| Elmhurst tourney |
[Nov. 30th, 2008|08:10 pm] |
Started 1-3, then won 4 in a row to get into contention, only to lose the last 3. 5-6 record brings my rating back below 1600. Saw loads of crapola. Sigh.
Summary (Mine/theirs)
L 389-393 DIALISTS OUTRAISE / none
L 382-426 FLORIST STRATUMS / CYANITE SLATTING
W 581-358 DIALOGUE SNEERING IDEALISM (3X3) SHIVERS / CARLINES
L 302-399 none / UNISONS SERENELY
W 416-360 LAUWINES ORIENTAL / RESEEDS VARICATE*
W 449-330 MELEEING* AIRIEST PLINKERS / NESTING
W 466-290 SMIDGES PRELATE / none
W 425-402 GILTHEAD MISTIME / RECLINED
L 372-390 PICTURE / REDLINES
L 351-491 SARCENET DAEMONE* SEPALINE / ROADEOS
L 374-438 VIPERINE REDIALS REDIALS / ATTENDS TRAINER
Averaged 410+ (vs. 391), got 24 bingos (vs. 13). Outbingoed* opp 3-1 in penultimate game, yet lost by 140, as no other play was higher than 18 and had to exchange twice in a bizarro game. Saw 8 U's and 9 I's in final game, which featured 5 exchanges and a duplicate bingo. Won high play (158 trip-trip) and high game (581) of the tourney.
Challenge grid isn't too exciting:
| | Valid, challenged | Phoney, unchallenged | Phoney, challenged | | My Plays | (none) | MELEEING
DAEMONE | UREDIALS | | Their Plays | (none) | EUCAIN
VARICATE
KANEF | VICUNAE |
This chart was generated by cross-tables.com
I was overrated at 1800+. I'm now underrated below 1600.
Next up: Redeye. After a string of subpar tourneys, I'm hoping to bounce back.
It's a fucking blizzard out there, and the Packers have been virtually eliminated. Winter sucks...
Happy hyaloids yadda yadda...
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| It's official--top 40! |
[Jun. 2nd, 2006|03:43 pm] |
With my 12-8 record at the Arden Cup, I'm now officially amongst the all-time leaders in win percentage for those with at least 500 tournament games played.
For the record, I check in at tied for 39th on the list, with a 63.1% mark. However, I'm the only active player on the list without a Division 1 win.
I know many players who are/were hellbent on getting their rating up quickly. Typically, they play up into a higher division at every opportunity, and their rating shoots up despite mediocre results. I've also seen (or heard of) players who get frustrated with losing, and burn out.
I've taken the opposite approach. Slow and steady. I've rarely played up, preferring to play where my rating says I "belong". I've done this for many reasons, including:
- Realizing I'm not yet ready for prime time (though I'm close, and for all practical purposes, I'm there now)
- Wanting (and/or needing) to cash. Having been out of work for long stretches, tourneys gave me a good opportunity for some moolah
- Honing my game, with the emphasis on winning (and learning something every game)
- Not giving a rat's ass about my rating (I now give a zebrass about it)
I chatted with one of my opponents at the Arden Cup after a game. He usually plays against the experts, and decided not to play up into Div. 1, though he had the opportunity.
He talked about how many of the guys stopped having fun at this game long ago. He much preferred playing in Division 2, because everyone was having fun. Conversations were polite and friendly, regardless of outcome. The games were all competitive, but the focus wasn't disproportionately placed on the result. The journey and the friendly banter were more important. He asked whether I really aspired to be an expert, and to beware of what playing "up there" meant.
In the end, there's little I can do about other people's attitudes. I know what mine is, though. I simply want to continue playing this game I love, and never let it stop being fun. I expect it to challenge me as long as I play it. It will keep me forever humble and playful, always trying to find the best play, one rack at a time.
