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SCRABBLE ALL*STARS 2003 Commentary: Round 7

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

Round 7

Ron Tiekert (Alpharetta, GA) had a big game this round against Joey Mallick (Cape Elizabeth, ME). He got down STINGER for 68, CONSUMED for 92, and ALEURONe for 74. Joey played rOUNDISH for 74. As they were filling out their paperwork, Joey gestured to Ron's last bingo and said, "Good for what 'ale's u Ron!" A good word geek, I laughed.

At nearby table 7, Trey Wright (Beverly Hills, CA) lost to Marlon Hill (Baltimore, MD), 320-443. Trey looked demoralized and Marlon admitted, "I draw like a fiend against him every time! It is just brutal for him when we sit down to play." Sadly, Trey nodded his head and said, "he always has my number." Marlon got down FUsILEER and fIREBIRD in that game.

At table 12, Randy Hersom (Morganton, NC) handed Chris Cree (Dallas, TX) his first loss of the day, 421-330. This despite Chris getting down a double-double GROUTIER through the U for 86. My notes are unclear, but one of them played pYRANOSE through the N for 62. Randy opened with INDUCES for 68 and later on got down SHACKING* for 68.

Paul Epstein (Ann Arbor, MI) had a monster win this round against Jim Kramer (Roseville, MN), 505-295. Paul played PARLAYEd through the L and RETAINERS through the first E. KAOLINS was Jim's sole bingo. Out of desperation, toward the game's end, he played PENCE one short of the triple lane, hoping for a prayer (or an S, whichever came first). Turns out that Paul had that S and a blank to boot and on the triple lane he slapped down eQUINES/SPENCE for a bunch of points.

The last game I photographed this round was between Jeremiah Mead (Chelmsford, MA) and Joe Edley (Coram, NY). Jere opened with REDOXES for 96 and from that R got down RAMBlING. Later in the game he played TENTAGES to the S for 79. Then Joe caught on fire, his two last plays being bingos: RECUSANT and ENACTOrY. If Jere had not gone out with HERO, Joe had the tiles to bingo out with triple-triple CORNETCY for 167 points!

Next round we go into the swiss pairings, which will encourage players to play one another based on their performances without repeats for a few more rounds. We've been able to play at a faster clip until now since the first seven pairings were already set up. Players will be handing in their cards from now on they will be paired by hand for the remaining rounds.

Only one challenge slip this game. In the game David Gibson (Spartanburg, SC) vs. Joel Sherman (Bronx, NY), the play PYREXIAL/COALING was challenged and it is an acceptable play.

One more round to go!

This round's recorded game matched John Luebkemann (Charlotte, NC) vs. Brian Cappelletto (Chicago, IL).

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