First International Night Tourney “Igotita´s Home”

Hehehehe I know! A big name for just some games at home, but you see, the way that all matched was deserving a big name! :D

On one hand, Patxi and Montse were sure about coming to play the Madrid Tourney just few days before. Otoh Héctor Klíe, the current President of the Scrabble in Spanish International Federation, was in Spain due vacations. The really special thing was that by coincidence Patxi and Montse went back to Girona on Monday 31st. morning… and Héctor also was going back to his home in USA the same morning! How could I resist to try to arrange some games at home then?? :D

Héctor has his day so busy already, so we should talk around 9 at night to see if it was possible to play a bit. Due different reasons, Héctor arrived at home at 11.30 that night. Topo was also at home but ill, so he can´t play.

So the tourney was between Montse, Patxi, Héctor and I.



No matter we were playing just a few friendly games, we took it very seriously.

Here the resoults:

Héctor had the first place, Patxi the second one, so they play the final match… starting at 2.20 a. m.!! :D



Patxi won that game, 473 to 453, 3 and 2 scrabbles. So, they decide to play the revenge…





Héctor won this one, 550 to 378; 4 and 3 scrabbles. So… they decide to do a new revenge! Starting at 4.14 a.m.!!! :D



Héctor also won that one. 497 to 452, 4 and 3 scrabbles.



I was the public, the judge and “the coffee girl” hehehehe.

Actually it was so nice to watch Patxi playing, afterwards I asked him some whys and was so nice for me to note that I would took some same decisions. :D

Of course it was a Price for the first place! : D

At 5.00 in the morning we were telling good bye to Héctor and I went with Patxi to talk a bit while he was smoking… to talk about scrabble! Of course! Hehehe. Patxi and Montse went out at 6.00… Montse should go straight to work from the airport!

We also concluded that Héctor has some kind of “cameras sensor” Every time I made a click, he was smiling to the camera! :

First Games of the Scrabble in Spanish National Championship, Spain 2010.

Some pics from Alonso:

Montse Sánchez special recipe: Escudella

Montse Sánches is the with no discussions the First Lady of the Scrabble in Spain, and this is not for beinf the wife of one of the best players in Spain, Patxi Navarro, but by her own effort. Montse is the best female player of Scrabble in Spain.

Mentor, colleague and great club friend, is a box full of surprises. When you play with her she look so serious, with an expression of "so you dare to play with me" ;P you can hardly imagine that is a total crack (and thanks to the world championships, internationally renowned as well) telling jokes! She should go to Paramount Comedy! The pity is that I have not even recorded her on video because she usually makes jokes when we are eating and catches me with my hands full! But I´ll try to do the next time that I have the chance

Montse was part of the group celebrating the year-end in Leon and on Jan. first she had prepared us a very delicious Escudella, here is the recipe:

Montse´s Escudella:

Ingredients:

A good piece of pork backbone
A knee bone veal
300 gr. of lean beef
400 gr. white beans or chickpeas
1 black butifarra
1 cabbage
4 carrots
Potato
Rice or thick noodles
Salt
2 chicken breasts

For making the balls:

Minced meat (best mix of beef and pork, because pork is too greasy and the beef is too dull).
Salt
Egg
Garlic
Parsley
Bread crumbs

Preparing the balls:

Mix everything until obtaining a homogeneous mixture and make balls of desired size (Montse likes big ones, about 4 with this mix.) When it´s consistent, flour enough.

Preparation:

Put the cabbage, carrots and all meat less the burifarra to boil with plenty of water an hour and a half or 2 hours, add potatoes and balls, let it boils ¾ of an hour. 15 min before the end, add the previously cooked beans or chick peas and butifarra (must be thin, not fat, with the thin skin). Place the broth separately and in this lay the pasta you want, cook until the pasta is done (5 or 10 min).

Serving:

Serve the soup first and Montse recommends shredding the butifarra (black sausage) in the soup. Place the rest in 2-tray sets, one with meat and other with the vegetables and let everyone to eat as they like (only the soup first, then the vegetables ... all mixed, as each person wants!).

A Weekend of Games in Madrid.

On Saturday, February 20, the Scrabble Club Atriles of Madrid had organized a Scrabble tourney.

Patxi and Montse, from my club, Scrabble Girona, came to play it. My good friend Gloria from Barcelona and Santi from Sant Andreu also came. I had the honor of being their host at home. Due job they can´t came before but the day of the tourney. Santi came during the morning, but the rest came in a car, so they had been just in time for starting to play.

