Go to: Commentary Games Players Photos Standings

Back to USSO 2006 Live Coverage

USSO 2006 Commentary: Final Round 2

[ ]

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 2

Chris Cree related a couple of fortuitous stories about Jim K.

Jim said he was "in faze".

He was playing Robinpd and had the rack aeiruwz. He played RAZE, leaving IUW. His next play was GUIDEWAY.

Chris was playing Jim, and saw that Jim could possibly win, playing VIRTUOSI into an I. Chris put the odds at 20%, and played elsewhere. Jim bingos out, and Chris bashes his hand into the wall. I played him twice, and shook hands with him (left handed) to begin each game, so it's definitely a true story :).

Joel related that Jim K's highest ever rating was 2041. The estimated ratings put Jim into the low 2000's after this tournament.

9 people hold up the letters "J I M K R A M E R"

GEOFF: Starts with CONGOU for 24.

JK: AAAIOST

During the break, Chris Cree (Dallas, TX) regaled us with stories of playing both players in the past, one story which included "someone" punching the wall. Then Chris shook his hand as if to say it was CHRIS who punched the wall. It was!

During the break, both players got fitted with earplugs, so the noise should be less of a problem.

Now to Jim's AAAIOST, he played ANOA for 6.

Geoff has DEEESHU. He played for 21.

Jim played RADIATES for 72.

Geoff played REbORES/ERADIATES for 72. It was thought to be an error as it opened up a triple.

Jim had JAKABLE and played JAKE for 51.

Then a scream when Geoff played OX for 59.

Then Jim bingoed for 88: BILAYER/BOX.

Score: 217-176, Jim in the lead.

Geoff has: DEGOOWE. He played WO for 25, Jason Katz-Brown (Cambridge, MA) didn't like the play.

Jim had EIILRRN and played WAIR for 26.

Geoff: GAITED for 24, not sure of rack.

Jim: EFIILPR, RIF/RERADATES for 30. John Luebekemann liked a lot.

Geoff: EILMNOT. We hear talk of LIMONITE through the I in GAITED for 78 points.

Joel says this is reminding him of a WSC long ago.

A big groan from teh crowd when Jeff played ITEM for 29, missing the bingo.

Jim has EILPISV. He played PELVIS/CONGOUS for 29.

Geoff has LINQBDO. The room groans.

The internet table in the viewing room is very small and caught between the big board and the two camera operators. We are a tight fit. Every time they pass between our table and the audience, our table shakes a bit with the contact. We are really "in the midst" here!

Nice ariel views of the players.

Brian Capp suggests QADI for 31. Someone suggests LIBIDO, holding the Q for 40 point crush. Geoff plays QI, a play that Johnolaugh and Jasonkb say wins 18% of the time.

Jim's rack is EIINPTZ. Jim scores 35 for ZIPS, blocking up the board.

Jim's leave is TINE, an excellent leave.

Geoff's rack is BCLNNO?. Geoff must open the board, being down by 50.

Geoff is thinking about fishing off the BN. Joel jokingly suggests CONNUBIAL through an IA.

NIB would score 9, but give Geoff a spot for his blank.

Geoff played BUN for 15.

338-304, Geoff is down by 34.

Jim: EEDILNT. Strong time managment on display; he has 12 minutes remaining on his rack.

He plays DEN for 14. Jan Mills (Georgetown ON) says there are 23 letters on 7 are vowels, which is why we think Jim got rid of two consonants.

Geoff: HCGLNO?

Geoff's head is in hands.

He played ACING for 16.

Jim's rack: EILNTUV.

We are going to offer Jeff the chance to break for lunch after this game, if he wants.

Joel says Jim should play GIVE. The Quackle people say UNBOX. Jim plays GUILT for 14.

Onto Geoff: AHLOOY?. He plays HOARY for 33. Quackle liked HOORAY.

Onto Jim's rack: AVEMENT. Interesting play suggests Jason Katz-Brown (Cambridge, MA) TEABOX, but it isn't a good play.

TU is left in the bag. Jim isn't sure. Does he play one letter here? Marlon wants to know if there are any bingos to the H.

SLOTHFUL is available says Marlon....

He plays VENA, emptying the bag. He is up by 37, 353-390.

Geoff: FLNOST? STOLON is suggested by John OLaughlin (Sun Prairie, WI) and Jason Katz-Brown (Cambridge, MA), who we have moved over to our side of the room for input.

Optimal endgame sequence, according to Quackle:

Geoff: STOLON Jim: MEOW Geoff: DEF

We are in agreement in the room that Geoff cannot win. Some say he screwed up by playing BUN. John O says no, he had bingo options if he played BUN.

Chris reminds us to not play like computers and that we should NEVER EVER EVER GIVE UP. And that Geoff is not out until the last tile is played. Geoff is just shaking his head on the screen, trying to come up with something.

John says Geoff needs lunch!

He plays FuTONS for 21, keeping the LT. He is down by 13.

Jim has METTU. And Chris says Jim just has to make a sane play. He says, "the mind plays strange tricks on you when you have 3 mins left on your clock." Chris has an endgame yesterday that he thinks he overthought, so he is projecting here... just a bit!

He played MUTT for 12.

Geoff has 33 seconds left. The ESPN cameras are only showing it.....

Geoff plays PELT for 12, meaning Jim wins 402-391. Jim is ahead in the match 2 games to 0.

Geoff has the option of a lunch break now, rather than after game 3.

Geoff's critical error, according to Joel, was playing WO, rather than OWED on his DEEGOOW rack.

I would suggest that LIMONITE was also a very large error.

They took a 15-30 minute break. The players are back in the room ready to begin round 3.