1st Charles Reinke once again took first place, this time with a 4-0 +344 final record. Two of wins were against Mark Kenas, 498-403 and 452-391. Charles' expansive bingo list contained words like DISTEND, BILANDER, ANTERIOR, FAINTERS, COURSES, and the Collins-only RINGMAN#. Charles' big game came against Richard Lauder, where Richard's bingo of NEPETAS fell short of Charles' DISCOLOR and FIERILY, resulting in a lopsided 518-345 tally when all was said and done. Bingo-prone tiles continued to find their way onto Charles' racks as he deployed three more bonus plays (SWOTTER, GELATINE, and PURIFIES) in a clinching fourth-round victory over Bryan Benwitz, 436-421.

2nd Bryan Benwitz went 3-1 +215, which seems good until you realize that this 75% winning percentage for the night actually lowered his yearly winning percentage, which had stood at 75.6%. He started things off in explosive fashion when he played a personal-best five bingos in a 465-383 win over Thomas Reinke. Those bingos were ROOTLIKE, TOASTIER, RAVENEST, AVIATORS, and PIROGUES. The bingo output dropped severely in his next game, but the result was the same as Bryan beat Dennis Lloyd 373-312. His single bingo of CLINCHES did score 98 points, so he got a lot of mileage out of not many bingos. The pattern repeated itself in round three as Bryan's sole DOWELLED scored a cool 92 points and delivered him a 419-332 win against Lynda Finn, who found TSARDOM (not a typo of STARDOM, although it could be). Bryan's night ended with a 421-436 loss to Charles Reinke, despite plays of ANAEMIAS and ODONATE.

3rd Mark Kenas went 2-2 +212. His typical Reinkes-only bloodbath was just as bloody as it always is, with Mark dropping two games to Charles but taking both games againast Thomas. The first of those wins was a gargantuan 607-377 beatdown, fueled by Mark's OARAGES#, SERIATE, PILEWORT, and DIACONAL. That 607 score became the 10th 600 game of the year. Mark almost had 600 a second time against Thomas, but fell a few points short, 589-451. In that one, Mark had ONEYERS#, AMBITION, DEVOTING, and RELIQUE (for 114!), while Thomas had DOORMATS, AIDANTS#, and FRAISING#.

Thomas, for his part, did add and 11th 600 game in round three by defeating Helen Flores 604-294, playing five bingos: SPIKIER, NICOTINE, UNHEROIC, STEARATE, and SAUTEING. Richard's PRECAVAE was word of the week.

Experts
Charles Reinke4-0 +344
Bryan Benwitz3-1 +215
Mark Kenas2-2 +212
Lynda Finn2-2 +28
Dennis Lloyd2-2 -22
Thomas Reinke1-3 -140
Richard Lauder1-3 -241
Helen Flores1-3 -396
Intermediates

 
NameWin% W   L  T  Avg  Opp Avg Bingos  Avg Phonies % v2
Experts
Bryan Benwitz75.31504914433714272.14102.31
Charles Reinke69.71556714533934932.21489.733
Mary Becker66.721038435541.331250
Thomas Reinke66.41457314504025202.375610.828
Beth Amos57.1860402381181.29000
Andy Bohnsack54.2322704133971171.9832.67
Lynda Finn54.1857203903782241.43135.813
James Rollins5022031634551.251200
Mike Johnson50440446401182.25000
Renato Umali5022041738682000
Ron Malzer47.234380363391690.9657.20
Dennis Lloyd43.6516603753881621.38148.66
Karl Armstrong42.311150361379190.7315.30
Wendy Bialek41.71014033934370.29000
John Bialek41.710140355388200.83150
Sara McLaughlin41.68211503563901780.942.21
Richard Lauder41.47911203694023031.59134.34
Mark Kenas39.4578814264562962.035919.90
David Kinzer38.627430355373620.8934.80
Francesca Lazio34.114270345378340.8338.80
Helen Flores25.9361030339405870.6344.60
Sue Goldstein22.2828029536140.11000
Aaron Bader004039250161.5000
Melody Brown002029935300000
Mathias Chen003028239220.67000
Cooper 0010020337300000
Nalina 004019637000000
Intermediates

Bingos
Charles Reinke11FAINTERS COURSES DISCOLOR FIERILY DISTEND BILANDER ANTERIOR SWOTTER GELATINE PURIFIES
ringman
Mark Kenas11BATTENER DENTILS SERIATE PILEWORT DIACONAL PIGNUTS AMBITION DEVOTING RELIQUE oarages
oneyers
Thomas Reinke11COSECANT LEMONISH TARDIEST SPIKIER NICOTINE UNHEROIC STEARATE SAUTEING DOORMATS aidants
fraising
Bryan Benwitz9ROOTLIKE TOASTIER RAVENEST AVIATORS PIROGUES CLINCHES DOWELLED ANAEMIAS ODONATE
Richard Lauder6VISORED GUESTED NEPETAS NOPALES PRECAVAE TERGITE
Helen Flores5TRITONE HANDLES HOTELIER OUTHEARD BRINDLES
Lynda Finn4ARRAIGNS DAIRIES TSARDOM LISPING
Dennis Lloyd4REGGAES MATADORS ENABLES DONATES
8-Jan: Scrabble at Covenant Church15-Jan: Scrabble at Misty Mountain Games22-Jan: Scrabble at Covenant Church29-Jan: Scrabble at Covenant Church