c4countdown

Andrew Feist wrote:I suppose I should double-check the timing: is the first game on 2/21, or are the play-in games supposed to be done by 2/21? (I ask since I will be out of town and mostly away from a computer from 2/19 through 2/21, so if I can't get the play-in games in before that time then I need to vanish from the list.)

The original plans were to have play-ins completed by 21/2 but there'll be at least 2 rounds of play-ins judging by the number of entries and if there's a late surge between now and Sunday a third round may be required- so I'm bumping the deadline for play-ins to be completed back to the Wednesday (the 24th) with round 1 subsequently running from 24/2 to 5/3 (just so everyone has a chance to get their games in). This of course also means the round 1 draw will be on the 24th.

get me in for the qualifying please ben! cheers

I think the timing of the playins means that I'll have to withdraw, Ben. I'm away from tomorrow until 23rd Feb.

Please count me in for the qualifiers.
Adam

I don't want to play, but wondered if anyone was opening a book on the winner?

Yes.

Paul Howe 10/1
Innis Carson 8/1
Kai Laddiman 35/1
Jon O'Neill 14/1
Mark Tournoff 18/1
David O'Donnell 11/1
Charlie Reams 20/1
Junaid Mubeen 18/1
Nick Wainwright 30/1
Steven Briers 18/1
Kirk Bevins 3/1
Ryan Taylor 80/1
Chris Davies 6/1
Andrew Hulme 15/1
Martin May 16/1
Richard Priest 100/1
Dinos Sfyris 25/1
Oliver Garner 30/1
Jimmy Gough 40/1
Jack Hurst 20/1

Play-in entrants:

Lloyd Pettet 200/1
James Levison 1000/1
Michael Wallace 125/1
Jim Bentley 80/1
Ian Dent 500/1
Julie Taylor 500/1
Henry Meier 150/1
Niall Seymour 600/1
Andrew Feist 400/1
Chris Philpot 800/1
Phil Makepeace 100/1
Edwin Mead 200/1
Karen Pearson 700/1
Matt Bayfield 100/1
James Robinson 150/1
Ian Volante 200/1
Simon Myers 100/1
Matt Morrison 450/1
Craig Chittenden 50/1
Peter Lee 400/1
Hugh Binnie 300/1
Tom Rowell 500/1
Matthew Tassier 300/1
Kevin Davis 1000/1
James Leroux 1000/1
Bob De Caux 100/1
Ross Allatt 80/1
Josh Overhill 1000/1
Scott Gillies 250/1
Adam Gillard 1000/1


Some big prices there. No offence intended to anyone but the big favourites will dominate IMO.

I'd like to join in the qualifiers please

Bloody hell, I'd stick a tenner on the Howeitzer at that price and fast.

45% margin, nice work!

I'll stick a tenner on Howe too. If I play him in the final, I'm throwing it.

Haha, it's only my job as well....

Yeah I'll have a bash at it

I think you missed a number off of my price. I wouldn't bet on me with those odds and I do 14 team accumulators!

You're a dark horse Chitters.

Ian Dent wrote:You're a dark horse Chitters.

So is Black Beauty.

Ryan Taylor wrote:

Ian Dent wrote:You're a dark horse Chitters.

So is Black Beauty.

(C) T. Vine

Charlie Reams wrote:

Ryan Taylor wrote:

Ian Dent wrote:You're a dark horse Chitters.

So is Black Beauty.

(C) T. Vine

Tim VIne is just brilliant. Saw his show at Halifax last weekend, it was just 2 hours of sheer joy.

Tenner on Howe, grand against myself.

Hi Ben,

Yes please, count me in.

Mark

Cheers Ian, sorry to be boring but my £10 is on Kirk.

Sneaky £1 on Richard Priest and Julie T as well.

Hope you'll be doing an asian handicapp market when the draw is made.

I'd like a bash at the qualifiers too please.

Dale Levell wrote:I'd like a bash at the qualifiers too please.

*puts down tenner*

Draw for the play-ins will be tonight at 8pm live on Apterous. There'll be 32+ people playing for 13 spots so it looks like there'll be two rounds of qualifying, and as such I'll do them both at the same time, with some people getting 'byes' into the second qualifying round (don't worry, it'll all make sense). Play-in games will be best-of-3 standard 15 rounders.

