Find the best play.  One of my cooler finds of late.  From a game last nite against ipecac_icecap

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1

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Z10

O1

A1

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K5

I1

4

A1

H4

E1

A1

D2

5

A1

6

V4

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F4

E1

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J8

A1

V4

A1

9

C3

L1

O1

T1

R1

10

A1

L1

O1

G2

E1

M3

11

P3

U1

N1

D2

I1

T1

12

U1

D2

13

B3

Y4

14

I1

15

C3

Rack: ?EEFNRS

George won the game, but to find this play while fighting to stay awake made the game worthwhile.

Tags: bingoes, scrabble, unwarranted triumphalism
Current Location: home
Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: Decembrists- Picaresque

The position, with full unseen pool and whatnot, is HERE.



, including 4 unknown tiles from current player's rackIt's a relatively straight-forward one at first blush.  There are exactly seven tiles left in the bag, with both blanks unseen, and I trail 299 to 323.  I strongly suspect, due to an obvious fish the previous play, that my opponent holds at least one, and possibly both blanks, and considering the unseen pool unseen tiles (AANNNOORRSUW??), a bingo, while not automatic, seemed probable. My rack is CEIKRSV.  This rack yields one eight, which I did find relatively easily.  It also plays at 14A. 

Pete: Turn 12

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1

L1

A1

C3

E1

P3

U1

N1

T1

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F4

A1

Z10

E1

O1

N1

3

Y4

E1

T1

I1

Q10

T1

I1

O1

E1

4

V4

A1

T1

P3

I1

N1

A1

S1

T1

E1

R1

S1

5

I1

W4

A1

D2

L1

I1

L1

6

O1

H4

B3

I1

B3

E1

Y4

7

L1

I1

F4

A1

M3

E1

D2

E1

8

E1

M3

I1

X8

R1

9

T1

G2

10

J8

A1

G2

E1

R1

11

D2

U1

O1

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H4

U1

G2

E1

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O1

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O1

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D2

	Chris Sheppard	unknown	323
→	Pete	CEIKRSV	299

My logic went as follows:  If I bingo, and he has a bingo, I lose.  and with any small fishing play, I'm drawing at a sub-optimal leave for the necessary bingo.  An intermediate play that scores probably blocks lines I may need to respond, and would probably get outrun by an out in two or three unless I draw a blank.  I decided to exchange KV, figuring that CEIRS +2 had a lot of potential on the wide open board, and sticking him with the V and the K might provide the points I'd need.

I just don't know if my logic was totally on the mark.  Quackle, after 1019 iterations, gives the following:
F10 (JO)CK             17    48.87%
K10 SICK                 34    48.50%
exch KV                      0     47.12%
14A (O)VERSICK   88    46.97%

I don't know if Quackle is wrong because it doesn't infer that a blank seems less likely to come out of bag than pure probability would dictate, or am I wrong to overestimate the chances that my opponent holds that blank?  I think the timing of the plays leads me towards the exchange being better than JOCK, as you're giving your opponent seven tiles if he bingoes, and if he doesn't, throwing a couple of clunky ones for him to work with.  SICK seems way too easy to outrun...

I think I did the right thing, I'm just not sure I fully understand why... I open it to the floor for discussion and insults of the author.

Tags: position, scrabble
Current Location: home
Current Mood: confused

A fun position from Farmington.  My rack was AEGNRSU.  while the answer may be obvious to our most elite, I was very proud of finding the best play here.  It's the kind of play that makes me love the possibilities of this game we play. Sorry for the bad graphics, I'm a luddite.  The U in KUFI is on the center square

UPDATE- graphics improved.  thanks hector31

Rack: AEGNRSU

Pete: Turn 6

Pete: Turn 6

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H4

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A1

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N1

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D2

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Y4

O1

6

V4

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O1

X8

I1

8

V4

I1

T1

A1

K5

U1

F4

I1

9

I1

D2

T1

O1

E1

A1

10

A1

F4

E1

N1

11

T

12

O1

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R1

14

E1

15

S1

	Carolyn Easter		194
→	Pete	AEGNRSU	81

---------------------




Answer after Christmas, assuming it's not posted in the comments.  This was my favorite play from an otherwise bad day for me.  Happy holidays everyone.

Tags: position, scrabble, unwarranted triumphalism
Current Location: Butler, PA
Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: Sunday Night Football

It's been quite a week.  And how better to top it off than by auditioning for America's longest running quiz show.  Yes, I survived auditioning for Jeopardy.

