P-REBOILS

Here comes a list of 7 letter words starting with RE which can be extended by P in front.

REVISES REACTED READAPT READMIT

READOPT REALLOT REALTER REAPPLY

REARMED REBILLS REBINDS REBIRTH

REBOARD REBOILS REBOOKS REBOUND

REBUILD REBUILT RECASTS RECEDED

RECEDES RECEPTS RECHECK RECHOSE

RECITED RECLEAN RECODED RECODES

RECOOKS RECURED RECURES RECYCLE

REDATED REDATES REDIALS REDRAFT

REDRIED REDRIES REDRILL REEDITS

REELECT REENACT REERECT REFACED

REFACES REFECTS REFIGHT REFILED

REFILES REFIRED REFIRES REFIXED

REFIXES REFOCUS REFORMS REFROZE

REFUNDS REHEATS REJUDGE RELATES

RELIVES RELOADS REMAKES REMISED

REMISES REMIXED REMIXES REMOLDS

REMORSE REMOULD REMOVED REMOVES

RENAMES REORDER REPACKS REPAVED

REPAVES REPLACE REPLANS REPLANT

REPONED REPONES REPOSED REPOSES

REPRESS REPRICE REPRINT RESALES

RESCIND RESCORE RESELLS RESENTS

RESERVE RESHAPE RESHIPS RESHOWN

RESHOWS RESIDED RESIDER RESIDES

RESIFTS RESOAKS RESOLVE RESORTS

RESPLIT RESTAMP RESTORE RESUMED

RESUMES RETAPED RETAPES RETASTE

RETELLS RETESTS RETRAIN RETREAT

RETRIAL RETRIMS RETYPED RETYPES

REUNION REUNITE REVALUE REVERBS

REVIEWS REVISED REVISIT        REVISOR

REWARMS REWEIGH REWIRED REWIRES

REWORKS REWRAPS REWRITE REWROTE

Shammash Octopush Tamarisk

After an 8-year long break from Scrabble it's very interesting for me to observe how my approach to mastering the game has changed. It looks like my experience with data analysis had some influence on how I'm viewing the game. Plus I'm now equipped with some tools (SQL and Power Query) to better help me analyse the CSW19 lexicon.

One of the results of this is the list of unusual back hooks you can find below.

The list includes 7 letter words with exactly one back hook which is not an S. 

I have excluded the T hooks to words ending with -IES (e.g. GOATIES-T or SILLIES-T).

BRONCHI-A    ANTEFIX-A    BROUGHT-A    NYMPHAE-A    RAKSHAS-A   ANGELIC-A    BASILIC-A    SIGNORI-A

SYLLABI-C    CHORAGI-C    OMPHALI-C    THALAMI-C    TYMPANI-C   ANIMATI-C    ELENCHI-C    CHOREGI-C    NURAGHI-C    RHYTHMI-C

EPIGONI-C    CHIASMI-C    DACTYLI-C    

UNAWAKE-D    ACERATE-D    ARCUATE-D    BACCATE-D    BARBATE-D   CLAVATE-D    COSTATE-D    CRENATE-D    CRINATE-D    CUNEATE-D   CURVATE-D    CUSPATE-D    DENTATE-D    EBRIATE-D    FALCATE-D   FOVEATE-D    GALEATE-D    GLOBATE-D    HASTATE-D    LARVATE-D   LINEATE-D    OCULATE-D    PALMATE-D    PENNATE-D    PILEATE-D   PINNATE-D    SPICATE-D    SULCATE-D    RHOMBOI-D    POMMELE-D   BREVETE-D    MIDSIZE-D    PATINAE-D    RAWBONE-D    UNDERGO-D   PERTUSE-D

HUSHABY-E    ROCKABY-E    POTLACH-E    MAUVAIS-E    OUTRANG-E   AGACANT-E    REHEARS-E    GRAMARY-E    DECLASS-E    BACKBIT-E   BROADAX-E    EXHEDRA-E    PROTEAS-E    BARGEES-E    CYPSELA-E   SEQUELA-E    SCHMELZ-E    SUSPENS-E    DUCHESS-E    EMPRESS-E   IMPRESS-E    KERMESS-E    LARGESS-E    PORPESS-E    PORTESS-E   BENEFIC-E    MALEFIC-E    OUTCHID-E    LYOPHIL-E    PORTIER-E   GRATINE-E    ETATIST-E    AVELLAN-E    ALKALIN-E    ALKALIS-E   INHUMAN-E    LACINIA-E    TRAVOIS-E    SCHMOOS-E    SKYBORN-E   BURNOUS-E    ACKNOWN-E    ETOURDI-E    BESTRID-E    SCURRIL-E   CURARIS-E    MISWRIT-E    OUTWRIT-E    HOLESOM-E    DEBOUCH-E   MESQUIN-E    MARQUIS-E    FAUNULA-E    FLORULA-E    FOSSULA-E   SPINULA-E    PTERYLA-E

