Ladies and gentlemen - CoLei3 is open for business.

The third annual Countdown tournament in Leicester will take place at The Stoneycroft Hotel on Saturday 16 October, hosted by Jeff Clayton.

* Another action packed day of words and numbers.
* Yet another variation on a theme.
* All new graphics and faster gameplay.
* Ca$h prizes!

Book your place now for just £10.
My email and PayPal address is jeffrey_clayton@hotmail.com . You can contact me either by PM or email, and if you don't want to transfer funds online, I can supply you with an address to post a cheque to.

This year's format:
* 24 contestants;
* No qualifier - straight into matches (but maybe a few warm-up rounds first!);
* Three 15-round games; players paired at random just like in the cup draws;
* Based on total wins and scores from the first three games, players are split up into three pools of eight - A, B and C;
* Players are seeded 1-8 in their groups and the traditional knockout stage begins. The quarter-final and the semi-final are 9-round games, and the final is a 14-round affair of olde presented in front of a captive audience!

Not been to CoLei before?
* A short walk from Leicester railway station
* Frequent bus connections to and from the venue
* Located off the A6 London Road, accessible from all major routes
* On-site car parking
* Refreshments available during the day from the hotel
* http://www.stoneycrofthotel.co.uk

Doors will open at 9am for a 10am start.

I will set up further pages for this event in due course, but in the meantime, keep an eye out for those discount travel tickets.

Thanks
Jeff

Gutted If I want to come to this I'm going to have to ask my Dad to rearrange his 70th birthday. I can't believe how selfish some people are.

All have a great time without me, and if I get disinherited before then I'll see you there

Count me in please Jeff, payment to follow in the next couple of days

I'm in! Payment already sent.

Good, I've got to cross you out of my little black book after last year

But I let you win last year, didn't I?

My turn to win this year!

No, I'd crossed you out of my book after CoNot 09 but had to put you back in again because you beat me on the crucial conundrum (QUINTUPLE - can't remember the scramble).Anyway you've registered wins over me at both the CoLei events now so I think it's my turn!

Count me in please. Could you PM me with your address please Jeff so that I can deliver the funds your way? Thanks.

In.

If I have to let you win, I may have to forego my lunchtime glass of wine!!!

Unless we play each other in the morning. We'll have to see if Jeff can arrange that!

I wholeheartedly condone / condemn match fixing.

Special exhibition game?

I'm in. Sending cheque.

I think I'll be able to come, but the date could cause a problem, but I'll take my chances.

I'll send money later.

Sadly, I might have to forego this - only my second CO-miss ever - as I will be otherwise engaged (treading the boards in our local am-dram production).

I've made no plans for that date in October, so please count me in. Same postal address as last year for the cheque, Jeff?
--Matt

Yes indeed Matt.

I've sent my money, so hopefully it's not £10 wasted.

Sounds good ... how are we doing for numbers at the moment?

On the back of Michael's successful tournament in London this weekend, a reminder that you can secure your place for the third annual event in Leicester on Saturday 16th October.

Just a tenner will secure your place to battle it out all over again this autumn - cash (in person), cheque (address on request) or PayPal (jeffrey_clayton@hotmail.com).

I now have seven confirmed entrants and will take 24.

And don't forget about the Leicester summer birthday bash on Saturday 31st July - it's FREE and you're all invited! I'm still taking offers for interesting pair-ups so do please get in touch with your suggestions (even if it's not you taking part...?) to set up a cracking event, and also to let me know if you can attend or not.

Thanks
Jeff

OK, I'm in!

I would do the summer thing as well if I weren't going to be somewhere else at the time.

In, money sent, cheers! Anyone from the south (RH/TN/CR postcodes) want to share a lift in the lloydmobile?

Cheers Stewart and Lloyd.

We're now into double figures, by the by!

Jeff

Current list of entrants:

Matt Bayfield
Kirk Bevins
Lee Fisher
Stewart Gordon
Jack Hurst (tbc)
Josh Hurst
Karen Pearson
Lloyd Pettet
Richard Priest
James Robinson
Dave Wilkinson (tbc)
Ben Wilson
Anna Woodward


13 in, 11 spaces left.

Jeff

any idea of a rough timetable for this Jeff? might be able to fit it round my other leicester-based commitments for that day

Ryan, you have sent £10.00 GBP to Jeffrey.

Indeed, Ryan, my Sunday name.

Tom - Doors will open at 9am for a 10am start, and we should finish 5-5:30pm.

Jeff

Just to let you chaps and chapesses know that you can now book advance rail tickets for Saturday 16th October - so get in there!!

Hmm, yeah, in. I'll Paypal the dosh when I can be bothered to replace my lost card.

