October 24, 2008 - Posted by ARIAKA - 0 Comments
After the disappointment of not playing the 18th game when I was afire. I moved out of the hall to take in some fresh air. Consult with Chris on my prospects and mull over the general turn of events.
In the evening, I strolled out of the complex to the road junction to catch up with some local news and mingle with the roadside vendors, improve my Kiswahili and call my little angels back in
Kampala.
My gait had a pronounced bounce to it. My body language gave away the high spirits as I greeted the gateman. What’s up? Have you won something? The jolly fellow asked of my demeanor. Well, just a few good results. I quash the thought of a beer, as my Doctor had advised against it on account of the malaria bout.
When I returned to my room, it was a refreshing feeling. I cleaned up, dashed for supper and strolled about the swimming pool. I should take a plunge, a reflex response to that alluring azure water of the hostel swimming pool. But then, I have no costume to indulge in this temptation.
So I sidle to my room and bump into Edwin Mugisha. He managed 8 points so far 8/17 and is besides himself with remonstration, ruing lost chances and cursing some poor plays. I console him. We lounge on the quadrangle, talk about the prospects tomorrow and; he congratulates me for my performance today.
When I retire, the television is inviting. I want to watch 24 TV find out what Jeff Koinange, the former CNN inside Africa reporter is up to this time. He does not disappoint, there is a repeat of the Moi Show. I watch. Then scroll to another station. Citizen TV. A cute lady presenting African Music. Kalai Boeng, a 1990s Congolese hit by Wenge Musica BCGB. Now I love Congolese music, especially the fast paced Rhumba by Koffi Olomide, the late Pepe Kale, Wenge Musica, Grand Zaiko, Zaiko Langa Langa, Langa Stars, Choc Stars etal. The music abruptly ends. She now shows some local musicians, I forget their name, but thepercussion got me off bed into some solo jigs.
Ah! Yaawwwn hmmmm. I turn off the TV and snore away into the night. Very later on; knock, knock. I hear someone at the door and simply sound away at beckoning dawn. Knock and louder knock. I startle out of sleep. Knock, knock. Aha! I remember my roommate, Theuri of Kenya. He staggers in and falls in a heap on his bed and snores away.
Sleep cannot come. I can not sleep. So I look through the roof pondering on what may lay for me in the future. Slowly, sleep returns.
Sunday October 12th, 2008
Day 3 African Scrabble Championship
Kasarani Sports Complex
Nairobi, Kenya
7.30 am Breakfast. At breakfast, I serve bread, eggs sauage. Add another sausage I implore the waiter. I need a lot of meat and sugar to keep up with the ultimate game today.
Game 18: I am paired against Rasheed (anagram: HEADERS, SHEARED come to mind quickly) of Nigeria on table 5. Rasheed plays with zero emotions; so it is impossible to understand his mindset. With out wasting time he shows his intentions. We play up to the fifth when he unleashes GRADERS (76) to open up 43 lead. My rack is SDCCFRR. I pass definitely, holding RFS. But the pickings refuse to improve while SHEARED runs away. N desperation, I try CHORUSER, which he challenges off the board.
Rasheed played a technical game. On tracking the tiles, the good guy had the last A. He quickly opens BID for an A hook, which he now promptly uses, playing OZONATE for 89. Having played CALMIEST (83) +5 earlier, this Banker now seeks to close the game completely. I was reduced to playing 20s only managing LUTZ for 39. I lose 489 – 303.
Game 19: I am sliding down to table 8 where I find SAIDU. In two moves SAIDU had moved to 96 points having landed TROPARIA +5 for 67. I keep pace with 86, through KOAN for 60 points. When I played VISAGES 83 and a non-bingo score of 70 qUETZAL, I thought this game was mine. I keep him out reach with a couple of high scores until he fought back to a stale mate.
I notice SAIDU has ?YSTIIONL or something. So he can definitely bingo. I try to block and inadvertently played a a phoney DORES. He challenges and take what amounted to a life time to play. So I call the director who allot TWO minutes . Does was my undoing. He plays StONILY and home in on me. With a superior time. I play 29 to increase the lead when he finished and pressed my clock. So my clock runs into negative while his stands. I did not understands this. I did not see this. But other people so and he admitted to it. But he confessed it was not deliberate but a spur of the moment.
