Reno diary 2

Back to Tournament Reports

From: Lester <maxim@netcom.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 1998 16:23:37 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Reno diary 2
Message-id: <Pine.3.89.9801231621.A17565-0100000@netcom3>

Sat 1/17

10:10a

Convince myself that OBTUND (to deaden) is an adjective and takes LY. Play that down from j1. Unsure. Relieved when opponent points to blank and says "That's a T, right?" I finish placing the word with confidence. Roll on to 521-313 W.

   a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o   
   -----------------------------   
 1|= . . ' . . . v . . . ' . . =|1 
 2|. - . . . * . I . * . . . - .|2  
 3|. . - . . . ' N ' . . . - . .|3  
 4|' . . F A D E D . . . - . . '|4          
 5|. . . . - . . I . . - . . . .|5     LS: BDNOUY?
 6|. * . . . * . C . * . . . * .|6 
 7|. . '. .N.  J A R L . . ' . .|7 
 8|= . . F A G O T . . . ' . . =|8    
 9|. . ' . I . ' E X . . . ' . .|9 
10|. * . . V * . . U * . . . * .|10
11|. . . . E . . . . . - . . . .|11
12|' . . - . . . ' . . . - . . '|12
13|. . - . . . ' . ' . . . - . .|13
14|. - . . . * . . . * . . . - .|14
15|= . . ' . . . = . . . ' . . =|15
   -----------------------------

10:30a

Next opponent starts with WHIRL 8d, I play FAX c7, Opp. plays f7 MITT, calling 11.

10:38a

Play ORMOLU. Op. says, "I knew you'd block my spot," then "Oh." Op plays EQUaTES for 129.

10:59a

Fail endgame test.

   a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o   
   -----------------------------   
 1|= . . ' . . . = . . . ' . . =|1 
 2|. - . . J O . R . * . . . - .|2           to play                          
 3|. . - . O P ' O R M O L U S .|3 
 4|' . . P E T . T . I R O N E '|4          LS: AILOOU?    377
 5|C . . I S . . T . . B O . E .|5         OPP: GIKE       395
 6|Y * . L . * F E N D . . . D .|6 
 7|A . F.A. .M I N A . . . ' I .|7 
 8|N . A W H I R L . R A V I N E|8    
 9|S E X . . T ' Y ' . . . ' G .|9 
10|. Q . . A T . . . * . . . * .|10
11|. U . . G . . . . . - . . . .|11
12|B a D - A . . ' . . . - . . '|12
13|A T E . Z . ' . ' . . . - . .|13
14|D E W . E H . . . * . . . - .|14
15|E S . ' . I N C U R V E . . =|15
   -----------------------------

11:05a

In slight time pressure, afraid that Op. will block spot, I play LOUIs m11. Op plays KID 6l, which I missed. I go out for 5. lose 408-411. Vexed and angry at myself for not playing OVA first at l7. Recount. Find op's 3 pt. overcall of MITT. Tie. 408-408. Dance on air.

12:01p

Win Rd.3 Hurry to Colonial to root for JKM's mater, the Bruins, v. Robber-Baron elitist Cardinal, clutching $40 sports book betting slip. Bruins get mauled.

5:30p

Win my afternoon games against EW, GM, CK. Meekly ask JN if there are any recent standings posted. He says standings were up, they were taken down. See he means morning standings. Contemplate asking him if he has concept of current standings. Check myself. JD, doing data entry, offers to tabulate standings from win slips.

6:30p

Eat in El Dorado's La Straddle, pricy and inferior to the Grill next door. Go to "Deconstructing Harry." Belly laugh at JD and KA scenes. Fall asleep towards end.

2:58a

Ski vacationer shouts from street below, "Gelsemia! I'm sorry! I love you!" Clank of empties hitting Gelsemia's window interspersed between shouts. Other ski vacationers stage buffalo races in the stairwell.

Sun 1/18

12:23p

Having lost to BC, beaten SK and JS I face RW. ... Pencil in L before game starts.

3:50

Forget that the mnemonic for RACIST is GAYS TACKLED NAZIS and has no F. Try to make a bonus word with ACFIRST and SG buries me.

