Once again, Counting down will be taking place in Lincoln on the last weekend in January (my plans to have it on the second weekend and do a 'COLIN the 13th' style thing were kind of a non starter), and all are invited!
If you've never attended COLIN- or any other co-event- before, the format is quite simple. All the players are divided into groups of 3 where one player acts as 'host' whilst the other two play an old-fashioned 9 round game of Countdown. Everyone has a turn hosting (enabling everyone on the table to play the other two players once each), and after 3 of these rounds, when everyone has played 6 games and hosted 3, the top two players (sorted by number of wins, then by number of points scored) play in the grand final to determine the overall winner, and who gets to take home the COLIN perpetual trophy for the next year.
...That's the Saturday main event, anyway. For the fourth year in a row, the day after 'COLIN proper' there will be a 'hangover' event of just two rounds (everyone plays 4 and hosts 2) followed by a final.
As with 2016 (this year? Last year?), Saturday's main event will take place at the Ark on Moor Lane in North Hykeham. Here are directions from Hykeham Rail Station. Doors open at 10am, the draw for the first round of the main event takes place at 11:30 and games should get underway by 11:50.
The hangover this year is taking place at a new venue- or rather, an old venue, which is technically a new venue. The Memorial Hall on Newark Road (directions from the Thorpe on the Hill Travelodge here) will see Countdowning action for the first time in two years when the Hangover takes place there, starting at 11am (unless you're Jen Steadman) and ending a little bit after 2:30pm.
Plenty of prizes will be on offer this (next?) year. In 2016 we had mugs- in 2017, we'll also have mugs (albeit not as many). At CoNot V, we had handmade trophies, at COLIN XIII we'll have handmade trophies (albeit very different to wooden cubes). Everyone will get a puzzle magazine (reminds me- must email Lee Fisher for a crossword), a pen, a notepad and another freebie that I've commissioned that should hopefully combine the feel of 2015's sticker album with the fun of absolute mayhem.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif)
Entry fees have, sadly, had to rise again, but they will remain at this price for this COLIN and COLIN XIV guaranteed. Entry into the main event will set you back £14, the hangover will cost £9, or you can enter both events for £20. I accept Paypal payments to hulla.mahulla@btopenworld.com........................................... or by cheque to my home address (available upon request).
If I've forgotten anything, I'll just post it below.
See you all in January!
Entrants so far (23/1/17)
COLIN XIII (51)-
Zarte Siempre
Jen Steadman
Thomas Cappleman
Graeme Cole
Jack Worsley
Gevin Chapwell
Callum Todd
Alan Young
Lee Fisher
Jon O'Neill
Gerry Tynan
Simpatico Jones
Thomas Carey
Rose Boyle
Paul Worsley
May Battlefield
Lauren Hamer
Matty Artell
Aidan Linge
Conor Travers
Eddy Byrne
Dylan Taylor
Jim Bentley
Tim Down
Matt Morrison
Heather Badcock
Stewart Gordon
Mark Davies
Stephen Read
Adam Dexter
Lucy Westwood
Tom Chafer-Cook
Chris Marshall
Mark Hartnett
Mike Springett
Tracey Mills
Mark Mills
Mike Brown
Ryan Taylor
Michelle Nevitt
James Robinson
James Laverty
Amie Bateen
Jonathan Wynn
Zubair Patel
Dan McColm
Tom Rowell
Rob Foster
Dinos Sfyris
Andy Platt
Dave Benson
The Hangover (37)-
Zarte Siempre
Jen Steadman
Adam Gillard
Thomas Cappleman
Graeme Cole
Jack Worsley
Gevin Chapwell
Callum Todd
Alan Young
Lee Fisher
Jon O'Neill
Gerry Tynan
Simpatico Jones
Thomas Carey
Rose Boyle
Paul Worsley
May Battlefield
Lauren Hamer
Eddy Byrne
Stewart Gordon
Mark Davies
Stephen Read
Adam Dexter
Lucy Westwood
Chris Marshall
Mark Hartnett
Mike Springett
Matty Artell
Tracey Mills
Mark Mills
Ryan Taylor
Michelle Nevitt
James Robinson
James Laverty
Zubair Patel
Dan McColm
Tom Rowell