c4countdown

Hello!

Nearly six years ago, myself, Innis and Zarte played a 25 hour game of Countdown. We raised a shit ton of money, and it was also a pretty great game, somehow going legitimately to a crucial conundrum after all that time (Innis got it). But we figured we would never do it again, as we couldn't have done it better.

So we've decided not to do it again. We're going to do it slightly differently.

On 9.48pm on 27th February, Zarte (series winner, current Champion of Champions series champion arguably the greatest Countdown player of all time) and me (none of those things) will commence a 26.2 hour marathon Countdown game (see what we did there?) that will be sure to test our sanity, friendship, bladders and obvious sexual chemistry.

Rather than playing one long game like last time, we instead intend to play an unlimited number of normal games and keep a running game score. We will also introduce the concept of forfeits, partly for other people's entertainment, but partly to keep our heads in the game. Suggestions on both format and forfeits/handicaps welcome.

We know from experience that this isn't easy to do. We're doing it anyway.

Our efforts will once again be a mere part of something much bigger. The comedian Mark Watson, known for his inordinately long shows, has unretired the format and decided he has one more left in him. Accordingly, he is to host a 26.2 hour marathon comedy gig, the backbone of which will be made up of updates from us and the other challenge-doers.

It is all in the name of charity. The entire event is going to raise money for Dementia Revolution, with a view to finding the cure for this horrible bastard disease that ruins people.

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MarkDe ... iasingpage

Please give generously (donations of £26.20 or £9.48 make too much sense not to give), because if we're going to inflict this into ourselves, let's ensure a worthy cause benefits from it.

Thanks!

- Mark and Zarte (Marte)

Great idea and great cause. Good luck guys

Just donated. Happy to support you guys.

Some say that it's easier to raise awareness of your charitable endeavours, and encourage donations thereto, if you actually give them the right link. Maybe they're right, maybe they're not. Either way, meh.

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundra ... Id=1017190

Wishing both of you all the best and may the best player win!! Never in a million years would I have thought another of these marathon games would surface!

Video stream here
Game records here

15-13 to Zarte at the moment. Just over 7 hours left!

Jennifer Steadman wrote: ↑Thu Feb 28, 2019 4:54 pm Video stream here
Game records here

15-13 to Zarte at the moment. Just over 7 hours left!

So they've done about 3 rounds?

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Thu Feb 28, 2019 4:57 pm

Jennifer Steadman wrote: ↑Thu Feb 28, 2019 4:54 pm Video stream here
Game records here

15-13 to Zarte at the moment. Just over 7 hours left!

So they've done about 3 rounds?

Fuck off Gevin.

Excitement at Co:Marathon after six years as Table 1 announce they've only got one game left to play.

Hehehe.

What time did this finish? There was nothing on the feed after Question Time (about 11:45). I was hoping to catch the end.

Also congratulations guys! Awesome job! I hope you raised a shit ton of money!

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2019 8:49 am What time did this finish? There was nothing on the feed after Question Time (about 11:45). I was hoping to catch the end.

Times are listed on Graeme's absolutely fucking awesome livecap site. I think it was about 2335 they finished (not time for another complete game, and had to get into the main stage for the final festivities).

Yep, basically. The staff kinda dragged us in.

Just woke up, groggy but satisfied. Thank you to everyone who watched and participated, particularly those who donated, and those who came down to join us (Jennifer Steadman,.who brought HOT FOOF like the heroine that she js, as well.as the gentleman and scholars that are Tom.Chafer-Cook and Tom Cappleman). It is such a weird thing to do and so hard to explain, and it's a genuinely challenging thing too. But that's kind of the point. So thank you for getting it. And thanks, love and respect to Zarte and Innis, great company as ever.

Thank you also to Rachel for coming down and leaving that creepy freaking present.

Hot foof was a sleep-induced typo of food but by God I'm leaving it there.

Also thanks to Patrick, an attendee of the event, who solved the lifelong which-are-the-discard-piles problem that has plagued Co events for more than a decade by suggesting that the discards are left face up. How in God's name none of us thought of this before is frightening to think about.

FWIW, we played on the main stage (and thus as a part of the main show) three times. The third of these featured Rachel which later turned into an uncomfortable exploration of my failings as a person. So, something for everyone there. They can found at the 07:23:20, 17:29:50 and 20:11:54 marks of this video.

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/387701746##

Great work everyone involved - the standard you guys reached, even after a day's playing, was amazing.

Mark Deeks wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2019 11:17 am Also thanks to Patrick, an attendee of the event, who solved the lifelong which-are-the-discard-piles problem that has plagued Co events for more than a decade by suggesting that the discards are left face up. How in God's name none of us thought of this before is frightening to think about.

I was confused by this being a new insight when I watched the stream - I've always done this as the obvious solution, though also from a background in board games like Patrick.

Yes but to be fair, you do operate on a higher plane than the rest of us. You have gifts.

I think it's a solution in search of a problem.

How is life post-marathon guys? Back to speed?

Never really struggled to recover. Drove home from the event (I know!), got a good eight hours in, woke up fine, subsequently fine. Tiredness wasn't much of a problem during this thing, actually. Couple of lulls, but never hugely struggled to stay awake.