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#character-encoding UTF-8
#player1 Richard_Popper Richard Popper
#player2 Samuel_Kaplan Samuel Kaplan
>Richard_Popper: OVX 8G VOX +26 26
#note Going into this game, I am in 2nd with 4-2 +276 spread and Eric Goldstein is 5-1 +250 spread. Therefore, I must win and Eric must lose in order for me to win the tournament because I would win on spread.
>Samuel_Kaplan: CGHILTT 9I ITCH +20 20
#note So Roman numeral 11 is good and Roman numeral 9 is not, as we already know. This position is deceptively bad because I only have HIT or HILT underneath VOX and neither of those plays keep good leaves. It is nice to be able to fork against Richard just because I need an open board against him, but H7 G(O)THIC cleans up the rack nicely and doesn't give as much back to him even though it scores 5 less. #findingmedium
>Richard_Popper: AKMO 8L AMOK +39 65
#note Yea, that's a direct consequence of playing ITCH.
>Samuel_Kaplan: GILPSTU 7L PUG +23 43
#note Best play.
>Richard_Popper: DELORSS H8 .DORLESS +91 156
#note Nice fit and nice play Richard!
>Samuel_Kaplan: IJLOSTY 6K JOY +30 73
#note Looks good. ILST gets along nicely with the floaters in ODORLESS. I was not willing to play 12F JO(L)TILY or JO(L)LITY as that starts closing lanes I will need. And the top right won't be closed for too long because of the 8 remaing As that I can draw to play K4 TA(J) later on.
>Richard_Popper: AGIINZ 11C ZINGA.I +34 190
#note If he keeps scoring nicely, this game may be even harder to win than it currently stands.
>Samuel_Kaplan: AAILNST K4 TA. +20 93
#note 12B LANAI might be fine if I was ahead, but not here. Now I got multiple areas open.
>Richard_Popper: CEIO C9 CO.IE +38 228
>Samuel_Kaplan: AAILMNS I6 MA.. +14 107
#note NASALISM plays on Row 14 and 15. Not looking good.
>Richard_Popper: IRTW 14B WRIT +31 259
>Samuel_Kaplan: AGILNSW 15H .LAWINGS +89 196
#note So here is the move that pretty much decided my fate in this game and what place I finish in the tournament: do I give myself a fighting chance by playing something that I was essentially positive was no good or do I pretty much just lose after making the annoying move of fishing with 10B WO unless I draw a T (or any big bingo) because Richard, knowing his very defensive playing style, is going to shut down the remaining lanes (more likely attempting to block the T in TAJ than the lanes in ODORLESS and the N in ZINGARI)? I am down 2 bingoes and my chances of winning this game are easily under 5%. However, there are several factors I considered: as good of a player as Richard is, he rarely challenges. We each have a history of playing phonies on each other, and given that I will still be down more than 60 points prior to his next turn, I figured he would be less likely to challenge here, ESPECIALLY since SLAW and LAWINGS are both good. My guess is that he knew LAWINGS and maybe SLAWINGS* could have clouded his judgment. Also, I realized I could claw my way back if Richard might be afraid to challenge this combined with the 2 unseen blanks, which I would have better cracks at after I drew 7 tiles compared to him drawing 4 after WRIT. Richard did hold this but ultimately accepted this play, and deep down, I was so happy that I turned a lost position into a brand new game because I'm scoring 89 instead of just a measly 13 for WO.
>Richard_Popper: EINV L1 VINE +26 285
#note That is pretty shocking knowing he's up by a lot.
>Samuel_Kaplan: ?AEFRTT 13G F.TERiTA +80 276
#note This is part of why SLAWINGS* was a gutsy move, as much as I know some people would not agree with my decision last turn.
>Richard_Popper: BEI 1L .IBE +27 312
#note So it turns out he was fighting through a bad rack and had more Es and Is.
>Samuel_Kaplan: ?DEIQRT 12L QI +44 320
#note On a board that's suddenly better for bingoes, I was QUITE HAPPY to pass up 2J Qu(I)TE for 76. This wins the sim, hands down.
>Richard_Popper: DEENOR H1 REDONE +28 340
>Samuel_Kaplan: ?DEERTU E4 DEUTERo. +66 386
#note After Richard drew 6 random tiles, I will give him 1 chance to bingo into the floaters in REDONE before I shut them down. As much as I cannot believe that horizontal bingoes such as 2B nEUTER(E)D win more often than my play, I am even more shocked to take a lead in this one!
>Richard_Popper: ELLY N1 .ELLY +20 360
>Samuel_Kaplan: AAEHPUU D1 PAUA +24 410
#note And my win % has gone from almost zero to literally 100%. I empty the bad and block things like BANDORES and REASONED using the R and E in REDONE.
>Richard_Popper: ABDENOS 1A SOA.ED +27 387
#note Turns out, he would have bingoed out with 1C BANDO(R)ES to win the game!
>Samuel_Kaplan: EFHNORU 15D FOH +24 434
#note 2J HE(I)F(E)R is awesome which I did not spot. I was admittedly shocked at how well I turned this game around. I just wanted any move that would allow me to dump my F and H and I would be safe to win this game and guarantee myself at least 2nd.
>Richard_Popper: BN 12B B.N +14 401
#note And since Eric Goldstein lost his last game to David Firstman 433-374, I am the tournament champion! This comeback beats any other comeback I've ever made in my life. 152 point deficit in this game. Starting off 0-2 and ending 5-2. In part because of situational awareness and picking the right time to pounce. As much as I feel for Richard (and for Eric Goldstein because I ended up overtaking him), I never gave up after the slow start and I certainly never gave up in this game. It's also been 5 years (including a pandemic) since I last won a tournament, especially with all those 3rds and 2nds.
Next up I'm in Scarsdale, NY for an 8-gamer!
>Richard_Popper: (ENRU) +8 409
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