We drew this game 446- 446 and I lost on time, the director placed the fault squarely on me. I lost by 10 points and ran into a rage. I had heard of trickery in scrabble. This was my first encounter of ungamemanship..
Game 20: I am devastated. My prospects of a top ten finish has just evaporated. Now I must fight to finish at least on position 15. That is where the money stops. Rose consoles me. Take some water and forget this happened. I try. I pace up and down the tea area, seek some HEDEX and try to get my mind of that game.
When I return to the table, my opponent Daivid Kangethe of Kenya. Not again. This game proceeds quietly. On his first move he plays GOURDED which I challenge off the board. I pass and then place OLEATES for 62. He DELVES for 26 to which holding ARIEECP, I am about to dump the vowels whence I spot E and immediately land EARPIECE for 68 (+5). From now on I lead David to the very end, keeping the game close. Then I make a fatal mistake. First, I give myself an extra 100 points. With false confidence, I play three bad moves in succession including trying OBFICATE (bad). This should be OBFUSCATE. David then lands INTONERs for 68. When he asks to balance the scores, I notice my folly of 100 unnecessary points and curse myself. Clearly, SAIDU’s experience is very much with me and am at the risk of losing this game.
Earlier in the game, Kangethe had played LARNIER that peered so close to the triple. So to catch up, I played FIRS/LARNIERS for 51. David ponders this move. He calculates that if he challenges and it turns a good move, I win by 5. But if he leaves this then it is a draw. A draw it is. It turns out LARNIERS is bad. I gain half a point for the game I should won/lost. Score 407 – 407.
Game 21: In this game, I am paired against Kangethe again. In the third move, I play MINUTED (72) and SWINGERS (63) later on to take the game beyond him. His reply of INOSITE 73 and SOZINES (89) came rather late to rescue his game. I hold on for dear life and win 408 – 386. No mistakes. I play this game with an alertness of the highest degree. RED you might call it. But I had lost previous games for lowering my guard. I certainly had learnt my lesson. My performance so far 11.5/10.5.
Game 22: A check on the pairing list on display reveals Ikojo Anthony. I also notice that several players have 10 points and 11 points. That leaves me at 11.5 points with half a chance if I should win all the three remaining games.
In this game, my picking was so atrocious that despite playing two bad moves, I could not stop Ikojo from taking the game. I struggled to score above 20. Managing GREX (60) at some point. That was it. Ikojo played 8 – 30 plus scores and capped this with BOOSTED to take this game by 7 points. Score 371 -378.
Game 23: In this round I am paired against The Champ. Femi is recovering from his misfortunes and must wish to brush me aside to make way for his ascend. But there is no Femi. I notify the director who gives me 5 minutes and then record the winner’s card. Where is Femi? I remember. Femi must be out somewhere reading the fours and fives word list. I remember meeting him yesterday pacing in the backyard, his eyes affixed on a long list of what appeared like five letter word lists. So that is where he must be, in the gardens, catching up with those words. Six minutes, and I call the director. Looking through the entrance, I saw Femi. I tell the director. It is games up. I have won. He looks at me and his expression? Don’t be to sure. Femi sits opposite and starts to arrange the pens, scorecards, clock. I look at the director. He tells me of Femii’s pedigree, an international player and that he will deduct six minutes from his time at the end of the game anyway. One glance at the champ and I think. Well, he must be a little fazed. I could take this game.
The game starts. He passes. I play for 16. He lands BANNERET for 62. Holding INGEINS, I try STIEDING for triple to triple and 158 points. He challenges off. Plays FONE for 52 while I can land DESINING for 65. He plays MOUTAINS – I challenge it off the board and bury ARANEIDS for 68 to surge in front. He manages TOEIEST later, but I had sprinted far ahead. He was just catching up. I win this game 462 – 430. Phew. How lucky can one get. Winning against a former champion 3/0 is no mean fit. Now at 12.5/10.5, I must win the last game to have that chance of some badly needed bread. To have won against the Champ! My spirits are elevated. I am raging blood.
Game 24: ONOTA of Nigeria must have wondered what hit. I was raging like a bull after defeating Femi for the third time. I could take on any “ting”. In this game I played to win from the first move. Whem I balanced with PUG for 16 on first move, I land FLEXO 73, DAVY 36 SKETCH 45 and SOURCER (83) to run ahead of Onota. Then DEBATING for 66 ZAG for 41. Onota managed UGLIEST to reduce the deficit. Towards end game I tracked the tiles. I noticed a possible OESTRAl on his rack, which I could not block. I reckon that if I left one tile in the bag, I could win on reply in spite of his comeback. So I blocked triple lane, playing AI for 2. He played OESTRAL while I scored with POOF 28 and won 435 – 416. Results so far 13.5/10.5. That is about 56%. Not bad after the miserable start on day one.
