For the first time this season I had a losing record, winning only one out of three. My losses, however, were close, as my spread for both was a mere −12. My record is now 81-12:
363-370 against Sid. I played ARSENITE (77) and Sid played SEANcES (68). I opened with BENT (12) and then Sid played COUPON (27), making BENTO. On my next turn I played -ING onto COUPON for COUPONING (28). I knew that COUPONING was a noun, and took an S. COUPON is not a verb. I did not have the opportunity to put an -S at the end and I wonder if Sid would have challenged it. With BENTO on the board I knew that it took a front O-, but that front hook never happened.
416-421 against Chris Lo. I played ARENOUs (64) and DAKOITS (81) and Chris played ETIOLATE (60), POUFFeD (74) and DESCRIES (80), all three bingos in successive plays. I credit the first Mississauga Scrabble Club Director Shaun Goatcher for teaching me the front hook for ETIOLATE, P-, yet I don’t think Chris knew it because he picked both P’s and didn’t play either there.
395-354 against Trevor. I played quERIES (82) and Trevor played ROOTIER (67).