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Roads Icy; So is Thomas' Demeanor as Streak Comes to End at Twenty Wins

1st Thomas Reinke took first place among a reduced group of only the hardiest Scrabblers, going 3-1 +252. However, first place was little consolation to him as his prodigious twenty-game winning streak was halted by Charles Reinke. Thomas scored just 369 (a low score in the context of his streak) to Charles' 420, despite both players getting two bingos (INGRESS and TEGULAE for Thomas; CITEABLE and HANDIEST for Charles). To ease the crushing despondency which overtook him as his monumental run came to an end, Thomas followed up with a 484-417 win against Aaron Bader, playing GROUCHED, REOPENED, and TOTALIZE (Aaron had PIETISMS, IDOCRASE, and VENTURE). Meanwhile, the final game of his streak, a 542-330 win over Dave Gilligan was made notable by his five bingos of SLATTED, EPIGONE, KEROSINE, REPANELS, and ASSOILED (v. ASSOIL, to pardon).

2nd Charles Reinke went 2-1 +313, the missing game due to an acute board shortage. After acting as a coach/observer to Helen Flores in round 1, he faced off against her in round 2 and won handily, 558-288. Helen was able to play a bingo of RESTATED; Charles flaunted his high-probability bingo knowledge with ALATION, INTRORSE, and AGONISE. After defeating his brother in glorious and proud fashion, Charles went face-to-face with Bryan Benwitz and was humbled, losing 422-430. He got outbingoed three to one in that game, getting down a lone BEERIER while having to contend with Bryan's LINURONS, RETAPES, and GRADATES.

3rd Aaron Bader also finished at 2-1, but his smaller +153 spread put him firmly in third place. He needed a little bit of luck in his game against Helen Flores as a late post-bingo draw of IIIIILL nearly snuffed out his chances, but he managed the victory anyway, 397-391. His bingos were NAUSEATE, UNBOOTED, and SPELEAN (adj. living in caves, also SPELAEAN). A game against Dave Gilligan was not quite as taxing; Aaron won easily, 465-251 thanks to some high-scoring power tile plays as well as his two bingos, DURIANS and SENHORS.

Thomas' New Year's Resolution: Kick More Butts Than Ever Before

1st Thomas Reinke won all his games, again, going 5-0 +435 and pushing his undefeated streak to 18 games. He prevailed in a pair of tough games in the first round against Mary (who already completed her new year's resolution to get stuck in an elevator, congrats!) and Lynda (who already completed her new year's resolution to get stuck in beltline traffic, congrats!). Thomas overcame Lynda's 140-point triple-triple TRAVOISE with a late BILKING to get a 489-431 win, and against Mary, played IDONEITY and TINNIER versus Mary's HAPPIER for a 420-398 squeaker. His 107-point SKIVERS made the difference in his 421-345 win over Bryan. Gail was next up to try and break the streak, but her hopes were quickly diminished as Thomas opened with BOOMERS, later playing DESERVES and SEEDIER. Gail got down TEARING and BRUISING, but came up short, 345-482. Similarly, his next opponent's hopes were dashed early, as Thomas played SQUINTED for 104 (among other high-scoring plays) en route to a 551-415 win over Charles. The next club meeting will include a vote on whether we should use club funds to lure some foreign competition to Madison to end this streak. Does anyone know Nigel Richards' number?

2nd Bryan Benwitz went 3-1 +168, losing only to the unconquerable Thomas. He opened with a high-scoring 490-453 against the definitely-conquerable Charles, playing three bingos: FIELDING, REJUDGED, and SCORIAE. He did get down two bingos against Thomas in his next game, PIMENTOS (n. that thing that makes green olives somehow edible) and FLOATIER, before only playing one in his 404-345 win over Mary. Notice a trend? I'm definitely noticing a trend here. In his final game against Helen, he scored 485 while playing zero bingos... alright that's a lie. He played two of them, but wouldn't it have been so much cooler if he had played none? Come on Bryan.

3rd Richard Lauder went 2-0 +355, good for third place in the absence of any other players with three wins. He scored a big win against Sue in the opener, playing AMORTIZE and BEANIES. To follow that up, he scored a less big but still pretty big win against Andy, 464-365. Andy got down TERRIER, which was no match for Richard's IODATING, CONGUES, and SHEAFING. Hopefully Richard enjoys his time in Arizona, but little does he know that this writeup is being written up from the top of his minivan as it speeds down the highway towards warmer climes. It's a bit hard typing with one hand as the other hand desperately clings to the top of the roof, but there's no way I was being left behind in this cold Wisconsin winter. No way in heck.

Aaron played the word-of-the-week, BARGHEST (n. a doglike goblin (what does that even mean?) of English folklore, also spelled BARGUEST).

"It's Christmas Time", says Thomas Reinke, Ominously

1st Thomas Reinke pushed his winning streak to 13 games with a 4-0 +578 performance. He either put on a masterful defense showcase or drew all the good tiles or maybe a bit of both, as only one of his opponents scored above 300. After improbably scoring 444 on a closed board against Bryan, he focused his attention on Charles, against whom he won a high-scoring contest 485-465. Charles got down WINCERS, FIREWALL, EXOSMIC (only after trying the phony COMIXES*, COMIX is an alternate spelling of COMICS), and SARDINE against Thomas' VITRAINS and REBUKED. The bingo deficit was made up by Thomas' 90-point SLEAZE, in case you were wondering how on earth Charles managed to lose. A close game against Lynda in the third round turned into a blowout in Thomas' favor as he bingoed out with CONFIDES, sticking Lynda with 44 points worth of goodies to win 400-290. Similarly, his game against Andy in the final round was close until he started drawing and playing tons of bingos. Thomas played IDOLISER, PIMINETO, VERSANT, and TOXINES in that 300-point victory.

2nd Charles Reinke went undefeated except for a loss against that dude who looks like him, which shouldn't even really count when you think about it, going 4-1 +277. He won both games of a two-on-one, against Sue and Richard, in the first round, earning him the right to play the unbeatable Thomas. We know how that turned out (hint: "unbeatable"). In his next game, he withstood Betty's 108-point double-double HOBBIES, playing EGOTIZED and RADIANS in a 448-382 win. He saved his best for last, beating Bryan in a high-scoring affair, 482-452. Bryan played INCLOSED, FORESAID (don't forget the A front-hook making AFORESAID), and DREAMING, while Charles played POONTANG (the third time he's played that word, insert joke here), BURRITOS, and the invalid SUBOVALS*. SUBOVAL is of course an adjective, so of course doesn't pluralize. Of course.

3rd Richard Lauder brought joyous Christmas tidings in the form of butt-kickings, going 3-1 +134. He recovered well after losing his opener against Charles, the recovery starting with a 437-272 dismantling of Gail, where he played UNCOATED for 90. Things were closer against Dave, where he won 420-378, overcoming Dave's late PHAETON with TINKLERS as an out-bingo. It illustrates a good lesson in expert-level Scrabble play; always, ALWAYS, block the K if it's just hanging out there. An open K is an invitation for your opponent to bingo, if not bingo twice in that spot (I am joking, the K is only dangerous if you think your opponent is going to play KUVASZOK). Richard finished off his night with a 368-328 win against Lynda, playing SERMONS and GLASSIER.

Dave played the word-of-the-week, VENATIC (adj. pertaining to hunting), earning 98 points for his efforts.