5:12p

CL, brash young comer recently transplanted from S.A., Texas, to P., Ore, is downcast. Says, "Let's get this farce over with." Don't like it. Have found dejection in opponent to be bad omen. After six moves:

   a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o   
   -----------------------------   
 1|P . . ' . . . = . . . ' . . =|1 
 2|I D . . . * . . . * . . . - .|2           to play                          
 3|X I - . . . ' . ' . . . - . .|3 
 4|' C . - . . . ' . . . - . . '|4     ME: DFIORSU    156
 5|. T R I O . . . . . - . . . .|5     CL: _______    146
 6|B Y . . F A G . . * . . . * .|6 
 7|R . '. . .W I N K . . . ' . .|7 
 8|I . . P I E T A . . . ' . . =|8    
 9|A H ' E . . ' W A U L . ' . .|9 
10|R E . A . * . . . * . . . * .|10
11|. J . G - . . . . . - . . . .|11
12|T I . E . . . ' . . . - . . '|12
13|O R - . . . ' . ' . . . - . .|13
14|A A . . . * . . . * . . . - .|14
15|D . . ' . . . = . . . ' . . =|15
   -----------------------------

5:35p

Play FLUORIDS k8, go ahead 230-146. CL looks pale. Calls this his worst fear, open board while he held drek. Passes. I play AZONS 15g, go up 272-146.

5:40p

CL plays LABElING and TEENERs, sandwiching my GUV

   a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o   
   -----------------------------   
 1|P . . ' . . . = . T . ' . . =|1 
 2|I D . . . * . . . E . . . - .|2           to play                
 3|X I - . . . ' . ' E . . - . .|3 
 4|' C . - . . . ' . N . - . . '|4     ME: DIMOSTU    286
 5|. T R I O . . . . E - . . . .|5     CL: _______    291
 6|B Y . . F A G . . R . . . * .|6 
 7|R . '. . .W I N K s . . ' . .|7 
 8|I . . P I E T A . . F ' . . =|8    
 9|A H ' E . . ' W A U L . ' . .|9 
10|R E . A . * . . . * U . . * .|10
11|. J . G U V . . . . O . . . .|11
12|T I . E . . . ' . . R - . . '|12
13|O R - . . L A B E l I N G . .|13
14|A A . . . * . . . * D . . - .|14
15|D . . ' . . A Z O N S ' . . =|15
   -----------------------------

I miss DIMOUT across the top, so I play 14d DUOMI for 33. CL comes back with NETTY, 1h. I pick the Q and am lucky to have SUQ.

   a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o   
   -----------------------------   
 1|P . . ' . . . N E T T Y . . =|1 
 2|I D . . . * . . . E . . . - .|2           to play                
 3|X I - . . . ' . ' E . . - . .|3 
 4|' C . - . . . ' . N . - . . '|4     ME: _______    337
 5|. T R I O . . . . E - . . . .|5     CL: ENELHSL    327
 6|B Y . . F A G . . R . . . * .|6 
 7|R . '. . .W I N K s . . ' . .|7 
 8|I . . P I E T A . . F ' . . =|8    
 9|A H ' E . . ' W A U L . ' . .|9 
10|R E . A . * . . . S U Q . * .|10
11|. J . G U V . . . . O . . . .|11   UNSEEN: CEMOOOSTV
12|T I . E . . . ' . . R - . . '|12
13|O R - . . L A B E l I N G . .|13
14|A A . D U O M I . * D . . - .|14
15|D . . ' . . A Z O N S ' . . =|15
   -----------------------------

CL plays FLESH at 8k, picks CO out of the bag to join his LEN. Can't stop him going out and winning by 11.

Mon 1/19

9:28a: IC tells his opponent that he is having trouble finding the opening in the bag. JG says, "It's the part with the hole in it." Laugh, perhaps, too loudly, at nemesis IC's expense. Find little else funny after losing to IC and CL again, and seeing hopes for $$$ shattered.
1:00: Finish 6th. JKM says maybe good idea to head back. Such overcautiousness. I snort. Maybe we won some door prize. Must see award ceremony.
6:00p: Back from abortive drive home. Meet IC, agree to play some games. Tell him I must play some Video Poker first. He implies that V.P. does not seem like a particularly brainy pastime. Check myself from pummeling him into a stupor.
11:30p: Take two out of three from IC at $5 per. Stick him with Q in both wins. Point out he missed ADIPOsE for good score when he played PETAlOID. Hahahahahahaha. Ask him how he ever wins a game. His eyes flash darkly. See has visions of pummeling me into a stupor. Back off. Smile. We part amicably.

1/20

11:00: Arrive back in Bay Area with cracked windshield but with IC's marker for $5. All's well that ends well.