Knowledge Small
A5 aNORTHI(C) +86
unfortunately I took 4-5 minutes here making sure there was no 3x3, and didn't count how much a play would score at 13B. TINHORn scores 3 more than my bingos to the C. #findingsmall. ORNITHIC was more defensive but I was only 80% sure of it or so. #knowledgesmall
Joey Krafchick vs. Joshua Sokol (Game 35822)
Finding Large
O12 MUSO +35
I missed E2 MISSOUN(D). I looked through all the other letters, never shuffled or put in MIS- as a prefix. Sorry Tunnicliffe for I have failed you once more, bingo finding with prefixes and suffixes is still hard for me. #findinglarge
Darrell Day vs. Joshua Sokol (Game 33130)
Strategy Small
4D CAN(I)D +20
I'm not sure... I think a12 plays come down a lot, in which case I want to keep as much bingo space open. based on a sim, it seems like the top left marginal lanes are realllly marginal, keeping them open barely improves my bingo chances. I think I should do WAND or D(A)N L7 over CANID, if an a12 play is happening I want to go harder on the bingo%, it will be difficult to outrun. WAND could possibly outrun. #strategysmall
Jackson Smylie vs. Matt Graham (Game 33128)
Strategy Large
K6 Q(I) +11
wow, this play sims unexpectedly badly. i bingo a lot less than i thought i did -- only about 46%. I guess Ys are the worst letter in Scrabble. quackle likes 3L DY(K)E for 24 - even though i don't bingo often, i get a ton of points the next turn. -9.5 #strategylarge
Darrell Day vs. Cesar Del Solar (Game 32716)
Knowledge Large
5H (OX)AZIDE +0 (Lost challenge)
decided this was worth a shot, even over (OX)IDIZE, since it was an amazing Q setup, and I just win if he lets it go basically. He challenged not based on knowing OXAZINE, OXAZOLE or OXAZEPAM, but on just not liking this. Ugh. #knowledgelarge
Joshua Sokol vs. Andre Popadynec (Game 35771)
Strategy Small
8G PI +8
att 1-2 i have no hope of making the cold equity play here -- as i said in an earlier game i either am too scared to not bingo immediately, or too scared to fall behind in score, depending on the rack (usually the wrong choice for the rack). PIING or PIG are fine here, but i'm too scared. -3 #strategysmall
Cesar Del Solar vs. Trip Payne (Game 35356)
Knowledge Large
5B JuTTIER +0 (Lost challenge)
nice defense with CHORD. this is a very tilty play, I had memorizes the J?TTY variations and had I thought at all I would have remembered that the blank needs to be an E. #knowledgelarge
Jackson Smylie vs. Jack Peters (Game 33116)
Strategy Small
7F R(ANI) +4
this is likely wrong. a good player like Joey would be setting up a heavy tile to hit the spot at 10F after my inevitable bingo. i should dump the R there. I considered it but thought he might just be keeping low tiles himself and trying to race me to the bingo, and then OR would be easy for him to bingo to since it has so many hooks, etc. hard choice. i also considered abort for a while. -1.5 #strategysmall
Cesar Del Solar vs. Joey Krafchick (Game 35030)
Knowledge Medium
11G S(P)OT +19
This isn't the first time I've spaced out on VEXINGS. Also I might like 11H POTT better than SPOT now but I did like putting a little pressure on Winter here. #knowledgemedium
Will Anderson vs. Winter (Game 34600)
Strategy Large
14F FLARERS +0 (Lost challenge)
yeah really bad decision here. I usually don't like phonying with stuff where you know what the definition would be, but the doubt is on whether it is included. I feel like people are usually more likely to challenge cause they don't give you as much blind trust as if you plop down some crazy shit. If I didn't have (A)RF available then this decision would be more okay, but I had already talked myself into playing FLARERS and playing it quickly, so when TOO came down I still just went with my decision, but it's so much better to just play ARF. #strategylarge
Jackson Smylie vs. Tom Bond (Game 33106)
Tactics Small
N9 GEWGAW(S) +34
Thought WAGGAS would give up the extra points it scores on defense, but apparently it's only two points worse than GEWGAWS. Maybe GEWGAWS slightly likelier to get +5 from challenge too, but still #tacticssmall 17:58
Will Anderson vs. Ayotunde Adeyeri (Game 33396)
Finding Small
N1 (V)I(D)UAL +24
Missed a couple options here - 2K TELIA is ok, but the normal top equity move of 5B AUDIT also looks pretty good, and I missed it. VIDUAL was not held. #findingsmall 21:07
Chilee Agunanna vs. Will Anderson (Game 33404)
Strategy Large
J10 Z(O)O(I)D +39
