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WPC 2010 Commentary: Round 24

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Go to: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Round 4, Round 5, Round 6, Round 7, Round 8, Round 9, Round 10, Round 12, Round 13, Round 14, Round 17, Round 18, Round 19, Round 20, Round 21, Round 22, Round 23, Round 24, Round 25, Round 26, Round 27, Round 28, Round 29.

Round 24

Well, the matchup we've all been waiting for is underway at table 1 this round: Pakorn Nemitrmansuk (THA) vs. Nigel Richards (MYS). And it has not disappointed. They are so well matched that they started virtually mirroring each other. As Pakorn approached the board, he was all smiles, you could tell he was excited about this game. John Chew said, "This game is a great way to end the day; I think they're both having a lot of fun. Pakorn came up to me beforehand and asked if he could have a fresh piece of paper to dedicate to this game, so he could approach it with his mind a clean slate." Both players use plain paper to play their games, writing down tracking notes before they begin.

John is walking around the room as games wrap up, making sure he gets results slips before people take off.

The first game done this round was Nick Ball (CAN) vs. Stuart Goldman (USA) and what a wowsa that was: a seven-bingo full contact dance party! Stu got down UNVOIcED for 76 and DEMOLISH for 80. However, FIVE bingos were played by Nick, and he had a bingo-bongo-bango to boot! JETLINER for 93 went down then the BBB of ZOONOMIA for 90, RAGULED for 68, and TWEAKING for 86. He later played ERGATES for 65. Nick was stunned at the time they had left. Stu had 14 minutes and Nick had 12. I explained that there was something about Stu, everyone plays fast with him. They just try to keep up!

Mark Kenas (USA) vs. Brian Bowman (USA). TALAQS jumps out. Brian played CORTINA and NARCEIN and Mark played GUANGOS, EstHESIA, and FOULDERS. Markwon this game, 544-358. One of them looks up DOLENTE on the iPhone, it is good, a British word.

Their game in progress and picked up a minute before I can get to it, Travis Chaney (USA) vs. Thavachai Thivavarnvongs (THA): TENORIST, THEROID, IGNEOUs, and TAWNIER on that board.

PANICLES for 68 from the P goes down for Philip Nelkon (Eng) vs. Fidelis Olotu (Eng). The latter decides to learn if it is good, it is, and since it is an out-bingo, the game ends. Philip has played WEATHERS, ASTROID, and EXPANDeD for 83. Fidelis played ALUNITE. With the added 10 for challenging PANICLES, the score ended 507-376. Later on, Philip reminds me: CAPELIN/PELICAN/PANICLE.

"He almost got me," said a smiling Marty Gabriel (USA) as I approached his game with Bradley Robbins (USA). Marty had EXFACTO on his opening rack and hoped it wasn't good in Collins. Marty played UNREASON, which drew a challenge, SINUATES, and the fun HALERU to the U down the triple (after the game, Bradley asked if it was good). Bradley played LOCATes, AZINES, QUEANS. Close win for Marty, 387-368. As I was walking away, Marty said, "I sweated it out at the end." Way to go, Bradley!

Eric Kinderman (USA) and Puneet Sharma (USA) take a field trip to the challenge machine: TORNADES is good.

Tapani Lindgren (USA) vs. Chris May (AUS). As far as Tapani is concerned there are two certainties. The first is that I will misspell his name every time I use it. The second is that players name Chris beat him with bingo-bango-bongos. This round the Aussie Chris played ISLETED for 77, RIMOSELY for 73 (drew a challenge), and OUTGAZE for 90. As if the trifecta were not enough, Chris later played SPAINED. I see Tapani's NEWABLE. Chris' win, 488-397.

Well, it took the birthday boy all day to win a full game, but he did it. This time Sam Kantimathi (USA) defeated Nathan Benedict (USA), 519-429. Nathan played lIMACINE, Sam got down RENEWAls. Nathan played ORORISE and Sam replied with JET/JO/ED/TO for 63. INERTIAE went down for Nathan and other Sam plays: QUITES for 60, ALONGST, and ALLEGERS.

Jim Kramer (USA) vs. Bob Lipton (USA). Jim tells me that on his second move, Bob exchanged 1. Jim then played small and Bob said, "I think this is going to shock you." And then he slapped down QUICKER for 108 points. In one of those counterintuitive passes, Bob kept QUICKE and drew hoping for an N or R to get down a bingo on their closed board. The game went back and forth with Jim finally winning, 402-399.

Pakorn Nemitrmansuk (THA) took down Nigel Richards (MYS). Check out the annotated game section for this round.

As I clean up my desk, the lights go down in the room and John puts the SCRABBLE show from the Imagine BBC television series on his flat screen. About a dozen plus folks hung around for the show, including Pakorn Nemitrmansuk (THA), who was one of the show's stars. Thanks to Jill Robbins from bringing several boxes of her Home Free cookies for the players. She runs a peanut free, tree nut free, egg and dairy free bakery business and you can find out more at homefreetreats.com.

As the players mill out for dinner, I hear about a Brazilian steak house.