Before I do so, however, I have to give thanks and credit where it's due- to Lee Fisher and my mother for their help before and throughout the day, to Matt, Heather, Ryan and Lee (again) for providing puzzles for the puzzle magazine, and to everyone who turned up to help make the eleventh Countdown in Lincoln one of the best COLINs there has ever been. Everything ran smoothly on the day- from my perspective, anyway- which certainly made a refreshing change!
The traditional custom COLIN badge collection was wheeled out again this year- 'conundrum god' badges, for solving 5 or more non-tie break conundrums, were awarded to INNIS CARSON, JACK WORSLEY, GILES HUTCHINGS, ROB FOSTER, LAUREN HAMER and JOHN VIVIAN.
Badges for achieving max games throughout the day were awarded to INNIS CARSON, CONOR TRAVERS, GRAEME COLE, JONATHAN RAWLINSON, GEORGE FORD (for a double max game- the only one of the day- against Michelle Nevitt), and two max game badges were awarded to DYLAN TAYLOR, ZARTE SIEMPRE and CALLUM TODD. Badges were also awarded for scoring over 360 points in total throughout the day- simply look at the table below to figure out who they were.
One 'Tuff Luck' prize was awarded- as always, this is for for the players who lost three or more games, their losing margins were totalled and the player with the three narrowest margins when added together got a prize. This played was ADAM DEXTER, with a mere -10 as that combined losing margin.
Two overachiever prizes were awarded this year- one to TOM ROWELL for finishing 15 points ahead of seeings, and one to MIKE BROWN for finishing 18 points ahead.
Onto the top 6. Sixth place went to DYLAN TAYLOR for 4 wins and a whopping 397 points.
Fifth place, yet again, went to KIRK BEVINS for 5 wins and 351 points. Kirk was quite indignant when told he'd have to pay to enter COLIN XII.
Fourth place went to JACK WORSLEY, for 4 wins and 380 points.
Third place- and free entry into COLIN XII weekend- went to COLIN debutant GILES HUTCHINGS for 5 wins and 388 points.
This just left the top two. For the first time in COLIN- and possibly all co-event history, two players remained undefeated after six games. Those two players were 2013 winner MARK DEEKS on 381 wins, and 5-time co-event champion INNIS CARSON with a COLIN record-setting 408 points. They'd duke it out in the final to see who would become the latest name on the hallowed COLIN spoon (both of course will also receive free entry into COLIN XII weekend). Unlike the last time they played live, this final would be restricted to just nine rounds (though Zarte Siempre would still end up hosting).
...And taking the victory in the final by 68 points to 44- a max game, nonetheless- was INNIS CARSON, who is hereby crowned champion of COLIN XI! Congratulations to Innis and all the prizewinners, and I leave you with the final tables and results before I hit the sack.
1 Innis Carson 6 6 408
2 Mark Deeks 6 6 381
3 Giles Hutchings 6 5 388
4 Jack Worsley 6 5 380
5 Kirk Bevins 6 5 351
6 Dylan Taylor 6 4 397
7 Callum Todd 6 4 368
8 Conor Travers 6 4 366
9 Jon O'Neill 6 4 336
9 Matt Baywatch 6 4 336
11 Tom Rowell 6 4 332
12 Jonathan Wynn 6 4 331
