The trials and tribulations of a life of leisure...

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Saturday, January 10, 2009

UK Open Part 1

Allan was taking Amy back down south for college so I got the train/coach/train/taxi down on Sunday, arriving at around 7 p.m.

Llewellyn Jegels hailed by when I wandered down to the bar - I had not recognized him when I had first arrived. I had half a pint of cider and we played a friendly that I just sneaked the win - I really don't like wasting my brain power during tourneys :)

An earlyish night, clearing my cardbox before actually going to bed. Up fairly early as I awoke feeling freezing cold - discovered most of the bedcovers had fallen off the bed - and had a bath to warm up before going down to breakfast. Back up to my room to clear my cardbox again. This was to become the routine through the week - clear cardbox each morning, lunchtime and night...

More people were starting to arrive - we were due to kick-off at 12.15 p.m. As it was we were about 20 minutes late starting but this was made up in the evening.

Game 1: Jake Jacobs. I couldn't have asked for a much better start to the tourney - SEQUENt for 100 points followed immediately with AVIETTE. SWOTTER and PRIGGED later in the game sealed a large win.

Game 2: Paul Burton. This started very differently. We both exchanged tiles on move 1. Paul exchanged again. I bonused with AGENTED and Paul played a phony D(E)ARNING, so no score after 3 moves. Holding EHPRSTT I blocked the easy 7s with H(E)P but GRANNIED around the other E never hit the board. SCATTER from me. Paul did recover from his poor start, bonusing on move 6 with REWINDS, and later FaINTER and a very nice spot of TURNKEY also with a blank. However a late play of FILA(C)ERS got me back to win by 10.

Game 3: Alex Gboye Balogun. My opening rack was AEEELMS and I played EME - maybe EE would have been better. I picked 3 more vowels. Another vowel dump, leaving AES and I picked a second S and 3 vowels. I dump SUI and pick a 3rd S and two vowels. I dump SEI and pick the 4th S and 2 vowels! Alex bonused with EXALT(I)NG. Another vowel dump and another replacement with more vowels. I could hardly believe it when Alex gave me an open G for ASSE(G)AAI and followed it immediately with UNB(A)ITED. More balanced racks then saw me home.

Game 4: Len Moir. I open with VOLT from LLOOTTV, and Len bonuses with REUNI(T)ES realising shortly after he missed UNI(V)ERSE as a 4-x. He follows it with STEAMING on move 2 and DECRIERS on move 4. I get a consolation bonus of (G)EARlESS right at the end to reduce Len's winning spread.

Game 5: Alastair Richards. I have played Alastair before so was prepared for his playing like a bat out of hell. It was close at the start. A phony of RECAGED from Alastair on move 4 which could well have cost him the game. ANTISAG followed by PAGODaS from me on moves 8 and 9, but Alastair was keeping up with scores of 64 and 69. Good scoring from me at the end clinched the game.

Game 6: David Steel. Another close win for me with bonuses of R(E)BOILED and DATURAS to David's HORNIEST. I chickened out of PARTA(K)ER in this game but luckily it did not prove costly.

Game 7: Adrian Tamas. I can recall no details of this game but I won by 200 :)

Game 8: Paul (Aus) Richards. Again no details other than a smooth win with solid scoring throughout. The real thing of note was that we finished before Alastair, who had asked for the room key just before we started. I joked that Paul should go and ask for it back :)

End of Day 1: Lying in second place with Harshan, me, Philips and Nigel all on 7-1

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do not open any more boxes if they contain chocolate. Stick to word boxes.I am quite prepared to sacrifice myself to demolishing your chocolates provided that they are milk. I note that your "About Me" has beeen updated. Congratulations. We are now avaiting a building update as they are supposed to have restarted on the 5th of January. Colin.

Henry Yeo said...

well...here's a toast to king's cup.
time to start buying my ticket.

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