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WPC 2010 Commentary: Round 25

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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 25

A fine morning in Dallas and perhaps the heat wave is beginning to break. Both Wilma Vialle and I felt a wave of cold air rush over us after breakfast. About that steak house, highlights were a lot of meat perfectly cooked and a giant pitcher of sangria that both Chris May (AUS) (hey! I may actually stand a chance here, I'm going to try to stay sharp!) and Pakorn Nemitrmansuk (THA) (hey, this is too sweet and I don't like...) eschewed. Wilma to the rescue!

Chris Cree (USA) starts the morning with a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday sung to Sam Kantimathi (USA). It was almost good with the three-part harmonies going on and Sam was delighted. There isn't anything more fun than that happy to be alive joy! John Chew, Judy Newhouse (USA), and I got Sam a piece of 5-layer chocolate cake and gave it to him last night!

The first game to wrap up is one between Bradley Robbins (USA) and Fidelis Olotu (Eng). He lost by only 19 this time he tells me proudly, Bradley. The each had a 9-letter play! Bradley's REUNITINg/COTE through the IN for a 92-point double-double. Fidelis played LUMBERING through the UM for 68. Two more bingos: DARRAINS through the N for Fidelis and AERATION through the R for 82 for Bradley. A phony to the triple: SOO*.

Nigel Richards (MYS) vs. Brian Bowman (USA): HeXOSES, STaNINE, SWOTTER, PIOYE, SQUIZ.

Chris May (AUS) vs. Puneet Sharma (USA). This was one of those first games of the day where you sit down opposite someone who has eaten their Wheaties and you are just never going to catch up, and you know it. Out of the gate, Chris played a bingo-bongo: AFEARED for 67 and then OVERTAME for 112. He played little on turn 3 and then did another bingo-bango: COLISTIN for 78 and ENsKIES for 74. After each side had five turns, the 375-139 score was all Chris. Later in the game, Puneet got down LISTERIA for 77 and WIDEOUTS for 63. A Chris May Production win of 560-369.

Nathan Benedict (USA) vs. Jim Kramer (USA). The funnest word on that board is GHAZEL. I see Jim's BRATTIer, RALLIES, and the big-scoring NONTAX for 60. Nathn played WHIMPERS, OUTDATE, and CENTAVOS. A 483-451 win for Jim. If you gotta lose one, best to lose it to a "teammate!"

Chris Cree (USA) vs. Nick Ball (CAN). I see pOSITED and LICENsEES. A 407-349 win for Nick, the Canadian who was once an American who was once a Brit. I'm rooting for Finnish next time!