The tourney was a 6 rounds one. The winner was Juan Carlos Ayala, that is showing a big interest of being one of the classifieds to the World Championship this year.

Atriles is innovating a new tournament format, we started to playat 14.00 (ok! Ok! We really started a bit later). ;P We made a long stop for dine something and finished the tourney around midnight.

My personal experience with this new format was really ok. In some how I felt less tired, it was like having more time for playing.

After finished the tourney we came to home, Curro had prepared something to eat, not so much due we had already dine at the tourney. I think it was a mix of being tired due the travel and the tourney but we haven´t play more Scrabble that night, but we had been talking a lot about good memories.

On Sunday everyone got up when he wanted… that for Patxi that this time shared the room with Santi, meant to wake up at 7.30. As he was the only one early bird, he was so nice and went alone to study seated at the floor of the kitchen (in Spain is normal to have a table with chairs at the kitchen for breakfast, but as this is not part of my habits, I have none… otoh: if I would thought someone would be at the kitchen for a while, I´ll show him where we have the stools).

I got up around 10. The coffe and the tea were already ready and Santi had gone to buy churros. (Yeap! Nice to have guests at home! Hehehe). Well, actually I had planned to prepare them some hot cakes, but seem I should wait another chance to.

After breakfast… no! We haven’t play Scrabble! We were talking, Montse discovered my 3D puzzles (yeap, I should talk about them in some post), when I saw she was very excited with them I showed them the Rush Hour, the first one playing it was Patxi, but the one that really loved it was Montse. :D There was a moment when everyone was in he´s own world! Patxi camouflaging himself with the sofa, Gloria and Curro watching something at the PC, Montse challenging the Rush Hour (no, that wasn´t a redaction mistake!) ;P and Santi uploading his blog… and I was taking pics to all! :D



For lunching we called a Chinese restaurant that also has roasted chicken. While taking the coffees Curro played some videos of his own creation and them got excited with the music! :D



Finally, after the coffees, we played Scrabble! Just Montse didn´t, she kept with the Rush Hour and the puzzles.



I´m afraid that last just a moment, due they had 6 road hours to travel and 2 more to Girona.

Guys! I miss you!

Scrabble Tourney in Leon: Scrabble Girona celebrating

As I mentioned, the Scrabble Tourney in Leon was full with great moments (and not only at the tourney itself). :D

My club, Scrabble Girona, had a lot of reasons why to celebrate: Patxi winner of the classic but also the duplicate modes. Ivette got the third place and Susanna got the first place of the C group. That´s how we celebrate it! :D



After the tourney Juan Carlos Ayala took us to eat a delicious stew from Leon! I hardly recommend it, it´s at the restaurant Sorrento. Being there, Santi told us the story of the spaceship that Spain sent to the moon:



I´m afraid the relation is just in Spanish.

Oh yes! I love the way we started the year! :D

New Year´s Eve Party in León, Second Part

After our route at the “Barrio Húmedo” in León, where we went to the bars: La Jouja, La Trébede, Hotel París, El Flechazo, El Tizón, and la Taberna la Ribera, we went back home to rest a bit before midnight. ;P

The dinner, as the rest of foods we have done at the flat, were absolutely great and that was simple due each one did what knows was our best dish. Actually, that´s why from next week and on and will also include some of those recipes in this blog. The menu of New Year´s Eve dinner was: shrimps with champagne done by Gloria, salmon rolls and salmon with onions and capers done by Curro, Parma ham brought by Topo, turkey and rice done by me. Pochola had done a tiramisu as desert, but we were so full, with no place even for whispering! So, we left it for breakfast.

We spent the night reminding and singing, enjoying the night. We stop for a while for going to the living room to take the grapes, hear the bells on tv and to give the hugs. After that we continue enjoying the dinner.

Here some images to remember:



After the dinner we went to the living room again to watch the videos of that afternoon and then… I had my first Scrabble game of the year with David! ;P He won, but I didn´t let that fact to influence me! :D



(To be continued).

New Year´s Eve Party in León

My Scrabble Club, the Scrabble Girona, organized a New Year´s Eve party in León, as far as we had gone for the tourney, that took place on Jan 2nd. and 3rd., renting a flat for 10 people.

Curro and I went in a car with Topo on Dec. 30th. at night. Montse, Patxi, Ma. Paz Yillera (Pochola from now on) and Gloria were already there. The ride was ok, nothing special to talk about, but a flash that shocked Topo for the rest of the night. We had a bit of troubles finding a parking place to left the car, but finally all ok.

