Strategy Large
B13 OAF +18
I suppose FOAM is simply too many points not to play, but I was really unhappy with its effects on the board...I suppose the D of SQUID is very difficult to block without sacrificing a lot of points after I play FOAM. #strategylarge
Alec Sjoholm vs. Will Anderson (Game 32905)
Strategy Small
5E H(O)R(N)LET +40
3A THY has the best equity and is made better by the fact that I need a bingo to come back, as the Y is bad for bingos. I didn't consider any valid play other than HORNLET#. #strategysmall
Dave Wiegand vs. Alec Sjoholm (Game 37347)
Strategy Small
J12 N(E)W +14
there are too many unseen Ts to make this move. i knew this at the time and knew i needed to get lucky, but that's asking to get too lucky. 10M AWN keeps the same leave and gives me a chance to come back... but he's never going to let me have that. so i don't know. maybe H4 WEN or L1 WRENS? WRENS seems like my type of move here actually. got too frustrated. -1.5 #focus #strategysmall
Cesar Del Solar vs. Jack Norman (Game 35157)
Vision Large
H11 X(E)NIA +36
I did consider H11 XENIA and I6 ONYX. The problem with ONYX is that it gives him a nice scoring spot to work with and keeping 4 vowels wasn't exactly appealing to me. N11 OCEAN would have been really nice as I do save the X for another score. #visionlarge
Samuel Kaplan vs. Edward H Zurav (Game 36313)
Tactics Small
F3 BOXE(D) +17
this also seemed very wrong. It performs OK in a sim, but the sim does not comprehend Jackson's defensive responses that don't allow re-overlaps on the C column. I really have to throw out rack balance for a turn here and make a weird-looking play like B(A)TE G6o r just OB(E) 6F. #tacticssmall
Joshua Sokol vs. Jackson Smylie (Game 41029)
Strategy Medium
exch GMVV +0
-3.5 #strategymedium - although, i really have a problem with quackle's top choice of F11 VOG. it seems like it would make it harder to open up the left side of the board. i sitll have a couple very weak bingo lanes, and a possibility through AR; maybe it is worth it to keep scoring as much as i can. i honestly don't know.
Cesar Del Solar vs. Mike Baron (Game 35452)
Finding Medium
K9 NEG +22
I did look for plays that would block Row 14 and the I in MANWISE nicely, but I just couldn't come across 14F CONGE. That's what I needed to do at this score. #findingmedium
Samuel Kaplan vs. David Poder (Game 36490)
Finding Small
D3 INVE(S)TOR +74
I wish I could say I picked INVESTOR because I balked at all the CONTRIVE hooks - but in fact I actually just somehow missed CONTRIVE despite looking at the C. #findingsmall
Tim Weiss vs. Will Anderson (Game 34381)
Strategy Large
1A DATU(M) +27
I have no idea what is best here. I considered N10 DU(E), which is simming best, but I'm pretty sure Quackle is severely underestimating how often that gets blocked. Something like 10L L(ID)O would be good enough. I played this because if IOT? was somehow in the bag, I could win with either A1 (D)ORMIEnT or D6 EROTIsM. There are probably better plays that go for something similar. #strategysaddest
Chris Lipe vs. Joshua Castellano (Game 41012)
Strategy Large
11B OU(T)LED +14
J: Very lost this turn. There aren't really any great options. At this point I figured I needed to blank to win, so I went for turnover, but blocking all those lanes is certainly incorrect. Championship Player is saying N12 OU, but I think that's too aggressive given the score and the pool. Something like 2I (O)UR maybe, I dunno. Suggestions are welcome and also #strategylarge.