Or just lash us a tenner at Luton station the next time I'm travelling through to London.

Alright mate, will pencil you in. Cheers.

Hi guys

I thought it might be helpful to update you on progress, with just eight weeks to go now.

The list of entrants now stands at 18 and comprises:

Matt Bayfield
Kirk Bevins
Mary Jo Clayton
Lee Fisher
Stewart Gordon
Jack Hurst
Josh Hurst
Karen Pearson
Lloyd Pettet
Richard Priest
James Robinson
Sue Sanders
Dinos Sfyris
Ryan Taylor
Conor Travers (tbc - see thread)
Dave Wilkinson
Ben Wilson
Anna Woodward

I've made a note of "tbc" alongside Ian Dent's name on my scribbles - Ian, if you're reading this, do please get in touch.
Conor - I'd also be grateful if you could confirm something more definite to me quite soon.

There are now only six more places so if you fancy a shot at this, the entrance fee is just £10 and you can do this through PayPal (jeffrey_clayton@hotmail.com) or by cheque for which I'll provide a postal address on request.

I will also accept admission at a greatly reduced price for anyone who wants to be a standby or, if everyone turns up, the co-host to deal the letters and numbers cards.

Any queries etc, do please post them.

Thanks
Jeff

It better not be a tenner wasted (I'm sure it won't be, Jeff. Don't worry about it. ), as I've only just realised that the Huddersfield Town home match I'll be missing to attend this tournament is the biggie against Southampton

For some reason, I thought that the tournament was on the 30th, therefore missing the Walsall game, which isn't a big deal. How I've only just realised I don't know either.

Weirdly enough I'm off to Jersey the next day as well, so it'll be quite a hectic weekend

Jeff, will we all be playing from the same selections, as we did last year?

Yessir - "Bristol fashion" as the old skool may term it!

That would make it kinda easy.

Still, there would be no nines

Depends if the cards come out right dunnit!!

We have a co-host for CoLei.

She be female and she be from Southend!

And if she isn't Rachel Riley, you will be hung, drawn and quartered for raising our hopes up

It's Mary Jo, isn't it?

She may not be Rachel but she's every bit as lovely!

I'm in.

Am I right to assume that everyone stays at the Stoneycroft hotel, or is there a cheaper place all the cool people go to?

Hi Jeff

Please count me in for COLEI.

Could you text me an address to send you a cheque, please?

Sue may come too, but she won't play.

See you there!

Thanks.

Mark

Nope - Mary Jo will be playing!

Martin - Thanks for your confirmation earlier today. Most contenders over the last couple of years travelled to and from Leicester in the same day, but the Stoneycroft is a reasonably priced hotel in a decent area and those who stayed in July gave it the thumbs up.

Mark - Will pencil you in; have sent you a PM with details as requested.

Cheers
Jeff

Just a note to advise that there are now only four places left.

Hmm, I would really like to come along, but a little daunted by the level everyone else is. Can a relative newbie come along??

Sure, don't worry about it. When I went for my first time I found that everyone was really friendly and helpful, and it doesn't really matter what ability level you are, as it's more about fun and experience than competition

Can't make it for obvious reasons, but will be watching eagerly from afar.

And Rachel, you should totally go. Winning the games is the least important part of the experience, and in any case you won't be anything like the weakest player there.

Hi Rachel

I can assure you there will be a whole range of abilities attending, and you would be very welcome to come along.

Whereabouts would you be travelling from? And, out of interest, what would you say your "level" is...?

Cheers
Jeff

Please do come along Rachel! We need more girlies. And don't worry, you can sit at the back and be disruptive with the rest of us who aren't very good (well, I'm just taking your word for it that you're not at Kirk's level!).

Alternatively you can try to kill people with chocolate Eclairs.

Jeff... I am travelling from Manchester, which as I understand it isn't so far away. How can I wire you this 10 squid then?

Kai, Charlie, Karen... Thanks guys, you've twisted my arm. Looking forward to seeing you there. Well actually, not Charlie lad, as he is stuck in California. Worst luck pal.

Ryan...you jest, but actually my hand eye co-ordination skillz are second to none. Years of flicking varied office paraphernalia at unsuspecting passers by have rendered me an expert Be afraid...

Dinos may now just be a bit grateful for my appalling aim then!

Note to Jeff. Get the money banked quickly before Rachel finds out what a bunch of weirdos we really are!

Right then, I will be coming but I will only play if you are short of numbers or as a standby as I have to dash off to the immensely important Leicester v Hull match at 3pm. i will return for social events afterwards. So if you need a right hand man Mr Clayton I can perform that role (badly) for you