Immediately after arriving, we had to go to the supermarket. It´s amazing how cheap is to buy out of Madrid! :P After finishing at the supermarket and to make honor to the originality of our group, the guys went home to prepare the diner while the girls went to have a drink in a bar close to home. What a nice pasta Patxi made!

You won´t believe it, but that night we didn´t play Scrabble… but Rummycub and Scenne it!. My team (Montse, Curro and I) won 2 times to the rival team (Gloria, Pochola and Topocholo). We went early to bed… at 3.00 a.m.! :D

On 31st. we woke up when each one wanted, we had pantumaca for breakfast and coffee. David and Susanna arrived that morning, at 6.00 a.m., they traveled in a night train.

With just 1 bathroom at the flat, it was really amazing to release that in the whole adventure we didn´t have troubles with the turns at the shower or similar, we just had a line at the mornings, but all the rest was like if we would be less at the flat.

Juan Carlos Ayala invited us to drink something at the city center of León, at the Barrio Húmedo to be precise (the translation would be something alike “the Damp Block”) (yes, I know, the name sounds like a joke, but believe me, that´s the real name) :) Believe me, it was marvelous to find places where you can have a wine and a bar snack for 1 euro, you see, with 5 euros you already had eat and drink enough as for being “happy”. Of course the group enjoyed the afternoon quite well, here some images:


(To be continued).

Scrabble Leon Tourney: Second Day

We are at the news! Well... at least Patxi, the champion, is:



Some pics:





The resoults:

First Place: Patxi Navarro.
Second Place: Juan Carlos Ayala.
Third Place: Ivette González :DD

First Place of group B: Santi Rosales.

First Place of group C: Sussana Baró.

Soon I´ll place the videos.

For starting the year: Scrabble Tourney in Leon

Here some pics:

Scrabble in Spanish World Championship. Final Day.

Yesterday night most of us were at the karaoke ;D

Partida 16



Round 17



Round 18



The Spanish Team classification:

Position Name Won Games

3 Ayala 13,5
5 Topo 12
9 Manchado 11,5
11 Patxi 11
14 Montse 11
21 Carlos 10
23 Antonio 10
25 Alvaro 10
47 Ivette 9
58 Santi 8
71 Esther 7

Congratulations to all of us! ;P

Final Classification:

Scrabble in Spanish World Championship. Second Day

7th. Round


8th. Round



9th. Round






Round 10

6 people of the Spanish team playing against each other!



Here the classification list till Round 10:

