Scrabble Main Event

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Back to 2013 Vienna MSF Scrabble EB Live Coverage

Commentary: Round 13

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Go to: Before the Tournament, 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, After the Tournament.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Wayne Kelly (Eng) beat Sanmi Odelana (Eng) 346-333, the low win of the event so far, and of course the low combined game total.

Time for today's live streamed game, between Philip Nelkon (Eng) and the undefeated Nigel Richards (NZL), shown on MindSportsTV.com. The video feed for the game will eventually be available on the MSI website after post-production, but we've got the game in playable format on our website. We are experimentally trying to get the board to generate its own Quackle .gcg files; and have posted the machine-created one next to one that I (John Chew) made by watching the machine's data feed for you to compare.

Philip begins the game with the blank, bingoing NOSTRIL on his second play. On his third turn, Nigel bingoes SPRINGED to come within four points of Philip, and two turns later draws the blank and plays it right away with uNIPEDS#. Then there are no more bingoes, and the game stays close. They're tied at 370 with two in the bag. Philip takes a chance that COATEE for 32 keeping an E will give him a win. He draws the easy to play IT. All Nigel has is GERMS for 26, and Philip plays out for the win.

Nigel's ABSP-record winning streak comes to an end at 32. Weibin Toh (SGP) beats Graham Haigh (Eng) and catches up to Nigel on wins: they're both 12-1, but Nigel is +2170 to Toh's +1206. Behind them is Shanker Menon (IND) at 11, and Helen Gipson (Sco) and Philip at 10.

RECREATIONAL

Peggy Fehily (DEU) beats Paul Dundas (NLD) 334-321, the low win so far. Then Zaffar Mahmood (AUT) wins his first game of the event, 323-318 against Vicki Bradley (AUT), lowering that record further. Pam Morris (AUT) beats Nancy Alroy (ISR) 433-375 to stay in first place, 10-3 +1227. Suzanne has the first of her two byes, and stays in second place, 10-3 +1216. Peggy's win keeps her in third, 10-3 +464; Paul's loss leaves him in fourth but now a game behind the rest, 9-3 +396. It's still a very close race.