December 5-8, 2003

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Back to 2003 Canadian SCRABBLE Championship Live Coverage

2003 Canadian SCRABBLE Championship Commentary: Round 12

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, Award Ceremony, Final Round 1, Final Round 2, Final Round 3, Final Round 4, After the Tournament.

Evan Berofsky (Thornhill ON) played Bernard Gotlieb (Cote St. Luc QC) at Board 1 this round, and their annotated game is available for browsing.

Ray Francis (Pickering ON) played Dean Saldanha (Richmond BC) at Board 2 this round, and their annotated game is available for browsing.

round 12

Another sunny, crisp, winter day in Toronto and everyone was on time, even the self-described "late" Bernard Gotlieb (Cote St. Luc QC). His sabbath now over, Zev Kaufman (Toronto ON) is playing with a digital timer and is now pen in hand. Our runners today are again Daniel West and the returning Laura Desiato.

A fun challenge just came in: Tim Anglin (Scarborough ON) just challenged off Ron Hoekstra's (Kentwood, MI) nine-letter phoney, EqUISE-TA-E.

The fashion report today is a Smoky Mountains SCRABBLE^® Tournament shirt on Albert Hahn (Calgary AB), two sports jackets (Tim Anglin (Scarborough ON) and Vince Castellano (Fairfax, VA)), a fun black jacket covered in swirls of letters on Lisa Kessler (Toronto ON), poker-themed suspenders on Allan Simon (Calgary AB), a "SCRABBLE^® is Tiles of Fun" sweatshirt on Siri Tillekeratne (Calgary AB), CNSC black sweatshirts (Zev Kaufman (Toronto ON) and John Robertson (Cambridge ON)), A Word Gear SCRABBLE^® T-shirt on Carl Madden (Brantford ON), Fern Lindzon (North York ON) and Maddalena Palazzo (Richmond Hill ON) in fun skirts, and Robin Pollock Daniel (Toronto ON) in a self-described "Tiger Woods red" turtleneck with matching bright, floral, red wrap skirt from "a market in Kuala Lumpur."

At table 13 I spot an 11-letter word: ADVENtURERS. I can't wait to find out what that is all about!

At table 9, Shaun Goatcher (Mississauga ON) defeats Maddalena Palazzo (Richmond Hill ON), 446-354. She got down ENTREATS through the last T for 74 and bingoed out with OutGAIN for 63. Shaun played TEXTURED to the D for 84 and BLUNDeRS from the B for 86.

Having trouble getting my news right about games that Tony Leah (Ajax ON) plays in (my mornings start with him smiling and thanking me for including him in the coverage, but I got it wrong again, said in the sweetest tone without a note of recrimination). So, as he wrapped up this round's game against David Boys (Dorval QC), I had my nose pressed to the side of their virtual window. It was a very tense game that ended in a quick recount (no change of score). Tony played OSTIOLAR for 85 and TEACHInG for 82. He also got down ZITI for 46 and BINGO for 24 (okay, it isn't a lot of points, but it has style written all over it!). Dave played SUGARIeR to the R on the triple line for 77 and the impressive STYRENE for 90. He also played EXON for 45 toward the endgame and played out with QATS for 23. In the end, it was Tony's win, 422-417. Dave was still shaking his head over the loss about 20 minutes later.

At table 2, Dean Saldanha (Richmond BC) defeated Ray Francis (Pickering ON) and before much of any notes could be taken I was whisked away.

Anita Rackham (Mansonville QC) and Sinna Vijayakumar (North York ON) squared off at table 22. At one point Sinna played PERSONAE through the S and Anita played FANTOD on the triple word for 51 beside Sinna's play, so it also created NA, AN, and ET. After the game was over, Anita pointed out Sinna's ZLoTE for 66. She liked it a lot more than the OOLOGIA* play he tried and she called off. She on, 370-344.

Oh, I can see the stress on the face of Craig Rowland (Mississauga ON). It is a TENSE endgame against Andrew Golding (Verdun QC). I see three seconds on Andrew's clock and an ES on his rack, upside down, poised to play as soon as it is his turn. Almost as if he is sensing that outplay, Craig plays and pauses before hitting his clock to confirm the play. As I approach, it all becomes clear to me. What a game! Craig had the final rack of JURELSQ and Andrew needed to stick Craig with the Q. So, he tempted him by playing LAY one short of the top right triple word square. By making a monster play there, Craig would have to "eat" the Q. I think the look of reluctance on his face earlier was his battle with accepting that fate. Craig ended up playing JURELS/SLAY for a bunch of points, but was left with the Q. Andrew hooked his ES to OAT, making OATS and was out with only 1 second left on his timer. Appropriate enough, Andrew opened the game with BINGO and Craig bingoed though the N to play ENTAILED for 65. Andrew then bingoed through the L to play CODDLERs for 74. Andrew later played HONORED for 88 and Craig got down NANdINAS through the second N for 64. It was Andrew's game, 421-394.

Fran Silver (Cote St. Luc QC) had a big win against Robin Pollock Daniel (Toronto ON) this game, 440-298. This is Robin's 4th loss in a row and she admitted that the sensed she was "out of the hunt." I told her that anything could happen and after all "Tiger Woods red" should kick in at some point!

Sinna Vijayakumar (North York ON) points out to me that I misattributed a fourth round game. I had him playing Jeff Parsons (St. John's NF) but he actually played Carl Madden (Brantford ON). We've fixed it now. What is even more interesting is that during none of our talk does he say that he is called Vijay and NOT Sinna as I've been calling him all tourney long. I'll work on my cultural sensitivity bone and get his name right now. Vijay.

Diane observed a game at table 10 between Libero Paolella (Toronto ON) and Jim Nanavati (Burlington ON). Libero opened with FLAMeNS for 80, which was countered by Jim with OUTRIVAL played through the A for 65. Other notable plays: DECALOGS for 66, HEAtHIER for 89, and BLAZONS through the N for 42 by Libero and UNITARY for 81 by Jim. It was Libero's game, 459-404.

At table 19, Zev Kaufman (Toronto ON) played Danny Panganiban (Calgary AB) this round. Early in the game, Diane noticed Danny's play of TUBAE and Zev's plays of ALEVIN, MENISCI, and DARNEL. Zev won, 438-311.

In a Salvatore Desiato (Toronto ON) vs. Ian Bell (Waterloo ON) game, Sal opend with HAPAX for 50 points after Ian passed his turn. Sal also earned 66 for playing QUIZ for 66 points. It was Sal's win, 424-366.

The game of the round without a doubt took place at table 23 between Stuart Levinsky (Thornhill ON) and Lynda Wise (Toronto ON). It was the ADVENTURERS board. It was the last game to finish and it went into a recount. Toward the end, it was thought to be a tie, but the players found one more point for Lynda and the win was hers, 389-388. Stuart was too stunned to talk after the game and John Chew helped me piece together that Lynda played the bingo VENTURER for 60 and later added AD to the front and S to the back for 37 more points. John requests that I say that the "anagram does not play."