A game

[wantonhalo]

Okay, I think I will post a lot of games from the CO. My first two weren't interesting, so I will skip those. But this one had some tougher decisions.

Round 4 vs Carolyn Easter

Comments

[bbstenniz]

I would take FERIA at L1. The bag is primarily AERI so drawing to AEIPR isnt that thrilling. Also the board isn't very closed after FERIA. She has to block a lot of lanes and a nice X spot you just set up too. She may open you a new lane in the process and she is distracted from the left side which has some useful 8 lines.

[wantonhalo]

Perhaps...I do think that FEU bingos a fair bit more often, and has a higher entropy level than FERIA. I understand what you are saying, but I think that FEU is quite reasonable.

[cesarsalad]

i also would definitely play FERIA for a few reasons. mainly most lower-rated players mess up and bleed equity when you open the board wide and they're ahead. FERIA also almost catches you up so you don't need to bingo. it also makes it slightly less likely that she will use the X spot for cheap points (or TAJ i guess as it turns out).

i think that although FEU does have more entropy that entropy is not as important when you're only 30 down. you have to assume than on average you will outscore her every turn. i think that in general i play very differently against lower rated players, which can also sometimes be a bad thing.

[wantonhalo]

I think FERIA makes sense here. I am not as committed to drawing a bingo, and it gives a bit more chance for her to mess up.

[axolotl8]

I think missing KAZOO could have been costly right off. I thought you should have been more aggressive in opening the board more on a couple of plays. You're facing an early deficit, and you're not playing Joe Edley. You may force her to make some sacrifices in blocking the openings. I didn't like (L)IS even though you didn't comment on it--maybe (G)IE. The leave isn't good after (L)IS and it just helps her close the board. Also, EF(T) is only a few points less than FE(U) and opens up a line for a 7, which isn't available.

[axolotl8]

I guess I don't understand AL(OW) either. WO/GO opens up another bingo lane using the same two tiles. A lot of draws will then give you a 7 ending in E, and you keep things more volatile in the process. I think if you're down around 50 you kind of have to force the issue--can't just hope people will screw up. I think she'll more likely screw up if she has to make a complex decision on whether to block or score, or deciding which line to block.

[cesarsalad]

yes exactly. i love playing ridiculously aggressive against lower rated players (when they are ahead) as they can and will often screw up.

[wantonhalo]

OKA was definitely a poor play to start it off. I just didn't really see much else, which is rather unfortunate. I agree that LIS was a tough call. My main issue with GIE is that it just puts me down so much, lets her score perhaps more easily, and still allows her to close reasonably well. I am not a fan of EFT. FERIA and FEU seem to be fine there. One problem with WO is that it closes another bingo lane in the process of opening one. I think here I need to hope for either a screwup or that she doesn't have the V. Often she gives me another bingo lane anyway, like the case of VI(E)W. If she has the V and plays correctly, she often has a five tile play to the E for enough points. But if she has no V, she's not going to be able to block that well. The deciding which line to block isn't that significant, because she can block a slew of lanes after WO easily enough.

[axolotl8]

Yeah, I agree that WO closes another lane, but you're keeping too many vowels to be able to realistically use that lane anyway

[wantonhalo]

I guess the scores with pETIOLE and PRETRACE are pretty different. Also, HIGHT is an obscure word while PRETRACE is easier to consider more naturally, so that could effect the psychology of the play. Plus PRETRACE looks potentially more desperate.

[wantonhalo]

I think it's a reasonable lane, especially a turn or two later perhaps. I think you are right about being more aggressive against a lower-rated opponent, and I was a bit too timid here and in the other game. I still thought that PRETRACE made enough given my play of pETIOLE before. As for EFT, the problem is that blocking that lane is often the best play for her anyway. It just ends up putting me down more and maybe giving me a bingo a bit more often. FEU and FERIA accomplishes more.