FOCAL is returning to Leeds for the first time in five years! And what’s more, it will the first ever non-standard co:event as instead of Countdown we will be playing Goatdown!
What is Goatdown you ask?! Fear not, all will be explained below. But first, the formalities:
When: Saturday 15th April 2023
Where: Cardigan Community Centre, 145-149 Cardigan Rd, Burley, Leeds LS6 1LJ (map)
Presented by: Callum Todd
Format: ‘Lincoln style’, each player will play six GZD 9-rounder games. Plus it’s Goatdown! More info below
Admission: £15 per person, payable here (please select ‘Friends and Family’)
Start: 10:00am doors for a 11am start, please arrive by 10:45am
Finished by: 17:45 (we must leave the room by 18:00)
Wheelchair accessible?: Yes.
So what the hell is Goatdown?!
Goatdown is the oldest and most popular non-standard variant of Countdown. The rules can be found on Apterous (where you can also play Goatdown if you’re a paid subscriber!) or on the Countdown wiki. Or, if those descriptions were too coherent for you, I’ll try explain it below!
You may also wish to familiarise yourself with Goatdown by watching the very high standard of it played out in a special ZoomDown tournament, beginning in this episode.
Screenshot of Goatdown on Apterous: the player can choose the 9th letter.
Essentially, Goatdown is Countdown except the player picking the letters can choose exactly which letter they would like for the 9th letter. So the first eight letters are chosen as normal (vowel or consonant) but for the ninth letter the player picking that round’s letters chooses exactly which letter they would like. So in the above screenshot, for example, a pick of K, R, S, or T would make a nine-letter word available!
For conundrums, the player is shown only eight letters instead of nine. Their task is to find the NINE letter word that uses those eight letters (there will only be one possible nine-letter word from those eight letters). If nobody does that within the 30 seconds, the ninth letter will be revealed and the players will have a further 15 seconds to solve the now normal conundrum. Doing so will however only grant 7 points rather than the 10 that would be awarded for solving the conundrum from only the first eight letters.
Numbers are unchanged, although that won’t matter for us (see format notes below).
If you’re still not sure how it works, the best thing to do is watch the GoatZoomDown specials linked above! That should make things clear.
How will Goatdown work at a co:event?
So the first big piece of information to get out of the way is that in order to maximise the Goatiness of the gameplay, there will be NO numbers rounds played at all at Goat:Leeds 2023. The 9 Rounder games will consist of eight letters rounds followed by a goatundrum. This was the format used on the aforementioned GoatZoomDown specials and it was well received there so we think it will work best for the in-person event.
As for displaying the final letter, players will be offered several ways of doing so and they may choose between them on their tables which method they feel most comfortable with. They may use a card from a face-up deck of 26 cards (one of each letter), write on a blank card, or any other method they can think of that is to the satisfaction of all three people on the table.
The only rule that will be strictly enforced with regards to picking rounds will be the 6-second time limit on picking the 9th letter. This is an integral rule of Goatdown and must be respected in person as it is online. The host will perform a single 6-5-4-3-2-1 countdown and if no pick is made, the default pick will be the letter S.
For Goatundrums, the host will swap the 8 letter scramble out for the 9 letter scramble on 30 seconds if required. Other options will be made available and explained if people would prefer to do it differently.
Essentially players will be given several options of how to manage the technicalities of playing Goatdown with physical letters cards, and trusted to work out between them which options works best for the players on their table.
How to book
Simply send £15 to host Callum at this link to secure your entry. Or, for a limited time until the 2022 MK Open, you can get discounted entry by signing up for both events at once! £22 will get you entry to both events, a total saving of £3. For those who have already signed up to the MK Open, you can enter Goat:Leeds 2023 for £12 so long as you submit your entry before the 25th November 2022
If you are not able to use PayPal, please contact callum@focalcountdown.co.uk to arrange alternate payment.
Getting to the venue
To arrive by train, the venue is a short taxi ride or around a 35-minute walk from the main Leeds train station. Alternatively you may be able to get a train from Leeds station to Burley Park, which is just around the corner from the venue. There may also be buses available but these timetables have been shakenly up a lot recently at the time of writing, so check timetables closer to the day of the event.
For drivers, there is a very small car park on site but it only has a few spaces so don’t count on getting one. Street parking nearby is mostly unrestricted though so you should be able to find a spot.
On your way to the venue, why not take in the sights of the ITV Yorkshire studios just at the bottom of the road? This building was the original home of Countdown.
Accommodation
There are many hotels in Leeds city centre, the cheapest of which are likely to be the Vicar Lane Travelodge and the Ibis Budget. There’s also a Premier Inn and Holiday Inn Express on Kirkstall Road just round the corner. Alternately there’s plenty of nice small hotels and BnBs in Headingley.
Refreshments
Tea, coffee, water, juice, and some small snacks will be available at the venue free of charge. For something more substantial during the lunch break, there are numerous shops and food outlets within a short walk of the venue.
Goat theme
There will be a strong hirsine theme at the event. Attendees are encouraged to contribute in whatever way they think appropriate!
Any questions, feel free to get in touch with hello@focalcountdown.co.uk. I look forward to seeing you partake in the first ever Goatdown co:event!
Attending or organising a FOCAL event is subject to the FOCAL Code of Conduct.
Confirmed entrants (20)
Ben Wilson
Bradley Horrocks
Tom Carey
MSR
James Robinson
Phil Stanton
George Armstrong
Rob Foster
Euan Crabb
Chris Marshall
Adam Beach
Adam Latchford
Coral Heath
Callum Todd
Dan Byrom
Andy Platt
Tim Hebbes
Stewart Gordon
Jack Worsley
Sam C-L
Open to other suggestions, but it's by far the closest to the venue.