this move symbolizes everything that is wrong with my scrabble game (i know that sounds hyperbolic, but hear me out). of course i should try to block, but the only thing that looked halfway decent was ADZ. still, the most important thing here is to ask myself how I can lose this game, and it is by him hitting a huge bingo afterwards, and me drawing poorly to RTVY, and him bingoing again. can that happen? absolutely. if i play ADZ, i force him to bingo at the top; row 2 or 3 most likely. I can then overlap his play, blocking any potential bingos, and i'm still up by a lot, and should be heavily favored to win. i even thought about something silly like VIZSLA being possible but if anything i have the V. ZOOID sims best of course. the biggest mistake i made here, and one that i make often, is not having enough empathy to put myself in his shoes and realize he's likely keeping an extremely strong leave. of course i thought the leave was probably pretty good, but it also seemed desperate enough that ZOOID might just block whatever he has, and that there's a decent chance he missed his fish as well. i didn't think he would have the blank. if i give him AEIS? as a leave ADZ DOES sim better than ZOOID, lowering his average score by about 24. with 4-ply ADZ is still on top. the only issue is that the win% diff is so tiny, yet i'm convinced this is a massive error. #strategylarge
Matt Graham vs. Cesar Del Solar (Game 33552)
Strategy Medium
N9 (A)Y +26
AACIRT is not all that strong of a leave here. weird move. i guess i like sorta blocking the S too, but this still is meh. -4 #strategymedium C2 YA looks standard, but very easy to overlap. maybe M1 YEA?
Cesar Del Solar vs. Rick Julian (Game 35142)
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 Rau vs. Will Anderson (Game 33407)
Vision Medium
6K OX +26
I was down to 5:46 at this point and was stressing about time, so I played OX very quickly, as it blocks the B and scores decently. (RE)X is well worth considering to take out the RE- lane and keep a vowel. GNRST can go south far too often, all it takes is a two consonant draw. N5 STRONG looks like the play, not really cause it sets up the X but more cause it starts exhausting the bottom right - I could even make a play next turn that blocks the M and kills the entire right side (save maybe the K column). #visionmedium
Jackson Smylie vs. Matt Canik (Game 33114)
Knowledge Small
2F COINVA(DE)d +106
I always screw up the ACDEINOV rack on zyzzyva! I type this but it's VOIDANCE and it will always be VOIDANCE. I saw the bingos through the R, VOLCANIC through the L, and obviously VOIDANCE to the E if COINVADEd* comes off so I'm almost definitely bingoing anyway... but when this one scores 106 and I think it's good, I have to try it, right? #knowledgesmall anyway
Matt Canik vs. Seth Lipkin (Game 33088)
Tactics Large
9G (Y)IRR +10
Quackle strongly favors exchanging keeping only the S; the best play on the board has over 6% less win chance. I can't explain that, but YIRR has the shortcoming of providing two extra lanes for Betty to play a bingo--columns J and K.#tacticslarge apparently
Alec Sjoholm vs. Betty Cornelison (Game 33768)
Tactics Small
2N AT +28
or ZA. I only hit 11/46 on the O column but another 6/46 on the 6 row, 4 more on column E, and also OVERTASK on row 15. Looks like a small improvement over AT #tacticssmall
Chris Cree vs. Jackson Smylie (Game 33112)
Tactics Small
J9 W(A)X +13
looks like WAND or exchange here (CNS or CST are both fine, going for the COBIA hook). CDNST is really lane cause I don't even bingo often, and when I don't I'm not in a great position. WAX also encourages COBIA to be blocked. I think I should exchange. #tacticssmall
Jackson Smylie vs. Leesa Berahovich (Game 33110)
Strategy Large
1A S(U)LFO +36
Tanked down to next to nothing here, just could not find anything I liked. However, SULFO is obviously very wrong and hemorrhages any win% I have here. I probably should've done the other move I was considering of N10 FUERO and hope to draw unblockable bingos in different areas of the board, of which there are a handful. #strategylarge
Ben Schoenbrun vs. Will Anderson (Game 33416)
Time Unspecified
B6 ELOIN +20
So many lanes, so much potential! I spent more than 5 minutes looking for bingos and didn't see one. After the game, I gave the rack to Alec and he found the only bingo in about 30 seconds. Dude is *sharp*. Also, LENO 1A is better than any other play by far. I must have gotten flustered after wasting all my time failing to find the bingo that I didn't take more time to find the right non-bingo play. (-30) #visionlarge, #strategylarge, #timemanagementlarge