Now I place my hopes on the collation of results and hope for the least 15 position to be able to win something. And to confound all skeptics. The computer returned 15th position, just ahead of Manase Otieno on superior spread. With that, I win some KSH 5,000. I am thrilled. Very thrilled. I will play better next time. I promise. Thanks for reading.
October 24, 2008 - Posted by ARIAKA - 0 Comments
7.30 am
Saturday October 11th, 2008
KASARANI SPORTS COMPLEX
NAIROBI - KENYA
I slept late last night, spending time reviewing the my game, catching news in Kenya and the world. Trying to follow the American Election. I meet Jeff Koinange on 24 TV with his humour, satirising the president Moi on Moi day. I needed to lighten up. This Koinange thing helps, easing the heavy head, taking me well beyond midnight. I blink once; get up and move about. Then sat back and blinked again, and again when I woke, there was this headache. Not gain. Oh my good.
After the abysmal showing on day one when I performed below par. I hoped today to be a different day altogether. Last night, I did a game by game analysis to discover my weakness, did a psychological profiling to determine my mental preparedness and peeped into my opponents mind set and their perceived superiority.
I discovered that I was not up to it. The bus lag, the malaise, the luck of rest and a host of other misfortunes could have conspired to deny me certain victories. With hindsight, I should have won the games against ETA Karo, Menya Mukonge and Isiaya Wayuga. With that, my day on day one would have ended 6/8. Okay I would have moved upwards and met tougher jobs, but many people ended on 5/8. That is a safer bet; 62.5% is a reasonable outing.
Anyway, today I am paired against Chris Ntege of
Uganda. Chris is a kind of a jinx to me in Uganda. He has relegated me in the past in many tournaments back in Uganda. I tell Chris, despite being my chairman and recent odds being in his favour, I am taking this game. Chris scoffs at me for this confidence and soon the game begins.
Game 9: We play ping-pong, for while; playing cautiously until the fifth move. The score card reads 98 – 130 in my favour. Suddenly, Chris lands STREaKy +5, for 109. I am alarmed by this trend of events and make 40 points in two moves. When Chris passes to balance his rack, I play PUIREST, hooking on APERIENT (+10) to lead by 55 points. I held on this lead for dear life. Despite a TOMATOES by Chris later, I keep the slim lead to end game where a phoney play by Chris gifts me a photo finish to win (390 - 373).
Game 10: Dr. Patrick Litunya is world number 6 – (as per results of 2007 World Scrabble Championship). ASC08 is not going his way so far. That is how come he is playing in the middle lane with us lesser mortals. I have had quite a good run against Patrick going back to ECASA 08 in Dar and a recent BUSIA Kenya ASC qualifier. However, Litu is in mood and duly dispatches me back to the Bedroom. He plays STENGAH and later VAURIEn. I have no reply to his bingos and quickly lose this game 469 – 256, a whooping -214 spread. I lose my little + spreads and now lie deep down in dangerous territory, in the throes of the hyenas who so decimated me yesterday. So far, after10 games I am 4/10. 40 percent, which is really mediocrity. Not good at all. I better improve to 5/10 next game.
Game 11: I met a wounded David Kangethe (Kenya). A man who has not played competitive scrabble in a long time. I say to myself, this is fair game. Alas, David lands three bingoes, one after another; REUNITES (60) through my R, HOARSEN (81) and OBOVOID (84) to open a commanding lead. I respond later with EMULSIVe and very late with SUNDARI. But the game was safely the other side of the board and David is grinning with satisfaction for 423 – 391 win.
Game 12: After tea-break, I scan the pairing board and discover that am up to play Femi Awowode of Nigeria (The Champ). We last met in Dar 4 years ago where I upset establishment by taking a game from him. Surely, he must be itching for his pound of flesh. I sigh deeply, organize my recording paraphernalia and start with LEMURIA. This is it, I must be on good picking again. He challenges this move and places HUIA. I notice that his picking is no good. But he played so defensively, I could not land my jackpot. My chance comes later with NERvULE (74) which he cancels with IRISATE (82) immediately. He leads 142 -126. We play pound for pound, him leading marginally until I pick NONITL?, spotting a hanging T, I land NONTITLe +5 (73). Despite a bad play ODORATED, I recover and hold to win this game 421 – 397. Phew. Another game gone my way. What a relief.
