This was our 22nd session of the season. We were joined by 11 players who played a total of 29 games in which we scored a total of 21,407 points for a 738.2 points-per-game average. We played 73 bingos this session. Of those bingos, only 2 were phonies that went unchallenged. As of this session, we have paid out $588.41 in prizes during the 2003-2004 season; click here for the list of winners!

Nathan Benedict and Judith Whitcomb share top player positions for the evening by both turning in scorecards with no losses. Nathan was bingo king for the session by turning in 16 bingos in 5 games, a 3.2 bingo-per-game-average. On bingos, until a few weeks ago we had the "Deja Bingo" progressive jackpot for the player who played the same bingo twice in a session. It happened again this session with Josh Kassel playing STEARIN twice -- this time in the same game. Coincidentally, this was an anagram of ANESTRI, which won him the "Deja Bingo" prize a few weeks ago, and also an anagram of RATINES, which was played this session by Karen Lundeen. High-probability tiles are your friends.

We welcomed back Richard Fields, Brent Aronson, and Morgan Christian, all of whom we have not seen for a while. Josh Kassel notes that Morgan Christian's game is getting stronger. Josh came out on top during their game, winning it by only 32 points -- despite having three bingos to Morgan's none. We have a ratings wrecker in the works.

Before going into the evening's contests, we all have to bow down before Nathan Benedict. Helped out in no small part by playing BEVELLED, FANWORT, INCRUST, MOUSIER, and QUISLING -- that's 5 bingos, folks -- in a single game, he broke the 600 barrier for the first time this season by turning in a score of 630 points. He also picked up the largest jackpot prize we've awarded so far: the 600+ Jackpot, which netted him $58.79. To check out the game board, click here. 

The evening's contests were the Tax Time contest and the Low Win. Karen Lundeen picked up the low win with a 350-336 victory. The Tax Time Contest (for the highest-scoring play relating to the April 15 tax deadline) went to Nathan Benedict for a 71 point play of AUDITOR -- a person we all hope to never have to be visited by. Both Karen and Nathan take home $7.25 prizes.

As mentioned before, Nathan picked up the 600+ Jackpot, and that prize will roll over to zero again. The other jackpot prize to be nailed was the 100+ Play jackpot. Both (you guessed it) Nathan and Robert Whitcomb played single plays of 100 or more points. Robert played GLIDERS for 101 points, and Nathan put down a 106-pointer of BEVELLED. They will share the $2.06 prize, each taking home $1.03. The other two jackpot prizes were not claimed, and each will have $2.06 added to them. Five players scored points in the AB to YZ Bingo Jackpot by playing bingos starting with Q or R. Nathan remains in 1st place, and Ed Saunders is in second. 3rs place is a tie. Click here for full standings.

The next Session (22 April) will feature the following contests:
- High Loss  - Every cloud has a silver lining. A prize will be awarded to the player with the highest-scoring losing game. (~a quarter of dues collected)
- "J Contest" - A prize will be awarded to the player who makes the highest scoring play using the J tile. To qualify for this contest, a player must play the actual J tile; hooking to a previously-played J word or designating the blank as a J do not count.  (~a quarter of dues collected)
- Triple-Triple Jackpot - $3.56 plus eighth of the evening's dues will be awarded to any player(s) who scores a  Triple-Triple Play. Note this cannot be combined with the 100+ Play Jackpot.
100+ Play Jackpot - An eighth of the evening's dues will be awarded to any player(s) who scores 100 or more points in a single play. Note this cannot be combined with the Triple-Triple Jackpot.
- 600 Jackpot - $An eighth of the evening's dues will be awarded to the player to any player(s)who score 600 or more points in a game.
- 9+ Bingo Jackpot - $5.25 plus an eighth of the evening's dues will be awarded to any player(s) who scores a bingo containing nine or more letters. 
- AB to YZ Bingo Contest - The AB to YZ Bingo Contest letters for this session are S and T. For each bingo you play that begins with S or T, you score one point. Click here for rules. ($26 in prizes)