UK Open 2008 - Part 4

Sorry for the delay, but I have been back to studying. I had caught up on my cardbox after Coventry last week and then foolishly added a lot more than I meant to a few days ago...

Also I have had my first gardening foray of the year this afternoon - clearing the autumn debris and weeding the rockery - spurred on by all the bulbs breaking through.

Game 25: Anne Ramsay
I am not sure how the pairing made us play in consecutive games. Anyway, neither of us shone at the start, (L)UV from me followed two moves later with LUV. Anne bonused on move 6 with ENTRIES and I responded with INSANER. I was very pleased to see DoGFISH from my pickup after almost dumping F(A)H for 34. Anne blocked MARCHI(N)G with JOT on the next go, but I got GERA(N)IOL the move after. BRISTLY on my penultimate move gave me a good spread.
W: 518-379

Game 26: Brian Sugar
I started well with ZORIL followed by JOURNA(L)S. I then tried JODELER, but it is only valid with LL. Brian bonused with TONITES but this gave me a high scoring dump of ELIDED. AVARIcE two moves later and I was feeling comfortable with a 100 point lead. Brian came back at me with BA(K)ERIES, QUART and PALED but I held on to win. Afterwards Brian was bemoaning the fact there had been no floating I for PRATIQUE when Darryl asked why he hadn't played PARQUET for 102 :)
W: 423-416

Game 27: Mikki Nicholson
We both changed tiles on move one and then bonused, Mikki with HERIOTS and MA(R)TINET from me. Mikki bonused again two moves later with PONTAGE and I was struggling to score. When I eventually bonused again on move 7 with NEURIsM I was still behind. The same pattern, Mikki moving further ahead and my bonus of ARIStAS was not enough.
L: 379-454

Game 28: Stewart Holden
This game started normally but a series of moves in the middle should be an example of how not to play scrabble. I tried HONE(Y)ERS for 176. Off it came. Stewart plonked down TEAGUES. Off it came. I had misremembered a conversation earlier in the tourney and plonked down SENHORE with great confidence. Off it came. Stewart blocked with (A)GUE as RESHONE leapt into my brain. Except he hadn't blocked as I noticed the moment I hit the clock with HONE(Y). The game then went back to a sort of normality. Stewart missed the neat (HONEY)POT for 45 keeping back the blank rather than ANTIPOt, although I think it would be a close call.
W: 442-376

Game 29: Harshan L
I bonused first on move 3 with EVITATES. (E)XIT (56) from Harshan. I had picked an L, but had no vowels. I opted for CLY. PACY (47) from Harshan to catch me back up. Still no vowels, I dumped the Q for 44, and FREON from Harshan for 48. BR(E)W from me. Harshan then tried BEiGISH on the triple. I had picked an E, and could see BESIGHs so blocked with LEST. Harshan dumped the H and I changed tiles, picking the other blank. JIBE from Harshan and I balanced with (E)ON. THANEdO(M) the next go and VOTRESS from Harshan to retake a ten point lead. It was now a race to the line. I had enough ammunition with a W and S to outscore Harshan in the endgame.
W: 432-415

Game 30: Jared Robinson
I opened with HUTIA and bonused on move 2 with (A)RTESIAN - my only RETAINS rack of the tourney. A face-value ANILI(N)ES on move 5. Jared bonused back on move 6 with FEATUrE(D) but was still behind and I hit straight back with INVITER. A late GREISEN from Jared reduced the spread, but I had never felt under pressure in this game.
W: 456-379

Game 31: Nigel Richards
No photo. I was never in the game after Nigel back-to-backed on moves 2 and 3. Even when I had something Nigel invariably managed to block me.
L: 316-477

Game 32: Paul Allan
This game can be so cruel. I was praying for Paul to give me an N on his opening play, and down went NUMB. I promptly played TOILWOR(N) only to get hit immediately by the 9-x TARTLE(T)s. To rub salt into the wounds my pickup was crap so I then changed 6 tiles, and Paul burnt an S with LANDS. YAY from me, H(O)IKS from Paul. FLEG from me, JO from Paul and I am 119 behind after I balance with CU(M). P(F)UI from Paul and I bonus with (I)CEStONE. I pick GWINIAD from the bag, and suddenly I have hope - I am catching him back up. I peg him back over the next few moves - just to see IONISER plonked down at the end.
L: 403-495

Game 33: Adrian Tamas
Adrian bonused on his first move with ENOR(M)ITY but I could respond in kind with gALOOTS. I held my breath, trying to not give anything away with my pickup. After what seemed like an eternity Adrian played UNDUG. TRAPEZE for 131. I maintained my lead over the next few moves and then Adrian chipped away at it with steady scoring whilst I was forced to change. HI(V)E got me back to 71 ahead, but Adrian took the opening with GRADINE. Luckily I could bonus straight back, but spent a long time trying to find something onto the triple. I couldn't think of anything and had run my clock right down, so just plonked down TOUSiER, a really crap move but good enough to win.
W: 465-432

Game 34: Harshan L
Again no photo. We were neck and neck throughout this game until Harshan slotted a bonus in on a tight board. I gave Harshan something to worry about at the end when I set up a second place to play out with ZYTHER, which I was pretty sure was not okay but nothing else scored enough. Down it went for 80, and then back up again :)
L: 332-489

End of day 4 and 6-4, after losing 3 of the last 4. I felt very brain dead, and just stayed up for one drink before retiring for the night.