2010 Eastern Championship

Tournament Coverage

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Round 3

Greg Heidler and Ian Weinstein are pretty much folded from the waist, leaning forward, heads close to their board, concentrating. I see the gorgeous FENEsTRAS and INNATELY and TRIAGED.

Noah Lieberman vs. Danny Kidd: NITRATe, TARRIES, AGISTED, IXELs* (to the triple), and ENVELOPS.

Chuck Riordan vs. Francis Anum. The latter's coat is now off, so the room must be somewhat warmer. Their board is covered in big plays: GRILLERs, DELAtION, BURNERS, BEPAINT, and NUTLETS. And ENSKY to the triple, makes me think of poetry.

Sam Rosin vs. Brett Haughney (the latter a new person for me, so I'm staring rudely). Sam's RENATURE for 60 and LOATHES for 78. Brett's GrILLERS for 70 and DRESSING for 61 and while I stand there he played STABILE for 66. I heard a loud exhale from Sam, so I'm gonna assume this doesn't bode well for the lo' School SCRABBLE now world expert. He was holding a blank at that point, too, but I saw Brett take the last four tiles out of the bag, and Sam ended up playing CRAVeN on the triple to help make up some spread. Brett's win, but not sure by how much. Turns out that Sam still moves to board 1 for round 4, so no harm/no foul.

Winter vs. Joey Mallick. Intense, they both look up at me nervously;Joey with his fingers at his lips, tapping. I see TeRRINE, pIVOTMAN, DETRAIN, ANEROID. The game gets picked up when I turn away and it was Joey's win, 455-374. But I did get out of Winter, who was already earphoned and typing frantically into his laptop, that Joey played ZOOEY. JEANED was on the board and I said I didn't know JEAN took an ED and he deadpanned, "I wish I'd been playing you then, because Joey didn't bite." I know underneath all that sarcasm that Winter loves me, he really does. :)

John Luebkemann vs. Bradley Whitmarsh ends just as I walk by. I hear John exclaim, "I played that game like a 1300…." So, I bent down and gave him a welcoming hug to the 1300 club. He giggled for about a solid minute. Maybe it isn't so bad being a so-so player, the benefits are better! Bradley of no sleep won, 406-290. I see his cOmFITS for 71 and EUPNEAS for 72. John got down JAUNTIER. On Bradley's perfect scoresheet I spy several blank spots in the "John of 1300 fame" column. Shocked, I asked, and was assured that yes, John had tried at least two phonies, if not more. When I started to write them down, John gave me the hairy eyeball. So, despite the fact that I can't tell you, they were "very 1300."

Dave Rauppius vs. Richard Lauder. I see Dave's FADEOUTS for 91 and BRUITING for 70. Dave's win, 383-373. Richard acted like he was never in their game, but that is a pretty close finish. I might add that Dave was division C's winner last year, which meant he got a free entry to division B this year. Cynthia Seales, who won division B, is in A this year for the same reasons!

Paul Avrin vs. Wesley Eddings. Both intense; Paul's glasses flipped up, his scoresheet protector flipped up, their game just ends and they launch into a recount. All four hands are pointed down, counting.I see AUDITION, ANTBEARS, DEMEAnS, TARRIES, and ALLURED on the board.

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