The draw for the qualifying round goes thusly:

Pre-qualifying

Ian Volante v Michael Wallace
Craig Chittenden v Karen Pearson
Tom Rowell v Edward McCullagh
Chris Philpot v Matt Morrison
Niall Seymour v Andrew Feist
Jim Bentley v Julie Taylor

Qualifying proper

Ian or Michael v Josh Overhill
Craig or Karen v Ross Allatt
Tom or Edward v Ian Dent
Chris or Matt v Matthew Tassier
Niall or Andrew v Edwin Mead
Julie or Jim v Adam Gillard
Bob De Caux v Henry Meier
Peter Lee v Matt Bayfield
Hugh Binnie v James Leroux
Dale Levell v Simon Myers
Phil Makepeace v Scott Gillies
Lloyd Pettet v James Levison
Kevin Davis v James Robinson

All matches are best-of-3 standard 15 games and will be on the apterous tourney system soon. Games to be completed by the evening of Wednesday 24th please.

Oh, and most importantly, have fun.

Ian Dent wrote: Richard Priest 100/1

Not normally a guy for arguments but I feel a bit insulted by this.Whilst I definitely wouldn't consider myself a front-runner, I reached the semis of last year's COMA and at CoLin recently finished ahead of 2 of the guys who've been given shorter odds than I have.

If performance on th show takes precedence in your rankings, then what's octochamp Jim Bentley doing in the pre-qualifying, as well as out current daily champion Craig Chittenden? A lot of the other people who have gone straight into the qualifying I have no recollection of their names outside Apterous/this forum.

Gavin Chipper wrote:If performance on th show takes precedence in your rankings, then what's octochamp Jim Bentley doing in the pre-qualifying, as well as out current daily champion Craig Chittenden? A lot of the other people who have gone straight into the qualifying I have no recollection of their names outside Apterous/this forum.

The 32 hopefuls were distributed into the bracket at random, not by seed (since I imagine many of us have 0 points on the COMA scale).

Only heard about this yesterday but looks like I am too late to enter? Would love to play if there is a chance?

I'd like to take part in the pre-qualifiers please - looks like a good, competitive tournament.

As the draw's already been made it'd be unfair to demote anyone from a qualifying match to play a pre-qualifier with either of you, as such I'm afraid you'll have to wait until next year. Sorry guys.

No worries Ben - worth asking as I'm a regular player and would have liked to have participated, maybe if there's a drop-out I could be considered?

Gavin Chipper wrote: what's octochamp Jim Bentley doing in the pre-qualifying, .

IAWTP, although the fact that I've been drawn against him has nothing to do with my views.

So, I'll either be up against an octochamp or an octochamp-slayer. 1000-1 suddenly seems flattering!

Is it best of three in all rounds until the best-of-11 final, or is there a gradual increase?

Charlie Reams wrote:Is it best of three in all rounds until the best-of-11 final, or is there a gradual increase?

Looking back on it my OP was a bit vague- it will be a gradual increase, the eighth-finals being best-of-5, quarters being best-of-7 and semis being best-of-9.

Richard,

Please don't be insulted. I put about 2 seconds thought into it and it was meant to be a bit of a joke.

How annoying. Missed it. I should check out this site more often.

Good luck all.

Any chance in future this could appear on the apterous site? - I definitely wouldn't have missed it then!

RESULTS: Was tempted to start a new thread with these, but meh:

Michael Wallace 84 - 102 Ian Volante
Michael Wallace 80 - 97 Ian Volante

A couple of competitive games there, both of us missing some obvious maxes, but picking up a few good ones too. I think Michael had an off day though, I got lucky!

Charlie Reams wrote:Is it best of three in all rounds until the best-of-11 final, or is there a gradual increase?

I thought you were taking the piss with best of 11 until I read:

Ben Wilson wrote:Looking back on it my OP was a bit vague- it will be a gradual increase, the eighth-finals being best-of-5, quarters being best-of-7 and semis being best-of-9.

Ian Dent wrote:Richard,

Please don't be insulted. I put about 2 seconds thought into it and it was meant to be a bit of a joke.

OK fair enough.

Another pre-qualifying result:

Jim Bentley 113 - 84 Julie Taylor
Julie Taylor 70 - 91 Jim Bentley

Qualifying results between me and Simon:

Simon 77 - 120 Dale

Simon 81 - 105 Dale

The official odds (generated by the Eye of Apterous, probably at least as dubious as Ian's method) are as follows:
The results are strongly polarised towards the favourites because the best-of-a-large-number format makes upsets relatively unlikely.

