From: MBaron1949@aol.com
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 1998 19:31:20 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: Consensus Game #1, Turn #9
Message-id: <980308193119_557678909@mrin51.mx>

Good Libran me, I first went with OUR (k3,13), then DUI (g11,5), then CLUTTER (5e,18), then UH (6d,5). Final anti-kvetch vote below.

I can live with any of these options, but CLUTTER and UH most dramatically represent the extremes of two schools of thought:

CLUTTER, despite leave (AEI), is saying: "If I'm now down 284-310, I do not have to bingo, especially if, with four new tiles, I can get an E or D and have the chance to play ZEE/ZED (36-39 pts), netting me 54-57 pts in two plays. The sacrifice of points with UH or DUI virtually requires a next-turn bingo." While CLUTTER's turnover also enhances the S prospects, it really needs to be accompanied by two consonants to have any real shot at h11-15, if available, and Sccv is a slim pick.

UH is resigned to the must-bingo proposition, but appears to give the best shots of such on the next turn, leaving the 12g spot open (in addition to o1).

DUI may be trying to do too much: defense and leave on this turn in the hopes of offense on the next. UH's RETAIL leave surpasses DUI's ALTER, where the latter has two chances of getting kyboshed. The defense with DUI against opp's llh S seems initially sound, but consider the points opp may net (with or without an S) after the hoped-for bingo might get played along row 14 (esp a pluralizable bingo ending at 14m). Another point: if opp has the T, all it takes is an innocent BELT or WENT (14d) onto DUI to block ZEE and the row 14 bingo line.

I prefer the one-tile fish of UH or the points/turnover of CLUTTER. With 17 in the bag, I'll opt to pull within 26 after CLUTTER, hope for ZEE/ZED prospects, as well as the increased chance of getting the possibly useful S. Besides, REAL Scrabble players don't need bingos. :) Besides, ya get a second bingo after DUI or UH, and you hear 'em kvetch, "Oh, sure, he got TWO bingos to my one, and just eked out a four-point win."

Mike Baron

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o

   -----------------------------      Player Tiles   Score Time
 1|= V   ' M A Q U I     K O R E|1
 2|  I       "   N   F   E   -  |2    cgp    AEILRTU   266  ---
 3|  G -     C U l L I O N S    |3    opp    -------   310  ---
 4|M O   -       I   N   T     '|4
 5|A R     C     T   E -        |5    Unseen tiles: A B D EEEEE G III 
 6|N "     H "       R       "  |6    L N OO P RR SS T V W
 7|t   '   A   B O G Y     '    |7    
 8|E     H Y O I D       '     =|8
 9|A   '   O F T   '       '    |9    
10|U P     T "       "       "  |10   
11|  L   W E N D       -        |11
12|J A D E S     '       -     '|12  
13|  Z -       '   '       -    |13  
14|A A       "       "       -  |14
15|X     '       =       '     =|15