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USSO 2006 Commentary: Round 13

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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, Final Round 1, Final Round 2, Final Round 3.

round 13

Sixteen year old, Conrad Bassett-Bouchard (Moraga, CA) comes up to tell me about his game this round with Mark Przybyszewski (Depew, NY). Conrad played sEAFRONT to the T for 92, bLOWSIER to the R for 92, ATINGLE for 83k, and QIVIUTS for 38. Mark played TRIANGLE to the E for 80, UNWASHED through the N for 80, BENDIES for 81, and SIZIER for 75 (a non-bingo, too!). This last play put the game out of reach for Conrad, and he lost, 467-505. Conrad plays in three different SCRABBLE^® clubs in California: Oakland, Clayton, and San Franciso. Conrad tells me that he encouraged his buddies, Nat Gardenswartz (Newton, MA) and Daniel Fogel (Newton, MA) to join the NSA and get into competitive play. He says he isn't at all surprised to see Nat alongside him in the top of the division 2 standings. "We play online together all the time and we split the games pretty evenly."

I happen upon a game wrapping up in division 6 between Gavin Thompson (Ottawa ON) and Lindsay Crotty (Metairie, LA). She loses, 331-380. Her name rings a bell and she verifies that both her parents are here. Her mom is Lila Crotty (Metairie, LA) and her dad is annotating board 2, Tim Crotty.

A new twin is at table 1 in division 6 this round, Charles Reinke (Middleton, WI). Since both brothers wear nearly identical tie-dye shirts, I begin to launch into a conversation with Charles when I'd earlier been talking to his brother, Thomas Reinke (Middleton, WI), who was then sitting at table 1. Once we establish who is whom, I congratulate him on a 2-point victory against Steve Desch (Phoenix, AZ), 436-434. I see Charles' LISTeNED for 81 and SINGLET for 75, which Steve challenged. Steve played INTONES for 63 and IRONIES for 75.

Two boards down, Thomas Reinke (Middleton, WI) had a good game with Edmond Wilson (Hillsboro, OR), winning, 429-380. There were three exchanges before a play was put on the board. I see Edmond's FRESCoEs from the F to a triple for 92 and Thomas' RATTING for 72 and TOLANES for 81. The twins are 16.

Also sitting at their span of the top four games (3 of the 8 players were 16 and under!) in division 6 was Matt Canik (Austin, TX), who is only 13! Matt lost to Diane Pietrzak (Chicagoland, IL) this round, 296-414. Diane got down two nice plays: JIBE for 66 and RATiNGS for 69. Matt played JOWS for 42.

In division 3, Trevor Sealy (Oshawa ON) brings me over to his 488-309 win against Patty Wayne (Albuquerque, NM). Patty played ROWBOAT and JINS/QI/AN/WETS for 53. Trevor played four bingos, his first being ENATION. But the next three were fantastic as they came in a row! A bingo-bango-bongo: GRIMneSS, VANLOADS to the S (which drew a challenge), and PERISHED. Congrats Trevor!

Herb Lewis (Cherry Hill, NJ) walks over to my table to tell me about a game he very nearly lost. Against Anita Herczeg (Toronto ON), he had a 180-point lead at the halfway point, but no blanks had been played yet and he was slightly nervous. Anita proceeded to get down DINGERS and GROVELS to take the lead, 355-328, with six tiles left in bag. Herb thought for sure he was a goner, but the bag held EEIIOO and she wasn't able to do much with that vowelitis and he ended up winning, afterall, 386-380.

At table 2 in division 1, Joey Mallick (Cape Elizabeth, ME) defeated Jean Carol (Cincinnati, OH), 468-412. Jean managed to get down TOMMIEs for 74 and ATOMISES through the M for 77, but Joey was able to play DOWDIER for 70, AlOPECIA for 81, and outbingo of HEADNOTE for 89.

Marty Gabriel (Charleston, IL) and Darrell Day (Richardson, TX) are playing each other at Board 1 in Division 1. Steve Pellinen and Scott Smith are posting the game live.