My pre-tournament rating was 1511 which ranked me roughly in the middle of the field of 90, hence my aim was to finish in the middle or above and, hopefully, to gain some rating points. In fact, I had many interesting, exciting and lucky games, which is why I have decided to write them up.
* = word not allowed (I have used circumlocutions to avoid printing as many as possible of the non-allowed words)
Lower case = blank
My share of the big ten tiles is listed in the order ??SSSSJQXZ. A hyphen means that I didn't get the tile.
I have included a few questions marked by @@ in the text. Answers are at the end.
Game 1---JULIA SORELL (Tas, pre-tournament rating: 1377)
The seeded draw (top-ranked plays middle, second-ranked plays one below
middle, etc) matched me with Julia. Apart from Julia finding out that GIF
does not take an S (when I challenged it off), the game progressed slowly
and fairly tightly until Julia found EXaMiNER at 14a using the R. This put
her over 100 ahead, but it opened up a triple-triple opportunity down the
lower left column. However, with my rack of DEILNOS, my first idea was to
play DOLINES across the bottom from 15a to make 7 other words, and I
confidently placed the letters on the board. Fortunately, while adding up
the score, I realised that only 6 were legit and I took up my letters and
had a go at the triple-triple. The word I found, LESIONED, gave me 140 and
the tournament's highest word for about ten games until Keith Bioletti
topped it with IDEOLOGY for 176. Intriguingly, LESIONED is a US-only word,
and the only other anagram (which I didn't know, but which would have
fitted) is UK-only. @@ What is it? I was only 28 ahead, but my pick-up
gave me BORATES for 70 and I was able to hold the lead for the remaining
few turns to win.
Started first; my share of the big 10: --SS--J-X-
WIN: 438-375; margin: +63; progressive result: 1/+63
Game 2---ROBERT TOMKINS (NSW, 1331)
Robert found the first bonus, SINKERS, but I managed to move ahead due, in
part, to my two challenges of Robert's plays being successful (eg Robert
now knows that ATOP does not take an S). Robert played a second bonus,
RELINEd, to regain the lead, and held it for the last few moves for a
narrow win. Perhaps I was a bit a unlucky with the tiles, as my blank came
too late to be useful. Robert went on to snare 155 rating points, the
second best for the tournament.
Started; ?-------XZ
LOSS: 347-358, -11, 1/+52
Game 3---JOHN HOLGATE (NSW, 1833)
I wasn't very hopeful against such a highly rated player, but the game
became interesting when I jumped to the lead after a few turns with
FLATNESs for 83. Shortly after, John just surpassed me with BORACItE (a
mineral) and followed it with ELOIGNED to be 67 ahead. However, I'd drawn
DEGORSW. The only word I knew with these letters needed an A. I looked on
the board and, lo and behold, there was one free, so I played DOWAGERS for
76 to regain the lead. (DOWAGERS has one anagram which I might have got
with a bit of thought. @@ What is it?) The lead seesawed over the next
few turns as we played out the the big five tiles (I learnt FOZY from John)
and John was lumbered with both Vs. There were still two Ss to come and
the board was reasonably open when up popped AEGILNS on my rack. I had
several options, but I went for NARGILES through the R of DOWAGERS, because
it seemed to close most of the board and it didn't open too many TWSs. (A
nargile is a hookah. Alternative spellings are NARGHILE, its anagram
NARGILEH, NARGHILLY, NARGHILY, NARGILLY and NARGILY.) I was now ahead by
72 with only an A on my rack, but John had a full rack including an S and
there were a few openings. Luckily, he had no bonus play and I won an
exciting game. I think it's the first time I've beaten John. And if I
have beaten him before, it was probably when he was playing two games at
once at the Canberra Club in 1993. John was more successful in later games
and came 10th. He was the second-highest-placed person I played.
Replied (ie I was second player); ?-SSS-JQ--
WIN: 435-366, +69, 2/+121
Game 4---CHEAH SIU HEAN (Singapore, no pre-tournament Australian rating)
This was Cheah's first Australian tournament, so he had no Australian
rating. But I knew from the Singapore Scrabble newsletter, for which Cheah
is the junior editor, that Cheah's Singapore rating placed him second
behind Tony Sim in Singapore, and I knew that Tony was a strong player,
since he's won the Australian Championships. Although I had the first
bonus with XEROSES, Cheah responded immediately with REMINdER to regain a
small lead. He then scored 49 for COXA and 48 for JOKER to strengthen his
lead, before bingoing later with DENTINE. I found SAVOrIES, but it was too
late, and Cheah took the game soon after. I learnt FAITOR and ZEATIN from
Cheah, who went on to come 16th and gain an Australian rating of 1648.