And in the end, it's not so much the games I'll remember, though I will remember many. It's the amazing quality and variety of people I meet along the way. We're not all pretty, and some of us are downright bastards, but we're all "mishpacha". |
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| More heady company--percentage of tourneys won |
[May. 31st, 2006|11:54 am] |
I'm amongst the leaders in another Scrabble category: percentage of tournaments won. (NOTE: % = Winning percentage. 1st = Number of tourneys won. D1 1st = Firsts in Division 1. Trnys = Number of tourneys played. % 1st = Percentage of all tourneys won.)
Data is from cross-tables.com. It won't format well, but it should be readable...
Name G W L T % 1st D1 1st Trnys % 1st
NYMAN, MARK 687 486 198 3 71.0% 32 32 51 62.75%
ARMSTRONG, CHUCK 1,890 1,430 451 9 75.9% 103 102 211 48.82%
GOLDSTEIN, CHARLES 585 398 185 2 68.2% 24 24 57 42.11%
KAHN, ROBERT 1,305 738 559 8 56.9% 44 44 124 35.48%
PRATT, DAN 823 589 231 3 71.7% 26 26 74 35.14%
COHEN, IRA 3,014 1,939 1,069 6 64.4% 87 84 249 34.94%
BOYS, DAVID 1,574 1,054 515 5 67.1% 44 41 131 33.59%
EDLEY, JOE 2,037 1,395 632 10 68.7% 47 47 147 31.97%
WIEGAND, DAVE 1,513 995 515 3 65.9% 28 28 89 31.46%
CAPPELLETTO, BRIAN 2,263 1,569 680 14 69.6% 46 46 147 31.29%
LIPTON, BOB 1,793 1,152 633 8 64.5% 37 35 121 30.58%
LERMAN, JERRY 2,496 1,574 913 9 63.2% 70 70 236 29.66%
HAHN, ALBERT 2,099 1,276 816 7 61.0% 40 35 153 26.14%
HARTSMAN, STEVE 510 320 186 4 63.1% 10 0 40 25.00%
I'm the only one on the list without a win in Division 1. So, while it hardly legitimizes much, it's still impressive. |
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| Arden Cup |
[May. 29th, 2006|05:07 pm] |
I just got back home from Chicago. I've had minimal sleep all weekend, so I'm looking to crash early tonight.
I started well, going 7-1 Saturday. I was in first place the entire day, and part of Sunday, but my luck started to run out. I went 4-4, slipping to 3rd place, but that was still good enough to play in the top group round-robin today. So I still had a shot to win it all if I had a good day.
Unfortunately, I went 1-3 today, with 2 heartbreaking losses, dropping me to 6th. But I cashed, finished 12-8, and my rating should go up 30-40 points. I also won an early bird drawing.
So, it was a decent tourney overall, and a great holiday weekend. For the most part, I was satisfied with my play, though of course I had my share of blunders.
I will file a full report sometime in the next day or two, with all the gory details. |
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| 611!!! |
[May. 25th, 2006|11:15 pm] |
I topped my 597 game from Tuesday night with a 611 game tonight!
The opening sequence may be some sort of record, and once again shows why I'm the world's most erratic Scrabbler (trademark pending).
My opening rack looks somewhat promising: EILRUZ? I struggle with it a while, seeing several 8's, but no 7's. Then I find it, the only 7 (answer below). I hesitate playing it in the optimal spot, though, as it sets up a triple word hook. But I decide that it's foolish not to maximize my score, and take 100 points for the opener.
My opponent, Jeff Kirk, holds, but lets it go. He takes several minutes before making his play.
SPOILER: My opening play was bRULZIE, which takes an -S.
I draw ABEIKSY, and see BRULZIES/SKIEY for 96, but then see an even better play through the L for a double-double 118 (answer below).
Jeff eventually plays WALIEST*/BRULZIES for 131. I know WALY, but I don't know what it means. I reason that it compares, and let the play go. A SALTIE stem!!
SPOILER: I get KIE(L)BASY for 118!
So, the first 3 turns score 100, 131, and 118!!
We're both stunned. The game gets a bit ugly after that, with mostly 2- and 3-letter plays. I'm then looking at this position toward the endgame:
I find the only playable bingo, which draws a challenge, as it puts the game out of reach (answer at end).