PLACE/PLAYER Country Points Average Ranking
1º AMARAL, Claudia Argentina 9 2,9º 90,0%
2º GONZALEZ, Diego Argentina 8,5 6,0º 85,0%
3º PICCIOCHI, Luis Argentina 8 5,2º 80,0%
4º AYALA, Juan Carlos España 8 15,7º 80,0%
5º OLAIZOLA, Benjamín Venezuela 7 6,3º 70,0%
6º PEREZ, Airán Venezuela 7 12,7º 70,0%
7º SANCHEZ, Montse España 7 15,1º 70,0%
8º MOAVRO, Horacio Argentina 7 18,4º 70,0%
9º GONZALEZ, Graciela Argentina 7 22,2º 70,0%
10º OLMOS, Hector Argentina 7 23,9º 70,0%
11º MILLAN, Eufrasio España 7 24,7º 70,0%
12º NAVARRO, Patxi España 7 26,0º 70,0%
13º LAGUZZI, Rocco Argentina 7 26,4º 70,0%
14º MANCHADO, Joan Ramon España 6,5 9,2º 65,0%
15º GONZALEZ, Carlos Venezuela 6 20,3º 60,0%
16º OLAIZOLA, Carlos Venezuela 6 20,9º 60,0%
17º MARTINEZ, Carlos Venezuela 6 22,3º 60,0%
18º NOGUER, Álvaro España 6 22,7º 60,0%
19º GEICHER, Adriana Uruguay 6 22,8º 60,0%
20º PEROZO, Diana Argentina 6 23,5º 60,0%
21º PUENTE, Carlos España 6 26,1º 60,0%
22º CONSTANTIN, Aglaía Colombia 6 26,5º 60,0%
23º KLIE, Héctor Estados Unidos 6 26,7º 60,0%
24º LUGO, Valeska Venezuela 6 31,5º 60,0%
25º MERDINGER, Victoria Argentina 6 31,9º 60,0%
26º MORRIS, Enma México 6 32,7º 60,0%
27º WINIARSKI, Sabrina Uruguay 6 33,9º 60,0%
28º ALVAREZ, Antonio España 6 34,6º 60,0%
29º URDANETA, Johnny Venezuela 6 37,7º 60,0%
30º VALLECILLO, Carmen Argentina 6 45,2º 60,0%
31º CARRIZO, Kelo Argentina 6 53,7º 60,0%
32º GARCIA, Cristian Chile 5 19,2º 50,0%
33º GUZMAN, Héctor México 5 20,8º 50,0%
34º TERENZANI, Alejandro Venezuela 5 21,0º 50,0%
35º OSPINA, Daniel Colombia 5 23,1º 50,0%
36º GARCIA, Carlos Venezuela 5 29,2º 50,0%
37º ESPINOSA, Carlos México 5 33,2º 50,0%
38º HARRISON, Sylvia Colombia 5 33,5º 50,0%
39º FERNANDEZ, Damian Venezuela 5 35,5º 50,0%
40º GUERRERO, Francisco Javier México 5 37,3º 50,0%
41º DELGADO, Selene Uruguay 5 37,8º 50,0%
42º MÜLLER, Marta Virginia Costa Rica 5 40,0º 50,0%
43º PEROZO, Jairo Venezuela 5 40,5º 50,0%
44º RUIZ JUVERA, Jorge México 5 41,0º 50,0%
45º PARRA, José Venezuela 5 41,2º 50,0%
46º ACEVEDO, Luis Argentina 5 43,8º 50,0%
47º OCIO, Gonzalo Uruguay 5 48,7º 50,0%
48º TRAJKOVIC, Aurora Estados Unidos 5 55,4º 50,0%
49º GONZALEZ, Ivette España 5 58,9º 50,0%
50º CARDILLO, Analia Argentina 5 62,6º 50,0%
51º EMIG, Serge Francia 4 35,8º 40,0%
52º RIBAS, Rogelio Argentina 4 40,6º 40,0%
53º LATTUF, Javier Venezuela 4 41,4º 40,0%
54º CARRILLO, Raúl Venezuela 4 41,4º 40,0%
55º SALAZAR, Octavio México 4 42,4º 40,0%
56º GARZA, Norma México 4 43,0º 40,0%
57º ROJAS, Daniel Venezuela 4 44,2º 40,0%
58º MAYNARD, Francis Costa Rica 4 47,7º 40,0%
59º MORA, Alberto Colombia 4 47,9º 40,0%
60º PESCE, Andrea Uruguay 4 49,5º 40,0%
61º RODRIGUEZ, José Luis Venezuela 4 52,7º 40,0%
62º ABADI, Irene Uruguay 4 59,1º 40,0%
63º CAVERO, Miguel Perú 4 60,0º 40,0%
64º RODRIGUEZ, Esther España 4 61,6º 40,0%
65º BIELBA, Lorena Costa Rica 4 65,9º 33,3%
66º GAMOU, Franklin Uruguay 4 67,3º 40,0%
67º MOSCOSO, Alfonso Perú 4 71,8º 40,0%
68º CHACON, Constanza Colombia 4 73,1º 40,0%
69º GONZALEZ, Alejandro México 3,5 47,2º 35,0%
70º GIL, María Victoria Chile 3,5 71,5º 38,9%
71º GARCIA, Carolina Uruguay 3 60,5º 30,0%
72º ROSALES, Santiago España 3 62,1º 30,0%
73º GARCIA, Virginia México 3 65,2º 30,0%
74º BOBADILLA, Jorge Colombia 3 69,5º 30,0%
75º FRITZ, Valerie Colombia 3 70,2º 30,0%
76º GIANELLA, Patricia Perú 3 72,6º 30,0%
77º SANHUEZA, Víctor Chile 3 73,1º 30,0%
78º TEJEIRA, Dulce Estados Unidos 3 77,1º 30,0%
79º WHEATON, Merry Estados Unidos 3 78,7º 30,0%
80º MONDRUS, Ana Costa Rica 2 75,3º 20,0%
81º BOBADILLA, Luz Estados Unidos 1 80,9º 10,0%
82º GALINDO, Hilda Colombia 1 81,3º 10,0%

Scrabble in Spanish World Championship. First Day.

The Venezuelan team has done something so original: they play part of Rocky team to announce the round will start, so, nobody has to be jelling out. :D

My first round with Héctor Klíe:



Second Round





Third Round





4th. Round



5th. Round