13 James Robinson 6 4 330
14 Rob Foster 6 4 326
15 Graeme Cole 6 4 321
16 Mike Brown 6 4 313
17 Paul Worsley 6 4 299
18 Ryan Taylor 6 4 298
19 Jen Steadman 6 3 366
20 Zarte Siempre 6 3 352
21 George Ford 6 3 349
22 Jamie McNeill 6 3 335
23 Andy Platt 6 3 329
24 Jonathan Rawlinson 6 3 327
25 John Vivian 6 3 315
26 Dinos Sfyris 6 3 309
27 Andy McGurn 6 3 307
28 Jeff Clayton 6 3 295
28 Lauren Baywatch 6 3 295
30 Philip Jarvis 6 3 242
31 Michelle Nevitt 6 2 318
32 Chris Marshall 6 2 315
33 Jon Corby 6 2 309
34 Tom Carey 6 2 305
35 Tracey Mills 6 2 302
36 Mark Davies 6 2 276
37 Stewart Gordon 6 2 275
38 James Laverty 6 2 265
39 Matt Morrison 6 2 262
40 Lee Fisher 6 2 251
41 Heather Styles 6 2 246
42 Rhys Benjamin 6 2 179
43 Lucy Westwood 6 2 158
44 Gevin Chapwell 6 1 284
45 Alan Young 6 1 254
46 Adam Dexter 6 1 243
47 Apterous Prunier 6 0 0
47 Apterous Pruniest 6 0 0
Round 1
Table 1
Rob Foster 56 - 39 Dinos Sfyris
Matt Morrison 27 - 51 Rob Foster
Dinos Sfyris 56 - 41 Matt Morrison
Table 2
Jamie McNeill 66 - 31 Heather Styles
James Laverty 34 - 63 Jamie McNeill
Heather Styles 38 - 34 James Laverty
Table 3
Conor Travers 69 - 31 John Vivian
Apterous Prunier 0 - 73 Conor Travers
John Vivian 68 - 0 Apterous Prunier
Table 4
Jack Worsley 58 - 46 Tom Carey
Apterous Pruniest 0 - 70 Jack Worsley
Tom Carey 68 - 0 Apterous Pruniest
Table 5
Jen Steadman 65 - 66 Stewart Gordon
Alan Young 48 - 53 Jen Steadman
Stewart Gordon 27 - 54 Alan Young
Table 6
Graeme Cole 71 - 38 Paul Worsley
Lee Fisher 32 - 66 Graeme Cole
Paul Worsley 67 - 43 Lee Fisher
Table 7
Innis Carson 65 - 53 Matt Baywatch
Adam Dexter 15 - 78 Innis Carson
Matt Baywatch 43 - 46 Adam Dexter
Table 8
Mark Deeks 60 - 47 Jonathan Wynn
Gevin Chapwell 47 - 63 Mark Deeks
Jonathan Wynn 67 - 41 Gevin Chapwell
Table 9
Zarte Siempre 43 - 53* James Robinson
Lauren Baywatch 26 - 63 Zarte Siempre
James Robinson 51 - 40 Lauren Baywatch
Table 10
Kirk Bevins 56 - 46 Mark Davies
Philip Jarvis 33 - 67 Kirk Bevins
Mark Davies 43 - 46 Philip Jarvis
Table 11
Callum Todd 71 - 47 George Ford
Chris Marshall 35 - 62 Callum Todd
George Ford 57 - 61 Chris Marshall
Table 12
Giles Hutchings 78 - 22 Tom Rowell
Mike Brown 34 - 68 Giles Hutchings
Tom Rowell 63 - 38 Mike Brown
Table 13
Jon O'Neill 58 - 29 Andy McGurn
Lucy Westwood 21 - 67 Jon O'Neill
Andy McGurn 57 - 13 Lucy Westwood
Table 14
Jon Corby 62 - 57 Michelle Nevitt
Tracey Mills 46 - 64 Jon Corby
Michelle Nevitt 47 - 48 Tracey Mills
Table 15
Andy Platt 65 - 52 Jonathan Rawlinson
Rhys Benjamin 26 - 64 Andy Platt
Jonathan Rawlinson 66 - 30 Rhys Benjamin
Table 16
Dylan Taylor 82 - 31 Ryan Taylor
Jeff Clayton 40 - 67 Dylan Taylor
Ryan Taylor 52 - 46 Jeff Clayton
Round 2
Table 1
Dylan Taylor 45 - 57 Giles Hutchings
Innis Carson 65 - 54 Dylan Taylor
Giles Hutchings 51 - 71 Innis Carson
Table 2
Conor Travers 57 - 61 Graeme Cole
Callum Todd 40 - 52 Conor Travers
Graeme Cole 53 - 50 Callum Todd
Table 3
Andy Platt 21 - 58 Jamie McNeill
Jack Worsley 76 - 55 Andy Platt
Jamie McNeill 41 - 61 Jack Worsley
Table 4
Jon Corby 53 - 57 Kirk Bevins
Mark Deeks 72 - 54 Jon Corby
Kirk Bevins 54 - 57 Mark Deeks
Table 5
Jon O'Neill 49 - 57 Rob Foster
