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#player1 Joshua_Sokol Joshua Sokol
#player2 Jason Jason
>Joshua_Sokol: AEMNNXY H8 ANNEX +40 40
>Jason: U 12H .U +9 9
>Joshua_Sokol: ADDEEMY 13I MAYED +35 75
#note This turn, I considered 13I MAYED and 13H EMYDE. I only considered EMYDE since very often, when an expert fishes on turn 2, they do not have an S, and almost every time, their leave isn't amazing either. It was therefore a gambit to consider. Unfortunately, I missed 13G DEMY, which from an equity perspective, already seems a bit better than my play, but even further, considering Jason's fish, I do not want to give him any new tiles to play through, so DEMY definitely outdoes MAYED in this position. But the best play is the tough 11E ADE(E)MED. I say tough because I didn't see it, but maybe it was just a fluke.
>Jason: EGIOORS 14F GOOSIER +80 89
#note Damn
>Joshua_Sokol: ADEEPQS 12K APED +33 108
#note My draw definitely indicated that my last play was problematic! This Q might be a disaster tile, and is definitely the absolute worst single tile to have in this game situation, where scoring is at a premium. I even considered exchanging the Q or QE here, which is almost unheard of in situations where I could be scoring over 30 and keeping an S. I can even score 39 here with 15K PEDES, a word I wasn't familiar with. I think I slightly prefer keeping the S though, although QA may be more flexible immediately, and I definitely don't want to set up such a huge spot at L15 if I can help it...
>Jason: EHMO 15E HOME +40 129
>Joshua_Sokol: EFHIOQS I7 QI +23 131
#note My scoring option (FISH) blocked, I have no choice but to dump my Q. Or do I? I could play 13E FEH and keep my QI, setting up an even better spot. That may be better for the long term, but I am not convinced. In any case, I am losing steam.
>Jason: AEIJRTU 10E JAU.TIER +69 198
#note ouch. I am suddenly completely out of the ballgame...
>Joshua_Sokol: EFHNOSS 11D FOH +41 172
>Jason: AIOST 15K STOAI +32 230
#note whew! There is still hope.
>Joshua_Sokol: ?ELNSSV 11M LEV +13 185
#note And then I get into this position, which really sucked. But for some reason I could not pull the trigger on the obvious play, 8G V(AI)L, setting up an S. I actually doubted the validity of a common 4, based in part on the fact that VIALLED and VIALLING are good, but not VAILLED* or VAILLING*. This play really sucked, compared to VAIL.
>Jason: EITY 12C YETI +40 270
#note Jason took forever before making this play. I wonder what else he had...
>Joshua_Sokol: ?CNOSSW 8C COxSW..NS +64 249
#note And during that time waiting for Jason I was cursing at myself for getting into this hole, and more and more worried he would block the correct spot. He didn't and I immediately laid this play down, convinced that it had to be the best play available. Boo. Firstly, I could have played 13B COWS for 48 and set up an unblockable lane for next turn, which is definitely more than worth the 16-point sacrifice. Secondly, I had another bingo available! If I saw this one, why didn't I see the other one? At least I got a lot of style points...
>Jason: ?AADGLR K1 LAGgARD. +68 338
#note Would Jason have known to ply GARLAnD(ED) if I had played COWS? In any case, W(AI)NSCOtS was the play, for 98... Ugh. Looks like LARGAnD(O) D1 is the play here, but this was a nice find. Jason was unsure of GRADUALS.
>Joshua_Sokol: BEIIPRZ 2J Z.IRE +68 317
#note Oh boy, but this, friends, was the most interesting position I have gotten in at club in a very long time! Why, might you ask, when there is a simple 68-point play available?
Here was my reasoning. If I play Z(A)IRE, I am obviously bringing myself within range of Jason, but I am leaving a horrendously anti-synergistic BIP, that will do me nothing on this board. And when I mean nothing, it's about as bad as that Q was on turn 3! So I should be looking elsewhere for alternatives, for sure. The only thing I could come up with was 2J B(A)IZE, because I was getting very distracted by loud talking at North America's 2nd most laid-back club. Then I saw N8 BIP(ED)! What a crazy play that would have been to make... It almost guarantees me 68 points next turn, but also enforces errors if Jason is unable to play down O, which unfortunately seemed quite unlikely. In any case, it was a cool play I could have made to shift the momentum my way in some scenarios. Instead I went with the boring, and hoped for my rack to improve. Should have played BEZI(L) or B(A)IZE.
>Jason: AVW 13B VAW +37 375
>Joshua_Sokol: BBIKNNP N7 NIBB.. +17 334
#note And that, my friends, was a crushing draw! I now had to hope that Jason was unable to block the board well in the next turn or two and go for a hail-mary bingo. A sim is preferring 6J P(R)INK, citing a decrease in Jason's scoring potential, something that could easily outrun me even if I drew into the bingo. I guess I have to agree. Gotta score.
>Jason: EFGIRTU 5F FRUIT.GE +62 437
#note Good grief! I told Jason afterwards that I thought FIGUR(A)TE was better, since although allowing more bingos immediately, it seems to allow Jason to score and seal the game next turn when I don't bingo. And even if I do, I am stuck with 4 tiles in an endgame and down by around 30-40 points. Not gonna happen! What do you think?
>Joshua_Sokol: EIKLNOP 8M K.P +27 361
#note Once again the parakeets were yelling in the background, and I couldn't find a play to save my life. This was not a winning play, and I knew it after I hit my clock. I needed to play O6 KEN, which I saw immediately after. Still, I would need a miracle for Jason not to block next turn.
>Jason: ADORU 6B DOURA +19 456
#note yup
>Joshua_Sokol: EILNNOT B2 TONE. +12 373
#note Ran out of time and was distracted by babbling again
>Jason: CELT A1 CEL +19 475
>Joshua_Sokol: ILN 4M NIL +6 379
>Joshua_Sokol: (T) +2 381
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