Millenium Cup 2006 (Day Two)

Game 5: vs Wong Ying Quan
Was more than 150 points ahead when I bingoed with OCToPUS(74) and my opponent played a few phoneys. He held an EGIINS? rack one time and tried dIEINGS* and tIEINGS* but both were challenged off. He managed to play SINGERs(76) after getting rid of the extra I. This was one of the few games that I tracked correctly and I found out that he could bingo out with an AEELNRT rack and blocked it with LENS(32).

New words learnt: -
My Bingos: OCToPUS(74) Opp Bingos: SINGERs(76)
My Phoneys: CLIT* Opp Phoneys: DEA*, LEO*, dIEINGS*, tIEINGS*
My High Moves: ADZ(43), SEX(34), LENS(32) Opp High Moves: -
W 420-288, +132. 2W 3L (Accum spread -62).

Game 6: vs Low Bee Tiang
Our scores were quite close until my opponent played CURVE with the C on the TWS line. Had the choice of playing MU(22) on top of CURVE or CREAM(30) down the TWS line. In the end, I played CREAM(30) and Bee Tiang pulled ahead with QUEST(76) with Q on the TWL cell and T on the DWS cell!

New words learnt: -
My Bingos: - Opp Bingos: -
My Phoneys: STAN* Opp Phoneys: ETS*, OORN*, RINT*, DOGER*
My High Moves: CREAM(30) Opp High Moves: ZIG(33), TOTES(39), QUEST(76), YEW(30)
L 309-357, -48. 2W 4L (Accum spread -110).

Game 7: vs Chua Zhong Jie
A combination of my opponent's phoneys and having high scoring tiles on my part helped me win the game despite being outbingoed 2 to 1. Missed challenging NUP* although I knew it looked suspicious. I used to think DUH* was good as it was part of the vocabulary of Homer Simpson but remembered that somehow it wasn't in SOWPODS!

New words learnt: -
My Bingos: NERDIEST(60) Opp Bingos: ROUTINEs(66), SEATERS(71)
My Phoneys: - Opp Phoneys: OIR*, OIS*, DUH*, NUP*(29)
My High Moves: REH(32), EVADE(33), BY(30), NOX(47), RIZ(38) Opp High Moves: -
W 450-342, +108. 3W 4L (Accum spread -2).

Game 8: vs zzBye

W 150-100, +50. 4W 4L (Accum spread +48).

Game 9: vs Valli
Interesting to note that my opponent's first move was VALI which is similar to her name! My break came when I tried TALKIER(87) that turned out to be good when challenged! My opponent had very bad luck as she changed twice and phonied several times. Had the chance to bingo again towards the end of the game but I threw it away when I played something that blocked the two existing bingo lanes!

New words learnt: -
My Bingos: TALKIER(87) Opp Bingos: ASSIGNEd(59)
My Phoneys: - Opp Phoneys: PAU*, RETOWNER*
My High Moves: CORDS(38) Opp High Moves: ZED(33)
W 378-323, +55. 5W 4L (Accum spread +103).

Game 10: vs Ng Ming Wei
Start of the KOH round. Realised after the tournament that I could have gotten 3rd place if I had won all 3 KOH rounds. Alvin was placed behind me at this point in time and he eventually got 3rd place. My opponent scored well with the high scoring tiles and got away with several phoneys. Lost despite outbingoing my opponent 2 to 0.

New words learnt: -
My Bingos: NEWSIER(91), INFESTED(76) Opp Bingos: -
My Phoneys: - Opp Phoneys: ZOEAEL*(23), WINT*(21), BORG*(23)
My High Moves: - Opp High Moves: ZOEAE(48), MEDIC(36), QAID(48), VEX(38), QUEY(48), PORN(30)
L 378-402, -24. 5W 5L (Accum spread +79).

Game 11: vs Ashley
My opponent had two blanks, all 4 S and JKQX while I only had the Z. Was basically thrashed by my opponent!

