First of all let me say congratulations to the organizers and congratulations to Daniel for winning the event.
During the tournament I thought I was getting a bad run with the tiles. Analysis reveals although I did extremely bad in drawing blanks , I managed to score 131 of the power tiles as opposed to my opponents 133. There were 3 games when my opponent opened with a bingo to my two.
In total my opponents challenged 32 of my words to me challenging 5. If it were penalty challenge I wud have only challenged two of the five. Bingos I missed Redwoods, Urnlike. I also chickened out of Antimere as I was behind and didn't want to lose a turn. My favorite play was being able to play Ahimsas , Worrals, Fulgid, Fleapits and Vidicon. Surprisingly the number of eights I played was well down on my average, for which I can give no explanation. I have included a list of the words challenged by my opponents.

Fantod Vidicon Amah Roupiest Medius Goura Meisters Techie Wiglet Fract Rubato Jangler Fugal Walla Wert Empiric Boyo Sereins Stot Quoited Enmew Worrals Bitsy Punga Molto Nazes Dungy Feminal Cogue Reroofed Sinopias Kilty Dengue

There ended up being a three way tie for first place with The Points Raiders (coached by Stephen Mooney Pursell) having the best margin to take out the title. Ivanovski's Icemen and Sheryl's Shielded Warriors finished 2nd and third respectively. Aussie Battlers (Olga Visser) and Hells Angels (Helen Maurus) rounded out the top 5.

Full standings are available here: http://scrabble.org.au/events/14AUST/teams/teams.html

No one was brave enough to pick Chris Ostrowski who despite being the lowest in the field scored 14 wins. I know a few people (myself included) were close to picking him but ultimately chose otherwise.

Thanks very much to Barry for getting the web updates happening. Certainly beats me doing it in an excel spreadsheet. Apologies to those who selected me. Obviously I don't quite belong in the 1600s (yet).

I'm already planning to run this event again for AMSC as well as next years nationals (with a plan to work out a way to include the 'plate' section). Given the huge success of this, I'm also brainstorming ways to have this all year round. But for the moment, I'll give myself a break and devote my time to working out why I am heading back to Canberra 78 points poorer than what I came up with.

Fantasy Coach Out,
John Hamilton

BBB's for the Australian Champs
PROTEANS, RETIMING, TANAGER, TABORET, REALIST, ESCAROLE, CRITTERS, ORGANDIE, RESIDUA, UNSEALS, LIMNETIC, SYNOVIAL, GRADINES, STEROIDS, UNAKITE, RETINOLS, FAINEST, REVERING, MRIDANG, HARPOON, GLADIEST, TEENING, OUTRAVED, CAMEOING, STARNIE, INTERNE, DAIRIES, SIZIEST, SENTIMO, RELAXINS, REMAPPED, ANTICKED, CLITORIS, PATRIOTS, PANDOUR, DEIONISE, VILLANS, TENURIAL, NODDIER, MUTTERED, MAFIOSO, REAROSE, RESIDUE, TERTIANS, MARTINIS, AEGIRINE, ACIDIOUS*, EROTISE

A picture of my massacre at the hands of Andrew Fisher. First time someone plays 6 bingos against me.