Started; ?-SSS--QXZ
LOSS: 361-425, -64, 2/+57
Game 5---SAM GREENBERG (NSW, 1506)
Sam opened with DUTY, giving several options for my AEEIRST rack, but I
played READIEST because it was the first one I thought of. Sam caught up a
few turns later after FAZE and QuINE, but I found RENTING. Two turns later
I got STRINGeD to lead by about 100. I picked up EIILOPS and the first
word I thought of was POLItIES, but there was no floating T and Sam didn't
give me one. In fact, he played CLAM and I immediately played POLICIES for
my fourth bonus and a lead of nearly 180. (EIILOPS+? has two more
anagrams. @@ What are they?) My luck continued when I went out with
VENTAILS to score only my second 5-bonus tournament game and to gain a huge
spread (my biggest for the tournament) which helped me stay positive for
much of the tournament. (I've just checked and a ventail is the part of
the helmet in medieval armour which protects the lower part of the face.)
Replied; ?-SSSSJ-X-
WIN: 532-319, +213, 3/+270
Game 6---ALISTAIR KANE (Vic, 1857)
I'd never played Alistair before, so I didn't know what would happen. My
second rack was AEIPTUV, which makes no sevens and only one eight,
PUTAtIVE. Alistair obliged me with an open T and I moved to the lead. I
followed by KAROO, which Alistair didn't know--it's a South African word
for a dry plateau (also KARROO). Shortly after Alistair played REARISE to
almost level the score, but I answered with ENEMIeS. Two more turns and I
was staring at a Q on my rack. All the Us were on the the board and
useless. I had FAI, so my only hope was for Alistair to play an R. He
obliged again and down went FAQIR for 34. With a lead of 120, I decided to
close up the board, even though I prefer an open game. Alistair gained a
bit on me, but not enough to win. Alistair was the highest-rated player I
faced at the tournament.
Replied; ??S----QXZ
WIN: 378-320, +58, 4/+328
After these two wins against WSC reps, 5 bonuses and the day's high word, I was chuffed (using the meaning on p308 of Chambers, not the one on p307). Even if I won hardly any others, I was pretty happy.
Game 7---TREVOR HALSALL (NSW, 1763)
Although I had two bonuses to Trevor's one, he scored more consistently
than me. He also set himself up for a bonus by playing MULED (which is not
related to the animal). MULED takes one letter at the front, E, which I
didn't know, and Trevor was able to score 95 for REAPInG on a TWS with this
hook. EMULE is poet Robert Southey's word for "emulate". My bonuses were
UNCOVERS around a V and CATERErS. I also learnt BIVIA (plural of BIVIUM,
part of an echinoderm) and JILGIE (= GILGIE, a yabby) from Trevor.
Started; ?-SSS-JQ-Z
LOSS: 364-425, -61, 4/+267
Game 8---ROBERT ARCHER (Vic, 1650)
In the first game of the second day, I got better tiles against Robert and
I was able to capitalise on them. My first bonus was the easiest, since it
was EASIEST. Two turns later I had REtORTS to lead by 85. I should have
closed off but my letters were unhelpful. I did manage to play BIVIA which
I'd learnt from the previous game. However, I found out that ANOXIC
(meaning "without oxygen") doesn't have a corresponding word without the
AN- prefix when my word was challenged off. Without the benefit of a
bonus, but with the help of some TWSs I hadn't blocked, Robert had regained
a lead of 22. But I had a blank, and a simple AIlERON (the L is a blank in
case your font doesn't distinguish the letters) gave me the game with a few
turns to go.
Replied; ??SSS---XZ
WIN: 399-351, +48, 5/+315
Game 9---STEVE SUNTER (Vic, 1804)
Steve (who I'd never played before) got the better letters and capitalised
with two early bonuses, SILVErY and tOTTERER. (@@ What are the three other
words in EILSVY? which Steve could have had?) I only played EDITORS (I'm
an editor, but it took me a while to see the word!), but I just couldn't
get much else and Steve kept me to my lowest score for the whole
tournament.
Replied; --S---JQ--
LOSS: 276-406, -130, +5/+185
Game 10---BARBARA BERLIN (Vic, 1823)
Another strong Victorian player, the same poor letters, and another big
loss. Early on, Barbara tried to extend my UKE with a D from DEXtRAN, but
I challenged it off. However, next turn she got her DEXtRAN down elsewhere
(it's the only word with those letters) and soon after found INGROUP to
open up a 70+ lead. By the time I got my only bonus, DOGATES, Barbara had
found ZEST for 50 and ARENOSE for 69 and was almost unassailable.