Game 13: I am paired to play JC Auka of Kenya. Yesterday, as I sidled into the hostel, I met JC who bantered in Kiswahili. Huyo ni mboga yangu. Referring to me as his vegetable (sic). You know Kenya and sukuma wiki. That side dish, ever present at a truly Kenyan cuisine. Another word for that bullying is provocation, which tends rouse the warrior in me. I tell he is in for a rude awakening. His confidence had soared owing to my poor record against him in Dar and Busia.
True to his deposition, he lands COLLEEN +5 for 77. I reply with STATING two moves later. Then holding girlie +I, I play GIRLIE for 27, ZAGS for 72 FORCE for 39, MOES for 37 and ABOITEAu through A on triple lane for 77 and leave the poor guy panting in dust. I finish him of with PIETY (25) +5 and wrap up the game 483 – 377. Auka could not believe it. But I was gone. Thrust 6/13. Quite a recovery. If only I could make it 7/14. I will be on track for something. Who knows what lay ahead.
Game 14: The win from JC Auka propels me to Fred Magu, another Kenyan maestro in the wrong place at the wrong time. On my second move I place UNITARD, anagram (TRIDUAN) +5 for 78. When Magu plays a bad word on the ninth move, I know his time is up. And am goner (sic) win it at all cost. We play a cat and mouse game until I notice that Magu has trouble on his rack. He wants to pass. So I open the triple play with NIL for 14 while trailing by 10 points. It is a harmless opening so MAGU plays TAU for 15. I land TOTALIzE +5 for 63 and take this game 412 – 377. Now I am at 7/14; and the threshold to take off into the top half of 56 players and hopefully into top 10; and into some money at the end of the day.
Game 15: In this game, I am paired against Philip Edwin Mugisha of Uganda. Edwin is a rising star in the country who had qualified as seed number two, after Rose. He is on a free fall after losing up front. He promises fire for me and to consign me to where I belong; in throes of hyenas at the back of the pack.
So I play AGLEY for 26 and balance a difficult rack. He responds with TWIRLY for 24. My picking has not improved, so I play KILIM for 27. He replies with PIX for 24. I play RUC to balance for a jackpot. He passes on this move. I play TREEING 63 and lead by 86. His PLEDGE for 24 is met with my DEF for 42. A good score and a balancing act whereupon I land COWRITEr +5 (75) and run away to the finishing line. When Edwin plays RECANTER and BUSH in succession for 113, I confound him with ATTONES 73, ZIN for 41 and wrap this game when he played a bad word BEUOF; my response JAMBES through the B on triple lane. I take this game 515 – 322 and leave Edwin in a wake of another heavy loss. He laughs loudest he who laughs last. Hmmm
Game 16: I met a Nigerian for the second time. ETA was a player of silent disposition. He is also religious. Before we started the game, the very first game, ETA had picked up the bag of tiles and held it on his forehead muttering something in Yoruba or Igbo or some Nigerian Language about winning this game or tournament. He won that game. So the Gods must have heard his prayers.
Meeting Ikojo Anthony, I was a bit surprised by his demeanour. A quiet man, easy manners and honest. Not the aggressive stereotyped as we had imagined Team Green Locust would be.
Ikojo starts with GLENT for 16. I reply YOK for 30. I notice the game is closing too early. Is this Anthony’s strategy, I muse to myself. The man is slowly drifting away, leading by 11 points. Suddenly while holding ROLINGE, I could not land a bingo. But on closer observation, I spot (TO) and promptly land RETOOLING (60), my first nine letter jackpot. With that move my picking changed as I landed high scores VOCULE (47) followed by CORoNATE (70) through T and finally AERATIoN (74) through triple lane starting A(…). In desperation, Ikojo tried SADDIST hooking on RETOOLING; which I gladly challenged off board. I took this game 467 – 363. I am now gaining in confidence and baying for the blood of anybody.
At this point the director called a committee to consider an urgent matter, the start of King of the Hill pairing system. This causes quite a stir as the Green Locust see a conspiracy (sic). There is huge rivalry between Kenya and Nigeria, even in Scrabble. So the Nigerians could not see the merit of play KOH now, preferring it for tomorrow. When the matter was put to the vote, the YAHS had it.
