Strategy Medium
1F TE(R)TIUM +12
Too defensive or nah? I wanted to block 1A bings and 12E MUTUE(L) creates an S hook (he might not know RIPERS). I await your hatemail. 12E MUTUE(L) and 12M UTU are probably okay? #strategymedium
Joshua Castellano vs. Walker Willingham (Game 37531)
Endgame Large
13K ZHOM(O) +57
I calculated that ZHOMO would win by 1 here, and it does; but there could have been a scoring error, and there's far a better option here of 14F HERTZ for 62, following up with 10J MOO. #endgamelarge
Jason Keller vs. Will Anderson (Game 34587)
Finding Unspecified
N2 CATE +28
ESTANCIA got blocked, which I would have seen this time. Clearly things are not going my way this game. I think I needed to do N1 ACETA here and create better scoring opportunities. #findingmeh
Mitchell Brook vs. Samuel Kaplan (Game 36362)
Finding Medium
8D VOLT(E) +12
this was an odd decision by me. I don't think I saw or considered NOH 12C at all, the clear equity play blocking the clear scoring spot. However, I really enjoyed the look of the board after this. If he uses the full scoring spot at 12A, I might get a very nice score myself, even a 3x3. However, Joey is more prone to playing at 12C or 12B than he is to play at 12A given his style of late, so perhaps this was an oversight, since things aren't great when he does that. The bingo lines are mostly airballs and he has a significant lead before my turn. NOH seems standard and totally fine here. HOV(E)L also seems decent, setting up two lanes. #findingmedium
Joey Krafchick vs. Joshua Sokol (Game 35822)
Endgame Large
2B INR(O) +8
tough endgame. I have to block MELODIA (and EARLDOM which I missed). Didn't see any way to do this and save two outs, but NOM(O)I does it. MORI(O)N is very gutsy and also leaves outs. -10 #endgamelarge
Joshua Sokol vs. Jackson Smylie (Game 33934)
Vision Small
10F HILLY +41
D4 KILL(JO)Y. I'm pretty sure I would have known this was good if I had seen it and I didn't even look at playing through JO, making it a #visionsmall mistake. Also #knowledgesmall for the +5.
Joshua Castellano vs. Daniel Milton (Game 31567)
Finding Medium
13K ZAG +41
should probably play the bingos here for board dynamics and score control. Problem was I was unsure of both SLEAZING and GLAZINGS. I also missed D2 ZAG, gonna have to look harder in my cupboard next time. #findingmedium
Judy Horn vs. Joshua Sokol (Game 37387)
Time Large
G13 ZO +48
CP likes this, saying it wins 95%, but it's surely dependent on full confidence in CASTLINGS. Given that I did not have that confidence, a great option is 11D VOW/VAW, setting up SOZ/SAZ to follow up in the endgame, also winning 95% because the bingos Bradley does get down score so much less. Unfortunately, I burned a huge amount of time grappling with this position and somehow still didn't generate VOW/VAW, leaving me vulnerable to time pressure on my next move. #strategysmall #timelarge
Bradley Whitmarsh vs. Will Anderson (Game 34977)
Strategy Small
11E COX +38
I did not want to make this play. It's almost certain that Noah has another E here, as otherwise he would have kept his E and played FIST/FAST. Also, there are 8 unseen E's. This means that he's going to be able to access the O column a crushing amount of the time, and I'll be left with row 14 and whatever counterplay his O column play leaves me with, which is peanuts. I basically had to hope here that he just didn't have an E, which meant no A or I last turn either. I considered NIX 11E as well, to keep things open. NIX looks better because I draw COWED 12B which sets up SCOWED. #strategysmall
Noah Walton vs. Joshua Sokol (Game 37028)
Finding Small
12C FYKE(S) +30
oh maybe just FYK(E) here, a bit less defensive. didn't see it. I was close ot playing DYKE, hoping he might not know the D hook, but I think he would. Q has it similar to FYKE, and that seems a bt better than FYKES. #findingsmall
Jackson Smylie vs. Michael Fagen (Game 35368)
