Scrabble Bubble: Mannheim

Wasserturm - Mannheim 11.03.11

What a day!

There is so much to report and so little time, so I'll stoop to my favorite thing - the stats.

I'm in 4th place with 5-1 and +340

I played 11 bingos:

AGENISE, EMOtION, GUSTIER, VENDoRS, DIEtINE, ONSTAGE, ENVIrON, KAI(S)ERIN, GAPIEsT, APIA(R)IsT and ENERGID.

Two remarks:

1. I have played APIARIST in a recent game with Rafal on ISC (triple-triple for some 90 points) and back then I wasn't sure if the word even existed and now I've played it live at double-double (for 86).

2. There is a special prize for the best German word played in the tournament. My only 8-letter word today KAI(S)ERIN (66) is currently top of the list. I hope nobody comes with anything better, though I think DIRNDLS has good chance if it gets played too :)

And now to the highlight game of today - round 5 on table 5.

I played number 2 seed Terry Kirk of England (WESPA-ranked 1857).

All went well for me in this game.

I countered Terry's bingo (S)UNnIEST (83) with KAI(S)ERIN (66) using the second S of his word. Two moves later Terry tried to play a phoney *COENOBI which I challenged off and promptly replied with HUDNA (36+5) which Terry unsuccessfully challenged. Then some smart moves from me like STANGED (45) and a phoney (uniwllingly) *WITOL (39) and in the end Terry was forced to open the board - right when I had AEGIPT? on the rack and could play GAPIEsT.

It is by far my best game ever.

OK and one last thing I need to mention. During the first moves of my 1st tournament game (with Paul Dundas) I experienced the strangest racks of my life ever.

Rack 1: BEJKMWY: played JEW (26) leaving BKMY

Rack 2: BKMQRSY: played KY (33) leaving BMQRS

Rack 3: BMQRSSS: exchanged BMQR, leaving SSS

Rack 4: DGSSSST: played ST (16), leaving DGSSS

Rack 5: DDGRSSS: played DR(A)GS (18), leaving DGSS

Rack 6: DGINRSS: played DR(A)GS (22), leaving INS

Rack 7: AEEGINS: bingoed with AGENISE (71)

This just goes to show that no matter what letters you get, if you wisely balance the rack you'll always end up with a bingo... eventually :)

And you may even win the game, I know i did... ;)

Schedule for tomorrow:

10 games starting at 9:00.

Game 7: Ray Tate (current number 1 but ranked 7)