New words learnt: -
My Bingos: - Opp Bingos: LOUsiER(79)
My Phoneys: - Opp Phoneys: QUILTY*
My High Moves: FIZ(30), CAR(34) Opp High Moves: EXACT(39), KEEN(38), HUH(35), GNAW(31), TEENSY(62)
L 311-440, -129. 5W 6L (Accum spread -50).

Game 12: vs Low Bee Tiang
Was holding a ADDEILT rack and hoped that my opponent would somehow open an E out for me to bingo. My wish came true when he played BRAVE back hooking the R to iTEMISE and hitting the TWS line with the E. I had to restrain myself from calling out "Challenge!" as iTEMISER* looked very much like a phoney. Played DETAILED(149) as a nine-timer on my next turn! My first nine-timer in a tournament!

New words learnt: KALE
My Bingos: DETAILED(149) Opp Bingos: iTEMISE(81)
My Phoneys: - Opp Phoneys: MEaTIES*
My High Moves: HEW(40), LIMN(38), ZIN(32), FARO(31), QUAT(39) Opp High Moves: NOSY(30), AXIL(49)
W 475-386, +89. 6W 6L (Accum spread +39).

Had 6 wins out of 12 including a bye and came in 9th out of 13. Didn't do as well as I thought I should. Hope to reach above 1500 ratings by the end of the year!

Millenium Cup 2006 (Day One)

My second time playing in the Millenium Cup. Decided to take part this year again as the venue happened to be quite near to my place at Hwa Chong Institution.

I went to HCI much earlier than needed to catch the div A players in action. Witnessed the exciting finish of the first game between Jiang Pern and Dorai where Dorai managed to bingo out to edge out a win with a DIMNOOS rack! After that, I had lunch at the pool side restaurant where I met Alvin, Huang Zhi and Bee Tiang who were also playing in div B. I saw a few more familiar players including Arul, Boon Hock and Thiam Yong back at the playing venue. Waited for a while more before the pairings were announced shortly after 1pm.

Game 1: vs Chen Huang Zhi
Was quite confident as I had played with him at the Causeway Cup last year. A bingoless game but my opponent tried BARINGS* and another bingo back hooking AJAR with S which I challenged off. Missed challenging AME* though.

New words learnt: -
My Bingos: - Opp Bingos: -
My Phoneys: - Opp Phoneys: BARINGS*, AJARS*, AME*(25)
My High Moves: WIZ(51), LOX(43) Opp High Moves: -
W 392-260, +132. 1W 0L (Accum spread +132).

Game 2: vs Tan Boon Hock
Had lots of vowels at the start and played AIA right in the middle. Probably should have changed instead as my opponent placed BAKE on top of it to score 38 points! He also set up a bingo line across the TWS with NOD and bingoed with mInNIES(83) front hooking NOD with the S! Had DEMOTES(73) late in the game but was too far behind to catch up.

New words learnt: CLEPT, SNOD
My Bingos: DEMOTES(73) Opp Bingos: mInNIES(83)
My Phoneys: - Opp Phoneys: -
My High Moves: JAG(39), EX(39) Opp High Moves: BAKE(38), CLEPT(30), QI(31), ZIT(48)
L 374-417, -43. 1W 1L (Accum spread +89).

Game 3: vs Dewin
My first time playing with Dewin and he is a very polite guy who apologises for counting too slowly or overdrawing. He bingoed with RELISTS(91) first and I bingoed next with LINTERs(65) just below the TWS line. He tried FENnERS* later but was challenged off. I blocked one of the bingo lanes with EX but we realised after the game that two more bingo lanes were available: one back hooking the S to OLD and another front hooking the S to LINTERs. He put FENdERS(84) back hooking to OLD later not realising the existence of the other higher scoring bingo lane.

New words learnt: GOOPY
My Bingos: LINTERs(65) Opp Bingos: RELISTS(91), FENdERS(84)
My Phoneys: - Opp Phoneys: FENnERS*, MOVEN*
My High Moves: PEH(31), QI(44), EX(32), MEAL(31), JUN(36) Opp High Moves: DEMON(34), ZANY(32), GOOPY(49), WEFT(30)
L 357-461,-104. 1W 2L (Accum spread -15).