The game ends up 611-420. It's my highest score ever in club or tournament play (I've scored 630+ online), and my highest ever combined score. I followed with a 506 and 459 game, so needless to say, it was a pretty sweet session.
Hopefully, the luck and good play will continue in Chicago, though I really need to eliminate the silly mistakes.
SPOILER: I played CALORI(C)S/S(HOE). |
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| High game |
[May. 24th, 2006|08:50 am] |
At Milwaukee Club last night, I recorded the club's new high game of the year, surpassing my own 579, with a 597 game.
After 7 turns, I had a 425-125 lead. Here was the sequence from the first 7 turns:
Me: SAHUARO 78
Opp: Challenge --
Me: DEADENS/(SAHUARO)S 71/149
Opp: FE 23
Me: MOPY/O(D)/P(E)/Y(A) 60/209
Opp: (PE)BBLE 24/47
Me: (B)OCCE 22/231
Opp: WOK(E) 19/66
Me: (A)NNATTOS 62/293
Opp: FLYER(S) 39/105
Me: SA(N)ITATE 60/353
Opp: TIV(Y) 20/125
Me: AEONIAn/(T)A/(A)E/(T)O/(E)N 72/425
Opp: Challenge --
Despite the great game, I only went 2-3. I lost a turn trying MANITOL*/(CEMENT)A. My opponent was only going to challenge cementa, then she decided to challenge the whole play (mannitol needs a 2nd N).
I lost a game by bingoing on my final turn through an open U with rO(U)LADES, allowing my opponent to win by bingoing out with rOUSING/rE/OS. I was playing two games simultaneously, so my attention was divided. But I knew my opp's rack, as she had tried mOUSING/m(URIC)* the previous turn. Had it been a tourney, and had I been able to give the endgame my full focus, I think my best option would have been to pass. I've never done that before, but in this instance, it may have been my best option, as the JLL were unseen.
So I feel I'm playing fairly well, but I'm still making too many mistakes. My board vision is improved. I'm seeing most of the available bingoes, but still miss some easy ones (last night I missed IINORST, and blanked on the 2 anagrams to PATRONS, though neither would have played--answers below).
I'll be looking over all the 7's and 8's between 8,000 and 10,000 on the probability list. I'll try to go to 15,000 if I have the time at work, as it's been a slow week.
Final tune-up at Waukesha club tomorrow night. Division 2 has become much tougher, as Bob Prentiss (rated 1794, though he's usually in the 1800's) and Darin True (back from his poker-playing hiatus) have joined. Suddenly, cashing seems a pipe dream. Breaking even with this competition will be tough. I need to win 11 of 20 to have a ratings boost, so that's the primary goal. If the tile gods cooperate, though, 13 or 14 is possible.
I'm psyched. I'll file a full report, regardless of outcome, with all the lurid details, next week...
Answers:
IINORST = IRONIST
PATRONS = PARTONS, TARPONS |
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| Some 8's with 2 or more S's |
[May. 18th, 2006|12:38 pm] |
Similar to yesterday's list, this time with 8-letter words. I did not include plurals of valid 7-letter words, regardless of their strangeness. However, there are many plurals of 6's (usually with -ES endings, often change -Y to -IES), and a few unusual plurals of 7's (e.g.: WORSTED takes an -S).
I also didn't include most words that end in -NESS or -LESS, as most are well known. Still, the list is long (about the same size as the 7's). Here are a but a few examples. Once again, common words with uncommon anagrams are given in lower case.
