I obtained my vanity call sign in 1999. The list of available call signs was about the same as the list you linked to. The 1x2 and 2x1 call signs didn't impress me, so I chose a 1x3 instead.
If I now look up "K7" 1x2 call signs available, I get one. And that one is already applied for. There is one that comes available in about 2 weeks and I will bet that there are a lot of hams waiting to pounce. I guess to some, it's a game.
Earlier that year (1999), I upgraded to Extra and could see what was happening to the licensing requirements. It was obvious, at least to me, that the Morse requirements were going away. I could have waited, but wanted to upgrade in a system that I was familiar with. I knew that, if/when the Morse requirements were dropped, there would be a run on vanity call signs. So I went for the one I have now. It was easy then, but it cost $18.
Now that I have the call sign I want, I really don't care much about the available 1x2 or 2x1 call signs. I leave that to someone else to fret over. And, since there is no requirement to change my zone number, I can keep my current call sign as long as I want (I currently live in Michigan, "8").