Joshua Castellano vs. Will Anderson (Game 32551)
Finding Large
D8 H(O)LUBtsI +82
I didn't even consider doing 8A BUsH for 51 which would have been sick! While I'm glad to have seen this one with 2 blanks, as well as D8 H(O)LIBUts, D6 BIH(O)UrLy is the safest one for only 2 less. #findinglarge
Samuel Kaplan vs. John Karris (Game 36751)
Knowledge Large
A8 PAUA +63
INHOLDER does not take a P, but my other options score so little (F6 PULAO 15 is best), and if it does take a P I don't want Joshua to be able to use the spot. Somehow Joshua was only a PINHOLDER* holder and not a PINHOLDER* challenger. After the game I learned that INSETTER takes a P. #knowledgelarge
Joshua Sokol vs. Alec Sjoholm (Game 33072)
Tactics Small
O7 GYRONS +43
i considered not burning my S. i could save that spot, or let him burn equity trying to block it. what do you think? i could play 1G GYNO keeping RST. or even GYNOS keeping a more synergystic RT. -2 #tacticssmall
Cesar Del Solar vs. Jay Levin (Game 33682)
Tactics Large
M3 AG +22
Blocking 2F CAZIQUES 106. Quackle hates this and prefers N6 BI, which blocks the hotspot at N6 (the Q and X are unseen) and outruns CAZIQUES with every possible draw. If I draw the X, I threaten A5 COAX 66! #tacticslarge
Alec Sjoholm vs. Will Anderson (Game 32892)
Tactics Small
C11 V(A)LOR +16
Quackle assigns this the highest valuation, but M11 TOR and a few other plays have undetectably better win chances (99.99 > 99.99 apparently). I considered TOR but I did not realize that it forced bingos ending in S to play on column N instead of column M, thus giving me high-scoring responses. #tacticssmall
Alec Sjoholm vs. Michael Baker (Game 33631)
Knowledge Large
3J T(U)TTI +10
this is a bad play for many reasons. Reason number 1 is that I didn't think this took an S. Reason number 2 is that TIT(B)IT is a word. I once again thought this was a great play since it set up my X a lot and blocked EMPLOYERS. #knowledgelarge
Joshua Sokol vs. Noah Walton (Game 37050)
Endgame Medium
L10 NOO +16
I had also completely missed QIS, thought I was winning until he made his crushing move. Having to block RE(G)INA(E) was just the icing on the cake. -7 to LO(G)OI, but this seemed to have the only chance of winning. #endgamemedium
Joshua Sokol vs. Noah Walton (Game 37035)
Knowledge Large
14E BEG(U)N +10
huge error here. I thought BING took an S and felt weird about setting up an S hook when he has one on his rack. BUNG is the same type of deal, good aggression but obviously that's not the goal here. I surely would have played BING had I been sure it didn't take an S, but I think BUNG is still far better than my play. BEGUN has two major issues, defensively. It allows plays from 15a which will let the left side be opened, and it doesn't really block the 15 row, the M will now be really really tough to block and will just sit there until one of us hits it. This is why BUNG is better than BEGUN, at least an S play will do great things to the board next turn. as long as I can avoid an immediate bingo I will be in a great position. BING is still the play, also blocking the D, and working out so well so often. #knowledgelarge
Jackson Smylie vs. Matt Canik (Game 33114)
Strategy Small
B6 INTENDS +72
Tough call here, I tried to Nigel this out and figure out as many permutations as I could here to see which bingo would yield the lowest chance of counter-bingo, or whether maybe I should just fish off an N or the D; as it turns out all three bingos yield exactly the same bingo% of 71%, but INTENDS does in fact yield the lowest average scores. It does look like I work out a little better here by fishing off the D, which hits everything except the M. #strategysmall
Terry Kang vs. Will Anderson (Game 34593)
Finding Medium
J6 TUSKERs +73
15D (H)UcKSTER is a cool one that is much better than this, and J1 TUR(N)KEyS is something that would have taken away the entire bottom right for him! #findingmedium
Samuel Kaplan vs. Edward H Zurav (Game 36499)
Strategy Medium
9C JA(I) +18
I have to leave one in the bag here. 14A (T)IP is best because it sets up D12 JAIL to outrun any bing winning everytime according the Championship Player. This is almost as good. #strategymedium
Robert Linn vs. Joshua Castellano (Game 31572)
Tactics Medium
14D OILI(E)R +8
This has the best equity, but Quackle overwhelmingly prefers exchanging, keeping only the R--though I am ahead, I am less than 50% to win, so I should preserve the lanes on rows 14 and 15. #tacticsmedium
Carl Johnson vs. Alec Sjoholm (Game 33634)
Strategy Medium
J2 VINE +21
Chosen over 13E VINED to preserve a better board for making a comeback, but there sure are a lot of Os unseen... F2 or 13H VENINE look like safer options that still keep a lot of threats available. Tough call. #strategymedium
Ben Schoenbrun vs. Will Anderson (Game 34985)
Strategy Small
11B JUGA +28
i strongly considered L6 GOJI/JUGA and 11C JIAO as well, which all sim slightly better than my play. i liked being aggressive with the blank and thought it unlikely that he had another A, although i don't really know why. i am again, though, putting a lot of eggs in that basket. it's probably better to just do GOJI; i seem to be doing that thing again where i take bigger and bigger risks when i am doing well at a tournament, and it usually ends up burning me. #strategysmall
Jared Cappel vs. Cesar Del Solar (Game 39995)
Strategy Small
G7 C(A)R +9
Hm. I saw CAPRIC but didn't like how it took out lanes in ENROBERS. It is an 11 pt sacrifice but it doesn't sim that far behind CAPRIC. #strategysmall?
