RADIABLE
RIDEABLE (tried REBAIL(E)D* since I misremembered REBAILS*)
ROSARIA (have rehearsed it but not recently enuf)
TORQUING- saw QUOTIN(G) but not +R
TOUgHEN/ yOUTHEN
UPSTARE (played UPRATES for 11 fewer, should know better)
WOGGISH (never solved from alpha-gram before, certainly don't know 7s at 21K+, but it's on the POO list so I have seen it)

Casual Misses

Acc(RE)TIVE (tough to see, played obVIATE for 20 fewer)
DESULTORY/DELUSTER
MIRADOR (never seen it)
VIBRISSA/SUBVICAR

The challenges:

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	AMUSABLE BRAILED	COSEYING* ELEGAIC*	DUETERS* PURITES* REBAILED*
Their Plays	FUNGIC VALUER	AMORE* SCRIVEN* SUETING* UNSTORED*	ALGINASE* DAUNTY* NOILIER* OUTLEAN* OVERTS* SOKEMANS*

This chart was generated by cross-tables.com

Comments: I knew SUETING* was probably phony (should have seen the real uni-gram in there) but needed it for a return bingo. I have rehearsed ROUNDEST/UNSORTED/TONSURED before but not recently enough to knock the * off. ETA: ELEGAIC* was a think-o. I sometimes get the last two vowels confused because of common pronunciation.

Equity: I gave away an average of 113, which I'm not proud of, but my three best were 42, 50, and 62

In summary: my 6th-place-just-out-of-money performance is becoming all too common. I will definitely break 1500 in Albany. Sound-scape @ Any Burd: often very noisy, bizarre incidents post to follow.

12/6/08 Club Ahoy!

2008-12-12T03:00:19Z

I went to St. Johnsbury, VT for an excellent 4 rounds. I had two TWS-TWS's in separate games and swept the High Game, High Play, and Best Record prizes. Here are the two best games, first 30.9 points of equity lost, second 51.2. Ratings: my 1468 vs their 1065, 1146, 1668, and 991.

Game 1
Game 4

W/L ___Score____ Bingos: Mine, Mine, Mine | Theirs

W____ 501-334____GRISTeR, OUTlINE | VAUNTIES*
L_____364-400____HELICAE* | LISTERS
W____441-370____BIRAcIAL | AUTEURS, EXTASIS*
W____550-370____SHOALINg, EUsOCIAL | DALLIED, TERRIERS

CRITICAL MISSES:

GENTOOS- unknown, too down the prob. list yet
CATEN(A)T(E)S- tough to have seen, not looking for 9s

CASUAL (first two lines were before a trip-trip, so absolution followed):

EUpLOI(D)Y
lINO(L)EUM/MOUILlE (LINOLEUM/MOUILLE) - chickened out on MOUILLE
(U)NPOETIC- though my NEPOTIC/ENTOPIC was an orphan

On the docket: the weekend tourney in Danbury. Will your intrepid protagonist break 1500 before the new ratings system ceases incenting one with so many points for beating uppers? Gaea knows his fall was replete with chances! I theorize that I must go 12-5 to do it, 13-4 would be thrilling. I'm not saying much about the combo prize for cume. between Eouhippus Geek and Any Burd, but I like my odds.

Earworm Sharing / Great Games

2008-11-22T08:32:44Z

It's not annoying, but mildly haunting and insidiously viral. I blame the movie "21," which has plenty of great music:

Here's my best game of the most recent tourney- a couple of first-time finds I was pretty happy about. It was my first game in the main event- all downhill from there. My opp., David Goodman, is very good-natured and a pleasure to play. Pretty low equity loss.

Game #1

Here's my lower-equity-loss loss against Carl Durdan

Game #2

Backyard Brawl- 11-9

2008-11-20T22:18:02Z

Vermont's Green Mountain Challenge was a great venue once more. Peace and harmony prevailed! My tiles were fairly conducive but I gave away too many games. Some of them I gave away the last turn or two. D'OH!

Mine, Mine, Mine | Theirs

MENORAH | VIOLATE
TETRAGON, SOLIDER, HEINOUS | CUTTERS, TRIAGED
SONICATE, UNGATED | OVERZEAL, ARMHOLES
REIFIES, RUINATE | 0
STINGER, REATONED* | TRUNDLE, BISECTOR, SLEAZIER
CAFFEIN, ENDOWERS, UNHEROIC, ENTERON | TALIPEDS
SWANKIER | REALISED
0 | LOOSENER, RETAPING
ATINGLE | RETIRES
NUDGERS, DEALINGS | 0
ORIENTER, UNSTILL* | SCORIAE, ARENOSE
RAVINES | 0
0 | RETEAMS
SEXTAIN | RIPENED, DIASTEM
ENTOILS, SANTERO | PERLITES
HOUSING, POLICES, TENOURS | ITERANT, TRENDED
WRESTING, LITHEST | OARLIKE, LEANEST
MANITOS, UTILIZE | 0
HEARTING | STRAINTS*, AVERSION

Bingo ratio: (34/20):(26/25) = 1.7:1.04

The critical misses:

CYANATES
JURYING (had INJURY? to open, chickened out with INJURY, bingoed* next turn, lost by 37)
OUTwENT (tried an S)
TRUDGEON

