Andy Bohnsack, Like an Angry Polar Bear, Thrives in Cold Weather

1st Andy Bohnsack averaged a club-best 459 over his four games, all of them wins, resulting in a 4-0 +377 finish. Embroiled in a high-scoring shootout with Bryan Benwitz, Andy emerged victorious, winning 472-427. Bryan played the phony RERATING; Andy had a good reason for letting that one stay on, as it gave him the necessary triple-triple lane for his 122-point GARRISON. Three bingos (not an uncommon feat for Andy) were unleashed against Susan Vergeront: INEDIBLE, ORDINATE, and MATTERS, resulting in a 442-325 win for the Bonestorm. Susan did find GIRAFFES (the new dictionary, whenever it is put into effect, introduces an anagram: RIFFAGES). In the final game of the night against Aaron Bader, who was also 3-0, Andy needed just one bingo of PASSABLE to pull out the win, 438-415. Aaron had three in his losing effort: TOWNLET, REREADS, and AUDITEE.

2nd Thomas Reinke went 3-1 +283 while also snagging the Bingo King crown with ten bonus plays. He laid down a hefty amount of smack upon Richard Lauder, defeating the tile-pushing veteran 481-300. Richard played UNITIES, but there was not much unity at that table as Thomas played TARRYING and BASTERS. Against Bryan Benwitz, Thomas stepped up his bingo game, opening with INJECTS for 98 and later getting LOBATED and REALIZER (104 points!). The result of these high-scoring plays was a 459-343 Thomas win. His one loss came against Aaron Bader, 416-459. Thomas came out ahead in the bingo battle, but games are not won on bingos alone, as Thomas was so cruelly reminded. Aaron had TAUTEST and the phony REDECREE; Thomas played PTYALISM, RETORTER, and FEELERS.

3rd Charles Reinke put together a 3-1 +156 performance. He barely escaped with the win in a closely-fought match against Helen Flores that ended 368-354. Helen won high B play for JUMBLES; Charles won no money for his play of TRIMMEST. He, did, however, get word of the week for his play of BARESARK (n. a berserker, a Norse warrior), played against Gail Salm in a 491-394 win. He also played CYANITES while Gail found three bingos of her own: YEARLING, ETESIAN, and HANDLER, each worth more than 80 points. Like his ill-fated brother, Charles also found Aaron Bader to present too much of a challenge, losing 421-466. Both players had three bingos: GATEPOST, OUTGAZED, and INTERAGE for Aaron; NONUPLES, RUDDIER, and the phony CURVETTES for Charles (CURVET and CURVETTED are good).

Gail salm joined Andy in the exclusive "get paid money for playing triple-triples" club by playing RESEATED for a 131. We are now at 14 3x3's since we started keeping track.