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2013 Yokohama ST Commentary: Round 8

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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, After the Tournament.

Mihoko looked a little worried about facing Kien Hung Yeo (MYS) this round, so I subtituted in to play him myself. I had an early lead, replying natural LOUTISH to Henry's non-bingo opening play; but I then let him catch up with APPOrTED* (more points than PREADOPT if accepted). I worked through a bunch of IUVs while Henry made 30-point plays to balance his rack and play MAESTRI. I drew the other blank but took two turns to convert it into a bingo, playing SCuTTLE when SULCaTE would have been much better, leaving me down 307-321 with 11 in the bag. My post-bingo draw was EOTUVWW on an unfriendly board; I think I still might have had a chance had I been able to stick Henry with the Q in the endgame, but he wouldn't even draw it for me. One endgame fumble, confusing ONY# and ENY* with 0:07 on my clock and the game went to Henry 440-375, who is now 8-0 +1631.

At Board 3, Keiichiro Hirai (JPN) beats Warodom Geamsakul (JPN) 395-368 to stay one game behind Henry; and at Board 2, Yoshihisa Itsubaki (JPN) beat Isao Takemura (JPN) 444-237 to stay two games back. At Board 4, Kunihiko Kuroda (JPN) loses 365-236 to Tadao Takeda (JPN) and stays in fourth place, now four games behind.