Uncritical:

CULTIGEN (don't remember ever seeing it)
DISSEATS
DESILVER
DITSIER (chickened out, thought only DITZIER, neither TIDIERS nor DIRTIES fit)
ELONGATE
LADINGS/LIGANDS (played through E for fewer points)
LITERATI
NIACINS
SOLITAIRE
STORAX
TASSIES/SIESTAS
TRIENNIA

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	NIDE SCUTTERS SPEAN TRONE	FI* REATONED* YIKE* UNSTILL*	BEPAVING* ELOINING* IMPUTAGE* NUGDERS* OUTSENT*
Their Plays	DEFERENT LOOSENER OARLIKE OVERZEAL RETEAMS SEL	AGENIC* RILER* STRAINTS*	(none)

This chart was generated by cross-tables.com

Notes: I thought BEPAVING* was pretty plausible. Obviously FI* and NUGDERS* were finger-stutters. STRAINTS* and RETEAMS were pretty shameful since I should know better. I used to miss AINRTTS all the time in drills, at least I thought I only used to. O(V)ERZEAL was a 230-point play, so auto-challenge. I thought UNSTILL* was good! STILLY sounds far less probably valid! LOOSENER just sounds bad, but I should have thought of lubricants.

I will next post my favorite winning and losing games

For Your Approval...

2008-10-31T17:31:30Z

...two Lake George games of relative excellence. Neither had a missed-bingo turn:

First, under 50 static equity lost:

http://www.cross-tables.com/annotated.php?u=2419

Second, about 72

http://www.cross-tables.com/annotated.php?u=2420

Bittersweet Lake George, 6/28 Div 2

2008-10-29T19:30:50Z

I was hoping to go 12-8 overall, to get over 1500, but finished a game shy, 11-9, 1476. I was a bit glum after going 2-6 on Friday, but I pulled out of that spiral. Apparently the strategy of staying up late on Saturday night, drinking and playing cards, worked pretty well, as I went 4-1 on Sunday.

I played quite a few first-timers, so I was pretty thrilled with my style performance overall. I've added a new dimension to my analysis, The Misses.

BINGOS
ME, ME, ME | THEM

LENTIGOS*, BATFOWL, TINKERED | EXISTING, EASTERN
UNDERHEAT, SEELING | MALLARD
ENFORCE | REIMAGES, UPSTART
SLOTTER, ATINGLE | READIED, UNRIPEST
FRONTIER, MARLINES, UNEATEN | ERECTILE

EDITION, INGRATE | ACTUATED, CHOOSING
RATINES | ARANEID, VARIOLA
LOMENTA, STENTOR | SPIRING, ARENOSE
AFREETS | WALLETS, REALISE
INTROIT, RIALTOS, OPERANT | LAUNDERS, SPINDLE
LACIEST, DEPOTING* | ELAPIDES*
WIRETAP, TELNETS | AERODYNE, INVOICED
VALISES, TINWARES, JETSKIS*, EMULATE | ACEDIAS
AEROSAT, STAINING | HEATERS, ENABLING, KNOTTERS
LORRIES, INVITERS | ENSNARE
DEVIATE, SLANGIER, ANTIBIAS | 0
DENOUNCE, RUINATES | TOONIES, SHUNTER
OUTCITY, KOTOWERS | BARONES*, SENARII
INTENTS, MIAULING, TRIAGED | 0
DEBITOR*, IPOMOEA | HINTERS, GANGLED*

Bingo ratio: 45/20 : 32/20 = 2.25: 1.6

The Misses:

I decided to construct two main categories- those that would had advanced the spread in a game I eventually won, those which I missed in games I lost or led to failure. Most of them were difficult to see with a blank (I know, awful, eh?)

Would Have Been Better Win- with half of these, I bingoed* the same or next turn

ETA: ACQUESTS
ADULATOR/LAUDATOR
AEROFOIL
ANTACIDS/DISCANT
AQUARIST (50-point play instead)
ARIETTE/ITERATE (duh)
ENDOSOME / EUDEMON
INVERITY
LUNGWORM
NETWORKS
PELOTON (didn't know)
STOWABLE
UNEARTH
VENDACES (didn't know it)
ETA: WEBFEET

Epic Fail (these were found in 5 losses)

AIRDATE/RADIATE (shameful, eh?)
EPICLIKE (didn't know)
IODINATE (TWS-TWS)
LEAFWORM (sorry Jeremy)
MADONNA
SIXTEEN (duh)
SWEENEYS
UNITAGE (missed plenty in drills)
UNWILLED
UNIAXIAL (haven't drilled)

The Challenges/ Lack Thereof

	Valid, challenged	Phoney, unchallenged	Phoney, challenged
My Plays	AGAPES ANTIBIAS MIAULING SLANGIER	DEBITOR* DEPOTING* DROWNT* JETSKIS* LENTIGOS* OUTBAT* RINNY*	BORNYLS* GITEAU* HAVIN* INLISTS* MORO* OVERTILT* REHAUNTS*
Their Plays	XYLOID*	BARONES* ELAPIDES* GANGLED* WRYED*	ADULTER* ALUIC* GIRATES* KANI* MONOPED* NED* PRET*

This chart was generated by cross-tables.com

See many of you clowns in my backyard in 9 days?