Scrabble GM vs. AI -- the Rematch! Game #64

[@dentonyoung4314]

The bot got incredibly lucky to play RINGLETS. Without that play, Mack wins easily.

[@manaphylv100]

I literally lol'd at SCREWED.

[@kinderwaff]

Finally we get to see you phony against BestBot ^^

[@choco1101]

Happy new year! A(G)ORAE vs A(G)ORA, A(G)ORAE leaves 2 vowels which is good for next turn, but with the continual imbalance subsequently, I feel maybe 2 vowels are too little. 2 vowels gives higher chance of bingoing next turn, but might have hurt to balance after when that doesn't happen (also balance will likely be bad even if bingoed). Obviously R(I)NGLETS threw a wrench into any plans and everything was moot.

[@Alex64AS]

Thought BestBot would let “csnowily” slide. Can’t believe it challenged that off!

[@Para20Site]

It challenged off BAC as that’s Collins only.

[@blueboybob]

Video idea: have the person (or people?) who coded best bot to talk about it? Id love a technical deep dive. What are they using? AWS? Java? Do they have future plans?

[@coolnath99]

what a funny game with all the vowels. was very close until you were screwed at the end

[@mackmeller]

Haha, literally!

[@gdxubs]

Have you ever considered writing a book? I find you explain more complicated scrabble concepts super easily, and I think it'd be very suited to a book either about your personal stories as a top level scrabble player or alternatively as a scrabble equivalent of a book like "logical chess step by step"

[@mackmeller]

I've thought about it, right now I don't think I have the energy and time but I'll definitely keep it in mind!

[@ohtani2024]

Happy new year!! Love your idea keeping the vowels on hand but feel like the way you played DIET and AGORAE is not very consistent. You accepted the AEOI rack (rather than AEIOT) to obstruct a lane but when the vowels are continuously exhausting you still played the E just for 2 points given that it is the superior vowel than the I and O which are liabilities in normal situation. This play is definitely not a ?? but probably a ?

[@JohnDoe-ti2np]

What do you think would be better? Just AGORA instead of AGORAE?

[@ohtani2024]

​@@JohnDoe-ti2npnot quite sure perhaps NAOI or ANOA kind of plays but got the idea not to provide the big consonant drop on row 13. AGORA is worth consideration, at least over AGORAE? What do you think

[@mackmeller]

The main difference was that playing the T in DIET had significant defenseive merit -- I'd still prefer AEIOT all else being equal, even in that pool. It's true that the pool is super consonant heavy, but there are also 5 E's still left, and plenty of other tiles I'd like to get like the S's, blank, and Z, so I felt it was worth it to shed it with AGORAE for the extra points and turnover.

[@project_account6248]

Wanted you to play AMADOU for the "AMADOU IT" joke (IT was the leave) 😂 I actually had one of these games recently in a tournament, I hoarded the last 6/7 vowels and finished off with a RETINAS bingo winning by 2! (My opponent did have a win towards the end, but the game was already too crazy at this point)

[@orchidwave2574]

I'm a bit surprised there was no paranoia over the impending Q before it was drawn. U's and I's were exhausted already and precious little offered by the board for unloading it, no matter who drew it.

[@mackmeller]

Fair point -- by the time RINGLETS came down though, I couldn't really afford to worry about it since I was in a worse position. If I draw it, I'm cooked regardless, so I have to assume I'm not going to draw it and hope that the bot gets it.

[@DU1994]

Looks like BestBot failed to play optimally in the endgame. (HERO)N looks better than its play of NE (don't have access to macondo right now, so don't know for sure, but it should be better by at least 2 points). The issue is, each turn BestBot solves n-play endgame, where n is the total number of yours and your opponent's tiles, so it fails to slow play here... It just solves 3-ply endgame, which doesn't find (HERO)N, which you've mentioned.

[@mackmeller]

That looks right -- good catch!

[@wfchannel4673]

screwed in column b blocked cabover which you still had the potential to have on your rack and then maybe have the better endgame options. i disliked anorae a lot as the e is an easier hook than the a and a very valuable vowel to leave on your rack, but ringlets was the real killer.

[@Zekses]

Mack got SCREWED by woevels

[@Ecrilon]

Such a poignant SCREWED play.

[@bro91wn]

BAC#/CSNOWILY* ftw! Enjoyed it. I really liked A(G)ORAE. I think it made sense to use the E given that there were many left, but keeping three vowels in that insane pool is also nice. That's probably a tossup, but it looked like those two plays made the game hardest for the bot. I am also wondering about B(I)Z versus F(I)Z at the end. The board looks a bit better suited for Fs than Bs, though it obviously didn't matter in this particular game. I think the R helps synergy enough that these are likely both better than FR(I)Z.