Countdown World Championships

[Matthew Green]

Instead of these various COLOSTOMY tournaments as Damien called them, why not have an annual 'World Championships' of Countdown? If Scrabble has one then why not CD- its just as skillful, if not more so IMO. It could be run like the World Cup with groups and knockouts, even qualifiers if there are lots of entries. And you could have an actual trophy.

I cant be bothered trekking around the country to finish last in COLIN/LEI/NOT etc but to say Im off to the World Championships is a litlle bit more glamorous. Plus, it would be very open with Travers, Bevins, JON, Reams, Howe, O'Donnell, Corby etc all at a similar level if apterous is anything to go by. Not sure what the copyright issues would be though.

[Jon Corby]

Maybe this is what Damian had in mind when he said there would be no more CoC

Edit:

Shit, what a fucking waste of my 1,000th post. I was going to have a special party in its own thread. I'll have to wait for 10,000 now

[Ben Wilson]

For a while now I've considered turning COLIN into a more formal-sounding championship but tbh Countdown tourneys aren't as competitive as Scrabble can be- more often than not it's an excuse for everyone to get together, play a few games and have a piss-up afterwards. As such, I feel that formalising it would cause it to lose the same atmosphere it had in the early days. Hell, it took me 3 years to offer cash prizes and 4 to finally buy a trophy for it!

[Charlie Reams]

I'd personally feel like an absolute tard telling people that I was off to the "Countdown World Championship." Explaining that I'm off to COLON is much more easily justifiable.

[Jon Corby]

It's certainly fun telling people that I've entered CoLin.

I agree with Ben that it's great that Countdown tournaments aren't ultra-competitive; it's nice to play well but having fun is the main thing.

[Joseph Bolas]

I cant be bothered trekking around the country to finish last in COLIN/LEI/NOT etc but to say Im off to the World Championships is a litlle bit more glamorous.

It can get quite costly (travelling to Bristol and Lincoln etc) depending on where you live, but it's a nice day out when you can afford it.

[Martin Gardner]

I'd personally feel like an absolute tard telling people that I was off to the "Countdown World Championship." Explaining that I'm off to COLON is much more easily justifiable.

I think a "World Championship" with about 20 players, all of them British, makes a mockery of the term "World Championship".

[Jeff Clayton]

Since there isn't really a world market for this game, such an event might for starters need to follow in the footsteps of the original Going for Gold - splitting the UK into four different countries.

I went to the annual Chiffres/Lettres tournament in Paris last weekend and finished up a decisive 40th out of 40 (qualified 33rd) - 30-round duplicate then into groups of eight to play seven 12-round matches in championship format; two points for a win, one for a draw. I finished with three points from seven games and so finished bottom in my group. My worst defeat was 7-12 whilst the score in my win was 11-8.

So yes, I could say that I paid hundreds of pounds for return flights, three nights in a hotel, plus spending money and used up a day's holiday allowance to suffer that. Yes ok the result nags me a bit but I had a great time meeting up with friends, doing some shopping and immersing myself again in Parisian culture across a long weekend.

I have also learned that I need to change the way in which I practice for these events, and I intend to go back for the one at Fontenay-sous-bois on 7 February 2009 - my target is to improve on 55th/74 from 2008.

All that said, 40th is my best ever finish on the C/L tournoi circuit - a testament to its popularity!


Jeff

[Oliver Garner]

At least in would give the Brits a chance to win something, I suppose.

[Matthew Green]

I'd personally feel like an absolute tard telling people that I was off to the "Countdown World Championship." Explaining that I'm off to COLON is much more easily justifiable.

I think a "World Championship" with about 20 players, all of them British, makes a mockery of the term "World Championship".

Its never stopped snooker...

[Charlie Reams]

Its never stopped snooker...

Indeed, with competitors from such well-known parts of Britain as China, Canada, Australia and South Africa, it's really not much of a world championship at all.

[Kai Laddiman]

Its never stopped snooker...

Indeed, with competitors from such well-known parts of Britain as China, Canada, Australia and South Africa, it's really not much of a world championship at all.

Exactly his point.

[Charlie Reams]

Exactly his point.

Whose point?

[Kai Laddiman]

Exactly his point.

Whose point?

Matt's?

[Matthew Green]

Yeah yeah, but not so long ago it was 31 brits and James Wattana and it was still the 'world championships'.

[Frank Rodolf]

Yeah yeah, but not so long ago it was 31 brits and James Wattana and it was still the 'world championships'.

Of course, way before Watana ever came onto the scene, there had already been South African and Canadian world champions...

A better example of a "world championship" that does not deserve the name might be Major League Baseball's World Series with teams only from the US and (now just two) Canada.

[Michael Wallace]

Exactly his point.

Whose point?

Matt's?

itym Run's point, actually

[Ian Volante]

Yeah yeah, but not so long ago it was 31 brits and James Wattana and it was still the 'world championships'.

