Power Scrabble & Scrabbling PA style

For a casual, Saturday, informal club meeting, Raf, Lisa, Corey, and I had some pretty good competition going! Due to some scheduling issues, we didn't have our regular club meeting but the four of us got together to play anyway.

I lost to Raf...but we had a fun, close game. Then I lost to Lisa, who had a great string of bingos, and I wouldn't take that away from her...except for maybe in a tournament...if I could!! We had three games, played round-robin style... and it goes a little sumthin like dissss...

Raf and I put up scores that were nothing to sneeze at, especially if one wants to keep their Scrabble board dry. We ended up with scores of 390 and 384, respectively. I gave it my best shot, coming up with HOISTED (74) and LOANERS (for 67 points).

Raf held no punches with Lisa, scoring an impressive 435 without any bingos! Lisa's game was a very respectable 305, including AXIS and QI, for 33 points each.

However, Lisa beat me like I stole something. Her 455 points put my measly 285 to shame. She put up bingo after bingo with ZEALOTS (94), REVOKES (83), and, in the very next play, DECEASED (for 76 points). I could pull out only one bingo, NOISIER (for 67 points). It's no surprise that the game too only 14 1/2 turns since Lisa was using up all the tile's Sam's Club-style (in bulk).

Lisa's husband, Corey, was playing for the second time (I think) with our group and Lisa says she's beginning to regret teaching him how to play so well. He's making great strides in his game, and in short order. In their game, Corey pulled out the dubya with 300 points to Lisa's 263.

Then, in his game against Corey, Raf dished it out again, scoring 342 to Corey's 251. Corey got in at least one really good punch, playing HAZEL on a triple word score for 59 points.

Corey also put up some good numbers in our game, scoring 286 to my 395. I lucked out with a bingo using SQUATTER on a triple for 101 points. By the way, I also won for the naughtiest word of the day which was...(cover your eyes if you don't want to see)...CUM. The prize for the naughtiest word, by the way? Bragging rights.

So did you notice that Raf is three-and-oh with no bingos at all? As usual, he produced a steady stream of words between 20 and 30 points, interspersed with some zingers like ZA (64 points against Lisa), ZEES (47 points against me), and MOXIE (for 63 points against Corey).

In the end, I think with our one, up-and-coming new player, and the other three of us moving further out of our new phase, we put up a good showing. You know, all the coffee drinkers in the place would try to walk on by like they weren't interested or impressed, but I could sense that they really were.

So, you know, we'll go back there and give them another impressive show...if they're luckaayyyyy!!! Of course, in two weeks Martha, Brad, Chris and I will be kickin it tournament style in Pittsburgh. Right now, 42 players are scheduled, including 20 in my division!! This will be my fifth tournament since I started in April 2007. My tournaments, in order, have yielded records, of 2-10, 5-8, 6-5, and 2-4. I'm hoping to continue what has mostly been an upward swing which, to me, will equal success.

Wish me luck!