Replied; --S---JQ--
LOSS: 348-476, -128, 5/+57
Game 11---SUE KYATT (Vic, 1736)
Yet another strong Victorian, but the luck went my way this time. Despite
not getting a bonus, Sue scored very consistently for the first half (and I
learnt MILTZ, a Jewish cooking term for the spleen). Meanwhile, I had
TRANNIES, but in my next play I found out that the very logical CRANEMEN*
doesn't exist. Sue was leading by 7 when I played FAScIST for 96 to swing
the game towards me. (AFISST? has six more anagrams that I didn't even
consider. @@ What are they?) I hooked one of the Ss on the end of JIGGER,
which Sue said after was supposed to have been the much safer JIGGED, but
she had played the wrong letter. Sue was also unfortunate to pick the last
S very late and the second blank was the last tile I left in the bag.
Neither was much help to her. However, Sue improved in later games. She
came 8th to be the highest-placed opponent I played.
Started; ?-SSS--Q--
WIN: 401-319, +82, 6/+139
Game 12---KARRIN HENDERSON (Qld, 1249)
My first Queensland opponent for the tournament. Since I'd played Karrin
many times in Queensland at tournaments and clubs, and she had one of the
lowest ratings in the field, I thought I had a good chance of a win. I
found the first bonus with IsATINE, then later Karrin used an S for 35,
because her next play was STIFLeS to take the lead. She held on for a
while until I found AREOLATE, which I immediately followed with AEQUORIN
using an A. (Aequorin is a protein secreted by jellyfish, and I've
actually seen the word in print in "New Scientist". @@ What are the three
other 8-letter words with all the vowels and a Q?) I felt confident with
my 79-point lead, but Karrin had found the last S and now played SNIFTER
for 92, to take the lead again. She was able to use J and X for nice
scores in the next few moves to take the game, and I ended up with my
highest loss for the tournament. Karrin finished with the biggest rating
gain for a Queenslander, 142 points.
Started; ?------Q--
LOSS: 419-445, -26, 6/+113
Game 13---JOAN ROSENTHAL (NSW, 1844)
I didn't expect a good run against Joan, as she is one of the top NSW
players, but then, I had beaten John Holgate and Alistair Kane. However,
the tiles were kinder to me in those games. Against Joan I only drew three
Ss (and two were still on my rack when Joan went out) and it took a while
before I got a bonus, ENLISTER. Meanwhile, Joan had found POLICINg and
AVIARIeS. Although I was within reach of Joan--if I got a good bonus--it
was Joan who scored the next bingo, VAURIEN (a good-for-nothing, from the
French), to go out and thus gave me my worst defeat of the tournament. My
cumulative margin went negative for the first time.
Replied; --SSS-----
LOSS: 292-457, -165, 6/-52
Game 14---SIVA SIVAPALASUNDRAM (NSW, 1398)
The only game I played in which neither of us scored a bonus. Siva got an
early lead and kept it. The highest play was my QUEYS for 64 which brought
me closer to Siva. We both used an S and a blank in one word for around 30
near the very end. My last letters were OW and I was behind by 26, but
fortunately they could down for 27. I also caught Siva with 5 points on
his rack. This was my narrowest win.
Started; ?-SS--JQ-Z
WIN: 343-332, +11, 7/-41
Game 15---JEAN NOONAN (NSW, 1500)
In the first game of the third day, I was the first to bonus with FOOTAGe,
but Jean answered soon after with RAISINg to cut my lead back to only 21.
I was less fortunate trying for a second bonus. Faced with EEILRRS, I
tried what I thought would be quite likely, RESILER*, but Jean challenged
it off. She told me after the game that she was worried that I would try
the only allowed anagram of those letters. (@@ What is the anagram?) In
fact, I didn't know the word, even though I toyed with it. Later in the
game I had exactly the same rack, so it was lucky for Jean that she hadn't
actually mentioned the word, otherwise Icould have played it. We both
played out an S near the end for trifling scores. I was lucky to pick all
the high-scorers during the game and they helped boost my score for a
comfortable win.
