From: BigJimK@aol.com
Date: Sat, 29 Nov 1997 22:39:54 -0500 (EST)
Subject: WSC Final Game 3-4 Comments
Message-id: <971129223954_1660912602@mrin47>

The following comments on Games 3 and 4 of the Graham-Sherman match are meant to supplement the excellent commentary of James Cherry.

I was back to being a word judge for Game 3, so I was in the playing room rather than the viewing room. Both players had a win, and this wouldn't be the deciding game, so I anticipated a good game. It was very well played, with the only unusual error being Matt's miss of BERTH. Both players showed excellent judgment.

My only quarrel with James' Game 3 commentary is that I think it gives too much value to tile turnover for the purpose of picking the blank. If each blank is worth 30, 2 blanks unseen in a tile pool of 60 tiles gives a value of 1 point per extra tile played. While not neglible, this is not a major factor.

For Game 4, I returned to the viewing room.

JS move 1:

RUER, ERROR and passing (saving ER or EHR) are within 5 points of HOUR in a short (500 iteration) Maven simulation. But HOUR does seem to be the play. JS move 3:

GR is a better leave than GO. TABOO may give some equity back on row 4 (hooking OOF), which Matt can use better with TABOO than TABOR on the board.

MG move 4:

GOE D2 takes a front Y hook, which would keep the board alive nicely.

MG move 7:

Matt played MOW very quickly. He may have liked his chances of playing a word beginning with EX- on row 15.

MG move 8:

I would have to try FLEXERS in this position also. A win is unlikely after other plays.

JS move 9:

I like NEEM 8A here. If Matt plays REFLEX 14I, Joel can respond with at least ANUS 15L for 29, virtually sealing the game. Either way, though, it's going to be a tough road back for Matt.

JS move 10:

INIA 11D looks excellent here. No way Matt can bingo at 12I, because Joel knows he has FLRS.

MG move 10:

VERS G1 might be a reasonable attempt to stay in the match. REV scores so little that Matt undermines, to an extent, his chances of winning if he does bingo.

JS move 11:

No one I heard in the room (nor I) could understand why not SNEAK or SNOEK here. The reason is that Joel knows Matt still has FLS, and could respond with a huge bingo at O8. SINK doesn't allow any bingo on the O column with an FLS in it! Joel will survive bingos elsewhere. Kudos to Joel.

MG move 11:

Joel knows the tournament is over, but Matt doesn't. He makes a move that gets him close enough to win with a bingo and gives him some good bingo chances.

The rest of the gaame is immaterial. Joel wins! Joel wins! Joel wins!

All the best,

Jim Kramer