TLW96 - Nomads Results

Evan 4: CEG AIOP (-82)
Evan has an unusual, but playable, seven-letter word on his rack - can you see it? (See page
32) Of the non-bonus plays, Evan’s choice of PEACING looks as good as anything - any 6letter
-ING word keeping the E back (PACING, COPING, CAPING) all take an S in front,
which looks a bit dangerous.
PEACING a3a 28 88
Stewart 4: AEHOSWY (+54)
Stewart’s word knowledge again comes to the fore, enabling him to find the best move. I’d
have had to settle for the second best play of HYPO for 39.
SOPHY a1d 51 193
Evan 5: O EGHJR? (-105)
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a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o
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This is the type of rack where the best play is dependent on the state of the game. Evan is
over 100 points behind, has a blank on his rack, and needs at least one bonus. And the
board isn’t exactly bonus-friendly. So he is looking for a play that opens the board and gets
rid of the J. If he was well ahead, he might well settle for the highest-scoring play of HOD
at d4a for 30.
Evan’s choice is JO at i3d. I’d probably have played JOR for the extra points, particularly
with no R’s having been played so far.
JO i4d 22 110
Stewart 5: AEW LRST (+83)
A big mistake by Stewart. With three bonuses on the rack (see page 32), he manages to
come up with a phony. How costly will it turn out to be?
(WALTERS) 0 193
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Score:
Evan 88
Stewart 193
EGHJOR?
Evan
Evan 6: EGHR? EQ (- 83)
Clever play by Evan, blocking all three of Stewart’s sevens, plus the 8-letter BLEWARTS at
h6a.
JOE i4d 12 122
Stewart 6: AELRSTW (+71)
Despite his error, Stewart still looks in good shape, with a nice 24-point play and a
beautiful AERST leave. However I think I’d have played OW, keeping back the L for
EEL.
OWL a2a 24 217
Evan 7: EGHQR? E (- 95)
Holding an identical rack, Evan plays the move he would have done but for the necessity
to block Stewart’s bonuses.
QI e5a 22 144
Stewart 7: AERST EM (+73)
Nothing wrong with the pick-up, but on a tight board there are no playable bonuses.
Stewart maintains his STARE, playing off EM for the maximum score. I’d have been tempted
by EM at f11d for 15, on the basis that it creates an additional hook for the E and S.
HEM a4a 19 236
Evan 8: EEGHR? I (- 92)
Like Stewart, Evan has multiple bonuses but nowhere to play them. You might like to test
yourself by seeing how many 7-letter words you can find with Evan’s rack - see page 32 for
the answers. Without a bonus, Evan looks to balance his rack and create a new S hook.
His EH looks like a sound move.
EH f11d 17 161
Stewart 8: AERST AB (+75)
At last Stewart gets his bonus, with the choice of ABATERS and ABREAST at i9d. With a
140-point lead, he must be feeling very confident...
ABREAST i9d 65 301
Evan 9: EGIR? A? (-140)
How quickly a 140-point lead can disappear! Note that if Stewart had played ABATERS
instead, Evan could still have scored 131 points with ASSIGNER.
sTRIGAtE h15a 131 292
Stewart 9: ADEKORT (+ 9)
Again Stewart has a 7-letter word on his rack (see page 32), but again it won’t play. KO is
a best, setting up an additional bonus line.
KO j2d 25 326
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