1. AEORSSTX
2. EEHNOSST
3. oversets
4. DIIORSST
5. osteomas
6. AGIRSSTU
7. AAGINSST
8. rousters / trousers
9. AIIMOSST
10. ABELOSSU
11. CEILOSSU
12. despoils
13. scouters
14. defrosts
15. ADEEMNSS
16. EGLORSSU
17. AEHIMNSS
18. DIINOSSU
19. AINPSSTU
20. EFHIORSS
21. ACIINRSS
22. AELNPSSU
23. HINOSSTU
24. EEINOSSS (2)
25. EINOSSST (2)
S s
S p
S o
S i
s l
s e
s r
S
S p
S a
s c
s e
1. STORAXES
2. ETHNOSES
3. ESTOVERS
4. SISTROID
5. MAESTOSO
6. SASTRUGI
7. ASSIGNAT
8. TRESSOUR
9. AMITOSIS
10. SABULOSE
11. COULISSE
12. DIPLOSES
13. CRUSTOSE
14. FROSTEDS
15. SEEDSMAN
16. ROSESLUG
17. SHAMISEN
18. SINUSOID
19. PUISSANT
20. ROSEFISH
21. NARCISSI
22. SPANSULE
23. SNOUTISH
24. ENOSISES NOESISES
25. SONSIEST STENOSIS
Again, if you'd like a copy of the file(s), let me know. Specify .pdb, .xls, and/or .txt. |
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| ssscuse me whilsst i rubasse |
[May. 17th, 2006|01:55 pm] |
I lost a close game at Chicago club Sunday because I didn't know the anagram(s) to ABUSERS. My opponent could have made that pedestrian play, or even SURBASE, as both would have hooked. Neither would have drawn a challenge. Instead, he played RUBASSE, hooking both S's and the E, maximizing his score in the process.
It was a TW 90+ play, and I knew that if it was good, the game was, in all likelihood, over. Not knowing the word, I felt compelled to challenge. I ended up losing by only 20 or so, and had I let the play stand, I might have had a shot to win.
The lesson? Learn the tricky multiple S words. I, like many, study words by probability order. Since there are only 4 S's in the bag, having 2 or more of them on your rack, by definition, moves the word (disproportionately) far down the probability list. Since S's tend to get saved, having 2 on your rack is far from unusual (vs., say, having 2 U's, of which there are also 4).
To date, I've studied the top 8,000 7's and 8's. Turns out ABUSERS/SURBASE/RUBASSE fall around # 9,000. But instead of waiting until I come across it, I've decided to make learning words with 2 (or 3) S's a much higher priority.
So I'm creating SuperMemo files for all the medium- to low-probability words that are unusual with 2 or more S's. Most of the alphagrams, though considered medium probability or lower, are actually relatively nice racks to have.
Some of the alphagrams are rather common words that have uncommon anagram(s). Here are a few samples. How many do you know?
Note: common words are in lower case--find the anagram(s)
1. EIORSSX
2. ADNOSSU
3. AIRRSST
4. AHINRSS (2)
5. assurer
6. AORRSST
7. brassed
8. matless
9. supines
10. pistons (2)
11. AEJNSST
12. AEEKNSS
13. AGIOPSS
14. ACIRSSU
15. DENSSTY
16. ALNOPSS
17. AADEPSS
18. asserts
19. septics
20. AINQSSU
S
S
S
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S
S
S
S
P
A
C
E
1. XEROSIS
2. SOUDANS
3. RISTRAS
4. ARSHINS SHAIRNS
5. RASURES
6. SARTORS
7. SERDABS
8. SAMLETS
9. PUISNES
10. POSTINS SPINTOS
11. JESSANT
12. SKEANES
13. GAPOSIS
14. CUIRASS
15. SYNDETS
16. SPONSAL
17. PASSADE
18. TRASSES
19. CESSPIT
20. QUASSIN
Next, I'll create a similar file for the 8's (that aren't plurals of 7's). My list of 7's contains about 800 such words, going all the way to the end of the probability list (the last entry is CCSSSUU, which is SUCCUSS).
I may not memorize the entire list, but I'm sure that should another funky multiple-S word be played by an opponent, I will have at least seen it, and will therefore be less likely to make a challenge that might cost me a game.
Experts know these words cold. It's time I start doing likewise...
If you'd like a copy of the .pdb file(s) (or .xls or .txt), let me know. Please specify which file type, and which word length(s). |
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| Lofty company |
[May. 15th, 2006|03:24 pm] |
After the Arden Cup, I will have played 510 tournament games, which will qualify me for a rather select list. cross-tables.com (the best -- make that only -- site for online Scrabble statistics) has a leaders page, which ranks players by winning percentage based on the number of games played. Here is the page for players with a minimum of 500 games played.
