Season #17 is officially over, as we reached an exciting end with our traditional mini-tournament held at our alternate venue, HaTavor 32.
After Naomi's GLUHWEIN took the first award of the season winning the best bingo award, it was now time to decide who would take the prestigious division titles.
In Aardvark, six players competed in a 5-game Round-Robin event. Among the contenders, to first-timers in Aardvark, Omri (who finished the season in 5th) and Raz (who finished 6th). Also playing, Michelle (after a long maternity leave) and Naomi (after a long sick leave). The final two players were Evan and Ma'or, who share 15 of the 16 division titles between them (Evan with 11, Ma'or with 4). The only other player ever to have won the division title is Liliane (Season 9) in the pre-mini-tournament days. Who would take the title this time? Would it be Evan or Ma'or? Or would one of the ladies or newbies walk away with the honour.
In Zyzzyva, the six players were Raquelle (1), Hilda (3), Julie (5), Agi (6), Amos (7) and Adriana (8). Raquelle, who automatically qualified for Aardvark, declined, so the player doing best (besides Raquelle) in the playoffs would walk home with the most important prize of all - Season 18 in Aardvark. Would it be former Aardvarks Hilda, Julie or Adriana? Would Agi or Amos do it for the first time ever? Very exciting...
The report: In Aardvark, it was certainly Evan's day - with a 5-0 record (+585), Evan beat his opponents by an average of almost 120 points, maintaining a 439.8 average himself. The battle was on for second place - and Season 16's champ, Ma'or, just made it beating Raz into third by 11 differential points. Zyzzyva, it was all about differential. No fewer than 4 of the 6 players won 3 games, with Hilda beating Julie in second place by virtue of her superior differential (the best in the division, the second best of the day). So the ticket into Aardvark is Hilda's. Welcome back and well done!
Words played:
Best Bingo: There were 59 bingoes played. Well done, all. First of all, Hilda played URINATES for 56 points. Why mention this, you may ask? Because this is the lowest possible number of points for a bingo and the first time it's ever been done in the Tel Aviv Club. Well done! There weren't many nice words, but Julie's MOUNTAIN was pretty. But the nicest word of the day was Raquelle's POLEAXED. Well done!
Best Phoney: Only four monsters. Amos got away with FANNIER* and Raquelle's GRAVITES* survived too. Evan managed the ridiculous GUNVAULT, but the award goes to Naomi for the most plausible phoney - VESTAGE*. Adriana FRAISES RANGERS Agi RUNNINGS STARRED Amos BIRDIES GRUNTER TAINTED Evan DEBATES LUTEINS ERASION VENDING INCAGES RETILING SENARII SINUATES TARTINE MISATONE Hilda STRIDENT URINATES COINAGES PIDDLES VESTURE GLAMORS Julie HOLLIES BONDINGS BLISSES PUNIEST VERSION MOUNTAIN Maor PADDLERS RETINAS BEATINGS Michelle SIERRAN UNFITTER DAIRIES DECRIER CHEATING GLISTEN Naomi EMERGING PLENTIES URINATE SQUIRED SNORING Omri STONIER UNSTAID ROSEATE Raquelle HURRIES MOULDIER POLEAXED TWENTIES OPIATES ELECTING Raz CAVILERS TERGITE CARRIES GODETIA DESTINED HOMAGES
Player W/L Differential For Against 1 Evan 5-0 +585 439.8 322.8 2 Maor 3-2 +29 391 385.2 3 Raz 3-2 +18 382 378.4 4 Omri 2-3 -308 343 404.6 5 Naomi 1-4 -61 394.6 406.8 6 Michelle 1-4 -263 380.6 433.2
Final Standings - Aardvark (yellow=highest in division ; red=lowest in division):
Final Standings - Zyzzyva: Player W/L Differential For Against 1 Hilda 3-2 365 420.4 347.4 2 Julie 3-2 259 386.8 335 3 Raquelle 3-2 136 407.4 380.2 4 Amos 3-2 -261 353.2 405.4 5 Agi 2-3 -105 375.2 396.2 6 Adriana 1-4 -396 324.6 403.4