Edwin Roth vs. Samuel Kaplan (Game 35125)
Endgame Large
O8 AHI +35
time ticking down, tough endgame, but it's lost. The best I have is K10 EX(P)IRE or just AH O8. I was trying to force an error and also running out of time, but it could come at a cost. -30 #endgamelarge
Carl Johnson vs. Joshua Sokol (Game 33058)
Finding Unspecified
K5 WAME +29
this was very tough. (B)I(Z)E comes to mind. I really didn't like my position here, and felt the need to score. However, this is just a terrible leave, more terrible than WU would be. Just play BIZE. Tunnel vision. #findingmediu
Seth Lipkin vs. Joshua Sokol (Game 35827)
Strategy Small
15A TEGU +32
This should've been DEGUST, which I considered; there are no spots for sevens with my DST leave apart from DOJOS or EMS. Quackle says I bingo 21% after TEGU and 18% after DEGUST, which is easily close enough for me to take 9 extra points here. #strategysmall
Will Anderson vs. Orry Swift (Game 32891)
Tactics Medium
J2 BINDLes +72
it's not that i missed every other bingo but i wanted to start killing the board a little bit. idk, it's probably not right. windslab is nice. B(E)DLINer is the "best" play here. #tacticsmedium
Cesar Del Solar vs. Maxim Panitch (Game 39988)
Tactics Small
B11 B(O)RN +18
My penchant for mishandling Gs strikes again; this should be RONG for the same score but far more flexible leave (and RONG doesn't allow BORNE plays to go down). #tacticssmall
Will Anderson vs. Jason Keller (Game 34609)
Vision Large
G6 HA(LO)ED +11
I was really happy to have found this unorthodox play, figuring it frustrated Joey's S spot while setting up the BLE combo at H4. To my indignation, Quackle absolutely HATES this play, going for KEBLAH F9 (which I didn't see), or the more obvious BARE, BARD, BARED 10G. (-13) #visionlarge, #strategymedium
Joey Mallick vs. Carl Johnson (Game 34481)
Strategy Small
E4 MIME(O)ED +24
Quackle likes H6 MILE a lot. I don't see what's so great about it, but MIMEOED is probably a mistake anyway, as it blows up the rack. 7E MEG is the best equity play but Championship Player doesn't seem to consider it. D8 VIMEN is reasonable. #strategysmall
Alec Sjoholm vs. Betty Cornelison (Game 33768)
Strategy Small
8G DOR +8
-3 exch R actually sims ok, although DOR sims better on 4-ply. main problem with DOR is that it's relatively easy to block and i only hold one hook for it. i thought of GRIND as well but didn't consider -R. #strategysmall
Cesar Del Solar vs. Rafi Stern (Game 35399)
Strategy Small
D7 SQUI(R)M +54
This outruns every available bingo, but the best play is 14B SQUIRM, which blocks more of Jennifer's potential bingos than any other play, leaving only column A open. J4 WAZOO is notable. #strategysmall
Alec Sjoholm vs. Jennifer Clinchy (Game 37356)
Knowledge Medium
K7 V(O)GUE +18
I did like VOGUE setting up my S better than G5 GUV(s). However, I was not sure if VOGUED was good, and it is. Despite me taking out my own hook, it is clearly better equity. I don't need to be leaving the title of Doctor of Dental Sciences on my rack in this position. #knowledgemedium
Jamie Ryan vs. Samuel Kaplan (Game 39691)
Finding Medium
O12 YAM +26
such an insane bingo available here. Can you find it? This is probably worse than MAY L11 because although I block myself with MAY, I also give him a lot less to work with, and I have the blank, so I don't really need to leave everything open. #tacticssmall #findingmedium #knowledgemedium
Joshua Sokol vs. Eric Harshbarger (Game 35819)
Strategy Small
11J K(E)LP +18
G3 GAP or PEG in the spot where I played are better to preserve the CKLR synergy. Another idea is N2 PRICKLE, hoping to draw tiles to outrun. #strategysmall
Terry Kang vs. Will Anderson (Game 33407)
Knowledge Large
5K RURP +16
Your play: RURP. I chickened out of SPURRER and bizarrely didn't play PURR for 4 more, probably distracted by my deliberations over SPURRER's validity. #knowledgelarge
Will Anderson vs. KC Frodyma (Game 34976)
Tactics Medium
12A WAUL +26
huge misevaluation - NAW or LAW J4 sim far better. I average more and lower his average and score better. I didn't expect DNT so be so bad here, but apparently DLNU bingoes far more. I guess keeping more floaters open? #tacticsmedium
Jackson Smylie vs. Matt Graham (Game 33128)
Tactics Small
B10 (F)UNDI +18
Q prefers FAULD over this because EIN bingoes a bit more than AEL. Q also prefers TAU but I am not a fan, I don't expect him to open things up for my leave. #tacticssmall I also thought there was a chance he wouldn't know orsee the C hook
Kenneth Rubin vs. Jackson Smylie (Game 35378)
Endgame Small
3A TOED +27
-2 to ODE blocking N(A)N and slowplaying. He also would have gone over if I did that. Takes guts. #endgamesmall
something was underscored by 2, so final recorded as 388-380
Kevin Fraley vs. Joshua Sokol (Game 37007)
Strategy Medium
4I WITI(N)G +27
Didn't like C10 WIDGET now that EW is good. I thought about just C12 DIG, and in hindsight I think it's actually best - it's a huge equity hit but makes it virtually impossible for Josh to bingo either now or later as I can just close any new openings he makes in cat-and-mouse fashion. And DIG puts me up 80, which should be enough to avoid being outscored without a bingo in basically all circumstances. Quackle still likes WITING, but I'm gonna call this a #strategymedium since leaving Josh an easy way to tie the game with a 7 on column C or an 8 on row 15 seems plainly unnecessary here.
Mack Meller vs. Joshua Sokol (Game 34725)