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MOST 2010 Commentary: Round 1

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MISO Commentary May 2010.

TD Geoff Brousson writes:

Round 1: The temperature in New York is 13C, in Singapore 30C, in London 12C and in Valletta Malta 21C where the 3rd Malta International Scrabble Open has just begun! The temperature in the playing of the Seashells Resort is red hot however, in anticipation of the ferocious battle ahead over 21 games! This year sees nearly 100 contestants, the largest MISO by far and one of the largest Open tournaments in the world. On table 1 Angele Andrews, former President of the Malta scrabble Club, has the unenviable task of playing the former World Champion, Nigel Richards (NZL). Nigel kicked off the tournament with a bonus BAGGERS! Nigel finally won 585 to 303. Alison Pollard (AUS) is the most honest player in the room who had originally scored a draw was sure that a mistake had been made and suggested a recount and then lost the game to Albert Zammit (MLT).

John Chew adds: Our start was delayed slightly because the Suncrest Seashells Resort had promised us Internet in the playing room at 9:00 A.M., but it did not get set up properly until 2:40 P.M., with play due to start at 3:00 P.M. We were also unable to get the events manager to come to the room to turn off stage lighting set up for a press conference, despite a large number of requests to his office, and as a result the room is overheated and tables are either overlit or dark. Despite these glitches, everyone is in an amiable mood, and appears to be enjoying the start of the event.

At the end of the round, the players came out into the hall to see the electronic scoreboard (spread across two external and two internal monitors this time). This is the first time I've tried putting the scoreboard out of my line of sight, and it's working well. If I'm at my computer (not at a rules adjudication) when a slip comes in, then by the time a player walks all the way out to the scoreboard, their result is already updated. It's like walking through the terminal building racing your checked baggage to the carousel.

At one point, there were four Israelis among the top five. Their players apparently play as quickly as they play well.

And finally, congratulations to Teresa Lyes (Eng) (nee Hill) and Jim Lyes (Eng) on their wedding last week, and thank you for choosing the MISO as their honeymoon destination!