FINIKIN-G    UNDERDO-G

KETUBOT-H    AGGADOT-H    CHALLOT-H    SHAMMAS-H    SCAMPIS-H   CHUPPOT-H    OCTOPUS-H    BEGORRA-H    TZITZIT-H    GENIZOT-H   MEZUZOT-H

PARCHES-I

FORERAN-K    OVERRAN-K    TAMARIS-K

TYMPANA-L    ABOMASA-L    STOMATA-L    STRIATA-L    CEREBRA-L   AECIDIA-L    ALLODIA-L    BASIDIA-L    EXORDIA-L    GONIDIA-L    PERIDIA-L    PYGIDIA-L    SOREDIA-L    DIHEDRA-L    RESIDUA-L   EXTREMA-L    DUODENA-L    NOUMENA-L    VISCERA-L    EXCRETA-L    BRIMFUL-L    SKILFUL-L    PATAGIA-L    BRACHIA-L    VIATICA-L   PESSIMA-L    CRIMINA-L    GERMINA-L    TEGMINA-L    TORMINA-L   ACROMIA-L    PUDENDA-L    PERINEA-L    ACHENIA-L    BIENNIA-L   HYMENIA-L    OOGONIA-L    SPLENIA-L    PRONOTA-L    HYDROXY-L   METHOXY-L    CONARIA-L    IMPERIA-L    PUPARIA-L    INDUSIA-L   CHRISMA-L    SPECTRA-L    SULFURY-L    ALLUVIA-L    ILLUVIA-L   LIXIVIA-L

TITANIS-M

ASCIDIA-N    CHONDRI-N    UILLEAN-N    APHELIA-N    STELLIO-N   VITELLI-N    THROMBI-N    BESPOKE-N    REAWOKE-N    RESPOKE-N   UNBROKE-N    UNSPOKE-N    UPBROKE-N    UPSPOKE-N    RECHOSE-N   DEFROZE-N    ENFROZE-N    REFROZE-N    UNFROZE-N    ROSARIA-N   ACANTHI-N    FEDAYEE-N    ECTOZOA-N    PARAZOA-N    POLYZOA-N   

EXPRESS-O    INTAGLI-O    LEGGIER-O    FLAMING-O    SOMBRER-O   VIGOROS-O    PRELUDI-O    

MUNDANE-R    AGITATO-R    CAPABLE-R    IGNOBLE-R    MACABRE-R   OBSCENE-R    AUSTERE-R    SINCERE-R    COUTHIE-R    REECHIE-R   ROUTHIE-R    TITCHIE-R    TOOSHIE-R    MIDLIFE-R    FERTILE-R   FRAGILE-R    SUBTILE-R    PLOOKIE-R    PLOUKIE-R    TRICKIE-R   PECULIA-R    BRAWLIE-R    VEXILLA-R    IMMENSE-R    INTENSE-R   GOSPODA-R    FULSOME-R    NEWCOME-R    WINSOME-R    VERBOSE-R   PLUMPIE-R    EXEMPLA-R    BRUSQUE-R    STOURIE-R    UNWARIE-R   ADVERSE-R    BOOKSIE-R    CUTESIE-R    PRIMSIE-R    TOUSTIE-R   VAUNTIE-R    VAWNTIE-R    CINGULA-R    FRENULA-R    SPECULA-R   VASCULA-R    VINCULA-R    PROFUSE-R    

SNUBBES-T    CHOICES-T    SPRUCES-T    BLONDES-T    BRONDES-T   EMONGES-T    ORANGES-T    SAVAGES-T    BRASHES-T    BUTCHES-T   FLASHES-T    FLUSHES-T    FRESHES-T    GAUCHES-T    HARSHES-T   LOATHES-T    PLUSHES-T    SOOTHES-T    SWISHES-T    UTOPIAS-T   DOTTLES-T    FEEBLES-T    FICKLES-T    GENTLES-T    HUMBLES-T   KITTLES-T    LITTLES-T    MICKLES-T    MUCKLES-T    PURPLES-T   SIMPLES-T    STABLES-T    SUPPLES-T    JUNGLIS-T    SEMIMAT-T BASEMEN-T    CASEMEN-T    PASSMEN-T    SHIPMEN-T    TEGUMEN-T   DIVINES-T    IMMUNES-T    SERENES-T    CONTRAS-T    DEMURES-T   DREARES-T    MATURES-T    MEAGRES-T    SECURES-T    SOMBRES-T   SQUARES-T    SAFARIS-T    CROSSES-T    GROSSES-T    GROUSES-T   FRONTES-T    MINUTES-T    REMOTES-T    SEDATES-T    TELETEX-T   OPAQUES-T    UNIQUES-T    STEEVES-T    

