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#player1 Paul_Gallen Paul Gallen
#player2 David_Koenig David Koenig
>Paul_Gallen: ADVY H7 DAVY +22 22
#note I looked at Paul after he played this, and I said, "you can call me that if you want to."
>David_Koenig: BDNNTTT -BDNTT +0 0
>Paul_Gallen: GO 10F GO. +11 33
>David_Koenig: AEFIKNT 11E KIF +28 28
>Paul_Gallen: AEINOPS G2 SENOPIA +67 100
>David_Koenig: ABEGMNT 5E GE.MANT +40 68
>Paul_Gallen: AIJL 4I JAIL +35 135
>David_Koenig: ABEIIMQ H1 QI +35 103
>Paul_Gallen: DEZ 3K ZED +40 175
>David_Koenig: AABEILM N1 AMABILE +90 193
#note In the early going the luck seemed to be in Paul's favor, but this is a huge reversal. I had no spot for my bingo until Paul set up the hook for me.
>Paul_Gallen: EEW 6I WEE +39 214
>David_Koenig: AGHNOTT O7 THONG +29 222
#note A tough call here. This was more of an intuitive than an analytical play. The only plays I seriously considered were 1L GHAT and O7 THONG. In a simple points and leave sense, GHAT is better, as the ANOT leave is stronger and it scores one more point. However, I intuited after WEE that he was less likely to have heavy consonants and more likely to have a possibly bingoable rack of low point tiles. Therefore, I thought there was more value in taking out the O column than the 1L-1O spot. Furthermore, with both blanks still unseen, it made sense to me to play for turnover.
>Paul_Gallen: LUU 1L LU.U +15 229
>David_Koenig: ?AINOTT 12E ANTIpOT +73 295
#note Even though this play misses the double word scores, it is equal to my other highest scoring play of STATION 12F. It's a bit tricky to evaluate which one is better. On the one hand, this doesn't slot any vowels next to bonus squares, and it's harder for him to make a play from an I rather than an A down to the triple, especially with the X. I also give him only two floating tiles rather than three for eight letter bingos. On the other hand, STATION takes away the lane at M7 for seven letter bingos.
>Paul_Gallen: DEIRRV 3A REDRIV. +22 251
#note A logical play by Paul. He opens a new front to stop me from closing everything down at once on the right hand side.
>David_Koenig: BENRTXY B2 B.NTY +36 331
#note An important moment. I have several other good moves, including YBRENT and BERRY on the A column, and H12 IBEX, a move I was considering before his play. BENTY is significantly stronger than all of them and is the play that maximizes my winning chances. There are a number of reasons for this. First of all, I do not need to bingo myself. I want to reduce his chances of bingoing, but as long as I keep scoring heavily on this turn and hold the X to score again after this, I am likely to outrun him even when he does bingo. Furthermore, keeping a rack with the versatile and balanced ER significantly avoids any disaster situations, such as drawing into a seven consonant rack. There is of course great value in taking away triple-triples as well. Balanced racks aren't just good for bingos. They're good for making sure you have scoring plays as well.
>Paul_Gallen: AHO A1 HO.A +31 282
>David_Koenig: DEEPRSX 11J DEX +29 360
#note Killing the M7 bingo lane. Again, even if he hits a bingo down the A column, I should still be poised to outrun him. Also, keeping a bingoable rack has value even without a place to use it, because he may open up a lane for me in trying to come back.
>Paul_Gallen: CEFOR 13A FORCE +27 309
#note Another instructive move from Paul. He forks the board with his C, creating an S starting bingo lane on row 14 and giving letters to play through vertically on the left hand side. It happened that I was well prepared to use it, but that's the risk you need to take when you're fighting from behind.
>David_Koenig: EIPRSSW 14E SWIPERS +80 440
#note I mentioned to Paul after the game that this word was phony not too long ago! It wasn't added in the latest 2019 update, but I think in one of the other recent ones in 2012 or 2015.
>Paul_Gallen: AEINORS 13I ERASION +78 387
#note A pretty fit for Paul, but of course it is too little too late.
>David_Koenig: ?CEORUU B9 ECOt.UR +28 468
#note Not bad, but there was one play that was slightly better for spread: CURFEw to the triple.
>Paul_Gallen: LT N12 L.T +6 393
>Paul_Gallen: (U) +2 395
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