Alec Sjoholm vs. Carl Johnson (Game 34492)
Tactics Small
J7 FEUD +19
DUFF is actually a little bit better. frank played FIR rapidly and confidently. he probably has a good leave. i didn't want it to be too easy to bingo, i guess, but FEUD doesn't really block anything. -2.5 #tacticssmall
Frank Tangredi vs. Cesar Del Solar (Game 33829)
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)
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
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)
Strategy Small
4I R(E)BEG(I)N +22
wasted a lot of time here and didn't even find all the plays. NEWB is there as well as WREN (I saw WREN but not NEWB), BR(E)W I didn't even consider, but I don't like it. Not sure what is right here, but I am sure that I overscored this by 2 and Joey called me on it, and 2 points is a lot. B(U)RGER might just be the play at E7. I was trying to get a blowout here also, since if Karl beat Mack, I would have to have beaten Joey by more. I was hoping that my insolence wouldn't cost me the game, so there was a lot of pressure. This is probably a bit much especially since I'm trying to win by a lot. #strategysmall
Joey Mallick vs. Joshua Sokol (Game 34579)
Finding Medium
13G Y(I)D +13
No clue why not I11 YID instead for 11 more points; as I said last turn but clearly forgot here, no point grooming rack leave on this board. Also no idea why I spent five minutes to come up with this. #findingmedium #timesmall 2:51
Will Anderson vs. Ayotunde Adeyeri (Game 33396)
Strategy Medium
8D FERRY +30
i thought i had a decent chance of getting away with FRAYERS* here but decided not to chance it. i considered FRY for a little while but liked points more. i keep forgetting about defense. it's a thing, cesar. -7 #strategymedium
Cesar Del Solar vs. Jackson Smylie (Game 33784)
Tactics Small
12F VIEW +19
I could go the total opposite direction with 3L ERUV but that seemss very dump considereing the pool. I missed VIRU(S) which at least sheds the terrible U tile, but this was more defensive than anything else besides WIVER, and I thought the R was a bit better to keep. Seems better to play WIVER #tacticssmall
Joshua Sokol vs. Sharmaine Farini (Game 35786)
Tactics Large
13C I(C)H +16
12C VID for the much better leave and also 100% win. also, notably, H(UM)P seems to win 100% of the time even though it leaves ERECTILE open, probably because i'll score a lot in the triple. i didn't see anything else.. this is a big mistake for spread purposes. #tacticslarge -54
Will Anderson vs. Cesar Del Solar (Game 32684)
Vision Medium
7F QA(T) +19
Best play here is sick: EREMITE D8, setting up a likely QI C12 for next turn. QAT isn't awful, but you can see that EEIRT is a terrible leave against that pool. (-6) #visionmedium
Carl Johnson vs. Alec Sjoholm (Game 34483)
Strategy Small
E10 (L)A(W)INE +18
this time my play was terrible. i don't care. this is the worst draw ever to EIN?. i was trying to make it slightly harder for him to hit the triple but i may have also made it slightly easier. what a disaster of a draw this was, it nearly seals the game, but i deserve it for the bad play earlier on. -AIII sims best; i almost did that. -3 #strategysmall
Jonathan Kent vs. Cesar Del Solar (Game 32937)
Strategy Unspecified
1A CAL +28
i thought i had made a huge mistake here not playing A11 LINGA but quackle still likes 1A CAL best. maybe i did make the best play. shrug. +3 #strategybest
Jay Levin vs. Cesar Del Solar (Game 32939)
Tactics Small
8D FIQUE +42
Although FIQUE gets me 12% more bingos than QUITE, it only results in an average score of one more point per turn for me on my next move. Odd. #tacticssmall
Will Anderson vs. Tim Weiss (Game 34386)
Knowledge Small
13K PITOT +19
Wow. I didn't know HOVERPOrT. It's not a big mistake, but it looks worth it especially since it takes out HOVER hooks. #knowledgesmall #nineslarge
Matt Graham vs. Mack Meller (Game 34739)
Strategy Small
H4 QUATE +48
considered QUAGS as well, since the G is a huge impediment here. Incredibly, my reasoning was off. The S doesn't improve Joey's chances at a bingo, since QUAGS is otherwise quite defensive. He also scores a whole lot more after QUATE because of the hooks, and my chances of a bingo next turn are only slightly better with GS, perhaps only because of how open of a play QUATE is compared to QUAGS. #strategysmall