The process began back in January, when I took the online Jeopardy! contestant exam.  Fast forward nine and a half months to Nov. 1, when i get an email telling me I passed the online exam, which I had forgotten I had even taken by this point.  Of course, I confirm my interest and am placed on the schedule at 3:30 PM Saturday Dec. 8.  This was awesome for me, as during a rather bleak period, it gave me something concrete to look forward to, and prepare myself for.








I'm pleased with how I did.  I was myself, for good or ill... I did well on the test, projected well, and showed just enough zaniness and "differentness" that I may have a shot to get called.  It's a fantastically fun process, and I'd do it again (although I hope I don't have to, as I want on the show).  I highly recommend it, if you have the trivia and logical game to compete.  Now I start training for the off chance i get the call.  I need a new Almanac.

 

Tags: jeopardy
Current Location: Butler
Current Mood: nerdy

CEEIISZ

to open against Stephen Knapp, I play first.  This was a rack that created a dilemma, and I really debated over it... quackle likes SEIZE, which I think is foolish... ZEE vs. ICE is how I saw it, and factoring in the power of the EISZ leave, I took the 10 for ICE over the points and the II leave of ZEE.  What would you do?

Tags: scrabble
Current Location: quackling
Current Mood: thoughtful
Current Music: Arcade Fire

I got an email today... the excerpts from the text are behind the cut.


It's been so long since I took the thing, and didn't hear anything, I had long since forgotten I'd taken the online test back in January, I think.  Well, I get home from the gym, and here in my inbox is this letter.  I guess I passed that test... Now, I have no illusions that I'll be picked to make the show... I hardly fit their image of the perfect contestant, and I talk funny.  But who knows, maybe I'll be surprised.  You think I'm skipping the audition just cuz I doubt they'll take me, it's three hours away and probably means missing work?  Hells no...

Anyone out there been through the Jeopardy! audition process?  What should I expect?  Any area of knowledge I should bone up on? Any personality traits I should enhance, or discard?  Any advice is appreciated.

Tags: jeopardy
Current Location: just back from the gym
Current Mood: bouncy
Current Music: tragically hip- trouble at the henhouse

As I claw my way back to dignity on ISC... I saw what would have been my coolest bingo ever, by far, had my opponent cooperated.  I opened with FUNK 7G, and my rack was ?ADIMTZ.  If my opponent makes a parallel play, making (K)I, I had the all time style points 9... and the scary thing is, I saw the possibility immediately.  I literally learned the word in Kindergarten.  Instead, my opponent plays REBU(K)E through that K, leaving me the higher scoring, but far less exciting, AToMIZ(E)D for a double double... The word that might have been is behind the cut





Maybe I am remembering how to play this game... now if I ever had the opportunity to do so.

That is all.

Tags: scrabble, unwarranted triumphalism
Current Location: tha interwebs
Current Mood: awake
Current Music: Matthew Sweet- 100% fun

I know that I have non-LJ readers, and others who are not on my friends list (the mailed death threats constructed out of letters clipped from various magazines have to come from somewhere)...  as of late, I've moved towards more friends only posts, and I believe that I will continue to do so.  So, if you are at all interested in reading my ramblings, please, add me to your friends list, and if I know you (read: have heard of you, or can identify you on cross-tables, or even think I might know of you), I'll add you.  If you don't have an LJ, get one, even if you never post on it, and see the previous sentence. 

PZ

Current Location: home
Current Mood: blah
Current Music: Ben Folds Five- Ben Folds Five

Chuck Armstrong and I are playing in a best to five final today... winner gets first, loser gets second.  aruspex and stmonday least the general pool at 12 and 11 wins, respectively.  However as they met myself and chuck in the semifinal matches, their gaudy records qualify them for no better than third place, while Chuck with 10 wins and I win 9 face off for the championship.  Somehow, I like Chuck's chances a litte bit better than mine, but all I can do it play my game, and play it about 30 degrees more aggressive and crazy than usual.

Will have much more post-tournament.  Fun event, best Hudson field in a long time, and I shouldn't have even made the playoff... more on these tonite.

PZ

Tags: hudson, scrabble
Current Location: almost out the door
Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: Sportcenter

Game 15.... so far, the turning point of my nascent scrabble career.  I really played a good strategic game, integrating a philosophy of play with smart actions, strong choices, knowledge of the rules, and some board control that frustrated my opponent.  I engineered a situation early where I could take control of the game, by forcing my opponent to open the board or risk a likely loss on the six pass rule.  While quackle may not agree on every move, I feel very comfortable with my overall strategy in this game.  It was unlike any I ever played, and gave me the momentum I needed for an 11-3 run on days three and four.

Tags: players, scrabble, unwarranted triumphalism
Current Location: home
Current Mood: happy
Current Music: none