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#player1 Mack Mack
#player2 Max Max
>Mack: ?BBEHNO H7 BOB +14 14
#note This was the tournament-deciding game. HOB is an option but the H seems more than 2 points better than the B.
>Max: ACIO 10E CIAO +16 16
>Mack: ?EEEHNV I6 VEE +14 28
#note Several 8s (REVEHENT, ELEVENTH, VEHEMENT) which I saw but none play. This looks good as it gives nothing back and my tiles go really well with the C.
>Max: IIIII -IIIII +0 16
>Mack: ?AEHNOU E6 EUlA.HON +74 102
#note Only bingo.
>Max: EIILLRT 8A TRIL. +15 31
#note I believe Max said this was his rack. Awkward position for him -- this is a big equity sacrifice over something like D12 LI but there isn't a good lane to bingo after that, so it makes sense to open the board. VILL to set up VILLI is another option, which scores a bit less but keeps a more bingo-ey and balanced leave.
>Mack: ANNORSU D11 UN +13 115
#note Not a fan of fishing when ahead in general, but this bingos a lot especially with the T on the A column, and I don't have any good scoring plays, so seems fine.
>Max: EILX F3 ILEX +52 83
>Mack: AAENORS D4 OAR +16 131
#note This is exactly why I hate fishing with a lead -- if you miss you get stuck in this vicious cycle of playing for 15 points while your opponent can mount a comeback. I could play ANOAS/SILEX, but AENS is strong enough that OAR looks correct. ANOAS also gives back big plays at 1A.
>Max: EIIOPR 4F .IRIOPE +20 103
>Mack: AAEEHNS K2 SA.HENAE +76 207
#note Huge break for me that Max floated a P.
>Max: AUW H1 WAU. +21 124
>Mack: DEGKQTU 2K .QUEG +30 237
#note First real difficult turn of the game. I spent a while here as I hated to open the G given I likely won't have a good play with it given my DKT leave. The problem is my other options, the best of which are plays like 3J GATED and 2J TSKED, are all quite weak. The pool is already quite consonant-heavy, which is bad for both my DKT leave after SQUEG and just as bad for leaves like QUG or QUK. Ultimately I decided it was more important to shed the Q and that as long as I drew 1 vowel I'd have a better chance of plodding through DGT than a rack with QU but few other vowels. Sim has all these options basically neck and neck. I'm currently 91% to win after SQUEG -- that would change very, very quickly.
>Max: ?ALMORR L9 MORuLAR +72 196
#note Solid find by Max here, this is his only playable bingo.
>Mack: DGKOTTT -DGTTTK +0 237
#note This was the problem with SQUEG. I pretty much have to trade, plays like 14K DATTO or B7 GROK are clearly bad. I kept the O as the pool is still quite consonant-heavy. This moves to the top of the sim after a few hundred iterations.
>Max: EEFS 2C FEES +23 219
>Mack: DFILOVW 1A FLOW +56 293
#note Max's play of FEES was extremely alarming as he clearly has another S and at least one of the two remaining Es. I have no choice, though, but to do this and hope he can't hit me too hard down below.
>Max: EEINSST 15H SENT.IES +122 341
#note Ouch...
>Mack: DIJTVYY C7 J.VY +29 322
#note Nothing else to consider here. A sim has me at 17% to win, which is much more than I felt like during the game -- I thought I was pretty dead. I guess there are situations where Max has big consonant trouble and I draw the vowels and can outrun him. Or...
>Max: KNOP 13K P.ONK +22 363
>Mack: ADDITYZ O7 TZADDI. +69 391
#note That can happen. I was literally thinking during Max's turn "maybe he'll somehow give me a K" and he literally plonks (pun intended) a K in the triple lane. Unbelievable stuff. Not out of the woods yet, though, as I could still be in trouble if I don't draw a vowel and/or if Max has a big play at B10 with MY.
>Max: CDGGIIT 13A DICI.G +23 386
#note Actual rack. Max made the only play that has a nonzero chance of winning -- if he pulls the A he wins as he has 3A GAT which I can't outrun or effectively block. Props to him for collecting himself after TZADDIK and giving himself a chance to steal this one back.
>Mack: AMNRTTY B10 MAT.N +39 430
#note Many wins but this is best as it scores and saves I12 TYRE and 4A TYRO.
>Max: DGT M1 D.G +10 396
>Mack: RTY I12 TYR. +11 441
#note What an insane game to conclude the tournament -- I went from like 90% to win to 10% to win to winning. Easily the most dramatic tournament-deciding game I've been a part of.
Thanks to Max for being a great sport after this game and a great opponent during our 5 games from this event. And congrats to him on second and for coming this close after having forfeited 2 games earlier in the event, very impressive comeback.
>Mack: (T) +2 443
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