What can I say? I am shocked and so happy!
I went in to day 4 lying in 6th place, with Thacha almost assured a place barring meltdown on 19 wins, Goutham on 17, Taewan and Pakorn on 16, and Alastair on 15 and slightly better spread than me. And another 4 players also on 15 with worse spread...
I knew that I probably needed to win 5 out of 6 and for Thacha to keep winning to stand a chance of making the final in second place, but didn't really think I stood a hope. Four would probably guarantee I was in the prizes. Okay, just take it a game at a time.
Taewan first, one win ahead of me but inferior spread. A good win, helped by a couple of attempts at a non-existent bingo early in the game by Taewan, but I am still in 6th but have made up some ground, being now only one win behind second place. Pakorn had beaten Thacha - bad for me, Gautham lost to Alastair - good for me, Jakkrit had a large win and thus overtook me on spread.
Pakorn next - MUST WIN game. Pakorn opened with GALAX for 42, but I had YODLING sitting on my rack. And I came through, suddenly finding myself in second place when Thacha beat Alastair and Gautham and Jakkrit also both lost. And suddenly Vannitha had leapt up to third place. Five of us now on 17 wins and Thacha out in front on 20.
I had Goutham next, and after having lost to him twice already in the tourney I at last got to show him that I can play. A big win - spread was very likely to decide the second place and another 211 points did me no harm whatsoever.
A very short lunch break - I had time for a ciggie, pee, and grab a coffee - as we had started slightly late (a knock-on affect from playing Pakorn the round before) and had run our clocks right down. Luckily I still had a small muffin and bananas in my bag.
Thacha next. Hmm. He started with WIREMAN for 82. I had ELOOOOT... Not quite what I had wanted but I dumped (M)OOLOO for 9. He bingoed with CLAWERS for another 87. I would like to say I performed a miracle, but did manage to get the losing spread down to double figures. Back to third place, Pakorn now a win ahead again.
Thacha was now Gibsonised so pairings were king-of-the-hill from second place, so Pakorn again. I started with a bonus and never looked back.
Game 29. The winner between myself and Jakkrit would make the final. Pakorn needed to win and us to draw...
Jakkrit started with HOG. I dumped DANIO below it, holding another AN. This apparently blocked Jakkrit's bonus so he started a farmyard theme, playing off PIG. I bingoed on move 4 to take a healthy lead on a semi blocked board, and maintained control. With a 60+ lead and holding a blank I declined playing a face-value bonus in the only bonus line, that opened a 9-x, but dumped off DE for a mere 13, keeping EIST?. Jakkrit played onto a triple, giving me a floater for a safe bingo of lAMITE(R)S. A pick of AEINSZ? meant I was home and dry.
I had 27/58 blanks, but much more importantly only a few games where a had prolonged runs of unbalanced racks.
My nicest bonuses were J(I)HADEEN and B(A)RnEYI(N)G, both against Nigel in a game I lost.
For those of you who are interested details of the whole event, including the final, can be found here.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Bangkok 2012 - Part 1
I have been neglecting my blog. Probably because after the early good start in the garden things have gone pear shaped - other than the pears.
Most of my veggies that I planted out became slug food. We seem to have had a lot more than normal - probably due to the constant rain from April onwards.
The only decent weather we have had since March seems to coincide with when I am off on my travels.
A really nice week+, ending a day or two after I got back from Malta.
Now I am in Bangkok, and I hear from Paul that yesterday was lovely.
My scrabble has been so-so. Fourth in both the tourneys in Malta, fourth in the Scottish Open and an improvement to third in the NSC regional. BEST has been better though. I am through to the group final having had a bye in the first round and then two matches where I actually got a higher match rating than my actual rating. This was a novelty - up until this year I had amazingly never achieved that despite progressing quite well several times.
An interesting situation on the LHR-Doha leg of my flight yesterday. It was not full and I managed to move seat to one with extra leg room at the front. A young boy of about 5 or 6 I am guessing was moved by his mother into seat next to me. She then deserted him after stewardess denied her request to allow him to move into business class to be with her!
A couple of quiet days here before scrabble battle commences on Thursday. I am settled in on Gerry's sofa with fans on full blast. And I have been told that it is much cooler now that the rains have started!!!
Most of my veggies that I planted out became slug food. We seem to have had a lot more than normal - probably due to the constant rain from April onwards.
The only decent weather we have had since March seems to coincide with when I am off on my travels.
A really nice week+, ending a day or two after I got back from Malta.
Now I am in Bangkok, and I hear from Paul that yesterday was lovely.
My scrabble has been so-so. Fourth in both the tourneys in Malta, fourth in the Scottish Open and an improvement to third in the NSC regional. BEST has been better though. I am through to the group final having had a bye in the first round and then two matches where I actually got a higher match rating than my actual rating. This was a novelty - up until this year I had amazingly never achieved that despite progressing quite well several times.
An interesting situation on the LHR-Doha leg of my flight yesterday. It was not full and I managed to move seat to one with extra leg room at the front. A young boy of about 5 or 6 I am guessing was moved by his mother into seat next to me. She then deserted him after stewardess denied her request to allow him to move into business class to be with her!
A couple of quiet days here before scrabble battle commences on Thursday. I am settled in on Gerry's sofa with fans on full blast. And I have been told that it is much cooler now that the rains have started!!!
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