BATTEAU-X    BERCEAU-X    COUTEAU-X    MORCEAU-X    NOUVEAU-X   RONDEAU-X    TRUMEAU-X    FABLIAU-X    CAMAIEU-X

SPINACH-Y    SCHMALZ-Y    PIZZAZZ-Y    GLIBBER-Y    GLIDDER-Y   PARADOX-Y    SCREECH-Y    ACTRESS-Y    CHIEFER-Y    ORANGER-Y   SAVAGER-Y    SMUGGER-Y    SNUGGER-Y    KOLKHOS-Y    KOLKHOZ-Y   SOVKHOZ-Y    RUBBISH-Y    VARNISH-Y    CROOKER-Y    BASILAR-Y   PUPILAR-Y    TUMULAR-Y    SQUELCH-Y    DROLLER-Y    APOPLEX-Y   SHMALTZ-Y    LAMINAR-Y    CRAUNCH-Y    SCRUNCH-Y    HYDROPS-Y   SQUOOSH-Y    GEALOUS-Y    ENDARCH-Y    HEXARCH-Y    MILITAR-Y

SCRATCH-Y    SPLOTCH-Y    STRETCH-Y    BULRUSH-Y

Y oh Y

I'm still on fire as regards the cardbox. 

In 3 days I have added 1500 words to it. Upholding this tempo would mean that by the end of September 2021 I would have covered all 119,600 words of length 2-8.

That is definitely NOT my goal.

Today I've created a list of 4- and 5 letter words ending with letter Y (probably adjectives) which can be extended to comparative using the -IER suffix and to superlative using the -IEST suffix.

Example: ACHY-ACHIER-ACHIEST.

Why is it useful? Because if you have learnt just one word you'd automatically know two more.

Learn 1 word, get 2 for free!

How cool is this?

I've found out there are 118 words of 4 letters which create comparative and superlative forms just by replacing Y with IER or IEST.

As for the 5-letter words there are a whopping 719 of them.

There is also one word which has only the positive and the superlative form:

ONLY - ONLIEST.

4s:

ACHY DOMY HOLY MOPY PUKY TONY

AERY DOPY HOMY NOSY PULY TOWY

AIRY DOTY ICKY OAKY PUNY TUNY

ARSY DOZY IFFY OARY RACY TYPY

ARTY EASY INKY OATY RICY UGLY

ASHY EDGY JIVY OILY RIMY VERY

AWNY EELY JOKY OOFY ROKY VINY

BABY EERY LACY OOSY ROPY WALY

BONY EGGY LAKY OOZY RORY WANY

BOXY ELMY LAZY ORBY ROSY WARY

BUSY FADY LIMY OWLY RUBY WAVY

CAGY FIKY LINY PACY RULY WAXY

CAKY FOXY LOGY PALY SAGY WILY

CANY FOZY LUNY PILY SEXY WINY

COKY FUMY MATY PINY SIZY WIRY

COSY GAMY MAZY PIPY SPRY YAWY

COWY GAPY MINY POKY TAKY YUKY

COXY GAZY MIRY PORY TEDY ZANY

COZY GORY MITY POSY TIDY

DEWY HAZY MIXY POXY TINY

5s:

ACIDY DANCY GASPY JOLTY MUSTY REEDY TANGY

ANGRY DANDY GASSY JOTTY MUZZY REEFY TARDY

ANTSY DASHY GAUCY JOWLY MYTHY REEKY TARRY

APPLY DAUBY GAUDY JUDGY NAGGY RESTY TARTY

ARTSY DEBBY GAUMY JUICY NANCY RIBBY TASTY

BAGGY DEEDY GAUZY JUMPY NAPPY RIDGY TATTY

BALDY DELLY GAWCY JUNKY NARKY RIFTY TAWNY

BALKY DICKY GAWKY JUTTY NASTY RINDY TEARY

BALLY DICTY GAWSY KEDGY NATTY RISKY TECHY

BALMY DIDDY GEEKY KEMPY NEDDY RITZY TEENY

BANDY DILLY GEMMY KERKY NEEDY ROARY TENTY

BARDY DINGY GENTY KICKY NERDY ROCKY TESTY

BARKY DINKY GERMY KINKY NERVY ROGUY THAWY

BARMY DIPPY GIDDY KISSY NETTY ROILY THEWY

BARNY DIRTY GIMPY KOOKY NEWSY ROOFY THYMY

BARRY DISHY GINNY LADDY NIFFY ROOKY TICHY

BASSY DITSY GIRLY LAIRY NIFTY ROOMY TIDDY

BATTY DITZY GLADY LAMBY NIPPY ROOPY TILLY

BAWDY DIVVY GLARY LANKY NIRLY ROOTY TINNY

BEADY DIZZY GLAZY LARDY NITTY RORTY TINTY

BEAKY DODDY GLEBY LARKY NOBBY ROUPY TIPPY

BEAMY DODGY GLOBY LATHY NODDY ROWDY TIPSY

BEATY DOGGY GOATY LAWNY NOILY RUDDY TOCKY

BEEFY DONSY GOBBY LEADY NOISY RUGGY TOFFY

BEERY DOOMY GODLY LEAFY NOOKY RUMMY TOPPY

BEIGY DORKY GOLDY LEAKY NOUNY RUMPY TOSHY

BENDY DORTY GOODY LEARY NOWTY RUNNY TOSSY

BENTY DOTTY GOOFY LEAVY NUBBY RUNTY TOTTY

BILGY DOWDY GOOKY LEDGY NUMMY RUSHY TOUSY

BIRSY DOWLY GOONY LEERY NURDY RUSTY TOUZY

BITSY DOWNY GOOPY LEGGY NUTSY RUTTY TOWNY

BITTY DRONY GOOSY LIMBY NUTTY SAGGY TOWSY

BLADY DRUSY GORMY LINGY OCHRY SALTY TOWZY

BLOWY DRUXY GORSY LINKY ONERY SANDY TRIPY

BLUDY DUCKY GOTHY LINTY OUNDY SAPPY TUBBY

BOGGY DUDDY GOUTY LIPPY PALLY SARKY TUFTY

BONNY DULLY GRAPY LOAMY PALMY SASSY TUMPY

BOOFY DUMMY GRIMY LOFTY PALSY SAUCY TURFY

BOOKY DUMPY GRIPY LOGGY PAPPY SAVVY TUSKY

BOOMY DUNGY GRODY LOOBY PARKY SCALY TWINY

BOOZY DUNNY GROVY LOONY PARTY SCARY UMPTY

BOPPY DURGY GUCKY LOOPY PASTY SCODY VAIRY

BORTY DUSKY GULFY LOPPY PAWKY SEAMY VAMPY

BOSKY DUSTY GULPY LOSSY PEAKY SEDGY VASTY

BOSSY EARLY GUMMY LOURY PEATY SEEDY VEALY

BOUSY EENSY GUNGY LOUSY PECKY SEELY VEILY

BOYSY EMPTY GUNKY LOWLY PEERY SEEPY VEINY

BRAKY FABBY GURLY LUCKY PEGGY SHADY VIEWY

BRINY FADDY GUSHY LUMMY PEPPY SHAKY VUGGY

BROSY FAFFY GUSTY LUMPY PERKY SHALY VUGHY

BUDDY FAGGY GUTSY LUSHY PERVY SHINY VUTTY

BUFFY FAIRY GUTTY LUSTY PESKY SHOWY WACKY

BUGGY FANCY HAILY MALMY PESTY SILKY WALLY

BULGY FATTY HAIRY MALTY PETTY SILLY WALTY

BULKY FAWNY HAMMY MANGY PHONY SILTY WANKY

BULLY FELTY HANDY MANKY PICKY SINKY WARBY

BUMPY FEMMY HAPPY MANLY PIGGY SISSY WARTY

BUNTY FENDY HARDY MARDY PINKY SKIVY WASHY

BURLY FENNY HASHY MARLY PIPPY SKODY WASPY

BURRY FERLY HASTY MARVY PISSY SLATY WEARY

BUSHY FERNY HEADY MASHY PITHY SLIMY WEBBY

BUSTY FESTY HEAPY MASSY PLATY SLOPY WEDGY

BUZZY FIERY HEAVY MASTY PLUMY SMOKY WEEDY

CACKY FIGGY HEDGY MAUSY POCKY SNAKY WEENY

CADGY FILMY HEEDY MAUZY PODDY SNARY WEEPY

CALMY FINNY HEFTY MAWKY PODGY SNIPY WENNY

CAMPY FIRRY HEMPY MEALY PONCY SNOWY WHINY

CANNY FISHY HENNY MEATY PONGY SOAPY WHITY

CANTY FISTY HERBY MELTY POOFY SODDY WIFTY

CARNY FITLY HILLY MERRY POOPY SOGGY WIGGY

CASKY FIZZY HINKY MESHY POOVY SOILY WIMPY

CATTY FLAKY HIPPY MESSY POPPY SONLY WINDY

CHARY FLAMY HISSY MIDGY PORKY SONSY WINGY

CHEWY FLARY HOARY MIFFY PORNY SOOKY WISPY

CHOKY FLAWY HOODY MILKY PORTY SOOTY WITHY

CISSY FLAXY HOOKY MILTY POTTY SOPPY WITTY

COALY FLORY HOOLY MIMSY POUTY SORRY WOMBY

COBBY FLUKY HOOTY MINCY PRICY SOUPY WONKY

COCKY FLUTY HOPPY MINGY PRIVY SPACY WOODY

COMBY FOAMY HORNY MINTY PROSY SPEWY WOOFY

COMFY FOGGY HORSY MIRKY PUDDY SPICY WOOLY