Game 4: vs Lee Thiam Hock
My first time playing with Thiam Hock although I have seen him several times at tournaments. He started well with ZINEB(52). I scored badly as I was trying to fish for bingos. Tried UNGASSED* with a ADEGNSU rack through an S on the board but it was challenged off! Lost badly in the end!

New words learnt: -
My Bingos: - Opp Bingos: MASsAGES(70)
My Phoneys: UNGASSED* Opp Phoneys: -
My High Moves: LEWD(32) Opp High Moves: ZINEB(52), CRONY(35), DJINNI(44), FOE(32)
L 244-423, -179. 1W 3L (Accum spread -194).

Finished day 1 badly with 1 win and 3 losses in 12th position. Hope to do better the next day!

Pandora's Box

The film is adapted from a play and describes society in the late 20s through the life of a woman named Lulu. She has a very strong personality and affects the people around her subconsciously including her friends, her husband and her step son.

Liked the cute hairstyle of the lead actress played by Louise Brooks! She also acts very well and has great screen presence! The DVD extra features include a documentary "Looking for Lulu" that talks about the life of the actress and I find it very interesting too as it shows the actress acting in many other films and how her real life parallels that of the life of Lulu!

Internet Movie Database Link
Looking for Lulu

The Dog in the Manger

The story is adapted from a play that describes life in the Spanish court. The countess is jealous that her secretary has fallen in love with her maid and this affected the relationship among the three people.

Interesting to see the tricks up the sleeves of the countess! She is quite fickle minded though and I could empathise with the secretary's situation! Liked the nice looking costumes and the beautiful verses spoken!

Internet Movie Database Link

Flowers from another World

Read about the "Spanish Film Festival" at the Arts House from the papers, so decided to go there and take a look. Was delighted to hear that it was free of charge and stayed for two films in a row!

The story is about how three women adapted to life in a small Spanish town after they got to know the men through a singles party.

Liked how the director weaved the lives of the people together seamlessly! She described the everyday problems that people face realistically and in an interesting way! The hairstyle of the daughter of Patricia looked quite cute too!

Internet Movie Database Link

Fast Food Nation

The story is about what goes behind the scenes of the fast food industry. It is told through the eyes of the top level management, the front end counter people and the back end workers of a fictitious fast food company.

Was pleasantly surprised that Bruce Willis, Avril Lavigne and the lead actress of "Maria Full of Grace" appeared in the film! Not as exciting as "Super Size Me" which is a film about the harmful effects of eating fast food as there were quite a few dull moments. Appreciated how the director tried to cover many different perspectives to give a fuller picture though.

Internet Movie Database Link

The Sweet Hereafter

The story is about what happens after a school bus got into an accident and many children died while a lawyer tried to get people to sue the bus company.

Liked the complex structure of the film where the director broke the storyline into fragments and used lots of flashbacks and flashforwards to tell the story! The film also portrayed how each of the parents treated their children and cleverly incorporated the Pied Piper legend into the voice narration! The little baby looked quite cute too!

Internet Movie Database Link

School for Scoundrels

The story is about how a young guy enrolls in an unusual school to build his confidence and chase the girl of his dream. Things get complicated when his teacher decides to get more involved with his personal life.

Very interesting school syllabus but pretty expensive in my opinion! Liked how the young guy and his teacher tried to outwit each other towards the end of the film!

Internet Movie Database Link

Borat

The story is about the adventures of a Kazhakstan reporter, Borat, around the United States of America to learn their culture. Due to the cultural differences, people are sometimes disturbed by his behaviour as social norms have to be explained to him explicitly.

It is interesting to see how the film place people in extreme situations and see how they behave much like the television show "Candid Camera"! Didn't like the coarse language, the gratuitous nudity and the lowly attitude towards women and Jews in general but I guess it highlights the problem of discrimination of people who are different from us when taken to the extreme. Liked the lessons with the humour teacher and the dinner etiquette teacher the best as it shows how miscommunication can occur due to cultural differences.

Internet Movie Database Link