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USSO 2006 Commentary: Final Round 1

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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.

finals 1

The internet table is almost always helped by Jim Kramer (Roseville, MN) who is always a bridesmaid in these events. This year, he is a bride (er groom, er finalist), so my helper is John Luebkemann (Pineville, NC) today and I couldn't be happier.

We start today with Chris Cree (Dallas, TX) and Joel Sherman (Bronx, NY) emceeing the event. Chris spoke a bit about Jim, about his work and his style and Joel spoke about Geoff. More on them later.

We start the game with Jim's AACFTUX. The consensus was FAUX, but Jim played FAX which it was agreed was more defensive.

EILQRJY for Geoff and he plays RILEY atop FAX. We like the play.

Jeff: AACTTU?

The room screams about the lights that are being turned up and turned down as we settle down to the "right" lighting for the event. We see TACTUAl and ACTUATe.

It might be the camera, but Jim seems a bit shaky and nervous. Chris is asking what the play should be, the room is pretty quiet. They are probably recovering from the drastic lighting changes.

John is noting that Jim, who is always such a calm guy, seems quite tense right now.

John D. Williams, Jr., comes into the playing room and tells us to keep it down a bit on the draws because the soundproofing isn't as good as we'd hoped.

The Quackle crew (Jason Katz-Brown (Cambridge, MA) and John OLaughlin (Sun Prairie, WI)) suggest ACT. We wait for Jim. Jim plays it for 15.

Geoff: SOMENJQ, he plays JETON.

Jim holds UTADNV?. We think he will play VAUNTeD/DAY. We see that he agrees as he puts it down.

Geoff holds: MQKSSTU. The group groans in here. Chris is suggesting SUQ/JETONS for 26. The room is pretty quiet. Geoff makes the play we think is best.

118-80, Jim's lead.

Jim has AIIOHLR. Robin Pollock Daniel (Toronto ON) suggests HI/QI/SUQ. Joel says FAQIR. Lester Schonbrun (Oakland, CA) suggests HAVIOR. Jason Katz-Brown (Cambridge, MA) suggests RAVIOLI. The ideas are flying now!

In the room, division 1 director, Bonnie Rudolph, and division 2 director, Mary Rhoades, sit at the end of the board, in their striped referee shirts, waiting for a challenge or rules adjudication.

RAVIOLI comes down for 22 and everyone claps.

Geoff: ADEKMST. I hear MASKED for a ton of points. 58. Geoff pulls within 2.

Jim: AAEFHIW:

Robin pd suggests WAIF; someone suggests WHALE for 33. Joel says WAIF is much better

Joel suggests AWAIT to the T. Jim takes WAIF for 27.

Geoff's rack is DHNOTTY. HOTLY through the L in RAVIOLI. TODAY overlapping JETON for 47 is suggested.

Geoff takes HOTLY for 33, opening the board up, taking the lead by 3.

Jim's plays ache; geoff answers quickly, on the bottom row with tinders for 87, taking a 258-213 leead.

Jim: AZEOOTU TROOZ for 48 is suggested.

Jim is taking a long time, and goes for the vowel dump ZOOEA FOR 36. ZOOEA IS phony, and Jim got by with it!!!

A very risky move by a conservative Jim.

Brian asks will either player think it takes the e or l.

Geoff's rack is eggmotv. Geoff plays GROVEL FOR 22.

Geoff has 15:30, good time management, according to Chris.

Jim has bglortu; Jim plays BOLAR for 30, hooking JETON. Joel makes the joke it takes guts to play that, since that was his rack leave.

Score is JK 280, GT 279.

Geoff just started his tracking (game approximately 1/2 over).

Jim's rack is egistu?.

Geoff's rack is GIMOORW.

The whole last 20 mins of game has been typed by John, as I ran off to try to get the volume turned down in the other room so the players can't hear us in here.

Geoff plays MOW for 33.

Brian Cappelletto (Chicago, IL) says Jim should take the lead now by playing his bingo AUGITES or GUNITES.

So, Jim, plays aUGITES for 72.

351-313. Jim' lead.

Turns out that playing that bingo is good, as PIEROGI could have gone in that spot.

Geoff plays PILOT for 24. Chris sees this as a reasonable move for someone who suspects a vowel-heavy bag.

Jim has PBDNNRT. We think there are 3 left in bag. Jim has 6 minutes left on the clock.

Jim plays BIND and the room cheers.

Geoff's rack is EEGINRU. Jim's rack is EEINPRT.

John Chew, from this computer in the playing room, says that Maven says that the best Geoff can do is lose by 20.

John Luebkemann by me says, "this is an exciting game in more ways than one."

The room groans in complaint over GENIE/ZOOEAE. We are told by John Chew that Jim is holding this play. Joel Sherman says that Jim will realize that the only way he can lose this game is to lose his turn, so he doesn't challenge.

Jim plays TRIPE for 22. We like the play.

Each player has two tiles.

Geoff has: RU Jim has: EN.

Geoff plays URD for 6 to go out. Jim wins the game 390-374. Jim now leads the match 1-0.

The players are now post-morteming the game.

Chris points out that Geoff played suboptimally, not playing TODAY, and also Geoff let Jim play the phony ZOOEA. Ultimately, letting Jim draw more tiles, etc.

Jim Kramer (Roseville, MN) and Geoff Thevenot (Austin, TX) are playing each other in Game 1 of the Finals. Steve Pellinen and Scott Smith are posting the game live.