CONKY FOLKY HUFFY MIRLY PUDGY SPIKY WOOZY

COOMY FOOTY HUGGY MISSY PUDSY SPINY WORDY

COPSY FORKY HULKY MISTY PUFFY SPIRY WORMY

CORKY FROWY HULLY MOCHY PUGGY SPUMY WUSSY

CORNY FUBBY HUMPY MOLDY PULPY STAGY YAPPY

CRAPY FUBSY HUNKY MOODY PUNKY STEWY YAWNY

CRAZY FUDDY HUSHY MOONY PUNNY STIVY YECHY

CREPY FUDGY HUSKY MOORY PURSY STONY YEUKY

CRUDY FUFFY IRONY MOPPY PURTY SUCKY YOBBY

CUBBY FUGGY ITCHY MOSSY PUSHY SUDSY YOLKY

CULTY FUGLY IVORY MOTHY PUSSY SUETY YUCKY

CUPPY FUNKY JAGGY MOTTY QUAKY SULKY YUKKY

CURDY FUNNY JAMMY MOUSY RAGGY SUNNY YUMMY

CURLY FURRY JANTY MUCKY RAINY SURFY ZAPPY

CURNY FURZY JAZZY MUDDY RAMMY SURGY ZESTY

CURVY FUSSY JEMMY MUGGY RANDY SURLY ZINCY

CUSHY FUSTY JERKY MUMSY RANGY SWALY ZINGY

CUSPY FUZZY JETTY MURKY RASPY TABBY ZINKY

CUTTY GABBY JIGGY MURLY RATTY TACKY ZIPPY

DAFFY GALLY JIMPY MUSHY READY TAGGY ZOOTY

DAGGY GAMMY JOCKY MUSKY REAMY TALCY

DAMPY GAPPY JOLLY MUSSY REDDY TALKY

Cardbox struggles

I broke my Zyzzyva cardbox yesterday.

At some time it started presenting me with the same 12 words in the beginning.

Somehow those entries kept reappearing in the database even after I've deleted them - be it by utilising SQLite Studio or by using the Remove list from Cardbox option.

I definitely know what could have caused it. 

I've moved the Zyzzyva data directory from the local C:\Users\username\Zyzzyva folder to OneDrive. And then I tried accesssing it from Zyzzyva on another computer. Unfortunately this meant that the program wanted to rebuild the database each time it saw that the db has been used by the other program before. This is what probably corrupted the database.

What I've learnt is that you can keep your Zyzzyva files on OneDrive and 99% of the time Zyzzyva had no problem storing and retrieving the data from there in real time. The other 1% of the time it was repeating the same question twice in a row.

So, my 2600-words strong cardbox was broken and I decided to fill it in again.

I started with words of 7 letters, Type III with 1 anagram.

I quizzed 100 of them at a time (sorted by probability) and after that I added them to the cardbox system.

I added 500 of them today. It went fast because most of them have already been in the previous version of cardbox.

My goal is now to add at least 100 new words a day.

By one year from now I will have learnt 36500 words.

Let's see how it goes...

Ycleeped

Today I continued querying the CSW19 lexicon with Excel.

Here are some interesting facts regarding hooks to 7 letter words.

1.87% of all 7 letter words can be extended with an S in the front.

I-CONICAL               Y-ATHAGAN

I-MAGISMS              Y-BOUNDEN

I-SABELLA               Y-CLEEPED

I-SLANDER    

            

Z-HOOSHED                J-AMBONES

Z-INCITES                    J-UDDERED

Z-INKIEST                    J-UNCTION

Z-ONETIME

32,99% of all 7 letter words can be extended with an S in the back.

BUDGERO-W            ALMANAC-K

RICKSHA-W             BALDRIC-K

                                        BAUDRIC-K

AUTOCAR-P              FORERAN-K

MINICAM-P               POLITIC-K

                                        POPINAC-K

CLASSIS-M                PRACTIC-K

CYMBALO-M            SHELLAC-K

FINALIS-M                SHOEPAC-K

KATSINA-M              TAMARIS-K

2012 going on 2021

So... after an almost 8-year long break from Scrabble here I go again :)

At the beginning of January I 've rejoined isc.ro under a new nickname literaxx.

