Go to: Commentary Games Players Photos Profiles Standings Press Merchandise

Back to NSC 2002 Live Coverage

NSC 2002 Commentary: Round 1

Congratulations to our new National Champion, Joel Sherman!

See also: video clip 1 (2 MB), video clip 2 (2 MB). (video courtesy Roger Cullman)

Go to: Before the Tournament, Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Round 4, Round 5, Round 6, Round 7, Round 8, Round 9, Round 10, Round 11, Round 12, Round 13, Round 14, Round 15, Round 16, Round 17, Round 18, Round 19, Round 20, Round 21, Round 22, Round 23, Round 24, Round 25, Round 26, Round 27, Round 28, Round 29, Round 30, Round 31, After the Tournament.

Round 1

In Division 2, Ben Loiterstein (Somerville, MA) played Travis Chaney (Van Buren, AR) with a set of bright blue tiles that caught my eye from several feet away. Josh Silber and I noted the sound of "crickets." It turns out that the brand new boards have a very soft squeak when they are rotated. Laura Klein mentioned later that if the bases were removed, the sound would be lessened. If you close your eyes, the shaking tile bags mixed with the "cricket" boards, make the room sound a bit like a meadow on a summer day. Then the reverie is shattered by the sound of "challenge!"

At table 29 in division 1, Adam Logan (Berkeley, CA) defeated Ted Rosen (Rochester, NY), 512-318. Midway through the game, when Adam played PAINTER for 94 down the triple lane (one short of another triple-letter square), the S-less Ted played AEROBE just short of the triple on the right side of the board. Adam's next play was sILK making PAINTERs for 63 and Ted, who now had an S, played VASTY making AEROBES for 42. I see Adam's ADORNED for 81 and Ted's ADULATES through the T for 72. Perhaps the game's best play was Adam's out-bingo: INqUIETS from the I for 74.

Word judge Vivien V. Mallick walks by and whispers "Team Mallick 2-0!" This means that her husband David Mallick (Andover, MA) and her brother-in-law Joey Mallick (Cape Elizabeth, ME) are 1-0.

I wander back by the Loiterstein/Chaney game now finished. Travis wins, 383-357. Ben gets down RANTING for 75 and Travis plays SEPTATE for 68 and CELOSIa for 76. This was his opening response to Ben's EPEE. A quick glance at the game flow and I'd say those opening plays pretty much tell the story of the game for Ben.

In division 3, I catch Shah Ali (Herndon, VA) and Vivian Minden (Dundas ON) in a recount over a three-point difference at the game's end, 403-400 in Shah's favor. I spy on the board and their scoresheets and see Vivian's ISoLATES for 77 and DAINTIER for 63. Shah looks to have played DEVIANTS for 78 and CluSTERS for 72. Turns out their math was right and Shah took the win.

Howard Greenspan (Norwalk, CT) had the opportunity to play at board 1 in division 1 this round. He squared off against Jeremiah Mead (Chelmsford, MA) (the tournament's top-rated player with a 2042 rating). As the game was ending, Howie was still smiling, but he lost his opening game, 337-430. Howie got down TRaINEE for 63 and REcLINER for 74. Jere's bingo was DIATOMS for 86. Jere joked that he got to play SIRI* in that game. He is referring to Siri Tillekeratne (Calgary AB), fellow division 1 player. Howie held him on the play, but accepted the word. I'm pretty sure Howie doubted that it was "good," so I'm assuming there was a tactical reason it stayed. The normally quiet when I'm around Jere also joked that he started the game with UGLY and ended it with VUGG. Nice tiles to bookend his game! I overheard Howie conceding to someone that he may have played too aggressively that game.