Vision Large
15G TELIA +25
Quackle burns the S for an extra 5 points with STELAI. I'm not sure why that is. Another superior play is OILCLOTH 8A, which I never would have seen. I'd find it as a bingo every time, but not as an extension. (-2% win chances, -10 valuation) #strategysmall, #visionlarge
Carl Johnson vs. Joshua Sokol (Game 34480)
Strategy Small
11G COXES +45
EXED much better, fewer points, but blocks Wendy's best chance at winning COXES making LORDINGS also good, didn't know that was valid. #endgameSAD #knowledgeSAD #strategySAD
Wendy McGrath vs. Danielle Barker (Game 35343)
Strategy Small
8D TEAZE +30
VOD at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94Vjc9MeBB8. I didn't like the potential responses to 8G YEZ, but it makes him bing slightly less and me bing slightly more. #strategysmall
Joshua Castellano vs. Austin Shin (Game 37535)
Strategy Small
12I (O)VOLO +16
seems clear that I should just do G7 OVOLI now that I am analyzing. I knew I was playing scared here, but felt Mack still had a decent play at H12 despite challenging. #strategysmall
Mack Meller vs. Joshua Sokol (Game 38613)
Finding Medium
3A EJE(C)T +28
Still had no idea what to play but missed the killer JESTER at O10, which gives me a 15% chance per Quackle. I'm so fixated on bingoing or trying to score a ton by drawing OU out of the bag but idk. man this game was so sloppy and this is why I'll never be good at scrabble #findingsadder
Reid Hattaway vs. Matt Canik (Game 32971)
Finding Large
G3 DUN(E) +7
Another terrible decision. I got spooked by his last play and was trying to find something that would work best against his range. It's not what I played. G3 UND(E)R(LI)T is a much better play with the same idea. Also probably better than this is just 6B Z(E) or some echange like Exch. DUNNT. Of those options, I like G3 UND(E)R(LI)T the best. It blocks a few spots while saving B6 and C9 Z plays. #findingsaddest
Joshua Castellano vs. David Koenig (Game 37519)
Knowledge Large
C5 DWEE(B)ING +0 (Lost challenge)
this will be the last time I confuse WEEDBED and BEDEWED for BEDEWED and DWEEBED* and BEDEWING and BEWINGED for BEDEWING and DWEEBING* (I hope) #knowledgelarge
Joshua Sokol vs. Kenji Matsumoto (Game 33163)
Tactics Medium
14A BIB +30
Quackle picks 14A BABA and 14A BABE. My best chance of winning depends on me drawing the X (I'm not expecting to draw a bingo), and BABA and BABE turn over 4 tiles, empty the bag, and save 14J XI. They also increase Carl's chance of having a bingo, providing a lane for sevens starting with L or R on row 15--and BABA permits A or E as well. I chose BIB because it allows fewer bingos, allows me to play another turn after a bingo, and saves 8A ATAP--although I should really be concerned about the X. BIB saves AXE at 1A and A6. #tacticsmedium
Carl Johnson vs. Alec Sjoholm (Game 34483)
Finding Small
I7 NEWT +23
Q suggests TEW E9. I much prefer WINE I5 to this but at this point I'm simply fighting off a mental breakdown of thinking that I'm the worst scrabble player in the world #findingsad
Charles Reinke vs. Matt Canik (Game 33041)
Finding Small
M3 GRAfTED +82
Spent around 1.5 minutes here, knowing I needed to speed up. I should have easily spotted TRiAGED, which doubles G and D. The only issue is the X spot that creates, but I would be slightly closer to drawing it than Jackson, so it might even be beneficial to me. Quackle rates this as a bit more than 2 points worse #findingsmall
Jackson Smylie vs. Joshua Sokol (Game 41798)
Strategy Unspecified
D1 PEIN +27
i think if i were to train a neural network to play scrabble, it would choose 10B PAINED. that really really is not my style, but i did very strongly consider it. i think i do need to play like that when necessary. PAINED puts me up at least 50 on a closed board. now he has the responsibility to open it and i can just keep it closed. i would come to regret this move strongly. #strategy?