Game 17: That was not to be anybody, but Dennis Ikekerego of Nigeria, the man who won in Dar es Salaam and defended his position successfully in Nigeria two years ago. While walking on the lawns of the hostel on day one, I met Dennis and told him it will be an honour for me to play him. I said on account of my performance so far, that was a slim prospect. But providence had other plans. He now granted my wish and thrust Dennis my way on table 8.
Holding EEHINOR, I played HEROINE (78). Dennis must have been miffed for he replied with IO for 8. My rack was bad, so I play GROG for 14 while Dennis’ response was MOY for 21. I played MICK (31), holding only an I for vowels. Dennis plays GLAIK for 20 while I was Keeping ZX?. Dennis takes full advantage and plays FAILS for 32 opening a triple lane. I play ZEX for 39 and Dennis cannot run for his rack was bad. Dennis destabilize me. I have DILATeD but it cannot land anywhere. So I play LAD for 17 whence he plays THORNED hooking on ED(H) opening a triple timer. I seize the moment and ran him out with INDART?D through his D for 140. I pick ?EENLLA and respond with pANNELED on triple play. At this point Dennis mutters something like, “You are picking every ting now”. I can not comprehend this. All I hear is a jabber and ting tings. It occurs to me that the Nigerians take their “NIGLISH) seriously. I inquire if something is the matter, for which the Director could help. He says “nating”. That he is just “tinking” aloud about my good luck. Good luck it was and I win big 545 – 376. And with this win my score is 10/17.
It feels good. I want another opponent. Bring on Chinedu, Ibukun, Jighere Mbugua, Mwangi. Bring them all I say to myself. I am all fired.
October 23, 2008 - Posted by ARIAKA - 0 Comments
On Sunday October 5th, 2008, about 4.00 am in the morning, I got perhaps one of the worst attacks of sickness since 1984. I felt like my head had been tethered onto a leash and I was being swung in a whirl. Vomiting, giddiness and a frailing limp, I thought this is it. I am gone. But I fought this feeling; hoisting myself upright, breathing heavily, opening my eyes wide and calling out to senhorita to call a doctor.
Four hours later, I drove slow to Mulago I thought I would not make it for ASC 2008, just next door in Nairobi come Independence Day. With godly intervention, Dr. Meko Godfrey, my auntie Mr. Agness Akida, a test for malaria, hypertension, and an electrolyte test; two injections later, through five hours of admission at this national referral hospital, my prospects of playing became better.
Having exhausted all the savings for the trip to Nairobi, a weak body and a tedious journey, I am my ready to face the giants of Africa in a gane of scrabble? Well I made it to Nairobi thanks to Dr. Meko Godfrey, Sennoga Ahmed, Daniel Kalinaki, Chris Ntege and Okirya Tom whose various generosity and encouragement was too much for me to betray.
Before the games started the mood in the playing hall was one of apprehension. Arising from playing Nigerians, who were well prepared, having just concluded an international open back home.
Matters could not have been any worse for me as I was recovering from a scary malaria attack where I had exhausted my tournament budget. The good news came from the Doctor, who gave my trip the green light. But, I was low on resources, tired from twelve hours of cross-border traveling and the late evening
Nairobi jam which just worsened my anxiety.
When I finally made it to Kasarani Sports Complex, it was beyond 11.00 pm in the evening, I could not unwind other than hit the sack for a good nights sleep.
So in the morning I find out that Eta Karo is of NIG is my first pairing. I have this nagging headache. My God, now I am still fatigued, as if thast is not trouble enough, this nagging headache. I swallow HEDEX and drink loads of water. But the migraine could not abet sooner.
Game one: This game could have gone either way. I lost by 12 points. Challenged twice and passed once. It is safe to say I could have won this game. I f I had not challenged, I would have lost by two, I did not pass, may be I could have won by …… Bingos ETA’s FLATWISE thru F on triple lane for 109 (+5) to my sTIVIER for 66.
393 – 381 ETA.
Game two: I am paired against the regional hawk. I chase Joash for most of this game. He laid down DENTINE on the fifth move to my BOATIES on the eighth but kept the pedal right to the end finishing quickly with ORLEAN to win by spread of 92.
429 – 337 Hawk.
