Go to: Commentary Games Players tsh Reports Standings Photos Prizes

Back to 2010 King's Cup Live Coverage

2010 King's Cup Commentary: Round 26

[ ]

Go to: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Round 4, Round 5, Round 6, Round 7, Round 8, Round 9, Round 10, Round 11, Round 12, Round 13, Round 14, Round 15, Round 16, Round 17, Round 18, Round 19, Round 20, Round 21, Round 22, Round 23, Round 24, Round 25, Round 26, Round 27, Final Round 1, Final Round 2.

Pakorn Nemitrmansuk (THA) makes fast work of Michael Tang (MYS); their game is the third to finish, despite Pakorn using up all but the last second of his time. Pakorn wins 496-360.

As I write this, Nigel Richards (NZL) has about a bingo's lead on David Eldar (AUS), in the first of two tries that David will have to beat Nigel and join Pakorn in the finals. It looks like there are about a dozen tiles in the bag. David jumps up to take a quick look at the electronic scoreboard to see who won at the next table. When he sees that Odette has won and has low spread, he gambles on HANAPED* (a HANAPER is a wicker receptacle), as he has little to lose. Nigel challenges it right off. Nigel wins 487-297, setting up a rematch for the final berth.

They're going to start that next match, before the official pairings are posted. That should either cut down on the size of the crowd at the end of their game, or at least encourage everyone else to play their games quickly so they can come kibitz.

On stage, as "The Final Countdown" blares away, five contestants are solving Sudoku for a USD 5,000 top prize.

It takes a little effort tear the crowd away from what is now effectively the semifinals match; I have to threaten more than once to start clocks, and even actually do so at three games.

Behind the Gibsonized Pakorn at 21-5 are Nigel and David at18-8, Komol Panyasophonlert (THA) vs. Odette Carmina Rio (PHL) at 17-9, Chris May (AUS) vs. Marut Siriwangso (THA), Jakkrit Klaphajone (THA) vs. Pichai Limprasert (THA) at 16-10 and Chollapat Itthi-Aree (THA) 16-10 vs. Tanasak Suphaphibunkun (THA) 15-11.