Time Large
A12 ME(V)E +36
I had less than a minute and didn't realize A12 ME(V)E loses by 2. I saw O1 NEMNED which I wasn't sure of just after the game and O6 MEE also wins. This game was already an unmitigated disaster even before this play, so at least I stuffed all of my worst blunders into a single game. #TIMESADDEST
Robert Linn vs. Joshua Castellano (Game 60805)
Strategy Small
5C FEW +32
It's close between this and 5C WIFE. I think it's fine to keep a vowel normally, but there's also 7 more Is to draw, so that's why it sims a little ahead of few. #strategysmall
Mark Abadi vs. Samuel Kaplan (Game 60987)
Knowledge Large
O9 RALLY +16
just with BRANG*, I was about ready to snap challenge, and the longer I took, the less I felt I should challenge. This is a huge mistake, but I still figured my best chances were holding on from this position. But I missed AR(M)Y for 39, which is too many to say no to. There is very limited risk of 7 consonants next turn being pivotal enough to lose the game, and also very minimal chance of not drawing a vowel, given the 15/10 vowel/consonant ratio. Something like 10-15%? I just missed AR(M)Y, but worse, I made this play with absolutely no clue about RALLYE, a word I know. I never saw RALLYE. This was Jackson's game to come back and win. Incredibly good pressure by him, picking at my confidence levels more and more every turn. #knowledgesaddest #visionsaddest #strategysaddest #findingsaddest
Josh Sokol vs. Jackson Smylie (Game 41629)
Strategy Large
15A HeCH +61
I couldn't bear to leave the FRIZE hook open, especially since I assumed he must be keeping an E. After the game he told he forgot about the FRIZE hook. J13 AH sims best. #strategysaddest
Joshua Castellano vs. Joel Wapnick (Game 61232)
Strategy Large
O9 RALLY +16
just with BRANG*, I was about ready to snap challenge, and the longer I took, the less I felt I should challenge. This is a huge mistake, but I still figured my best chances were holding on from this position. But I missed AR(M)Y for 39, which is too many to say no to. There is very limited risk of 7 consonants next turn being pivotal enough to lose the game, and also very minimal chance of not drawing a vowel, given the 15/10 vowel/consonant ratio. Something like 10-15%? I just missed AR(M)Y, but worse, I made this play with absolutely no clue about RALLYE, a word I know. I never saw RALLYE. This was Jackson's game to come back and win. Incredibly good pressure by him, picking at my confidence levels more and more every turn. #knowledgesaddest #visionsaddest #strategysaddest #findingsaddest
Josh Sokol vs. Jackson Smylie (Game 41629)
Strategy Small
F2 ZE(P) +34
I did underestimate how good H1 BET(H) is here despite giving up 7 immediately and allowing Dustin a vowel to play through. There is merit to doing that since I can draw into J5 ZETA to keep the board tight and continue to score. Worst case, if Dustin did not improve his rack, I can always respond with 2F ZE(E) on the following turn to block the board even more. It's a couple valuation points back of ZEP. #strategysmall
Dustin Dean vs. Samuel Kaplan (Game 56683)
Endgame Small
M9 P(E)ARLY +28
L9 P(H)YLAR blocks L1 JAd(E)ITES, 14H TAJInES, and L8 JE(H)ADIST, but M9 P(E)ARLY only blocks the last two #endgamesad
Players agreed to a final score of 460-323
Nitya Chagti vs. Danny Panganiban (Game 59597)
Strategy Large
6I WOT +22
6I TORII obliterates my opponent's chances at bingoing. He's gonna be forced to make an opening, which I can take advantage of. WOT/WAD sets up SWAD which is pretty bad, considering that Willy played S(I)X instead of (C)OX. #strategysaddest
Willy Nwabor vs. Nitya Chagti (Game 59602)
Strategy Small
6G M(I)SRATED +75
I think I would have been rather insane to fish off the M with 6G M(EW) even though Ed is more unlikely to block a 3x3 when there's only 1 tile that fits in the 4th position in this case. Despite giving back potential D1-D4 or D1-D4 plays, C2 SMARTED still comes out on top in the sim. It's slightly worth it for 3 more now even if Ed seemed to be fishing his last 2 turns. #strategysmall
Edwin Roth vs. Samuel Kaplan (Game 56573)
Strategy Small
5G ANU(R)A +10
It appears that exchanging does sim ahead of my play and G9 (F)AUNAE, which I was not a fan of. I'd probably exchange down to EN if I had to do this over again. #strategysmall
Samuel Kaplan vs. Marlon Hill (Game 56972)
Strategy Large
H1 UGHS +49
Massive blunder. I need to play H1 HUGS here. I thought ING bingos were dead after this, but NUKE is a word. Now I have that hanging over me for the rest of the game. #strategysaddest
Joel Wapnick vs. Joshua Castellano (Game 55140)
Vision Large
C12 DRY +17
6A YARDeRS #knowledgesaddest #visionsaddest. This ends up being a 12-point dynamic equity mistake. I saw the word but wasn't sure of it. I might have tried it but didn't even see the spot. My play is second best tho
Emmett Brosowsky vs. Gideon Brosowsky (Game 57745)
Vision Small
6E (MA)N +5
I'm correct to play off fewer tiles. But this isn't the right way to do it. Quackle really loves the aggressive play of 7H D(I)N for 7, which sets up my E and T nicely and opens up a 2nd potent bingo line when I am close to something and Joel isn't closing the board down anytime soon. I might have given myself a better chance with DIN instead of MAN. #visionsmall
Samuel Kaplan vs. Joel Sherman (Game 60456)