Game three: I meet Jack Omondi of Kenya who quickly set a lead I could not match. In this game, I played 10 moves of less than 20 scores. My rack was so atrocious I could nothing to respond to Jack as placed TRENAIL and later BOOTIES. My late ROARIEST (+5) came to late to give me a fighting chance. I lost by this game.
461 – 343 Jack.
Game four: I believed this game would give me a chance to revive my hopes, of winning a game. I am now moving in the kitchen with no point. My opponent is Menya Munkonge of Zambia who has the same predicament. I pick AAAMORT. What a rack. I curse my bad luck as this tourney is a bogey for me. On shuffling, I notice TAMARAO and quickly play it (+5). When Menya agrees with UMM, I knew I was getting him. How wrong I would be. He places DETECTOR on the next move and PENNIES subsequently. A number of high scores could not rescue me and I fall to him with 9 painful points. 417 – 439 Menya.
Game five: After lunch and a lot of reminiscing and psyching, I am rearing to go. In this game, I find Isiaya Wayuga of TZ, the only player from Dar that I met the whole tournament. I thought the Gods have heard my prayers. At leas I could get a consolation H surged 79 points ahead and kept the tempo. Two moves later, I land ISATINES for 74 to narrow the gap and then SAVOURER for 92 pts (+5). At this point I knew the Gods had answered my prayers. They had not, he brought STERNLY for 73 and picked a Z, the last tile in the bag. On closer look, he could land POZ/FEZ for 28 and win the game. Holding QUEAEA, I could not block as the Z could land elsewhere for 11. So control the damage, and play QUA for 23 and lose this game. 412 – 390 Isiaya. The expression on his face could not have been any happier, his team mates mob him for his conquest, why I want to do the ostrich trick. Bury my head somewhere and hope this is not happening.
Now good people, I have just managed no point after five games. This is the worst run of my life in any competitive scrabble, a stinging five straight loses.
Game six: Now before this game got underway, I mused that this trend should have a good side, that I should it should be the last loss of the day. That I actually have a chance of some prize money if I could win the rest of the games today. That 3/8 would be a fair performance as the pack had not surged ahead, out of control. So my opponent is the good lady from Kenya, Millie Kiketch. I swear that I will win this game come rain come shine. She played pound for pound. By the fifth move, the score read 94 for 104, ten points in my favour. Then the complexion of the game changed. I place CRETINS for 78 and led to the very end when she placed REAWAKEN for 76 to surge ahead of me. However, she had opened the game. While holding G?NITORS, I had a gold mine of anagrams to kill of the game. The best move being a photo finish, ORGANIsT for 70. I had finally got that elusive point and on the board I proudly felt Geria Richard - 1/6. Respectable in the circumstances. Phew, that was close, nearly close.
404 – 364 Geria.
Game Seven: I had to meet Chris Kalibala, she was having a bad run just like me and was in no mood to donate any points. He went ZOOM for 30. after a few thoughts I reply DOCKIZE through his Z for 46 and raced to 100 points in three moves. Then I placed TRENAIL, later SUNNIER and thanked the Gods for TENDERLY loving as I cruised to 538 for 291. My first high Score, I regretted VARIC (bad) but this is no time for mercies. I have to win three today to have a chance at all, I muse.
Game eight: This is the last game of the day and I tell Rose Kisembo, Uganda seed one that I am in no mood for any entreaties. I will disrespect her at all cost. On the other hand rose, has just two points. She is equally desperate to end a run of losses. She made her intentions clear with back to back bingoes: AtOMIES and DIVIDERs for a total 156 points. Imagine that 156 points in two moves to lead by 90 points by the fifth move. However, I reply with POULAINE (79) on the sixth move SORBATE (83) on seventh and SPEARING (72) on the eighth move. Now, 224 points in three quick moves is the kind of response to build my confidence. On tracking play, Rose was holding RETAING. But she could not land a bingo. I hold on to take this game 470 – 375. Quite something as my record on day one 3/8. Quite something if you consider a run of 5 straight losses. This sounds like a come back pre-meditated and now truly real. What a feeling. I had to prove this to Rose, that I win when it matters (sic). She had trudged on me for so long back in Kampala, I needed this win Rose to stay on course. Sorry, in scrabble it tends to be winner takes it all.
We break off for the day. Day one is gone with the Green Locusts perching atop the leaders board, Folaye Ibukun, the early pace setter 7/1.
