By Dan Stock

Temperatures were around 50°F (10°C) in Cleveland yesterday, and much of the foot-and-a-half of snow on the ground was melting away. But Winter could not be defeated today. The Scrabble community's favorite Starbucks aficionado ran the table in an effort that should give him a new personal best rating: yea, even approaching the rating of Joe Bihlmeyer. Winter's effort gave him the victory by a three-game margin in a seven-game tourney! Pete Zeigler and Jeff Fishbein finished second and third, with the only other winning records in the eight-person field.

Linda Hoggatt won Division B. Kevin McCarthy needed a blowout win against Linda to have a chance to win -- he won, but not by enough to overcome her large cumulative point spread. Terry Oblander managed to sneak into second place with a 5-2 record and a spread just 14 points ahead of McCarthy.

Tina Cur had a great tourney in Division C. Her play of MAHJONG won $30 -- $10 as the high play in the division, and $20 more as the lowest probability natural, acceptable seven-letter bingo of the tourney. It also helped her on her way to a convincing win in the division -- even as the sixth seed of eight players. Second and third place went to Walter Konicki and Paul Seet.

Cecilia Huber coasted to victory in Division D. There were seven players in this division, and so each got a bye. When Cecilia beat Joyce Stock in the sixth round, she knew she had the tourney won ... because she had ended up with the bye in the last round. Joyce finished in second.

Other assorted highlights ...

Elaine Glowniak played a bingo-bango-bongo, ending with CLUBBIER. Being less that 100% sure, her opponent had to challenge to have a chance in the game. It was good and won the 8-letter rare bingo prize.

Connie Breitbeil played OVErmEN ... not only did she win the challenge on the two-blank play, she successfully challenged her opponent's attempt to hook a C in front.

Heather Steffy and Pat Hardwick were exultant about their 434-434 tie. Neither wanted to spoil a great game by asking for a recount!

Several people wore purple in anticipation of next month's Purple and Green. Of particular notice was Michael Bassett's purple tie.

Six of us gathered for Taxes Hold Me after the tourney (Elyria Rules style). Kevin McCarthy won a huge pot with CI in the hole and common tiles OEANA, when Quackle found the play OCEANARIA for him through an AR. (In Elyria Rules style Taxes Hold Me, hand-winning plays stay on the board, and Quackle finds the highest-scoring move for each player). He went on to take first place, and I won second. We followed up the Taxes Hold Me with some Texas Hold Em ... with the same winner and second place player. The fact that Dallas Johnson did not win was attributable to the fact that he was not there, with family obligations keeping the world's winningest Taxes Hold Me (Elyria Rules style) player away for the day.

FINAL RESULTS AND PRIZES:

Place. Name (Seed): Won-Lost,Cume -- Rating Before ± Estimated Change => Estimated Rating After [prize $]

Rocky River A final results & prizes
1. Winter (#1): 7-0,+589 -- 1788 + 51 => 1839 [$120]
2. Pete Zeigler (#4): 4-3,+117 -- 1645 + 6 => 1651 [$60]
3. Jeff Fiszbein (#3): 4-3,+29 -- 1666 + 3 => 1669 [$30]
4. Lisa Slankard (#5): 3-4,+160 -- 1540 - 1 => 1539
5. Elaine Glowniak (#7): 3-4,-15 -- 1509 + 3 => 1512
6. George Viebranz (#6): 3-4,-252 -- 1533 + 0 => 1533
7. Jeff Cook (#8): 2-5,-217 -- 1471 - 13 => 1458
8. Jeff Clark (#2): 2-5,-411 -- 1705 - 41 => 1664
Hi Turn -- Zeigler BOLDING 104 [$10]
Hi Out-of-the-money Loss -- Viebranz 422 [$10]
Hi Out-of-the-money Win -- Cook 558 [$10]

Rocky River B final results & prizes
1. Linda Hoggatt (#2): 5-2,+502 -- 1427 + 20 => 1447 [$120]
2. Terry Oblander (#4): 5-2,+193 -- 1360 + 28 => 1388 [$60]
3. Kevin McCarthy (#1): 5-2,+177 -- 1434 + 19 => 1453 [$30]
4. Connie Breitbeil (#7): 4-3,+138 -- 1274 + 19 => 1293
5. Stephen Debacco (#3): 4-3,+62 -- 1386 + 5 => 1391
6. Daniel Shapiro (#5): 3-4,-71 -- 1338 - 9 => 1329
7. Frank Lee (#6): 2-5,-69 -- 1309 - 25 => 1284
8. Dean Scouloukas (#8): 0-7,-932 -- 1254 - 58 => 1196
Hi Turn -- Oblander WANKERS 121 [$10]
Hi Out-of-the-money Loss -- Shapiro 436 [$10]
Hi Out-of-the-money Win -- Shapiro 510 [$10]

Rocky River C final results & prizes
1. Tina Cur (#6): 5-2,+580 -- 1120 + 34 => 1154 [$120]
2. Walter Konicki (#3): 4-3,+120 -- 1187 + 6 => 1193 [$60]
3. Paul Seet (#1): 4-3,-38 -- 1216 + 3 => 1219 [$30]
4. Eileen Popich (#5): 4-3,-43 -- 1150 + 10 => 1160
5. Midge Skwire (#7): 3-4,-60 -- 1110 - 4 => 1106
6. Diane Joseph (#4): 3-4,-143 -- 1175 - 13 => 1162
7. Heather Steffy (#2): 2.5-4.5,-143 -- 1206 - 27 => 1179
8. Pat Hardwick (#8): 2.5-4.5,-273 -- 1067 - 9 => 1058
Hi Turn -- Cur MAHJONG 94 [$10]
Hi Out-of-the-money Loss -- Joseph 404 [$10]
Hi Out-of-the-money Win -- Hardwick 453 [$10]

Rocky River D final results & prizes
1. Cecilia Huber (#3): 6-1,+346 -- 980 + 41 => 1021 [$120]
2. Joyce Stock (#1): 4-3,+168 -- 993 - 6 => 987 [$60]
3. David Clayman (#7): 4-3,+29 -- unrated => 937
4. Linda Robinson (#4): 4-3,-58 -- 936 + 1 => 937
5. Lambert Dieringer (#6): 4-3,-245 -- 815 + 20 => 835
6. Doug Szymkowiak (#5): 3-4,+158 -- 918 - 17 => 901
7. Michael Bassett (#2): 3-4,-48 -- 988 - 25 => 963
Hi Turn -- Bassett SNEERING 122 [$10]
Hi Out-of-the-money Loss -- Bassett 367 [$10]
Hi Out-of-the-money Win -- Symkowiak 518 [$10]

Rocky River tourney-wide prizes
Lowest probability natural acceptable 7-letter bingo -- Tina Cur MAHJONG [$20]
Lowest probability natural acceptable 8-letter bingo -- Elaine Glowniak CLUBBIER [$20]
Rocky River Chocolate Fish Award (to someone who sticks around for the prize ceremony despite having a day where the fishing did not go well) -- Jeff Clark [chocolate fish]

The real winners:
Joyce and me for having so many wonderful people show up for the tourney. It truly was a pleasure. Thanks!