Round 21

Before the start of this round, I met the following Hasbro Canada 
execs: Michel Dupuis, Marketing Director for Hasbro Sales, Inc.; 
Jeff O'Brien, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Hasbro 
Sales; and Rick Winslow, National Accounts Manager. I also spy 
Mark Morris from Hasbro, Inc.

The media has, for the most part, cleared out of the great hall and 
we are back to a skeletal crew. Handshakes over, the game begins.

Joel played first this game with MOW with an opening rack of 
WOODRMI.

Albert's first rack was YBIIUKA. 

Joel's new rack: EIODGRS

Albert played KAY, hooking onto the M in MOW. His new rack is 
BAUXIIE.

Joel plays DOGIE/OKAY and picks AEGNRRS.

Albert plays GAB underneath OKAY and picks IEXUITN.

The score is 45-53, in Albert's favor.

Joel plays GARNERS/MOWS and draws AEEOCHT.

Albert plays EXIT/ID/TOKAY, parallel to DOGIE and picked 
?UINULI.

Joel turns over five tiles for TEACH parallel to the E in EXIT for a 
bunch of points (49)! He then replenishes with EOBFSSY.

The score is now 167-89, Joel's lead. Two blanks out and three Ss, 
there is a lot of game to come.

As more and more media arrive, the murmurs of voices in the hall 
become a bit louder. Thankfully for the players, the heavy velvet 
curtain blocks out a majority of the sound.

Albert exchanges three tiles and now has ERPNIL?.

Joel plays FORBY through the R in GARNERS and draws 
EEOGSST.

Adam suggests PILsNER at 13A for Albert. He is taking a very 
long time with this rack and the time is now 19:12 for Joel and 7:14 
for Albert. A lot of game to go with only 7 minutes left.

Albert plays LIP down the triple, parallel to TEACH and draws 
ERNAEL?.

Joel plays SEGO/SHE, down the triple lane, off of HE and draws 
AEIODST.

Albert plays REcLEAN/FORBYE and draws OFRNMNU.

Joel bingos with TOADIES/TA/ON parallel to the AN in 
REcLEAN and draws OUUCHLZ.

Albert's next play, KAF/IF and he draws EMOURNN.  Time 16:38-
3:10 in Joel's favor.

Joel plays OUZEL through the E in TOADIES and picks AIIUCHR.

The score is now: 325-220, Joel's lead.

Albert plays BUM/NU/EM, parallel to GARNERS and draws 
NONERTE.

Joel plays down from the middle triple, CHUFA. He draws 
QIIDRTW.

Albert plays TENONER/OR, hooking onto the O in OUZEL and he 
picks ARUSVJN.

Joel responds with WRIT, under that play, using he triple, and 
picks EQIDVPO.

Albert plays JARS/OUZELS and draws AED?NUV.

Joel plays VIDEO/JO down the triple, drawing IIIPQLN, his final 
rack. 

Albert's next play is DEV.

Joel played PI.

Albert played UNTACk for an outplay catching Joel with IILNQ.

Final score: 453-394. Joel's win. We are 2-1, Joel's lead.

Joel is off, taking a much needed 10-minute break and Zev has 
come over to discuss the board with Jeff Parsons.