Nevertheless these are probably a pile of crap, but I'll try to improve the program in time for the tournament proper.

Paul Howe near the bottom! Haha he's well shit.

Kirk Bevins wrote:Paul Howe near the bottom! Haha he's well shit.

Oi . I'm still well clear of the 100+/1 no-hopers like Junaid, Doddy, Dale, Andrew, Mark, etc. so shut yer mouth

Pre-qualifying results:

Karen Pearson 107 - 60 Craig Chittenden
Karen Pearson 75 - 93 Craig Chittenden
Karen Pearson 102 - 62 Craig Chittenden

Very good contest!

Ryan Taylor wrote:

Ian Dent wrote:You're a dark horse Chitters.

So is Black Beauty.

Karen Pearson wrote:Pre-qualifying results:

Karen Pearson 107 - 60 Craig Chittenden
Karen Pearson 75 - 93 Craig Chittenden
Karen Pearson 102 - 62 Craig Chittenden

Apposite indeed!

Pre-qualifying results:

Tom Rowell 64-81 Edward McCullagh
Tom Rowell 82-90 Edward McCullagh

I've squeaked through my qualifying rubber against Peter:

Peter Lee 87 - 92 Matt Bayfield
Peter Lee 81 - 104 Matt Bayfield

Game 2 followed the same pattern as game 1. In both games, I took the lead in round 1. Peter and I then pretty much matched each other in rounds 2 through 12, before I just managed to pull the difference above 10 points by winning the final letters round. In both games, that was enough to avoid a crucial conundrum and see me through.

I have, likewise, squeaked through my proper qualifier against Ross.

Ross Allatt 68 - 91 Karen Pearson http://www.apterous.org/viewgame.php?game=193482
Ross Allatt 83 - 92 Karen Pearson http://www.apterous.org/viewgame.php?game=193493

Sorry! I know I'm always crap at this stuff! I have no idea how to make the page links look like scores. But at least I've added the links this time.

Hugh Binnie 2-1 James Leroux
Hugh 93-57 James
Hugh 75-79 James
Hugh 103-39 James

Qualifying:

James Robinson 2-0 Kevin Davis

James Robinson 93-77 Kevin Davis
James Robinson 82-64 Kevin Davis

Qualification:

Lloyd Pettet 2 - 0 James Levison
James Levison 57 - 109 Lloyd Pettet
Lloyd Pettet 91 - 56 James Levison

Cheers for the games James

Qualifying proper result:

Josh Overhill 72 - 92 Ian Volante
Josh Overhill 65 - 94 Ian Volante

Josh was unlucky to not come back for a second conundrum in the first game, I managed to stay out in front in the second. Main draw here I come!

6 qualifying games remain, two of which can't be played until the two pre-qualifying games are played. Any games not played by Monday will get a pm reminder from me (let me know also if you're dealing with an uncommunicative opponent and I'll have words), obviously though on Wednesday evening I'll have to start making decisions.

Sneaked through. Just.

Makepeace 2-1 Gillies

Makepeace 89-72 Gillies
Gillies 88-80 Makepeace
Gillies 92-97 Makepeace

Ian Volante wrote:Qualifying proper result:

Josh Overhill 72 - 92 Ian Volante
Josh Overhill 65 - 94 Ian Volante

Josh was unlucky to not come back for a second conundrum in the first game, I managed to stay out in front in the second. Main draw here I come!

As immature as it sounds, I'm still smiling about the conundrum in the second game!

Josh Overhill wrote:

Ian Volante wrote:Qualifying proper result:

Josh Overhill 72 - 92 Ian Volante
Josh Overhill 65 - 94 Ian Volante

Josh was unlucky to not come back for a second conundrum in the first game, I managed to stay out in front in the second. Main draw here I come!

As immature as it sounds, I'm still smiling about the conundrum in the second game!

I saw SHITE too, but dismissed it as being a useful lead!

My qualifying games v Jim Bentley have been put on hold due to rounds frequently not popping up on my screen, which leads to nothing being declared and is obviously a disadvantage for me. I have sent some data to Charlie and he's trying to sort it. If it isn't fixed soon, then we can try to play and just ignore any games when this happens, eventually coming out with 2 or 3 complete games.