Cesar Del Solar vs. John Karris (Game 32683)
Strategy Medium
H1 (B)I +4
BI "only" bingoes around 78% of the time. i always miss ZEDA, something like 1K ELAIN is pretty good; i'm a little less enthused about stuff like 10M AIL. i don't know. i didn't realize this was that bad, although i thought it might not be best. 10M AIL bingoes more than 50% of the time, which seems slightly high, but i guess i can buy it. -7.5 #strategymedium
Jason Bednarz vs. Cesar Del Solar (Game 35389)
Strategy Small
exch NPTV +0
weird decision by me. I should just keep Z or ZN, ZNT is wayy to conso heavy in this early game position. I felt like I was responding to a bingo so I wanted to be ready, but ZN is ready. #strategysmall
Eric Goldstein vs. Joshua Sokol (Game 41807)
Strategy Small
2J FOE +40
Q thinks I should play both FUNGOES and FAX over this. I didn't consider FAX strongly, but the board is REALLY bad for scoring if I play it, so there's a ton of defense value, plus the almost guaranteed bingo next turn. FuNGOES only drops my score by 22 in comparison with FOE, and drops his average by about 4. I think the dearth of scoring spots on the board should have led me away from playing FOE. #strategysmall
Mark Pistolese vs. Jackson Smylie (Game 35241)
Strategy Small
4J (BA)IRN +14
... which is why i didn't play IRONI(C) here; i don't want to just give up easy points. i thought it better to try my luck at the S and a bingo. #strategysmall ?
Jeff Cook vs. Cesar Del Solar (Game 40026)
Vision Large
8J (D)ATIVE +33
12C BAY has the best equity, doesn't give Matt any floaters, and often draws into DATIVE next turn anyway. I'm not sure whether I even looked for anything after I found DATIVE. #visionlarge
Matt Graham vs. Alec Sjoholm (Game 33194)
Finding Large
B1 ENERgID +74
I had spent probably half my time at the point of making this play. But I just couldn't spot REIGNED. Again, I felt like I was falling into my old patterns this game and couldn't escape. No excuses. Couldn't even spot DE(R)INgER or anything that didn't open a 3x3 or score too low. I knew this was wrong but my time was ticking so fast. #findingsaddest
Joshua Sokol vs. Joey Mallick (Game 37666)
Strategy Large
L11 ZUPA +42
Gotta try and learn something here. I'm making too many wild moves when it's just not necessary; 11C AZO scores better and doesn't get crushed in response so often. I thought maybe Noel wouldn't know ZUPAN, but it's just too risky a gamble. #strategylarge 13:15
Noel Livermore vs. Will Anderson (Game 33408)
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)
Strategy Medium
O5 FIR(E)WoOD +66
considered just 10B FID. the amazing K4 WIF(EH)OoD is available for MORE pts than the bingo, keeping an R. but FID still sims best. oops. got a bit too greedy/scared since matt has beaten me like 6 times in a row. -5.5 #strategymedium
Cesar Del Solar vs. Matt Graham (Game 33830)
Strategy Medium
15B LEPIDo(T)E +63
i thought i had a better chance of drawing the X if i just bingo now. the worst thing is that ELEPIDOTE is not available because i have the last two Es. quackle thinks I should do 15L DUPE or PULE which i considered. maybe i draw the X, use it, and bingo the following turn?? -7 #strategymedium. honestly i don't know how to compare the two plays.
