Photos: 2007 Big Apple ST: Round 11

"He played what?!" Peter Barkman (Croton, NY), Ira freehof, and John OLaughlin (Cambridge, MA) check in to see the Cecilia Le (Boston, MA) vs. Matt Graham (New York, NY) "OpSONIZE" board.

Matt Graham (New York, NY) vs. Cecilia Le (Boston, MA). Play of the tournament: OpSONIZE, a 203-point triple-triple that snatched victory out of the jaws of defeat.

Jumping from the frying pan to the fire, Cecilia Le (Boston, MA) now squares off against John OLaughlin (Cambridge, MA).

SCRABBLE superstar, Matthew Silver (Westport, CT) at the challenge machine with his mother between games.

Gregg Foster (Manchester-by-the-sea, MA) vs. David Engelhardt (Baltimore, MD).

Judy Cole (Concord, MA) vs. Judith Stein Coleman (Croton-on-Hudson, NY).

David Engelhardt (Baltimore, MD) and Gregg Foster (Manchester-by-the-sea, MA) after their game wrapped up.

Joan Kelly (Middletown, NY) vs. Verna Berg Richards (New York, NY), the latter who never takes a bad photo. She had those glasses whipped off before I knew it was happening!

Joan Kelly (Middletown, NY) vs. Verna Berg Richards (New York, NY).

Mark DiBattista (Astoria, NY) vs. Sam Rosin (Bernardsville, NJ). Ben Dweck (Brooklyn, NY) vs. Jill Pfeiffer (Lancaster, PA) sit next to them at the same table.

Mark McCraw (Croton, NY) stands during endgame analysis with Joe Edley (Coram, NY).

Mark McCraw (Croton, NY) vs. Joe Edley (Coram, NY).

Randy Greenspan (Buffalo, NY) makes a move against the behatted Scott Appel (Trenton, NJ).

The game that I wasn' t supposed to see: Mark DiBattista (Astoria, NY) vs. Sam Rosin (Bernardsville, NJ).

John Chew in a familiar pose: waiting for the printer to spit out the next page of pairings.

Former National SCRABBLE Champions catching up: Joe Edley (Coram, NY) and Ron Tiekert (Melbourne, FL).

Ira's family and John's family visit while we wrap up the place to head out for Saturday night activities.

Jamie Chew as luncheon meat in the pillow pile sandwich. Gregg Foster (Manchester-by-the-sea, MA) on "applying pressure" duty.

Jamie Chew wriggling to free the luncheon meat despite the pressure.

Much to our horror, Liam Chew, wandering around the room in search of cooked rice pieces embedded into the carpeting.

Jamie Chew riding the pillow pile. And now, after the kids are fed and riled up good, it's time to send them home with their parents.