Unless I lose all of my games, I will be joining that list. My current winning percentage is 63.3%, which ties me with Jim Kramer, Jerry Lerman, and Jeremiah Mead. I'm just ahead of such luminaries as Joey Mallick, Chris Cree, Matt Graham, and Mark Landsberg.
I'm not comparing myself to any of those great players. It's an unfair comparison, of course, as I've played most of my games against non-division one opponents. I've yet to win a tourney in D1. So, I simply don't belong on the list. But there I will be, temporarily at least.
It's unlikely I'll maintain that percentage against the game's best, year after year. The elite players are likely (for the foreseeable future, at least) to beat me more than half of the time.
One of my many Scrabble goals is to stay on that leader board. And to join the even more elite list once I've hit 1,000 tournament games. It will require a winning percentage of just below 60% to qualify for that list. No one on that list has won fewer than 3 div. 1 tourneys, and none has had a peak rating of less than 1800.
1800 seems unreachable to me. But it's a goal. If I do well in Chicago, I'll likely approach or top 1700, which seemed equally unattainable a year or two ago.
I'm a firm believer in the theory that whatever we dream, we can achieve. Getting there will be tough, and there will be setbacks aplenty, and I may never get there at all. But it won't stop me from dreaming... |
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| Arden Cup update |
[May. 11th, 2006|12:56 pm] |
Entrants to this year's Arden Cup hit the century mark today (click here to get the latest list). I'm currently seeded 9th of a perfect round-robin 20 in Div. 2, though that number will surely grow.
Though I've played in seven division one tourneys so far, this division is as tough from top to bottom as any I've played in.
To illustrate: against division 2 opponents, my career record in tournament games is a pathetic 10-24. Against division 3 and 4 players, my record is a sparkling 54-14-2 (from cross-tables.com data).
It's gonna be tough, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. I've been studying intensely, and I expect to ramp up the studying even more in the next two weeks. It's unlikely I'll intimidate any of my opponents, but none of them intimidate me. I know I'm capable of beating anyone, and vice versa. I'll need to win at least 11 games to maintain my rating, so that's the goal, though I'd obviously like to have a shot at cashing.
I was in a similar position at last year's Arden Cup, seeded in the middle of a tough division two. I got off to a great start, and was in first place for most of the tourney. I had a chance to win it all, but in the "King of the Hill" match, my opponent, Richard Lauder, got back-to-back bingos, sealing the win. Due to the tight field, I slid all the way down to 5th place. Instead of $900 for first, I only won $75. The costliest Scrabble game I've ever had, but it was great to at least be in a position to win it all. I'll allow myself to dream big and hope for a repeat, but I'm certainly not overconfident. This game is far too difficult and unpredictable, and I'm forever humbled by it. One rack at a time...
I'm currently the fourth-highest rated player in Wisconsin. It's unlikely I'll move higher than third anytime soon, as the top two are true experts (the third-highest rated player seems to have disappeared from the scene, and is within reach). But it's something that brings a small measure of pride. Maintaining that rating, though, will be difficult, as the number of quality players (both within the state and nationally) is large, and growing all the time... |
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| Attention Hasbro lawyer types |
[May. 5th, 2006|02:16 pm] |
Carpetland USA has print ads running that you might be interested in. I haven't found an online version of it, and my scanner isn't working, but it shouldn't be hard to track down.
The ad features a Scrabble board, with wooden tiles forming the words "LAMINATE", "HARDWOOD", "VINYL", "CERAMIC", "AREARUGS" (um, challenge), "CARPET", "CARPETLAND" and "USA". The board is a deluxe model, and has all of the squares labelled properly. However, the name "Scrabble" has been washed away (along the left side of the board).
The text of the ad reads in part: "We know that finding the right flooring for your home isn't a game" and "you'll see why our customers are always winners".
Given how protective you guys are of your copyright, methinks this might be a company you'd want to talk to pronto. They are easily googled... |
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hartsman's journal
pleased
accomplished
tired
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bored
mischievous