I now get my kicks from playing blitz scrabble with only 2 minutes on the clock. It may seem crazy but is actually quite fun to play.

I have downloaded NASPA Zyzzyva and was surprised to learn that I have missed two CSW updates (2015 and 2019).

Strangely enough after such a long break I haven't forgotten many of the words. They just need refreshing.

So I'm back on my learning mode starting with 7-letter words with 1 anagram only. I already have 2600 of them in my Zyzzyva cardbox.

I have also been able to connect to the Zyzzyva database (cardbox and dictionary) via Excel so I now have a great tool for filtering the words which is even more convenient than Zyzzyva itself.

I'll post an instruction on this later.

Prague 2012

 I decided to go to Prague for the MSI Mindsports Festival after doing well (placing 6th and winning 100 EUR) in the 1st Romanian Open Scrabble Tournament (ROST) in October earlier this year.
[sorry for the lack of report on that tournament - it looks like my second hobby (dancing) is taking up all of my free time ;) ]

What I saw in Prague was a world-class tournament featuring the former world champion Adam Logan and the current champion Nigel Richards. The field was very international with top-class players from Australia, Singapore, UK, Canada and the United States.

I really enoyed the magnificent setting of the 5-star Corinthia Hotel playing Scrabble on the 24th floor with a nice view over the beautiful city of Prague. And I also witnessed the premiere of the first ever RFID Scrabble board worth 30 000 USD (http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/view/10192/) which is capable of broadcasting the Scrabble games live on the internet (almost) without any human intervention.

The tournament itself turned out a bit unlucky for me - I placed 31st out of 41 recording a record of 11-13 and -199. I'll blame this performance on 40% of the blanks I got and an extreme tiredeness on the 1st day when after a sleepless night on the bus from Lodz, PL (9 hours) I played 12 Scrabble games from 9 AM until 11 PM.

Despite this mediocre performance I still had my happy moments like winning a game by 537-504 and recording the highest combined score (1041) of the tournament:

This tournament will also go into records for me as the one with most 8-letter words played - 67% of my bingos were 8-letters-long.

Some nice words I have played during the tournament:
SIGNORIA, DIAZINES (124), AUTOCUES, DEGAUSS, FOUNTAIN, FAVICONS, GNASHERS, EGLATERE, GAUNTREE, CYANISE, UILLEANN, AUDITION, KALINITE and ICESTONE :)


And finally some great piece of news regarding the two other Polish players who played in Prague, too.
Wojtek won 300 EUR for finishing as the top player in group E.
But the greatest surprize was an outstanding performance by a new Polish player Ewa, who won the "overseed" category by finishing in 26th place despite being ranked only as 40th. Ewa won 500 EUR.

Congratulations to both Polish players!

The next tournament of the Mindsports Festival series is taking place in Vienna on 16-18 February 2013.

Although this is very tempting I guess I'll need to pass on it, as I already have some dancing plans on the same weekend in Poznan, PL.

And I need to save money for the possible World Championship appearance in 2013... :)


The STATS:

Games won: 11

Games lost: 13

Spread: -199

Average for: 402.2

Average against: 415.3

Blanks: 19/48 = 40%

S's: 50/96 = 52%

Games won:

2 blanks: 3/3 (100%)

1 blank: 6/13 (46%)

0 blanks: 2/8 (25%)

Bingos for: 43 (1.8 per game)

Bingos against: 43 (1.8 per game)

7 letter bingos: 14 (33%)

8 letter bingos: 29 (67%)

Bingos with blanks: 14 (33%)

Bingos without blanks: 29 (67%)

Highest no of bingos in a game: 4

Lowest no of bingos in a game: 0

High game: 537

Low game: 296

Highest combined score: 1041 (537-504 for me)

Lucky in Berlin

Berlin has always been THE city for me.
I came here first when I was 11 years old - in February 1990 (after the fall of Berlin Wall but still before German reunification) and I 've been coming back to the city ever since. During those visits not only have I been experiencing the changes in the city itself but mostly in my view of reality.

This time I returned to Berlin to play Scrabble.

The occasion was the German English Scrabble National.
The event was organised by Peggy Fehily (who already hosted the 1st German Open in Mannheim last year) and featured a 10-round tournament played over the weekend (7-8.07.2012) on the 13th floor of the Internationales Handelszentrum high building in the former East Berlin.