Joshua Sokol vs. Joey Mallick (Game 34559)
Strategy Small
10H (E)DH +33
10L PEH is better, presumably because it blocks the high-scoring bingo lanes in columns L and M. I like EDH because it keeps my vowel, and I can score well with 10M EF next turn. #strategysmall
Jerry Lerman vs. Alec Sjoholm (Game 32985)
Knowledge Large
H4 GOSP(EL)lED +66
this is so frustrating. first of all, SPONGED etc plays. yet, I have to challenge off a collins-only 9 confidently to win any games here, a perfectly plausible word, which is actually shocking that it's not good in TWL -- what else does a GOSPELER do?? how can GOSPELER / GOSPELLER be good but not GOSPELLED? a GOSPELER GOSPELS right? this game drives me crazy. #knowledgelarge
Jerry Lerman vs. Cesar Del Solar (Game 35384)
Finding Large
8K (I)NURE +18
Would've been funny if I played my other choice of 2B URP because then I could say "Your play: URP" - I somehow missed 2D PRURIENT. Pretty lazy. #findinglarge
Winter vs. Will Anderson (Game 34408)
Strategy Large
11J VA(N)T +14
This is delusional. First, 11I VAU(N)T is better, but I irrationally didn't want to put the A next to the triple word. Second, 3A VATU is way better, I'm not up enough to be pulling shit like what I did. Third, HAININGS is a word, so this doesn't even lock the board down. #strategySADDEST
Robert Linn vs. Joshua Castellano (Game 34397)
Finding Large
7E TOM +24
I have a habit of misevaluating Gs and Vs. 7G MOG is clearly better, bingoing a whopping 10% more often and yielding 7 fewer points per turn to Matthew. Oddly, I'm not sure it crossed my mind as an option. #findinglarge
Matthew O'Connor vs. Will Anderson (Game 34379)
Endgame Large
1L (J)ELL +33
wow, M(AI)LE H1 is available for a whopping 42, but best is to block (L)UNGI D2 with C1 R(I)LE, R(I)EL or L(I)RE because MAILE is unblockable. -20 #endgamelarge
Linda Espallardo vs. Joshua Sokol (Game 36351)
Finding Large
6D (A)BED +20
i missed ZIBET, which is weird because i'm pretty sure i thought the words "i have ZIBET". -8 #nervousnesslarge #findinglarge i knew i was going to find a way to lose this game because i haven't beaten joel in like 6 games and no matter how positive i was trying to think it was over as soon as something told me to play UTE.
Cesar Del Solar vs. Joel Sherman (Game 33684)
Finding Large
G4 CREa(M)ERY +65
missed all the other bings here. Sadface. RECYCLER I should see, RECOVERY I should see. mERCERY I don't play because it opens a 3x3, I'd best play CE(L)ERY for 28. Also thought he might challenge this. #findinglarge
Joshua Sokol vs. Jason Li (Game 35863)
Finding Medium
6B CREME +21
I indeed hit a bingo, but Jackson blocks easily and usefully. Just CREM(E) G3 looks better, to leave possibilities on row 8 for later. #findingmedium
Jackson Smylie vs. Joshua Sokol (Game 33783)
Tactics Small
10J WO +30
I missed 7M WOE and 12D OWE here, I was v fixated on TWO/WOE before he played BEEN so I think I tunnelled on the spot. #tacticssmall OWE looks a bit better for my bingo % even though the S is a better lane for me, he doesn't block the N as much as the S next turn.
Nicholas Tam vs. Jackson Smylie (Game 35376)
Knowledge Large
G12 DOL +29
i think i just flat out missed PReSOLD, and probably 5H DROPLeTS too. i think i forgot polders had an anagram, but i can't remember. -16 #knowledgelarge
Vicky Julian vs. Cesar Del Solar (Game 35264)
Tactics Medium
8H BELIVE +30
part of the reason i played this instead of the standard QI is the hope of challenging off a hook on it. some dead 6s are tricky and i think this is one of them. still, it's certainly not optimal play. -4 #tacticsmedium
Laurie Cohen vs. Cesar Del Solar (Game 35445)
Finding Large
13E PARDI +14
giving him an inference of ES here. i didn't see PYXIDIA, but i thought PARDI had some troll value since he knew i had the X. obviously PYXIDIA is the play. sheesh. -35.5 #findinglarge
Cesar Del Solar vs. Joey Krafchick (Game 35114)
Tactics Medium
F8 (G)UV +15
quackle prefers taking the pts with B4 NAV (and also killing that part of the board). RTU? should bingo pretty often, and it's good to score more points here. -5.5 #visionmedium #tacticsmedium
Cesar Del Solar vs. Jackson Smylie (Game 33100)
Finding Medium
3K B(R)UNG +16
Quackle really likes (E)RUV, citing a nice increase in bingo and scoring chances next turn. I think the board is open enough that I don't need to worry about closing the N and O files with (E)RUV. #findingmedium
Joshua Sokol vs. Karl Higby (Game 35780)