Rd	Opponent	My score	Opp score	My bingos	Opp bingos
1	Olga Visser	360	362	DURATiON (68)	ReLIVES (75)
2	Trish Brighton	506	336	VOLTAGE (82); UNWARIE (79); TANgLED (67)	EASIEST (73); GRITTIeR (80)
3	Rod Talbot	408	344	GRIMOIRe (61); SaNCTION (80)	RESINATE (77)
4	Andrew Fisher	466	530	TANGLER (68); CUToFFS (69); MEIOSEs (85)	MUREINS (81); OVERHALE (90); LATITUDE (72)
5	Tony Williams	333	386	BRIEFERS (77)	ExCITERS (70); DEBONERs (62)
6	David Vanzyl	285	549	SANITISE (70)	GRApPLED (92); SALTIER (69); JOLlIER (69)
7	Karrin Henderson	484	311	NAIVETES (74); JETFOIL (85)	DITzIER (67); iNDITES (74)
8	Ivor Zetler	485	427	NITROgEN (122); tOTARAS (70)	AVENGERS (76); STEEPLE (73)
9	Caroline Snowcroft	423	412	NAIVIST (73); DUsTRAG (69)	SULFuRIC (66); OUTGAVE (91)
10	Mark Smith	444	397	KETAMINE (67); OPTIOnED (70)	DETaINS (68); SILTIER (68)
11	Carmel Dodd	529	398	BIVVIED (98); NARRATES (70); LInEMEN (71); COLETITS (64)	fOREMEN (62); ASUNDER (90)
12	Russell Honeybun	434	398	INDaRTs (72); LATINOS (75)	SERVANT (93); ANTICISE (74)
13	Dianne Brumby	398	352	CLIFTED (76); REGINAE (80)	THEoRIES (62)
14	Trish Reynolds	379	353	ATHEISED (66); MEOWiNG (71)	DUSTINg (71)
15	Cheah Siu Hean	385	407	LARNIEST (75)	AlUMiNE (74); HERNIAS (78)
16	Mythili Rudra	488	238	MORLINg (67); TUNIEST (83)	BISTERS (67)
17	Joanne Craig	436	377	PEAKIEST (78); SALiNITY (90)	DANNIES (78)
18	Daniel Piechnick	263	508	-	GOATIEr (68); ENERGIZE (79); TILERIEs
19	Edie Mueller	413	378	DIGITAL (64); REPOSED (70)	JACARES (77); LAZURItE (66); TENORiST (64)
20	Esther Perrins	411	402	HIRsTIE (80); INFARES (93)	DERaTION (68); SANTERO (72)
21	Andrew Fisher	331	602	TURRETED (70)	ENVIRON (73); WEIGELA (84); AMOUNTED (89); IDEALIZE (90); aIERIES (78); CONDOMS (81)
22	Chris May	378	457	FILAREe (77)	ENSURER (74); NOSEdOVE (80); GANTLET (69)
23	Cameron Farlow	346	539	COALPIT (82); NORTENA (71)	DITSIEST (71); MAGGIEs (96); DEaDMEN (85)
24	Yeo Kien Hung	524	402	DIGITALS (66); cHARIDEE (86); EROTISE (76)	MURGEON (76); BETItLED (66)

Also-ran report from the Australian Nationals.
Actually, I ended this tournament rather chuffed to be honest. I entered aiming to win a minimum of 14 games and gain ASPA and WESPA points and, thankfully, that was how it panned out.
The end result was 17th from a field of 88, wins of 14 games, 20 ASPA points gained and 87 WESPA points gained. First time wins over 3 players rated higher than me, 1.83 bonuses per game and only one wrong word played for the tournament (never add a D to ICILY no matter how tempting the score ).
My BBBs (bar the 17728 probability one in Game 9 ) were:
ROULADES, SHADIEST, MANEGES, PADDING, GRATINEE, TRUCKERS, ORBITER, HISTONE, WORDAGES, NITRILS, MARTINS, VERMINS, SOLITARY, SURGEON, DILATES, AGAMIDS, IRISATE, REDACTS, PALISADE, GOLIASED, DENARIES, PERIODIC, INERTIAL, TILLAGE, REUSING, DILATES (again), SERRANO, CROSSING, FOOTAGE, SIERRAN, MUTABLE, RADICES, RATOONS, TEENSIER, ISOLATE, WINTERS, GELASTIC, FELLATED, VAUNTERS, ACONITE, LENDERS, HEROICAL, NARRATES, TRENAIL.
A couple of observations:
- This tournament demonstrated to me the vast difference between IRL and online play. I don't mean to denigrate by that observation but to note a game where I ummed and ahed over a move for 5 minutes (which is strange for me because I usually only use between 7-10 minutes for an entire game) only to not play the 7s I knew I had would have been a far more comfortable win in the void challenge format of online play than the nailbiting 3 point win it ended up being!
- My play is still improving and evolving. I am sure my average move per game is now well over 30 but it is still nowhere near the high 30s and early 40s per move of the top players.
- the GOLIASED play came in a game with one of the nicest endgame plays in it I have seen.... ending in a loss to me. For those who want to try the puzzle out, I am including it in the Scrabble Victoria FB page later in the week.
Next year, the Nationals are in Melbourne.... so, I do not have to worry about accommodation costs etc.
We also have one of the most liveable cities in the world so everyone is welcome to come down to enjoy one of the premier tourneys on the Australian calendar!