Michael David Back in Fighting Form

1st Michael David had his way with the expert division, finishing 4-0 +314 and not scoring under 400 the whole way.  Displaying a peculiar lack of empathy for his fellow man, he took down Jordan Parker 490-299, unrepentantly slapping down bingos of DOCENTS and FLUSTERS in the process.  That bingo count would be further inflated by a pair of three-bingo games to close out the night: 412-341 versus Lynda Finn (playing GAROTES, RESONATE, and the creepily prophetic phony OUTWINS) and 424-405 versus Andy Bohnsack (playing AMOEBIC, BLUNTED, and UNMATTED).  However, ten bingos in four games was not enough to achieve "bingo king" honors: Andy had twelve in the five games he played.

2nd Thomas Reinke went 3-1 +293, his sole loss attributable to the aforementioned Michael David, 409-442.  He did get two bingos down, HANDLES and UNLIVES (v. UNLIVE, to live so as to atone for past events), but Michael's counterbingos of TWIRLER and OUTFIRE eventually led him to victory.  Peter Schmiedicke did not fare as well; he mostly spectated as Thomas unleashed a quadrumvirate of bingos: SCOOPED, ANERGIA, FLOUTING, and SHITAKE.  That's bullshitake!  For a change of pace, Thomas defeated Barb Besadny 355-249 with no bingos on either side.  Where there are feasts of bingos, there must also be famines of the same.

3rd Charles Reinke's 3-1 +204 record placed him 40 spread points over the other 3-1 finisher, Lynda Finn.  His highest-scoring contest was a 490-350 game against Gail Salm.  RINGERS and ENTWINE were Gail's attempts to stay in the game, but they were outdone by Charles' REMELTED, DESCRIES (v. DESCRY, to discern), and FELLIES.   Another bingo-heavy game was played against Bryan Benwitz, resulting in a high-scoring loss for Bryan, 421-445.  All bingos involved were eight letters long: GRANDSIR, EARSTONE, and CADASTER for Charles; FLOTAGES and GASOLIER for Bryan.  Charles can thank Andy Bohnsack for his one loss, a game that ended 411-428.

Betty Hasselkus got Word of the Week when she played the odd-looking SCEPTRED.  To SCEPTRE means "to invest with royal authority."

Sue Goldstein Reigns in Small Intermediate Group

1st Sue Goldstein finished 2-1 +56.  She took down TWO experts, Betty Hasselkus and Barb Besadny, before dropping a game to June Scott.  Her two bingos in three games (RETRAIN and RELINES) should boost her bingo-per-game average.