2013 CNSC Early Bird

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Commentary: Round 4

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Go to: Before the Tournament, Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Round 4, Round 5, Round 6, Round 7, Award Ceremony.

Round 4

Caroline Polak Scowcroft (Australia) asked me what the event banner meant. I smiled at John Chew and pointed out that she asked what many might be wondering: "What does the event banner mean?" He said, "It is the map of Canada in SCRABBLE tiles." Carolyn said, "ahhhh, but it is a representation, not a map, an idealized schematic." Well, whatever you call it, it is clever! John then asks her the anagram of SCHEMATIC. She said, 'Not OUTwAVED*." She had lost a game, she says, by not playing OUTrAVED. But to answer John's question, the anagram was figured out by Christopher Sykes (Cambridge ON)]: CATECHISM.

John Robertson (Cambridge ON) is a bit of a sports fan. He has a book coming out with Andy Saunders soon: A's Bad As It Gets." Based on the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics. Caroline wants to know why a book on them and he explains they were truly a terrible team, so bad that they stopped maintaining the stdium's grass midway through the season. He has on a Boston Red Sox shirt (the official kind of uniform kind) and a Bruins hat. Just to be contrary, he does NOT support the Patriots. His football teams are: Pittsburgh and Notre Dame. Caroline asks how many books he's written. The answer: FOUR! And he used to write a sports history column. He claims to have researched every Bruins game since 1924. I want to ask why, but I'm afraid this might seem rude. He continues discussing why he does this research with Caroline and he summed it up with, "I'm not normal and nor is my coauthor." A bit later (we had a long lunch break), John recounts his first game ever with David Boys. "It was an All in the Family game. I played DINGBAT and MEATHEAD!" Ever the statistician, he points out that their game took place in 1998.

Lisa Kessler and Risa Horowitz have arrived. Both are going to help with the event, most likely as annotators. Risa sweetly explained that she wanted to start now, but she had to dash off to get a dress for a good friend's wedding next weekend. We assured her that she had until this evening and she promises to be back sooner. Once a resident of Toronto, Risa now lives and works in Winnipeg. As she was leaving she said, "I am going to see more people at one store than live in my home province!"

The reporter, Jessica Vitullo, sat down to her game with Fern and they both decided to exchange tiles. Fern kept ED and Jessica kept SAT. Wouldn't you know it! Fern was able to open with her new rack: SAVOrED and Jessica replied (with a little help) with JAzZIEST through the E! Not a bad first two plays! I'd mentioned that Fern was a jazz singer and she had her newest CD, still in shrink wrap, in her bag: Two Kites. Easy to find and buy online!

Christopher Sykes (Cambridge ON) says a colleague of his had a down moment and found an online anagrammer and anagrammed his name: RISKY CHESS. Chris suggests I do this for other players. Maybe next round!

Fern Lindzon (Toronto ON) vs. Eric Peters (Toronto ON). Their board is beautifully spidery with a total of six bingos. The game was so interesting to both of them that they picked up half of it and seemed to try to repick to see what could have happened "if" the tiles had fallen differently. I see her DISTANT and PUNNIEST and his RADICELs, FALSIES, UNFaIRER, and SPIRAEA.

Tony Leah (Ajax ON) vs. Christopher Sykes (Cambridge ON). The game was so engrossing to this round's bye player, Caroline Polak Scowcroft (Australia), that she pulled up a chair beside Tony and watched the whole game unfold. I see Tony's HYALiNE and STANGED and Chris' fLUXES for 60 on the triple. After their game was over I sat down with Tony, who is 3-1 now, and talked about the flow of the game at the the time fLUXES was played. Not knowing Chris' full rack at the time, he explained why it was the right play due to the board's set up. The best part, the word pulled him ahead by 12 after Tony had made several strong plays in a row.

John Robertson (Cambridge ON) vs. Sharmaine Farini (Toronto ON): I see FOuLEST and DIRTIED (sensing a theme here,.,) for John and VOCALISE for Sharmaine. It was his win and he's 2-2 now and quite happy. He said he likes when players teach him things and in their game he'd played IMPLY. A few turns later, she front hooked with an S making SIMPLY and he thought it was a great play and one he might have missed since the words are filed so differently in his mind.

Jillian Bathgate (Toronto ON) is 2-2 now after winning her last game with Alex Rodriguez (NYC, NY). He played REPELLeD and she got down ROADIES and HAUNTERS.

From the "how gorgeous now" file, Sid Lashley (Mississauga ON) had EEOOL??. Can you find his bingo?* Opening play was JIN and it went to JINN, DJINN, and then DJINNS when Sid played VALINES. I see Josh's TARRIES.

Robin Pollock Daniel writes to check in on the tournament room. I'm told that despite it being a positively hot day outside that layers might be required. The ac gives a lot and then backs off a bit.

*Sid played OEnOmEL! Wowsa*!