Of course, way before Watana ever came onto the scene, there had already been South African and Canadian world champions...

Well Perrie Mans never won it, but you make a fair point. At some point in the early eighties, three of the world's top five were Canadian.

[Matthew Green]

Well invite Jason Larsen, he lives close to Canada.

[Martin Gardner]

Yeah yeah, but not so long ago it was 31 brits and James Wattana and it was still the 'world championships'.

Of course, way before Watana ever came onto the scene, there had already been South African and Canadian world champions...

A better example of a "world championship" that does not deserve the name might be Major League Baseball's World Series with teams only from the US and (now just two) Canada.

Just one isn't it from Canada? The Montreal Expos moved to Washington, so it's just the Toronto Blue Jays left now.

[Martin Gardner]

Yeah yeah, but not so long ago it was 31 brits and James Wattana and it was still the 'world championships'.

Of course, way before Watana ever came onto the scene, there had already been South African and Canadian world champions...

Well Perrie Mans never won it, but you make a fair point. At some point in the early eighties, three of the world's top five were Canadian.

Ken Doherty from Ireland, people sometimes forget that it's a separate country.

[Ian Volante]

Ken Doherty from Ireland, people sometimes forget that it's a separate country.

Not overseas though, which is the usual criterion.

[Frank Rodolf]

A better example of a "world championship" that does not deserve the name might be Major League Baseball's World Series with teams only from the US and (now just two) Canada.

Just one isn't it from Canada? The Montreal Expos moved to Washington, so it's just the Toronto Blue Jays left now.

Duh! Indeed... And to think (ML) baseball is actually my favourite sport...

[D Eadie]

Maybe this is what Damian had in mind when he said there would be no more CoC

Edit:

Shit, what a fucking waste of my 1,000th post. I was going to have a special party in its own thread. I'll have to wait for 10,000 now

There will be more C of C. It's just too good to shelve. I think the hassle and grief of who's taking part and who isn't is worth suffering for such an excellent tourney. The last one was the best block of shows i've ever been associated with, and the people who took part were all there in the right spirit. I was very proud of all of you who played, almost moved. Almost.

[Ian Fitzpatrick]

Maybe this is what Damian had in mind when he said there would be no more CoC

There will be more C of C. It's just too good to shelve. I think the hassle and grief of who's taking part and who isn't is worth suffering for such an excellent tourney. The last one was the best block of shows i've ever been associated with, and the people who took part were all there in the right spirit. I was very proud of all of you who played, almost moved. Almost.

That's good news. I agree the last CofC was an excellent tournament from the watcher's point of view, and with the level of octochamps coming through these days we can only expect similar quality and spirit.

[Junaid Mubeen]

There will be more C of C. It's just too good to shelve.

Excellent

And how about another one of them Supreme Championships for good measure? Please?

[Jon Corby]

There will be more C of C. It's just too good to shelve.

Excellent

And how about another one of them Supreme Championships for good measure? Please?

Yeah. Which somehow contrives to include people who lost in two semi-finals

[Kai Laddiman]

There will be more C of C. It's just too good to shelve.

Excellent

And how about another one of them Supreme Championships for good measure? Please?

Yeah. Which somehow contrives to include people who lost in two semi-finals

And people who lost by a letter

[Charlie Reams]

There will be more C of C. It's just too good to shelve. I think the hassle and grief of who's taking part and who isn't is worth suffering for such an excellent tourney. The last one was the best block of shows i've ever been associated with, and the people who took part were all there in the right spirit. I was very proud of all of you who played, almost moved. Almost.

Best news ever!

[Ben Wilson]

There will be more C of C. It's just too good to shelve.

Excellent

And how about another one of them Supreme Championships for good measure? Please?

Yeah. Which somehow contrives to include people who lost in two semi-finals

So you get to lose to Paul Howe in the semi- or the grand-final?

Seriously though, the announcement of more c of c is seriously awesome news.

[Kai Laddiman]

Seriously though, the announcement of more c of c is seriously awesome news.

Gah, you had to put 'c of c' to spoil the joke.

[Gavin Chipper]

Ken Doherty from Ireland, people sometimes forget that it's a separate country.

Not overseas though, which is the usual criterion.

Yes, I often enjoy the walk to Ireland.

[Ian Volante]

Ken Doherty from Ireland, people sometimes forget that it's a separate country.

Not overseas though, which is the usual criterion.

Yes, I often enjoy the walk to Ireland.

Aye, I hear there's some excellent countryside south of Enniskillen, have you ever travelled that way?

[Gavin Chipper]

Aye, I hear there's some excellent countryside south of Enniskillen, have you ever travelled that way?

It's overseas for me (the objective arbiter of such matters of course) but I see your point.

[Ian Volante]

Aye, I hear there's some excellent countryside south of Enniskillen, have you ever travelled that way?

It's overseas for me (the objective arbiter of such matters of course) but I see your point.

Pedantry win