Too Tired to be Tense
Sunshine

Individual Pairs, 12-13 April 1997, Millfield OH
Quad Squads, 12 April 1997, Millfield OH

For Perimeter IP #11, the usual suspects gathered, not near DC, but at Toad Hall in southeastern Ohio. Dave Lockwood took the early lead and 6-time champ Larry Kahn found himself in 7th place after 3 rounds, ahead of only the missing Nick. In the last game of the 4th match round, Dave potted out his partner Bob (in the 5th round of the game) en route to a 7-0 that pushed them 11 and 8 points respectively ahead of the rest of a tightly bunched field. Then, in the first time in match history, instead of just a lunch break, a 20 hour break before round 5 followed.

Late afternoon winking would be the Quad Squads, the first NATwA "real" team event since Gill in June 1991. 19 players would take part, including 8 first-timers (most in one match since 9 Brits played in the 1988 Pairs in Falls Church VA in September (or since 9 Ithaca High School students played in the 1987 Pairs in October)) and one long missing Rich Davis (last played in the 1979 Continentals, February 1979), in a 3½ round match. There were 6 female players, possibly a record percentage (32%) playing in a single NATwA match. The Dragons (with two new Lockwoods in a NATwA match) and the Toads (the home team) took the lead over the Confused and the Wookies. Most games in the experienced paired with relative novice match were closely contested, with 5½-1½ being the highest score in the first 8 games. Rick, playing mostly with Jimmy Stockwell (who had never played at all before the match), posted a match high 20 points to lead the Dragons to a 6 point margin over the Toads. Rookie Piper Avalokita (3-0, 15 points) was the only undefeated player. The Wookies, despite their team chant of advice of "Let the Wookie win", neither won a game nor tore off any arms. Kumquats appeared in 5 of the 14 games. Persimmons were out of season. However, there was plenty of glorious food provided by Sue Crapes both before and after the Quads.

Chicken Pox limited the number of Lockwoods to only 3 and thus they were only able to tie the Henninge clan at 4 NATwA winkers. However, Bob's "family" (siblings, wife, son, nephews, nieces) record seems quite safe at 9.

When folks were neither winking nor eating, there was homework to be done (even by Larry), strange music videos to watch (courtesy of Jim Parrott), Tiger Woods to follow, and cards to be played. 2 games made it into the venerable Humbletoad games book.

On Sunday the IP was completed. Bob thanked Dave for having potted him out the previous day by potting his partner again in the 5th round, again for a 7-0, this time against Dave. The big win gave Bob the match lead and a chance to defend his title. In 3 of the 4 previous IPs Dave had also been in 2nd going into the final game, only to be denied. Not this time--a resounding 6-1 solo effort over Bob & Larry gave him the coveted first place ribbon, which he supplied.

Match records were set for:

• Most points with only 4 wins (Bob, 32)

• Highest match ppg at 5.68 (with a record three 7-0s)

• Fewest fractional scores (one, in the last game), and

• Most ribbons

Dave was the first champion to lose a 7-0 and only the third to come from behind in the final round.

IP #11

Quad Squads

Note: rookies are red-underlined.

P.S. I was glad to be able to participate in the Singles in January. I thank everyone for being willing to honour my request and to play me with the perimeter rule.