1st Michael David played an abbreviated schedule of just three games, but made the most of his limited opportunities with a perfect 3-0 +178 record! Accusations of leaving one game early in order to preserve an undefeated night will not be levied at this time. Michael had his best game of the evening in round one, where he took down Gail Salm 424-356, playing Word of the Week candidate FASTBALL in the process (Gail played STIRRED as her single bingo). In the second game, Michael defeated Dennis Lloyd 390-356, this time getting two bingos (RESINED and LIGHTERS) while again holding his opponent to just one bingo (DEAFENS). The stingy bingo defest continued in what would end up being Michael's final game as he easily toppled one of the club's top players, Thomas Reinke, by a score of 393-317. Michael played NESTING in that one, while Thomas got down SABULOSE.

2nd Charles Reinke put together a strong 3-1 +377 performance, but was punished in the standings by having played four games (oh wait, we weren't going to levy those accusations). He wasted no time in building up his spread total as he whomped Bryan Benwitz in the first game, 500-340, unleashing a trio of bingos: TOILERS, ENVELOPS, and NEBULAE. Round two saw Charles lose a close one to Thomas Reinke (no relation), 410-415. Again, Charles had three bingos (ROPIEST, OUTLIES, and OREODONT), while Thomas sole bingo of WISEACRE (for just sixty points) was combined with some damaging power tile plays to take the victory. Charles got back on track by cleanly defeating Gail Salm 510-332, playing three bingos for the third game in a row (GUENONS, GHERAOES, and RATTLIER). Gail, for her part, had LEARNING and REIFIES. The seemingly infinite well of bingos was depleted by round four, but Charles triumphed over Dennis Lloyd 409-365 despite getting out-bingoed two to nothing (Dennis played AUTHORS and ELASTINE*).

3rd Bryan Benwitz went 3-1 +204 for third place among a larger-than-usual crowd of fourteen players. After a disappointing first-game performance against Charles Reinke, where bingos of RESTRUCK and SEDITION were the only things to really go right for Bryan, he stormed back to win his next three. Against Helen Flores, Bryan played READIEST and TRISOMES on his way to a comfortable 428-291 win. Dennis Lloyd fared only slightly better against the Bryaniac, with the final tally in that one being 453-377. While the scores weren't equitable, the bingos were, as each player had two of them (FROWNED and RESURGE for Bryan, COPIERS and TEACHES for Dennis). Bryan completed his convincing comeback by trouncing Thomas Reinke 497-346. Alas, the win was despoiled by a phony GEARLIKE* to go with the valid PANTIES and EXILERS.

Aaron's EMBIGGEN was word of the week. Somebody's been watching too much of The Simpsons (or reading too much of the dictionary).