| Player 1 |
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#player1 Joshua_Sokol Joshua Sokol
#player2 Robert_Kahn Robert Kahn
>Joshua_Sokol: AAGMRVW H7 VAW +18 18
#note This time, something different happens to what's been happening this whole tournament. Tune in to see what!
>Robert_Kahn: BDEO 9F BO.ED +13 13
>Joshua_Sokol: GMORTTY 10E GYM +36 54
#note This turn, I considered TORY/TROY 10C, decided TORY was better to give less back, then I considered 10A GROTTY, but 1) I was unsure of its validity and 2) I felt like it gave far too much back to Robert, when I could actually just play GYM at 10E. I then tried to find a compelling reason not to play GYM over my other choices and couldn't really see why not. I still think it is the best play here.
>Robert_Kahn: EGIO 7E OGI.E +11 24
#note Seems like Robert is struggling on a closed board already, trying to keep things open.
>Joshua_Sokol: ?AEORRT 10I ROAsTER +67 121
#note For some reason I saw OVEREATER through the two E's, which doesn't even play. I decided it was likely invalid though it made sense. It's actually valid but didn't play, and I obviously would have realised that if I tried to play it. All of the bingos that play have similar problems. They give back many floaters and they open a lane on the triple. In game, I realized this, but didn't consider forgoing the bingo with 8D ORA, which looks like a very good play here, given the good things it does for me. I am extremely likely to bingo next turn after ORA, I take out a spot that could cause me trouble, sometimes, if I attempt to retain the lead with a random rack post-bingo, and last but not least, ORA will often lead to a more closed board than a bingo will, as many bingos will either start at C8 or end at C8 (bingos ending or starting in S or T for the most part). This likely scenario will leave one quadrant of the board difficult to open up, whereas a bingo will almost inevitably lead to quite the open board. It is for those above reasons that I now think ORA is the right play. Given that anywhere I bingo changes very little about the board shape, it's best to take 67 points here if I am to bingo, at 10I. It looks like REAcTOR is better than ROAsTER, but I really didn't want to waste time here looking for every playable bingo for very little difference.
>Robert_Kahn: AIIKNNP L3 PANIKIN. +78 102
#note Here is where things get tricky. He plays this word and I hold immediately. I knew MANIKINS is good, and this seemed vaguely familiar, and I was still very much a favorite to win after this, so I ultimately decided to let it go. PANNIKINS is a word, not PANIKINS*. This is one of few (or maybe 2) phonies I let go this tournament, but it is the breaking point of this game, and you will see why.
Scored as 82.
>Joshua_Sokol: AAALTUY O8 AU.AL +18 139
#note I think I flipflopped here between ALA(R)Y and AU(R)AL here, but decided to play AU(R)AL since I was close to drawing (AURAL)ITY next turn. I believe I must have missed YU(R)TA in the same spot, which looks like a fine alternative. I knew that it didn't take an S, which is helpful for me, too. This play therefore seems like an error of relatively small calibre.
>Robert_Kahn: CEEHILS J1 HELICES +76 178
#note Now I'm in trouble for real.
>Joshua_Sokol: AGRTTUY 8A GUTTY +35 174
#note I now considered 1F TAUG(H)T, and then 8A GUTTY. GUTTY seemed much stronger overall, opening some 8 lanes for my decent leave potential, scoring well, taking out a dangerous scoring spot... TAUG(H)T didn't seem to pave a very reliable path for myself at all, as it doesn't really open any bingo lanes, retains decently for future scoring but doesn't score as well, and takes out what appears to be a strong scoring spot, but really isn't much of a big deal unless Robert hits a big 6 starting in H, which is unlikely. Usually if Robert takes out the triple lane his H is in, he will play to the H or through it, opening up a 7 lane, which is good for me given my deficit.
>Robert_Kahn: DEEFMNR 2D FREEDM.N +66 244
#note But alas, TAUG(H)T must have been the right play, since this came down.
>Joshua_Sokol: AFHIQRR D2 .AQIR +34 208
>Robert_Kahn: UV A6 VU. +7 251
#note Either I'm in big trouble or Robert's in rack trouble. Can you guess which is true?
>Joshua_Sokol: BFHLNRT 5B FR.TH +22 230
#note 11I NTH might be the correct play here. It scores well, opens the board up a bit more, and retains scoring tiles, which isn't as ideal as bingo tiles, but will have to do. Otherwise I thought BLN was a better leave than BNR, perhaps, which is why I played FRITH over FILTH, but in any case FIRTH is better since it partially blocks the triple at H1. This seems like a moderate error.
>Robert_Kahn: ?EIOTTU N2 TImEOUT +68 319
#note Then again maybe NTH was wrong since I had a feeling he was very strong...
>Joshua_Sokol: BELLNNW 11H WELL +25 255
#note Another troublesome rack, in which it seems the only options are 1) be desperate with 11H WELL, keeping the most bingo-prone and flexible leave possible while scoring well, and also cutting spread when a loss is inevitable, or 2) 11I NEW, which is even more desperate, but it scores even better and basically puts the dice on me drawing an S and AO or IO in the very near future, like, next turn... I think I'll go for my choice, since the game isn't totally out of reach...
>Robert_Kahn: OO 1H OO. +31 350
>Joshua_Sokol: ABDEJNN O1 JANE +42 297
#note A good draw for my cause, which is now to score enough to maintain striking distance while hoping to bingo quite soon. The other option is JADE, which basically leaves me one more turn to score and hope to bingo while maximizing scoring for this turn. It obviously bingos far less next turn than JANE does. I think I have to go for flexibility still, at this point, although I understand the logic behind wanting to play JADE instead.
>Robert_Kahn: AACEPSX H11 .AXES +48 398
#note Alright, game over?
>Joshua_Sokol: BDENNSZ 6I D. +6 303
#note I don't see how I can really win this game unless I fish for a very high-scoring bingo. I noticed I could draw into B(E)NZINES a good amount of the time and decided that my only chance was to play my D off and hope Robert messes up. Turns out I could have also played 14G B(E)NS, which, if Robert, again, messes up, can yield many 8s, all but one playing at 15A (ANODIZES, DIAZINES, OZONIDES), but also (U)NPRIZED at 8B. That seems like a more likely possibility, although if Robert tracked correctly, he would know that I could only have drawn something in one spot. Best case scenario, he paranoid blocks the S and I hit UNPRIZED. But I think I need to hope for that, cause he's almost certainly blocking the possibility of BENZINES next turn after I fish.
>Robert_Kahn: ACIOPRS G13 APO +22 420
>Joshua_Sokol: BENNSSZ 13F Z..ES +22 325
#note I have no idea what is good here, but it didn't matter.
>Robert_Kahn: CDIIIOR 14J IODIC +24 444
#note aha, 14G (PE)RIODIC, that is why Z(AX)ES was not Championship Player's favorite I guess. He missed tacking the R on!
>Joshua_Sokol: BNNS B7 N.BS +10 335
#note -4 to M12 SN(I)B
>Robert_Kahn: IR L12 RI. +8 452
>Robert_Kahn: (N) +2 454
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