There were 12 people playing - among them 7 people from Germany, 3 ladies from Ireland and 2 lads from Poland (Wojtek and I).
I rallied through the first day winning all 7 games - a lucky streak greatly aided by an unexpected spell of good fortune seeing me getting 57% of the blanks and 75% (!!!) of the S's. On the second day I beat Wojtek in round 8 which meant the tournament was all mine. In the final 10th game I played Wojtek again and he denied me a 10-0 tournament win by blocking my final rack bingo SENIORS with a naughty VROT.
Nevertheless I was happy to see Wojtek finish 2nd in the tournament - two wins behind me.
My final record was 9-1 and +834.
As anounced by Peggy this GESN tournament series is to be held annually and I'm really eager to come back to Germany next year to try to defend my first ever German title.

The STATS:

Games won: 9

Games lost: 1

Spread: +834

Average for: 431.9

Average against: 348.5

Blanks: 12/20 = 60%

S's: 27/40 = 68%

Games won:

2 blanks: 3/3 (100%)

1 blank: 5/6 (83%)

0 blanks: 1/1 (100%)

Bingos for: 21 (2.1 per game)

Bingos against: 10 (1.0 per game)

7 letter bingos: 8 (38%)

8 letter bingos: 13 (62%)

Bingos with blanks: 11 (52%)

Bingos without blanks: 10 (48%)

Highest no of bingos in a game: 4

Lowest no of bingos in a game: 1

High game: 496

Low game: 325

Highest combined score: 831 (465-366 for me)

Clash of the titans vol 10 (Łódź, June 9th)

I met with Wojtek for the 10th Clash of the Titans in the place where the series had started 14 months ago - at the Park Źródliska in Łódź.
Despite a very cloudy sky in the beginning there was no rain and the warm weather made the play a Saturday afternoon joy.
This time we were accompanied by a curious spider resting on the edge of the board, a hungry squirrel looking for treats, two pigeons making noise high up in the tree and countless breeds of dogs leading their masters to the walk. At one of the other tables sat a group of friends who noisily discussed some interesting philosophical issues like the end of the world etc. But we didn't care and so we played, and we played...
In 7,5 hours without any breaks we squeezed in 15 games.
I'm happy with my overall performance, though (as usually) not with the final score. Despite getting half of the blanks and the S's and playing more bingos than Wojtek, I still lost the Clash by 6-9.
I will remember this match by some nice words I have played:
SHAIRNS directly followed by TWINKLE(S), DRA(I)SINE, FA(L)LOUTS, ZEoLITE and PA(T)TREss - a new word added in 2012.
And... most notably - both of us had played a word EURO - a good occasion to commemorate the current football event :)

I hope to do better next time we meet in Warsaw or Berlin (during the German National Championship on 7-8 July 2012).

 
The STATS:

Games won: 6

Games lost: 9

Spread: -229

Average for: 401.7

Average against: 417.0

Blanks: 16/30 = 53%

S's: 29/60 = 48%

Games won:

2 blanks: 3/4 (75%)

1 blank: 3/8 (38%)

0 blanks: 0/3 (0%)

Bingos for: 28 (1.87 per game)

Bingos against: 22 (1.47 per game)

7 letter bingos: 16 (57%)

8 letter bingos: 12 (43%)

Bingos with blanks: 14 (50%)

Bingos without blanks: 14 (50%)

Highest no of bingos in a game: 4

Lowest no of bingos in a game: 0

High game: 496

Low game: 320

Highest combined score: 901 (456-445 for me)

Clash of the titans vol 9 (Warsaw, May 6th)

5 months after my last live Scrabble game, 8 months after our last Clash of the Titans we met again - former 2009 champion Bartek against the current 2011 champion Wojtek.
This has been our 9th meeting overall and the first one this year. Although it's a non-tournament year in Poland I decided to give it a shot as there is still some Scrabble to be played in 2012. In July I'm going to play in a small tournament in Berlin - the German Nationals. And then in October it's time to head to Bucarest, Romania (never been there before) for the first ever Romanian Scrabble Tournament. It is the second in the series of continental European tournaments after Mannheim, Germany in March 2011. And if all goes well, next year Poland will be represented at the 2013 Nations Team Tournament (former Four Nations) which will by then hopefully feature 8 teams including Poland and Romania.
As regards the Romanian Tournament in October it looks like all three of us Poles are going to play there: Wojtek, Rafał and I. This gives us a good chance to compare our strengths before the National Tournament in 2013.

Back to the present though.

Today we met (again after July 2011) in a romantic setting of Ganders Teahouse in Francuska Str. in Warsaw. The weather was awful as usual - rain and cold weather have become a trademark of the Clash of the Titans series. This time it was a mix of torrential rain and sunshine, cosy 20 degrees and chilly 12 degrees.

