Friday 7th July: (Current) Business as Usual...

With just three players tonight, Noda, David and Kenyon, it was strictly business as usual (for the last three months) on the score sheet.

In short, Noda and Kenyon finished in the black. (Actually, Noda and Kenyon were never in the red.) David sank.

Of six games:

Kenyon came top in games 1, 2 & 6, with Noda second and in the black in 1 & 2, Kenyon the only winner in 6.

Noda came top in games 3 & 5, the only winner in 3 and with David on +1 in game 5.
David came top in game 4, with Kenyon second and in the black.

A common occurrence was for David to declare Riichi, then for Kenyon to declare Riichi shortly thereafter and go out.

In several of the games a lot of tenbou were passed between the players and at one stage it appeared as if Kenyon's momentum had been halted when Noda took 24,000 off him in one hand and then David took a similar amount off him in the next. For a brief spell the sound of "Freakin'..." could be heard in the parlour again after a long absence...

There were some dastardly tricks, as when Noda went Riichi with a 5 and 8-Coins showing in his discard row, only to be waiting for a single 2-Coins for Chitoi which The Poor Little Cypriot threw out for him.

The Poor Little Cypriot had built a nice Tanyou hand as Oya with a two-tile wait. The only problem was that he had to discard a 1-Characters knowing that Kenyon was Tenpai and pretty sure he was waiting for it... so what did he do? He chucked it.

"Ron..." etc.

Noda was prevailed on to stay for just one more game, which was a mistake from the PLC's point of view, even though he had been urging him to stay. Eyes glazed over. Once more bottom of the pile. Only -17 this time, but enough to drop below Ray - who now moves "up" to fourth place!

Noda, meanwhile, broke the record for the highest score, and at this rate he will keep on doing so for the rest of the year.

Still, the quarter is yet young and university term will end soon, so glazed eyed exhaustion of a Friday evening will be a thing of the past (or at least, university classes will have nothing to do with it if it is not)!

Noda +8, +6, +38, -45, +28, -2 = +33
Kenyon +26, +28, -23, +11, -29, +19 = +32
===
David -34, -34, -15, +34, +1, -17 = -65

David Hurley
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