Replied; ?-S---JQXZ
WIN: 374-307, +67, 8/+26
Game 16---ROD TALBOT (NSW, 1639)
This was my first tournament game against Rod, although I have lost several
social games against him. The lead changed several times until Rod found a
profitable ENFIX for 59 to create a solid 82-point lead. Two turns later,
Rod bingoed with PURITAN and moved to 133 ahead. (Surprisingly, PURITAN
has an anagram. @@ What is it?) Meanwhile I was struggling with too many
Ss. I played one off and managed my only bonus, ISATINES, next turn. LEZ
for 42 put me within striking distance, 51 points behind, but Rod had all
the remaining goodies. With both blanks and the last S, Rod found a
double-double opportunity--unusual for so late in the game--and sealed my
fate with iSOTOpE for 79. I learnt CELLA and CRAME from Rod.
Replied; --SSS----Z
LOSS: 358-485, -127, 8/-101
Game 17---TRISH BRIGHTON (Qld, 1273)
The four high-scorers helped me to an early lead until Trish played OBESITY
for 99 to jump to 46 ahead. (In fact, she could have had 101 for it on the
other side of the board--I mean the right-hand side, not the side without
the squares.) Soon after I bingoed with SECtION to regain a small lead. I
had hooked my S on the end of WON to make WONS, a word Trish didn't know.
After the game I told Trish that a won is a Korean monetary unit and can
take an S. However, I've checked now and the plural of the money is also
WON. But there is an archaic and dialect verb, WON, meaning "to dwell,
abide", which takes the S. Trish moved back to the lead and was up by 1
after she'd played FUN, but it was a reckless opening as I played LINTERS
through a TWS and made FUNS in the process, which Trish had not
expected to exist. Trish had the other blank, but it was too late for her
to retrieve the game.
Started; ?-SS--JQXZ
WIN: 448-370, +78, 9/-23
Game 18---GRAEME LOCK LEE (NSW, 1449)
Although Graeme's rating was below mine, I knew that his had been a lot
higher. What was his real skill level? I had most of the biggies early
and the lead changed several times until Graeme played EqUINIA (= glanders,
a fatal disease of horses) and then SULFITE two turns later to lead by
around a hundred. After Graeme dumped three Rs on a B to make BRRR, I
finally got a bonus with LINsEED. Graeme challenged EQUINIAs which I had
formed, but I knew it was OK, since I'd only just seen EQUINIA recently and
I'd checked it in Redwood. (I must remember to do that more often: when
you learn a new word, find out what hooks it takes so that you can use it
with confidence.) My bonus had knocked Graeme's lead back to 56, and my
last two turns scored well, but it was not enough to catch Graeme.
Started; ?-SS---QXZ
LOSS: 371-396, -25, 9/-48
Game 19---OLGA VISSER (Qld, 1318)
I've had many games with Olga, President of ASPAQ, and I tend to win, but
not always. I opened with QUERN for 48 and Olga answered with the
completely unoriginal QUERN! A few turns later, Olga played the bonus
CORGIS, except that she spelt it with an E between the I and S. I
challenged, but Olga was convinced that it was good--she said it had been
played in a club. In fact, it's definitely no good. (Mm, always check
words in club games.) Olga bingoed a few turns later with WEDDINGS, but
the score of 66 was not enough to regain the lead, which I increased with
SpIRITS for 78 soon after. Although Olga picked the other blank, it was
eventually unplayed and I maintained my lead of around 100 to the end.
Started; ?-SSS--Q-Z
WIN: 409-304, +105, 10/+57
Game 20---JOHN BARKER (NSW, 1768)
The scores were almost level until I played QuANTISE for 104 through an N.
(There are 6 other 8-letter words from AEIQTS?+?, none of which I realised
at the time. @@ What are they? Several were playable, but I was fortunate
mine had the best score). John used what turned out to be his only S for
the game to achieve 28 to try to keep up with me. However, my pick-up
included the other blank and I played FURNaCE to be more than a hundred
ahead. (The only other anagram of CEFNRU?, which I didn't know, was also
playable in the same spot. @@ What is it?) A couple of turns later I got
ORATIONS through an A. John responded immediately with ETERNAL to be only
55 behind. However, I picked better letters, including the last S, to draw
further ahead for a very comfortable win, my second-best at the tournament.
Started; ??SSS-JQ--
WIN: 467-327, +140, 11/+197
I had now won more than half my games and my cumulative margin was fairly safely positive. To win the next game would be a real bonus.