5 months of lack of match and word studying practise have taken its toll on me and I recorded my worst stats ever. Lowest average score, lowest average number of bingos, you name it. I won only 3 out of 10 games despite getting 50% of the blanks and 55% of the S's. I missed some unmissable bingos like TUNICAE and BASANITE but I guess I could say I was a bit unlucky with my racks, too. Imagine AOOOOTU, AABEEOO, EEEIIKW and FIINNUU on your rack and you'll know how I felt ;)
And yet my best bingo was played with an awkward combination of AEIIIRT. Thanks to Wojtek's R laid on the board I squeezed in (R)ETIARII, which made me a believer again.

All in all I'm content with my performance. I still remember (some of the) the words and my play is very focused.
I'm confident I can only go up from here. My goal is to get back to my Causeway 2011 level of play by the end of year and even improve on that. I only need some practise and the sky will be blue again.

The STATS:

Games won: 3

Games lost: 7

Spread: -332

Average for: 378.5

Average against: 411.7

Blanks: 10/20 = 50%

S's: 22/40 = 55%

Games won:

2 blanks: 1/3 (33%)

1 blank: 1/4 (25%)

0 blanks: 1/3 (33%)

Bingos for: 14 (1.4 per game)

Bingos against: 12 (1.2 per game)

7 letter bingos: 10 (71%)

8 letter bingos: 4 (29%)

Bingos with blanks: 7 (50%)

Bingos without blanks: 7 (50%)

Highest no of bingos in a game: 3

Lowest no of bingos in a game: 0

High game: 446

Low game: 288

Highest combined score: 926 (492-434 for Wojtek)

Causeway Challenge - farewell to Scrabble (day 5)

I went into day 5 with the same positive mindset which brought me so much success yesterday. And the magics still worked plus it was aided by good fortune seeing me getting almost 60% of the blanks and 70% of the Ss (which is by the way almost the reversed stats of the dreadful day 3, where I got 40% of the blanks and 30% of the Ss).
So the fortune has been fair to me after all.
In the end I got 50% of blanks in the whole tournament and 44% of the Ss.
I won 4 games today and lost 2. The two games I lost were by 1 and by 30 points...

My highlights today:

PR(OF)ITErS
where I thought I had won the game on the last move but was quickly brought down to earth by my oponent who advised me that there was still one letter left in the bag ;)

(JAR)OVIZED  
not a bingo but I was still very happy to play that off the rack DEIOSVZ leaving an S and scoring 40+ points.


tEASPOO(N
simply a nice word to play :)

After the tournament there was the presentation of the prizes.
Premier division has been won by Pakorn Nemitrmansuk to the great joy of all players who probably wished him this win to make up for his missed WSC final in Warsaw.

After the presentation I got a nice white Causeway 2011 T-shirt and then hurried to the taxi. Unfortunately I wasn't able to do any more shopping in Johor Bahru as I had been hoping to and was left with 66 Malaysian ringgit which I exchanged for 26 Singapore dollars at the airport. Just a little less then 4 hours until a take from Singapore. I'll be flying an LH779 Lufthansa Airbus A380 to Frankfurt, then by plane to Poznan and from there directly to Lodz by bus.


This journey concludes a magnificent Scrabble year for me, in which I have played a total of 5 tournaments (1st German Open, Peterborough All'Nighter, Cock of the Northt in Coventry, WSC 2011 in Poland and Causeway Scrabble Challenge in Malaysia).
It has been a Scrabble year for me which which was sparked by the decision to hold this year's WSC in Poland.
I'm very happy to end the year on a high note by celebrating my 17th place in Masters division of the last ever Causeway tournament.

This concludes my Scrabble journey.

It's been 4 unforgettable years and I'm happy to say that the last tournament made me a complete player.

Without further word knowledge, I will not go any further...
And if I have no time to acquire this knowledge, I will not go any further...
I don't have time to acquire word knowledge...
...

The STATS for CC day 5:

Games won: 4

Games lost: 2

Spread: +308

Average for: 417.3

Average against: 366.0

Blanks: 7/12 = 58%

S's: 16/24 = 67%

Games won:

2 blanks: 2/2 (100%)

1 blank: 1/3 (33%)

0 blanks: 1/1 (100%)

Bingos for: 12 (2.0 per game)

Bingos against: 9 (1.5 per game)

7 letter bingos: 6 (50%)

8 letter bingos: 6 (50%)

Bingos with blanks: 6 (50%)

Bingos without blanks: 6 (50%)

Highest no of bingos in a game: 4

Lowest no of bingos in a game: 1

High game: 487

Low game: 378

Highest combined score: 842