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2007 Dallas Open Commentary: Round 18

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Go to: Before the Tournament, Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Round 4, Round 5, Round 6, Round 7, Round 8, Round 9, Round 10, Round 11, Round 12, Round 13, Round 14, Round 15, Round 16, Round 17, Round 18, Round 19, Round 20, Round 21, Round 22, After the Tournament.

Round 18

This round starts off weirdly. Sitting smack in front of the laptop-attached duo of John and Sherrie is Chris Cree (Dallas, TX; 1870) vs. John OLaughlin (Sun Prairie, WI; 1882), at table 3. Chris, ever the gentleman and sweetheart, can't contain his dismay sometimes over the unfair distribution of luck bestowed upon his opponents sometimes and this round was one of his better moments. For nearly 5 minutes, with his clock running, Chris beckons John and me over, at least three times to "just see this crap." In what Chris referred to as "maybe the most important game of his life," John has managed in the first six turns of the game, to put down FIVE bingos. Chris is just overcome with commentary about John's "terrific display of rack management" and we are all trying hard to keep our chuckling down because Chris is just so funny! Even John can't keep a straight face. It is a ludicrously lucky situation and both players know it. So, after six plays each, it is 400-187. Chris insists I take a mid-game photo, even tilting the board up so I could get a better angle, and he says, "You know what? If we had a resignation rule right now, I'd be so resigning!"

In an Alyssa Faria (Washington, DC; 1669) vs. Michael Early (Fort Worth, TX; 1734) game, Alyssa played DUALIZES for 69 and Mike got down VITTLED for 66 and ACTINIA/ROC for 86.

i walk by the board 2 Jill Turney (North Vancouver BC; 1597) vs. Darrell Day (Richardson, TX; 1773) board and see ADOPTEES, TAMBeRS, and CURRANTs. She looks my way and says "This isn't pretty," as she waves at the board. As dry as could be, Darrell deadpans, "This is so beautiful." I'm going to guess it is going his way this round.

Nathan Benedict (Tucson, AZ; 1850) isn't exactly pulling his hair out, but he is grabbing onto it a bit as he goes over his completed board with Orry Swift (Dayton, TX; 1806). I see Nathan's opening response of ALIZARIN from the first A for 104, and VESTRAl for 77. However, Orry got a few more: PLOTTING for 86, BOURsIN for 69, GEODETIC for 78, and LOANERS/ZAPS double-double for 108. It was a 521-474 win for Orry.

Keith Savage (Kenner, LA; 1797) was playing well, but unfortunately, he was playing Dave Wiegand (Portland, OR; 1961), with whom "well" just isn't good enough. Keith played TURACOS for 88 (wow!) and MUzZLER for 90. Dave played TALENTED for 72, CENTARE for 76, mELODIA for 73, and DARIOLES for 61, winning the game, 503-430.

Jason Katz-Brown (Cambridge, MA; 1922), in a game against Jim Geary (Phoenix, AZ; 1854), has donned some purple ear plugs, too. So, the both of them are tuning us out. I hear later that Jason lost by 200 points. Maybe earplugs aren't a winning thing for him? I saw on their board, NONELITE, EMANATOrS, and BASKERS.

Siri Tillekeratne (Calgary AB; 1637) played Lisa Slankard (Arlington Heights, IL; 1521) this round. He is wearing a brightly hand-painted T-shirt today, and even in a tense game, he has time to smile at me as I walk by. On their board, I spy LIFEBOAT, AVERAGeS, and LInDANES.

Suddenly clothes are all I can see, and the siren call of the robin's egg blue jacket on Marcia Wade (Muncie, IN; 1228) pulls me towards her game with Jim Hughes (Austin, TX; 1412). I see her OUTSiDE and his AGONIES and RESPADE. I am called over after the game is done to photograph the completed accomplishment, which was his win, 453-283. She glanced my way and said quite seriously, "You know? You don't need to e-mail me this photo." Not armed for humor, it takes me more seconds than I'd like to admit to "get" it. She is a funny one.

On a Harriette Lakernick (Chicago, IL; 1609) vs. April McCarley (Austin, TX; 1299) baord, I see STONIEST, TORTONI, and tOWNLET.

The bloodletting now stopped, I approach table 3 tentatively. Chris Cree (Dallas, TX; 1870) is nowhere to be found. I assume he's at Mary Rhoades' table getting bandaged up. John OLaughlin (Sun Prairie, WI; 1882) happens by and sees me struggling with his scoresheet (anyone would struggle, what IS that chicken scratch?) and he helps me get down his five bingos in six plays: INTERNE for 66, DOLMENS for 83, EXTOLLING through the T for 82, DOUGhIER for 70 through the G, and LIFEwAYS from the L for 79. The good news for Chris, says John, "well, he broke 300......"

Still a bit stunned, Wallace Schultz (Las Vegas, NM; 1513) approaches my table to tell me something that he isn't sure is even newsworthy. He just won his last game by 7 points with a total score of 300. I told him that was some "good defensive playing, cowboy." And, he had to agree, as he walked off, still shaking his ponytailed head.

John says, "Darrell Day (Richardson, TX; 1773) turns in the slip for his 492-308 win over Jill Turney (North Vancouver BC; 1597). That puts him a game ahead of Brian Cappelletto (Chicago, IL; 1974), at least until Brian finishes his game with Steve Pellinen (St. Louis Park, MN; 1693). The score in that game is currently 369-369, pending a recount." It is nail-biting time here in Dallas!

Tragic update to the last paragraph. There was, indeed, a recount, but sadly, Brian Cappelletto (Chicago, IL; 1974) went over on his clock by 45 seconds and lost his fourth game of the event, 359-369. Ouch.

According to Quackle, Steve Pellinen (St. Louis Park, MN; 1693) should have played 13g E-L-BOWINg (85) in this position and not o7 B-R-OWNIEs (63). You'd think Brian Cappelletto (Chicago, IL; 1974) would have been unhappy to see ELBOWING block his TAR-R-IEST through the same R, but instead he came up with a 57 point non-bingo play using five one-point tiles.