c4countdown

So, here we are, the penultimate preliminary of this Champion of Champions series, and it's only right that we have a champion match.

Well, we're certainly guaranteed that today, as this is the only preliminary match involving 2 series champions, as the victors of Series 71 & 67 go head-to-head.

For those of you, who don't know who they are, that's Dan McColm and Paul James.

Statistics Corner:

Firstly, Series 71 Champion Dan "The Kineton Kolossus" McColm - 11 Games, 11 Wins, 1,291 Points. (Average: 117.36)
Highest Score: 137 vs. Harry Jarrett (6th Game)
Lowest Score: 92 vs. Ben Hodgson (2nd Game)
9's Achieved: 5/6
Total Points/Max/%: 1291/1399 (92%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 795/855 (93%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 406/434 (94%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 90/110 (82%)

Secondly, Series 67 Champion Paul "The Brampton Behemoth" James - 11 Games, 11 Wins, 1,098 Points (Average: 99.82)
Highest Score: 110 vs. Phil Hopgood (7th Game)
Lowest Score: 83 vs. Chris Barnett (6th Game)
9's Achieved: 1/6
Total Points/Max/%: 1098/1373 (80%)
Letters Points/Max/%: 771/933 (83%)
Numbers Points/Max/%: 257/330 (78%)
Conundrum Points/Max/%: 70/110 (64%)

Join Jen for the recap later.

Excellent game, well done chaps/champs.

How is it two series champs were pitted against each other for this quarter?

Good game. Shame Paul's numbers wasn't right at the end. Would have been exciting!

Also, great explanation for the teatime teaser - standish.

Jojo Apollo wrote:How is it two series champs were pitted against each other for this quarter?

I know right? No idea myself -- might have been that they thought it would add drama if a series champion were to fall in the first round.

Johnny Canuck wrote:

Jojo Apollo wrote:How is it two series champs were pitted against each other for this quarter?

I know right? No idea myself -- might have been that they thought it would add drama if a series champion were to fall in the first round.

I can only assume it was a random draw like they did for the 30th anniversary special series?

Jojo Apollo wrote:

Johnny Canuck wrote:

Jojo Apollo wrote:How is it two series champs were pitted against each other for this quarter?

I know right? No idea myself -- might have been that they thought it would add drama if a series champion were to fall in the first round.

I can only assume it was a random draw like they did for the 30th anniversary special series?

Yes, it was a random draw.

Round 5...
Me in the audience: PIONEERS is there but Dan will go for ISOPRENE, because, you know, it's Dan.
Dan: PIONEERS.
Me: Well. A complete misjudgement on my part there.

Later in the pub...
Dan: I just realised I could have had ISOPRENE!

If it was truly randomised (i.e., numbers from 1-16 shuffled), I'm surprised there weren't MORE first-round champion vs. champion games, more first-round 900+ vs. 900+ games, or more first-round crucial conundrums; in such a circumstance I'd expect to see at least one thing like Giles vs Dan in the first round. Also, ties between two players of the same series are conspicuously absent in the first round, whereas they happened in the 30BC (even leading to a first-round matchup that was a rematch of a previous grand final). However I guess any set of circumstances is as likely as any other.

Graeme Cole wrote: Round 5...
Me in the audience: PIONEERS is there but Dan will go for ISOPRENE, because, you know, it's Dan.
Dan: PIONEERS.
Me: Well. A complete misjudgement on my part there.

Later in the pub...
Dan: I just realised I could have had ISOPRENE!

I actually had RIPIENOS written down, not PIONEERS, but decided at the last moment to go for PIONEERS for some reason.

Graeme Cole wrote:

Jojo Apollo wrote: I can only assume it was a random draw like they did for the 30th anniversary special series?

Yes, it was a random draw.

Cheers Graeme.

Really happy to have beaten both contestants in the final numbers game

Johnny Canuck wrote:If it was truly randomised (i.e., numbers from 1-16 shuffled), I'm surprised there weren't MORE first-round champion vs. champion games, more first-round 900+ vs. 900+ games, or more first-round crucial conundrums; in such a circumstance I'd expect to see at least one thing like Giles vs Dan in the first round. Also, ties between two players of the same series are conspicuously absent in the first round, whereas they happened in the 30BC (even leading to a first-round matchup that was a rematch of a previous grand final). However I guess any set of circumstances is as likely as any other.

I'd agree that the first round has fallen quite well in terms of keeping "big names" apart.

You could argue that 2 out of the 3 biggest names in the competition met in the prelims (Giles Hutchings v Heather Styles). Only Antoinette Ryan is as big a name as those two.

Fred Mumford wrote:You could argue that 2 out of the 3 biggest names in the competition met in the prelims (Giles Hutchings v Heather Styles). Only Antoinette Ryan is as big a name as those two.

They're surprisingly small to be big. Does Jennifer Steadman count?

I thought the short names were the big ones because there's enough space for them to be printed in a larger size.

Bit surprised that there were no matchups involving people from the same series if it was a truly random draw, but then that's just based on gut feel which is a notoriously shit way of estimating probabilities.

Maybe they did random draws until certain criteria were met?

Thomas Cappleman. (Yes, I know he's Tom.) I'll work out probabilities and stuff when I get home

James Robinson wrote:Join Jen for the recap later.

Oh yeah, Tracey's doing this one and I'm doing Thursday's (at T-Cap's behest). And also because bae <3

Or - here's a crazy thought - this is just what the random draw spat out

Matty Artell wrote:Or - here's a crazy thought - this is just what the random draw spat out

Conspiracy theorist killjoy.

Countdown Team wrote:

Matty Artell wrote:Or - here's a crazy thought - this is just what the random draw spat out

Conspiracy theorist killjoy.

Most of these threads haven't been bumped but I'm bumping this one. When Rachel spoke to Dan in Russian at the end, it looked like he responded with some deadly Russian insult, wiping the spit off his mouth or something.

Gavin Chipper wrote: ↑Fri Jul 10, 2020 3:51 pm Most of these threads haven't been bumped but I'm bumping this one. When Rachel spoke to Dan in Russian at the end, it looked like he responded with some deadly Russian insult, wiping the spit off his mouth or something.

Didn't make the cut, but for some reason during an episode, Rachel asked me if I spoke Russian, and I said 'nyet'. I thought that was worth keeping in.