Game 21---MEG HENDERSON (Vic, +1672)
The game started very promisingly. Although Meg opened with QUOTE for 48,
I played BrOUGHT to make QUOTEr and go to the lead on 81. In fact, I
missed several other plays including one worth a lot more. @@ What was the
good play I missed? Perhaps that cost me the game. (I must keep looking
for better plays, I must keep looking for better plays...) Soon after I
found INDECENT through a floating E, but Meg immediately countered with
LEGATEES and was only 9 behind. After Meg played DEXTRIN for 30 (it's a
gum, and not to be confused with DEXTRAN which is a carbohydrate), I got my
third bonus, RANKEST for 75, to be 72 ahead. I had hooked my S on to the
end of GLUM, and Meg did not challenge it. In fact, the word is not
allowed, even though I feel sure I've heard of "an attack of the glums",
but maybe I'm confusing it with "The Glums", which I think was an old BBC
radio comedy series. Meg did say that I could have moved the word down one
space and formed the allowable GLUME (part of a grass) for more points.
GLUME is the only single-letter end hook for GLUM. With my lead, I tried
to close up, as had been successful with Alistair. However, although I
blocked the bonus spots (which was a pity, because I had ERASION on my rack
at one stage), Meg filled in the other spaces with useful consonants,
including a nice HE for 38 because the E came between QUILT and R. Meg
followed this with SeRIF with the F on a TLS and the word doubled for 44.
She was now on 407, 18 ahead of me. I knew that she had ADD, but could not
play all her letters at once. I played SIRE for 21 and was 3 ahead. I
didn't think I could score much with my remaining AIR, but I didn't think
Meg had many scoring opportunities either. However, she placed AD between
D and O to make DADO for 16. I could only manage to go out with 4 and Meg
won by 5 once her final D was accounted for. It was my narrowest loss.
Although I lost, it was an exciting game. Well done to Meg, who finished
20th.
Replied; ?-SS------
LOSS: 416-421, -5, 11/+192
I finished 35th with 11/+192 (or +193 on the computer) and I gained 51 rating points. I was very pleased with my performance, considering that I came 84th out of 92 at the 1998 Nationals, although at that event, I had more close games and most went against me.
STATISTICS
DRAWS
Wins Losses Total
Starts 6 5 11
Replies 5 5 10
BONUSES
Total bonuses
Me 39
Opponents 28
Mine Wins Losses Total
5 1 1
4
3 2 3 5
2 4 2 6
1 2 5 7
0 1 1 2
Opponent Wins Losses Total
3 2 2
2 1 6 7
1 6 2 8
0 4 4
Excess (ie my bonuses minus opponent's)
Wins Losses Total
5 1 1
4
3 1 1
2 2 1 3
1 4 2 6
0 3 1 4
-1 3 3
-2 3 3
First or only bonus
Wins Losses Total
Me 7 4 11
Opponent 3 6 9
(There was 1 game without bonuses)
BLANKS
Wins Losses Total
2 3 3
1 7 6 13
0 1 4 5
Ss
Wins Losses Total
4 1 1
3 5 4 9
2 3 2 5
1 2 2 4
0 2 2
JQXZ
Wins Losses Total
4 2 2
3 2 3 5
2 6 3 9
1 1 2 3
0 2 2
All ten tiles
Blanks 24/42
Ss 45/84
JQXZ 44/84
I had slightly more than the average number of the top ten tiles probably
because I found more bingoes and so turned over more tiles.
RATINGS
My pre-tournament rating = 1511
Average pre-tournament rating of all my opponents = 1592
Opponent's pre-tournament
rating Wins Losses Total
300-400 above me 2 2 4
200-300 above me 2 2 4
100-200 above me 1 3 4
0-100 above me 0 0 0
0-100 below me 2 1 3
100-200 below me 3 1 4
200-300 below me 1 1 2
These results are more spread out than I expected. I have used Cheah's
post-tournament rating.
MARGINS Games
201 to 250 1
151 to 200 1
101 to 150 1
51 to 100 6
1 to 50 2
0 0
-1 to -50 4
-51 to -100 2
-101 to -150 3
-151 to -200 1
ANSWERS
Game
1. ESLOINED
3. WORDAGES
5. PISOLItE, PLOIdIES
9. LIVYErS, SYLVInE, SYLVItE
11. FASTISh, FATSIaS, FIeSTAS, FISSATe, SATISFy, SITFASt
12. EQUATION, ODALIQUE (plural played by Derek McKenzie during the
tournament) and SEQUOIAS
15. RELIERS
16. UPTRAIN
20. AcQuITES, AnTIQuES, EQuISeTA, lIQuATES, QuAkIEST, TEQuIlAS
FRoUNCE
21. UnBOUGHT, a double-double for 106 through Meg's U