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DO 2009 Commentary: Round 2

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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, After the Tournament.

Round 2

A neat thing about the DO is the Chris & Carla Cree Student Scholarship Foundation, whereby students pay $25 and the rest of their entry free is paid with the fund. This year, the fund received a contribution from Judy Newhouse (Houston, TX), too. One family has three sons playing here: Matt Canik (Austin, TX), Jon Canik (Austin, TX), and Chris Canik (Austin, TX). This fund helped them a lot! Their mother, Cara, tells me in the foyer that round 1 was a 1-2 proposition for the family Canik.

Judy Cole (Concord, MA) runs up to me excitedly. She just had a four-bingo game and her opponent played two! It was a 528-345 win for Judy versus Ted Rosen (Rochester, NY). He played OUTSAIL for 71 and VERATRIN for 72. Her bingos: TZARISTs for 88, BRIDLES for 66, YUCKIER for 105 on the triple, and MESHING for 88.

So, there is a position that the gazelle-like Sue Gable (Mt. Vernon, NY) adopts at every tournament. She sits sideways to the table, her legs crossed, and plays the majority of the game like she's relaxing over a cup of tea. It is the most languid pose, like nothing is getting under her skin. I spy her during a game with Darrell Day (Richardson, TX). He's played ZINGaRI for 86 and TOENAIL for 72 at the game's midway point.

I see an in-progress game between Evelyn Callaway (Bryan, TX) and Mark Kenas (Madison, WI). As I'm watching, she puts down PALLORS, hooking to make CATBRIERS for 74. Checking over her scoresheet, I see that thus far in the game, Mark has played CATBRIER for 74 and she's played WHISTLeD for 84 and PATIENTs for 61.

An intense game going on between Michael Early (Fort Worth, TX) and Derek Martinez (Twin Cities, MN), a new face to me. Mike is playing PETIOLES through the O as I watch. Not missing a beat, as says "Nice play, Mike," as he lays down atop Mike's bingo, AQUAE to the triple for 74. I see pArENTAL for Derek and pICRATES for Mike at that point. Mike comes up to me later and says, "He got away with SUBTAX* in our game, but I got away with GRADUMS*." If it is possible to imagine, I think Mike had an evil grin on his face as he told me this. I mention Derek being a newer player and he said, "Oh, he's from Minnesota. They make lots of good players up there!" Mike's 14-point win, 419-405.

Carole Miller (Houston, TX) played Orry Swift (Waco, TX) this game and both played consecutive 9-letter words. She got down REALTErED throug the AL for 76 and he responded with INUNDATES through the NU for 63. She was winning, she said, until he played NIZAM to the triple for 51. Orry played ACRODONT and Carol played LUTHIERS through the R. His win, 452-361.

John Chew wants me to be sure to thank Alyssa Faria (Cambridge, MA) who fixed Bryan Pepper's computer. I asked how and the usually over-competent John said, "I dont' know, but she did it. We're grateful!"

School SCRABBLE superstar, Joey Krafchick (Roswell, GA) just won game 2, 413-296, vs. Thomas Tremont (Glen Ellyn, IL). I see Thomas' BINGOES (yes, he played that word!) and Joey's UNDERLINE through the IN for 72 and DIARIES for 81.

School SCRABBLE superstar, Stephen Sneed (Fort Worth, TX) just defeated Sam Kantimathi (Sacramento, CA) at table 3, 443-410. Wow! I see Sam's MIRACLES from the M for 95 and VOLANTE for 78. Stephen played HOuNDERS from the H for 84 and OUTsEES/ME/QIS for 78.

Go, go, go you SCRABBLE wunderkinds!