Game 5: vs Peter Yu
Thought I would have an easy time for my first game on the second day as Peter was a retiree but I was mistaken! Both of us had one bingo each, I had SERMONS(66) while he had STARKED(76) but he maintained a healthy lead throughout the game. I tried twice to bingo with a DEEMNT? rack by back hooking the E to an existing UP on the board, first with EMaNTED* and next with SEDiMENT but they were challenged off as Peter also challenged UPE* at the same time!
New words learnt: -
My Bingos: SERMONS(66) Opp Bingos: STARKED(76)
My Phoneys: UPE*, EMaNTED* Opp Phoneys: BAHS*
My High Moves: VINER(34) Opp High Moves: HOO(33), JAR(35)
L 341-421, -80. 2W 3L (Accum spread -213).
Game 6: vs Lai How Fatt
I faced another retiree in my next game. Had wanted to show off the last word played in the scrabble competition in "Akeelah and the Bee" but I remembered the word wrongly and phoneyed instead! He had two bingos with TOUrIST(66) and DIVERSE(68) but also played many phoneys. Thought he could have won if he just aggressively played out all his tiles during the end game instead of still being too conservative about opening up the board.
New words learnt: -
My Bingos: - Opp Bingos: TOUrIST(66), DIVERSE(68)
My Phoneys: LINM*, PAG* Opp Phoneys: TIF*, HAI*
My High Moves: ZO(62), ATTAIN(37), DOL(39), QI(33) Opp High Moves: -
W 407-390, +17. 3W 3L (Accum spread -196).
Game 7: vs Jeeva Kumar
Jeeva was a big Indian guy from the Home Team. I used HENRY to hook to an existing MAR on the board to form HENRY and MARY simultaneously early in the game. Wonder if anybody had done a HARRY met SALLY in a competition before? Later, both of us had a lot of bingos in this game. I had WIGLESS(87), TEMPTING(76) and GAUDIER(81) while he had TINKLER(65) and OUTLEAP(66). I managed to outscore him in the end.
New words learnt: -
My Bingos: WIGLESS(87), TMEPTING(76), GAUDIER(81) Opp Bingos: TINKLER(65), OUTLEAP(66)
My Phoneys: - Opp Phoneys: EMAS*
My High Moves: HENRY(31), DAISY(45), JOT(33), AIN(30) Opp High Moves: ZINE(37), FINS(35), EF(30), QADI(31)
W 496-403, +93. 4W 3L (Accum spread -103).
Game 8: vs Catherine Tong
Catherine was my second lady opponent of the game and she proved that girls were really better at multi-tasking than guys as she was able to read her Chinese storybook during the game itself! Thought there was no front hook for LITE and ignored that particular spot until Catherine plonked down RETIMED(96) down the TWS lane, front hooking LITE with an E. I had a AEPRSST rack late in the game. I tried STAPERS* and RAPTESS* unsuccessfully in quick succession and even went overtime by 3 minutes in the process. My worst game of the day! Hope my luck will change after lunch!
New words learnt: -
My Bingos: - Opp Bingos: RETIMED(96)
My Phoneys: KOT*, STAPERS*, RAPTESS* RAJAR* Opp Phoneys: -
My High Moves: HEX(37) Opp High Moves: VERY(38), QAT(32)
L 296-384, -88. 4W 4L (Accum spread -191).
The restaurant within the community centre itself was really crowded and I went to the nearby hawker center together with Bee Tiang, How Fatt, Catherine and Siew Chin for lunch.
Game 9: vs Low Bee Tiang
My opponent after lunch was my lunch buddy and whom I have played many times before! We had one bingo each, I had fLATTED(77) while he had PROVING(74). I also had most of the big tiles and scored heavily on them while he made a few phoneys that were challenged off. The result was a winning spread of almost 200 points, my biggest win of the day!
New words learnt: -
My Bingos: fLATTED(77) Opp Bingos: PROVING(74)
My Phoneys: - Opp Phoneys: CUG*, ECIG*
My High Moves: JEON(44), ZELS(69), SQUIZ(51) Opp High Moves: -
W 515-327, +188. 5W 4L (Accum spread -3).
Game 10: vs Catherine Tong
Had a chance to revenge myself against Catherine as the last three games were king-of-the-hill with repeats. This time round, I was very lucky with my tiles and scored two bingos, PIETIES(84) and UNWIRES(87) to win easily.
New words learnt: -
My Bingos: PIETIES(84), UNWIRES(87) Opp Bingos: -
My Phoneys: MIN* Opp Phoneys: UNJOLTED*
My High Moves: - Opp High Moves: STROVE(31)
W 415-316, +99. 6W 4L (Accum spread +96).
Game 11: vs Kao Zi Chong
I had two bingos COTTONS(74) and BEARINGS(70) while he had SUNNIEST(59) but our scores were very close until he played JIRL* across the TWS lane. It was challenged off and I played JARL(33) on my turn! Didn't play the end game well as I was frustrated with vowels on a closed board and I just any how opened up for my opponent to score. Luckily he did not have a bingo and he ended up with a single V that could not be played while I slowly played off all my vowels to win!
New words learnt: -
My Bingos: COTTONS(74), BEARINGS(70) Opp Bingos: SUNNIEST(59)
My Phoneys: - Opp Phoneys: JIRL*
My High Moves: FAX(34), JARL(33) Opp High Moves: HOTTY(32), QUITE(48), JETE(38), ZA(33), SPRAIN(40)
W 436-372, +64. 7W 4L (Accum spread +160).
Game 12: vs Ismail
Had quite an easy time as I had three bingos with TERRANE(67), TRIGGERS(65) and WAITING(79) while my opponent had none. I also got away with a TERP*(34) phoney. Wonder if it was because the ink on the tile was a little bit faded and he saw TERF instead. On my last move, I was deciding between MOWS(36) down the TWS lane or OMS(36) across the TWS lane with WAITING on top of it. Both scored the same points with exactly the same leave, so I wasn't sure which one to pick. Randomly picked OMS(36) in the end and was very surprised that my opponent challenged it! The 5 points from this challenge also enabled me to jump from 5th to 4th position!
New words learnt: KINDA
My Bingos: TERRANE(67), TRIGGERS(65), WAITING(79) Opp Bingos: -
My Phoneys: TERP*(38) Opp Phoneys: -
My High Moves: ZIN(32), OH(30), AXED(37), TERP*(38), JINN(36), OMS(41) Opp High Moves: KINDA(35), MERE(32), LEAD(33), YAH(33), WASh(47)
W 495-367, +128. 8W 4L (Accum spread +288).
Finished the tournament with 8 wins and 4th position. Hope to do better next year!
No comments:
Post a Comment