The Second BSO : Decisive Move

Hi all! In this post I'm going to breakdown one or several moves per game at The Second BSO that are crucial or pivotal in the game.
Here are my selections :
Round 2 against Steven Surya, won 480-415
After turning the game around by playing DIOPTRES for 91 pts, I decided to play a bit more cautious since the game was reaching the end and I need to secure the win.

With this board condition and only had less than 40-point lead, I played KOPS down the triple word line to prevent a bingo by Steven which would win him. I was right, he held VOIDING on his rack and about to play VOIDINGS. Quackle suggests to play PLONK using the L from SCROLL, I did consider it but wasn't sure. PLONK also would open another floater (N) for bingo although the chance was lesser.

Round 5 against Amelia Ekawaty, won 434-379

Trailing for most part of the game. Had a lifeline by playing QAT (45 pts) and successfully challenged off TROWErS* and took advantage to play BIRK (34 pts). I was having a slight lead at that time.

The one who can get a bingo first at this stage will probably win the game. Amelia played WROTE right after her unsuccessful play, leaving S? and looked to get the bingo first. I took a gamble by playing LO and hoping to find a bingo next turn and I did. With Amelia was still fishing, played only one letter A, YUGA/AMI, I already had GREISEN on my rack. I chose to play GREISEN at 10A, could score better with RESE(W)ING at B8 or GREISEN/TIS/ENE/aN at 14A. I decided to play at 10A because the play blocked the easiest spot for bingo also the floaters made by WROTE. RESEWING would open another floaters. I left row 14 open because it had to make 3 parallel words in minimum to make a bingo and column N, the bingo should start with either I or U, or must start with SI or SU to do parallel move with WEX. All I and U have been played, only possible to do it with blank, made it more unlikely there.

Round 7 against Julius Wilson, won 447-408
We both know the game could go either way. Yes, it was neck and neck until Julius opened a 50-point gap with SEROSAE (84). I decided to play KAT to open another spot for bingo, having missed one in the previous move. That play was intentional from me to call his attention to that spot, since I already had two blanks on my rack, hunting for triple-triple across the V of VADE. He instantly played PIVOT/KATI and bagged 38 points.

My plan worked. Played one of the easiest triple-triple, STRIVeRs for 131 pts and went back to the lead by 50 points. That was enough to hold Julius off until the game end.

Round 15 against Christian Oktavius, won 461-458

This was the only loss that Christian conceded during the whole tournament and he conceded it in a dramatic fashion.

This picture above shows the endgame situation, I led 429-405 at that time and Christian to play. He got EGOP on his rack after playing ZOA (36), setting up himself to play OP/ZO/WOP on the Triple Word. That was his obvious chance to overturn the game. My rack (JMRT) wasn't too good to block it, actually I could do it by playing (WO)T but the score was too low and I couldn't go out in only two moves. The J wasn't too flexible with that board condition so I had to get rid of it first, also I had to maximize my last moves or I'd be caught up. After screening the board, I spotted the maximum play for the J and could go out in two moves. I played JET/JO/TE for 21 pts and it brought me to 450 pts. Then, without any doubt Christian played OP for 53 pts and was very hopeful to win with 458 pts. I went out by playing R(I)M for 5 pts, I still lose by 3 pts (455-458) but I got additional points from his unplayed tiles (6pts - EG) and won 461-458! 

Final board : 

The Second BNEC Scrabble Open : Full Results

The Legendary X

Zig Zag English Scrabble Tournament 2012
10-11 May 2012
Round 8 : Me vs Steven Surya

Right at the midpoint of the tournament, I faced Steven Surya. It always be a tricky game to play against him. And yes, this time maybe it's the trickiest one. I'll give a story about the whole game here :D

Steven started with AEIOUS? on his rack. That combination only forms one bingo and he didn't miss it, SEqUOIA for 64 pts. I got not too good rack at that time, so I could only play MEND for 22 pts.
Instead of extending his lead, Steven got challenged by me for a quite silly mistake. Then, I exchanged my tiles.

With the same rack like the previous turn, Steven could only play POI for 9 pts and the O opened triple letter score spot for my TAW/PA/OW (31 pts). But, he countered with FEW/TE/PAW with 5 points bigger than mine.

Next I played MAP to throw away all the medium tiles in the search for bingo since I already kept one blank. Steven then played QADI. Current score 133-79 for Steven.

I placed down a bingo to do a lead takeover, LAITIeS/TEL/PAWA for 79 pts. But soon Steven restored the lead with FORGE (47 pts). I played EINE/RE/GI/EN on the triple word spot to lead again by 1 point. Steven then took the other triple word spot he opened before with VEINS/IFS for 30 pts.

Still trying to chase Steven, I played NYE/TELE for 17 pts but still 3 points shy of 200. Luckily, Steven also couldn't score big with only played OU for 9 pts. I got myself into the lead again with SEZ (36 pts). 229-219 for me.

Steven used the Z I've played before to make CAZ and below the C was triple word score square and I quickly noticed that both H haven't been played yet. So to minimize the chance of Steven to use that triple word score square, I played AR for only 2 pts! I was right, right after I played AR, he threw away his H to open the board a bit. Instantly, I closed the board again with COURT. Steven still in the lead with 246-245.

Next he played VAU and it looked to be impossible for another bingo. My turn, INORB for 22 pts. Then, we started to score low. DIT (18 pts) for Steven, BARE (17 pts) for me, DE (13 pts) for Steven, HARE (14 pts) for me. The current score was 298-292 for me.

With a tight board, Steven still managed to use the bonus square wisely, he played YO/NY/YO for 25 pts. With probably the last high scoring spot, I took it for KAT to score 25 pts too. And that move left us both with seven tiles on each rack and no tiles remaining in the bag.

With this condition, Steven should win the game (Steven to play) :

I had J and X still on my rack and only with one vowel!
It would be a thrilling endgame.
Steven first played HUNG for 10 pts. It took him to lead by 4 pts (327-323) with LERS left on his rack. I think he could do much better to kill the game as soon as possible. That allowed me to played JO/ONY for 23 pts with GLLTX left on my rack. 346-327 for me.
Then Steven threw away his R for FORGER/RE to score 12 pts. I was still leading 346-339. I played GUMP (9 pts) leaving LLTX on the rack. Steven played COURTS/TINS for 12 pts.

My rack : LLTX
Steven's rack : EL
The score : 355-351 for me.

I was leading but Steven had the edge because of my X. All of the Ls were unplayable. My turn now and I played IT for 2 pts and still kept the X. Steven used the spot I created from IT to play TE/TE and to go level with my score. It seemed to be a win for Steven, but quickly I spotted the last place to play the X. I extended ONY into ONYX and scored 14 pts. Then, we had to pass because we couldn't make another move. Final score 369-356 and it was a win for me! Phew!

After the game, I revealed why I kept the X until the end. It was all because the triple word score square beside my X if I played it earlier. If Steven had A/E/O then he would easily score 27 pts with only one letter and surely would win the game. I waited until his E came out. It was a gamble but I had to try to win, and it worked! When Steven was about to play the last E, his best move was to pass. Yes, right. Pass!

This was surely an unforgettable endgame!

Full game : http://www.cross-tables.com/annotated.php?u=11121#0
This game wasn't fully annotated, several racks may not consist the right tile combination.