Welcome back to our annotated game series. We're still plugging away at our CURE series of virtual Scrabble tournaments this spring, and every tournament, there's at least one fascinating game that merits a closer look.

This time, it's a matchup between two American experts, Josh Castellano and David Whitley, who did battle at the CURE5 a couple of weeks ago. It was a back-and-forth game with a dramatic ending, and lots of interesting strategic choices made along the way.

Thanks to Josh and David for sharing their analysis, and thanks again to Conrad Bassett-Bouchard for the graphic design work on the board diagrams.

And now, to the game.

David: EEFLNRS

8D FLENSER +78 78

Josh: DEEGIOU

E5 OUGLIED +36 36

David: AIJNSTY

D1 JANTY +51 129

David: I feel like JANTY was the clear choice. After his six-tile draw, Josh might not be able to capitalize on the J, and I'll have a shot at a third big score. I didn't give JAY the consideration it deserved for defense and increased bingo chances, but the JANTY score was irresistible.

David: DHIORSU

1D JUDOS +39 168

Josh: ?AAAEIZ

C2 ZEA +41 98

David: AHIIQRT

13C QUAIR +30 198

David: Obviously at least Q and I have to go. QI in column B and QAID on row 12 open high-scoring lanes with a lower score than the row 13 options and unimpressive leaves. QUAIR maximizes the score, and I don't mind losing the R with four in the bag and one wide open on the board.

Josh: ?AAEGII

3A AGENE +6 104

Josh: This was probably too aggressive. In this case, the equity loss I'm taking doesn't justify opening another triple line. I did this going for a long-shot triple-triple, but this play just didn't score enough points. I was reluctant to make plays like 9G AIA because they take away all those good floaters. Maybe 12G AIA would be better since it opens more accessible lines with weaker counterplays.

David: EHIMRTV

14B MICHT +48 246

Josh: ?ABIIKL

I6 KIELBAsI +66 170

David: EOORRTV

A1 TRAVE +36 282

Josh: AAILOPU

15F APIOL +24 194

Josh: The objectives for this turn were to turn over most of this crap, keep the existing lines open, and score points. I think this play does all three of those well enough. Though it's worth noting that F4 OUP might be a bit better here.

Josh: AGINNUY

12G UNSAYING +76 270

David: AEFPRRT

11K FA +28 328

Josh: DEEOOSW

K5 OW +28 298

Josh: I was low on time here and couldn't see anything better. OW does score decently and keep an okay-ish leave for the bingos I need to win, but M10 OW(N)ED looks much better for that. It keeps a better leave and it also opens another line (though not a great one). The concern here would be X plays on N10, but David probably doesn't have the X since he would have played 11L AX last turn. So after M10 OW(N)ED, David is on turn with two shots at the X and I have four, which are odds I'll take at this score.

David: ELPRRTX

L2 PREX +38 366

David: I continued to miss the R hook at D10, so I didn't see the identical-scoring PREX on row 10, keeping the precious E and blocking the column B bingo lane. PREX also plays on row 4 for 34, but I'd rather float an R than an E with this pool.

Josh: DEEIOST

M8 SIDENOTE +76 374

David: ILNRRTW

15L WELT +33 399

David: Even with a blank unseen and no duplicates in the pool, vowels are scarce and there are a few problem letters. I felt good about my chances after scoring on the bottom right. Choosing WELT over WERT was questionable; my intuition was that INRR would prove less awkward than ILNR.

Fishing the C hits bingos with ?IORR (in 5/8 scenarios), four of which are unblockable (B5 NOVATES is easily blocked). However, the problem is that when I draw the R, David has MORpHIN to bingo out and win. So if I think David will see MORpHIN, I have to discount fishes that hit with the R. This means I would only win by drawing one of ?I, which makes C13 (QI)N slightly better, because it wins with equal odds (by drawing one of ?O) but scores more. Since I did not see MORpHIN, I was not burdened by this decision and ignorantly played CUR.

David: HIMNORR

3I MHORR +26 425

Josh: ?AENSTV

B5 SErVANT +65 444

(INR) +6 450

Final score: Josh 450, David 425.