Jeremy Hall vs. Cesar Del Solar (Game 34028)
Endgame Small
13A (G)LARE +23
i chickened out on (G)LUER -- was pretty sure but if i'm wrong i probably lose the game. my move also wins 100% of the time but i wasn't totally sure i would win, i had about 30 seconds and i saw that i just might outrun M10 NOIR, although i wasn't sure. too much nervousness early left me scrambling for time. -1 #endgamesmall
Mina Le vs. Cesar Del Solar (Game 35123)
Tactics Large
J4 (AD)Z(E) +34
Though ADZE is the highest-scoring play, Quackle doesn't consider it. The best play is 2I GOV#, setting up 1G ZEA# or 1H ZA; BriAnna's blocks score very few points, and I still have ADZE. #tacticslarge
BriAnna McKissen vs. Alec Sjoholm (Game 37355)
Tactics Medium
15H EDUCT +33
EDUCT closes the easiest bingo lane, row 15, which I shouldn't do when I am this far behind. Quackle suggests 2I LUCITE to open a lane on row 1, or C2 CLUED for equity. #tacticsmedium
Alec Sjoholm vs. Joshua Sokol (Game 33160)
Tactics Small
D5 MEATIE(S)T +72
lucky pull from AEEIT. I misevaluated this position, I thought he would bingo a lot more after TEATIMES than MEATIEST, but it's only a tiny bit more, and he scores over 2.5 more on average after MEATIES, presumably cause of C and E column overlaps, which are also bingo lanes that balance out the TEA 8s lanes, making MEATIEST only barely more bingo defensive. I am more focused on bingo defense here, but it's such a tiny difference in bingo% I should just play TEATIMES. #tacticssmall
Nicholas Tam vs. Jackson Smylie (Game 35376)
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)
Knowledge Large
9C Z(E)K +32
i chickened out on ICKER. that's by far the best play here. i just need to learn the words basically. i don't know how to learn 4s and 5s. i don't think Aerolith is the best way for short words. -11. i also considered C12 MM but it seemed too weak, it sims better than my play though. #knowledgelarge
Cesar Del Solar vs. Matt Graham (Game 32681)
Vision Large
10I (V)O(E) +8
Drat. NOESIS scores 45, and playing parallel to OBOE on column M with any number of things retainng one S is just far better than fishing just an O. Might've been a bit tilted drawing my third consecutive unplayable CSW bingo - but the disappointing thing is that in this particular case, I might've been more apt to find NOESIS since I already had ANOESIS# in my mind. #visionlarge #strategylarge
Matt Canik vs. Will Anderson (Game 33560)
Vision Unspecified
D6 IGnO(R)AMI +70
As glad as I am to have found find this, it's definitely not OK to be missing 5v8s like this. L1 MIAO(U)InG should have been the play. #visionbad
Samuel Kaplan vs. Edward H Zurav (Game 36689)
Strategy Medium
M13 F(I)B +16
I think I liked that FIB blocks the L column, but it's a lousy block considering that it keeps five consonants and that I could potentially use ALGUAZIlS later for the same purpose. C11 FACT is best despite opening a high-scoring lane on row 15 for the unseen AAS. I like 7C FACT, Quackle's second choice. #strategymedium
Alec Sjoholm vs. Cesar Del Solar (Game 32680)
Strategy Medium
8G TOYO +14
8H OY is best, followed by 8G YO. TOYO sets up my S on column K, but it is fairly likely for Carl to have an N or S with which to use the spot; and OY and YO have better equity than TOYO. #strategymedium
Alec Sjoholm vs. Carl Johnson (Game 34514)
Tactics Large
B6 KUE +22
N11 TIKE dominates the sim, winning 73%, and I have no idea why--it scores 26, but it keeps EUU and makes a higher-scoring (though less useful) bingo line on column O, which should in theory prevent me from outscoring if Mitch has a bingo (54%). 7K ETUI, Championship Player's pick and second place on the sim (63% win), allows the fewest bingos (40%) and keeps a leave that can outscore most plays that aren't bingos. Thus I think ETUI is best. KUE does not block column N at all and is thus significantly worse. #tacticslarge
Mitch Bayersdorfer vs. Alec Sjoholm (Game 33630)