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#player1 Bob_Linn Bob Linn
#player2 Dave_Koenig Dave Koenig
>Bob_Linn: EIOU 8H EUOI +8 8
>Dave_Koenig: CGILOOV H4 VOGI. +13 13
#note This is a reasonable choice. GOV 7K might be a hair better. Most of the plays that score a bit more do not manage the rack nearly as well. Notice that VOICE in the same spot is not as good, as CLO is a significantly better leave than GLO.
>Bob_Linn: ??ADEHI 4C kHEDI.Al +76 84
#note Bob had two possible double-doubles here, though they are both very difficult finds: HILLOAED on row 5 (making both blanks L) or APHICIDE# on column K.
>Dave_Koenig: CDLOPSV E1 COV.D +22 35
#note Clearly best, despite opening up the triple lane. It's important to shed as many of the high point tiles as possible. Generally you do not want more than one of them left on your rack on each turn, as it decreases your bingo chances.
>Bob_Linn: AJW 3I JAW +39 123
>Dave_Koenig: ALNOPSU 2J PAULS +41 76
>Bob_Linn: FILT 1E .LIFT +30 153
>Dave_Koenig: AFIMNOO 1L MAIN +38 114
#note A case where the rack and the board are working in different directions. This play scores much more than any other option, but it uses exactly the letters I would prefer to keep and keeps the ones I would prefer to use.
>Bob_Linn: BPU 5J PUB +21 174
>Dave_Koenig: AAEFOOO 3M FOE +27 141
#note This is a terrible rack on which you would usually want to trade, but FOE is actually a lot of points on what has become a tight board. Since he is not likely to score much either, it might be okay to extricate oneself slowly from this situation.
>Bob_Linn: AEIINRT F4 .AINTIER +66 240
>Dave_Koenig: AAAEOOT 4L AA +19 160
#note This might also be a situation where trading is merited. However, despite DAINTIER opening the board somewhat, I thought there was still a chance he might not be able to score a lot on the next turn, and again the 19 points for AA are pretty good on this board. I did not think of AORTAE, which is a good way to dump more vowels. But my choice actually worked out very well.
>Bob_Linn: ORUX 6K ROUX +34 274
>Dave_Koenig: ADEOOTW C1 TEA.WOOD +74 234
>Dave_Koenig: GNQRRSS (challenge) +5 239
>Bob_Linn: EEKN E9 KEEN +28 302
>Dave_Koenig: GNQRRSS I7 S.Q +26 265
>Bob_Linn: EHTY D10 THEY +33 335
>Dave_Koenig: CEGNRRS C11 CENS +34 299
#note This seemed like a sensible risk in this situation. It creates the dangerous E hook for CENSE onto row 15, and there's a decent chance he won't have an E to take it. You need to take risks when you're behind. The play also scores far more than any other play, and it might deke him into giving me another 5 points for a challenge, since CENS# is an unusual sticky-S four letter word. (So called because it doesn't lose the S, i.e. CEN* is not a playable three letter word.)
All of that said, Quackle suggests the logical CRY 13B, which does a better job of straightening out the rack and sets up the strong threat of SCRY to play on column A when I have the last S.
>Bob_Linn: IZ 1A ZI. +36 371
>Dave_Koenig: EGRRRRY 15A GREY +43 342
#note Terrible luck drawing two more Rs here. Now I am forced to keep the laughable RRR leave. However, GREY is far too many points to pass up. Sometimes you just have to fight through and hope the rack improves.
>Bob_Linn: DM 2B D.M. +20 391
>Dave_Koenig: GINORRR G3 R.G +11 353
#note The main idea here is to hope to draw ET to hit INTERIOR K8 to bingo out. In addition, there are chances to hit -ING bingos on column A, though those are more likely to be blocked.
>Bob_Linn: BELNT B6 BLENT +30 421
>Dave_Koenig: AILNORR A8 ROIL +28 381
#note Unfortunately, I didn't draw the ET, which would have given me a narrow 425-421 victory here. But that is Scrabble. Some games you have to keep fighting and give yourself the chance to get back in it with a fortunate draw. Just because you don't hit the draw doesn't mean you didn't do your job.
>Bob_Linn: EST 10H EST +18 439
>Bob_Linn: (ARN) +6 445
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