James Robinson 52 - 53 Jon O'Neill
Rob Foster 62 - 59 James Robinson
Table 6
Jen Steadman 58 - 67 Jonathan Rawlinson
Zarte Siempre 52 - 68 Jen Steadman
Jonathan Rawlinson 39 - 69 Zarte Siempre
Table 7
Jonathan Wynn 62 - 33 Tom Carey
Chris Marshall 45 - 52 Jonathan Wynn
Tom Carey 69 - 59 Chris Marshall
Table 8
Paul Worsley 57 - 42 Alan Young
John Vivian 38 - 40 Paul Worsley
Alan Young 55 - 65 John Vivian
Table 9
Dinos Sfyris 48 - 58 Tracey Mills
Stewart Gordon 49 - 60 Dinos Sfyris
Tracey Mills 42 - 47 Stewart Gordon
Table 10
Andy McGurn 51 - 67 Tom Rowell
Ryan Taylor 60 - 44 Andy McGurn
Tom Rowell 57 - 67 Ryan Taylor
Table 11
Philip Jarvis 60 - 45 Heather Styles
Adam Dexter 50 - 56 Philip Jarvis
Heather Styles 58 - 55 Adam Dexter
Table 12
George Ford 70 - 60 Michelle Nevitt
Matt Baywatch 59 - 47 George Ford
Michelle Nevitt 41 - 49 Matt Baywatch
Table 13
Mark Davies 56 - 43 Gevin Chapwell
Jeff Clayton 52 - 64 Mark Davies
Gevin Chapwell 45 - 66 Jeff Clayton
Table 14
Matt Morrison 58 - 51 James Laverty
Lauren Baywatch 60 - 56 Matt Morrison
James Laverty 45 - 68 Lauren Baywatch
Table 15
Lee Fisher 29 - 57 Mike Brown
Apterous Pruniest 0 - 54 Lee Fisher
Mike Brown 67 - 0 Apterous Pruniest
Table 16
Rhys Benjamin 35 - 36 Lucy Westwood
Apterous Prunier 0 - 33 Rhys Benjamin
Lucy Westwood 33 - 0 Apterous Prunier
Round 3
Table 1
Jack Worsley 48 - 57 Mark Deeks
Graeme Cole 28 - 67 Jack Worsley
Mark Deeks 72 - 42 Graeme Cole
Table 2
Innis Carson 60 - 52 Rob Foster
Conor Travers 54 - 69 Innis Carson
Rob Foster 48 - 61 Conor Travers
Table 3
Kirk Bevins 64 - 54 Jamie McNeill
Jonathan Wynn 32 - 53 Kirk Bevins
Jamie McNeill 53 - 71 Jonathan Wynn
Table 4
Jon O'Neill 59 - 32 Ryan Taylor
Paul Worsley 52 - 50 Jon O'Neill
Ryan Taylor 56 - 45 Paul Worsley
Table 5
Giles Hutchings 62 - 31 Philip Jarvis
Zarte Siempre 55 - 72 Giles Hutchings
Philip Jarvis 16 - 70 Zarte Siempre
Table 6
Dylan Taylor 70 - 50 Jen Steadman
Jon Corby 39 - 79 Dylan Taylor
Jen Steadman 72 - 37 Jon Corby
Table 7
Jonathan Rawlinson 36 - 67 Callum Todd
Tom Carey 47 - 67 Jonathan Rawlinson
Callum Todd 78 - 42 Tom Carey
Table 8
Mark Davies 38 - 55 Tom Rowell
Andy Platt 66 - 29 Mark Davies
Tom Rowell 68 - 58 Andy Platt
Table 9
Matt Baywatch 65 - 49 Tracey Mills
Lauren Baywatch 39 - 67 Matt Baywatch
Tracey Mills 59 - 62 Lauren Baywatch
Table 10
John Vivian 54 - 56 Mike Brown
Stewart Gordon 43 - 59 John Vivian
Mike Brown 61 - 43 Stewart Gordon
Table 11
James Robinson 61 - 51 Dinos Sfyris
Heather Styles 29 - 64 James Robinson
Dinos Sfyris 55 - 45 Heather Styles
Table 12
Lucy Westwood 25 - 59 George Ford
Lee Fisher 56 - 30 Lucy Westwood
George Ford 69 - 37 Lee Fisher
Table 13
Jeff Clayton 51 - 48 Chris Marshall
Alan Young 32 - 40 Jeff Clayton
Chris Marshall 67 - 23 Alan Young
Table 14
Rhys Benjamin 25 - 71 Andy McGurn
Adam Dexter 29 - 30 Rhys Benjamin
Andy McGurn 55 - 48 Adam Dexter
Table 15
Matt Morrison 25 - 64 Michelle Nevitt
Apterous Pruniest 0 - 55 Matt Morrison
Michelle Nevitt 49 - 0 Apterous Pruniest
Table 16
Gevin Chapwell 38 - 43 James Laverty
Apterous Prunier 0 - 70 Gevin Chapwell
James Laverty 58 - 0 Apterous Prunier
The final
Innis Carson 68 - 44 Mark Deeks
