| Player 1 |
|
#player1 Jason_Li Jason Li
#player2 Joshua_Sokol Joshua Sokol
>Jason_Li: I -I +0 0
>Joshua_Sokol: CLNOQYZ H7 COZY +36 36
#note What a great opportunity to counter an exchange 1!
>Jason_Li: AD I8 DA +19 19
>Joshua_Sokol: AAAELNQ -AAQ +0 36
#note weird draw of AAAE though. I'll cut the crap: Nothing I could have reasonably done here could have saved me from his next play. He could be weak, he could be strong. My thought process was: do I really let him bingo almost half of the time that he was weak after DA with a play at J4 (ALANE looks best there)? Do I really let him get maximum flexibility if he was strong by playing something through the Z (AZALEA or AZAN)? In these cases, keeping the Q is disastrous as well, for the most part. It seemed like, beyond a shadow of a doubt, it made the most sense to get rid of my Q now and retain the most flexible leave possible. I'm not in terrible shape if he bingos here. I may even get to bingo myself, depending on his options. But especially, I don't have to drag the Q behind me while fighting what appears to be a monster rack. ALANE would likely have worked out best for me, in the end. But that bails far too many racks out. Is Jason just too good to play on a closed board with no power tiles to flaunt?
>Jason_Li: EFINSST J5 FINESTS +80 99
#note @¤$@*!!!
>Joshua_Sokol: ADEHLNR K1 HARDEN +32 68
#note He first played INFESTS, and that gave me HARDLINE! But he changed it, last minute. What a wizard. Hats off.
To answer my question: Is Jason too good to play a closed board on with nothing to show for?
Yes. I should not have done this. I should have played K11 HARL to leave the bottom of the board accessible and to keep the pressure on my opponent. This was one of these plays that I make far too often: Score as much as possible and open a few threats. I have to be more pragmatic against the best of the best.
HALED at K2 is another interesting option, but I MUST NOT PLAY THERE!
>Jason_Li: CEY 1H YEC. +36 135
>Joshua_Sokol: EEGIILR 3I GI.LIE +18 86
#note Shrug? I have to do this now, don't I?
>Jason_Li: ?EFX N2 F.dEX +60 195
>Joshua_Sokol: EIILLRU O5 LIEU +23 109
#note Just decimated at this point
>Jason_Li: AAN L2 A.AN +22 217
>Joshua_Sokol: GIJLNQR 4H QI +24 133
#note Super awful play, fishing for some crazy stuff. I have to play 10C JINGL(Y) I fear, and hope for a U and some other Letters Usually Called Killers. Quackle enjoys my play thoroughly, computing that after drawing an O or an A, I can score 29 points and keep a bingo-prone leave, while Jason blissfully opens up the board for my bingo.
>Jason_Li: ADEORST 2B TORSADE +75 292
#note Don't worry, it gets better
>Joshua_Sokol: GJLNOOR 10F JO. +29 162
#note Oh, joy
>Jason_Li: AMPU 1A PUMA +36 328
>Joshua_Sokol: GLNORRU F10 .UROR +14 176
#note Gogo gadget S__LING bingo next turn followed by two more bingos!
I guess 11C GLUON. That would have done it for me, for sure. Whee!!
>Jason_Li: ABDIIOT 14E O.IBATID +63 391
#note Whoops
>Joshua_Sokol: GGLMNOP 15G NOM +33 209
#note Just keep scoring, just keep scoring. I'll be fine, watch
>Jason_Li: EEHINRS M8 HENRIES +84 475
#note Just watch! I'll be fine!
>Joshua_Sokol: AGGLOPV 3A GAP +29 238
#note Don't know why I'm attempting to bingo at some point...
>Jason_Li: EELW L9 WEEL +27 502
#note I actually, seriously, held this play. :(
>Joshua_Sokol: ?EGLNOV 15A GLOVE +41 279
#note Oh my god, what? I have a nonzero chance of a bingo next turn? Perhaps I should maximize that change with 13D VL(O)G. Is that also better for spread? I don't think so. Of course, this empties the bag, but that doesn't really matter much
>Jason_Li: BOTTUVW A13 VU. +7 509
#note Jason knows how to exploit me. This is -1 to TUTO(R), but he wants to minimize the chances of me bingo-ing out. It's not out of the realm of possibility that I will--- you'll see.
>Joshua_Sokol: ?AIKNRT E2 .TRAKINg +72 351
>Joshua_Sokol: ?AIKNRT -- -72 279
#note STRAKES, STRAKED, no STRAKING*. This position should literally be the definition of "learning the hard way".
>Jason_Li: BOTTW E2 .WOT +14 523
#note -2 to (S)WOB
>Joshua_Sokol: ?AIKNRT 13C TAR.K +43 322
#note STINKARD was the only valid bingo that played last turn.
>Jason_Li: BT 6I B..T +11 534
>Jason_Li: (IN?) +4 538
|
