Countdown in Nottingham 2009

[Richard Priest]

Lunch for me please.

[Dan Vanniasingham]

Having discovered no nearby shop to buy food at last year - I'd also like lunch please.

[Paul Howe]

I'd like lunch too, please.

[Rob Thomas]

OK i'm a definite now, and i'll go for the lunch please. Ta. See you all there.

See you there, bathrooms.

No witty riposte due to your ununscrambleable name

That and my inability to come out with witty ripostes.

Rob.E.Thomas

[Kai Laddiman]

See you all there.

See you there, bathrooms.

Could be worse - his name could be T. S. Eliot.

T. Eliot is funnier as there is a mundane word spelt out backwards.

[Ben Wilson]

With just a few days left, there are still plenty of places available. If you've never been to one of these events before, here's a perfect opportunity to meet some of the forumites/apterists that you've seen on here and on the TV. Is Kirk Bevins really god? Is Paul Howe really a cyborg? Is Charlie Reams as sexy in real life? Why not find out for yourself? The Westdale Lane Community Centre in Mapperley, Nottingham on Saturday at 10:30am is where you'll find all your answers. Just send me a pm to reserve a place.

[Kirk Bevins]

Thought it might be an idea to post the times people are arriving into Nottingham on Saturday here.

I'm catching a train from Sheffield at 09:05, arriving into Nottingham at 10:01. Anyone else on this train? Anyone arriving to Nottingham a bit later? Would be good to catch a taxi together to save costs.

[Jon O'Neill]

Good idea Kirk. I'm rolling in at 10.22 from Grantham way.

[Dinos Sfyris]

I'll be on same train as Kirk I think

[Junaid Mubeen]

I'll be coming from Coventry, arriving 10.05.

I shotgun the taxi with Kirky and co.

[Adam Dexter]

Sorry guys, but I'm not going to be able to make it. I've been called into work at the last minute

[Ben Wilson]

Here we are with results from the day-

Rank Won-Lost Spread Class Rating Name
1 5.0- 1.0 +99 A 590 Dinos Sfyris (#7)
2 5.0- 1.0 +93 A 897 Paul Howe (#1)
3 5.0- 1.0 +89 A 654 Kirk Bevins (#5)
4 4.0- 2.0 +162 A 671 Junaid Mubeen (#4)
5 4.0- 2.0 +45 B 429 Richard Priest (#11)
6 4.0- 2.0 +41 A 630 Kai Laddiman (#6)
7 3.0- 3.0 +49 A 676 Jon O'Neill (#3)
8 3.0- 3.0 +25 A 749 Dan Vanniasingham (#2)
9 3.0- 3.0 -6 B 350 Barry Evans (#13)
9 3.0- 3.0 -6 B 343 Karen Pearson (#14)
11 2.0- 4.0 -6 B 450 Stewart Gordon (#10)
12 2.0- 4.0 -36 A 557 Mike Brown (#8)
13 2.0- 4.0 -78 B 500 Callum Laddiman (#9)
14 2.0- 4.0 -149 B 300 Jack Morgan (#15)
15 1.0- 5.0 -77 B 160 Howard Somerset (#16)
16 0.0- 6.0 -245 B 395 Lee Fisher (#12)

So congratulations to Dinos on his first ever co- event win, and many thanks to everyone who made it into a cracking day, from the players in the playing room to my Mum in the kitchen, to Max Laddiman lying prone on the floor in front of his brother's table during game 5. Incidentally, you'll notice that this year people on the same number of wins were split by spread- total of winning/losing margins- rather than total score. If total score had been the deciding factor, Dinos would still have won, but Paul and Kirk would have swapped places. Full stats from the day can be found at http://colin.nebagram.co.uk/conot2009/html/index.html

Highlight of the day would probably be Jono's failed attempt to jump over a fence to retrieve his football. Sadly I wasn't recording when he did this but I do quite a bit of the football match so if no one has any objections to me sticking it online somewhere I can do just that in a efw days- along, of course, with some photos.

In the meantime, bring on CoBris!

[Howard Somerset]

Thanks, Ben, for an excellent day. Certainly enjoyed by me, and I'm quite sure by everyone who attended. Do pass on our thanks to your mum for the catering.

Congrats, Dinos, on winning the tournament. Hope you didn't drink all the wine on the way home, and left some for Emma to enjoy.

Great to meet up with everyone, both those I'd met before, and a number of fresh faces.

I look forward to the next event.

[Mike Brown]

Just got home, tired but happy. A great event, once again, and well done to Ben and his mum for great organisation as usual. Good to see everyone (again), even if I was perhaps a bit disappointed with my own performance... Enjoyed the football game and am looking forward to the video and pics. Hope you've finished that crossword by the time you read this, Jono; I don't reckon I'll ever finish the cryptic one!

[Dinos Sfyris]

What a cracking day! I was so exhausted that I think I almost slipped into a coma on the train home! Possibly best co-event yet. Was great to see everyone again and finally meet the Kai clan in the flesh. Great job organising it all Ben, and of course Ben's mum for putting on a lovely spread Also the standard of competitors was so high. I think myself, Kirk, Paul and Kai were all in contention for the crown right up until the final conundrum. My cup's going in the living room display cabinet for now but may end up at Emma's at some point. Cheers to Karen for the wine. Not opened it yet. Will probably save it til after exams. Hope everyone got home ok.

Nothing further to report, except that Innis is pretty normal in the face

[Richard Priest]

Fantastic day, really enjoyed it, great to meet up with everyone again and meet a few new faces too. And every credit to Ben and his mum for the time and effort they put into it all.

[Jon O'Neill]

Highlight of the day would probably be Jono's failed attempt to jump over a fence to retrieve his football.

Actually, I don't think it can be described as a failure. Although I landed in a heap, I certainly landed on the right side of the fence. I feel a bit guilty that we nicked that ball from some garden, then left it in yet another garden. Oh well, we're not going back for another year anyway.

Sadly I wasn't recording when he did this but I do quite a bit of the football match so if no one has any objections to me sticking it online somewhere I can do just that in a efw days- along, of course, with some photos.

Definitely do this. Especially if you have my spectacular link-up play with Dinos, including my diving-headed goal.

Fantastic day, really enjoyed it, great to meet up with everyone again and meet a few new faces too. And every credit to Ben and his mum for the time and effort they put into it all.

Agree with all of this.

Hope you've finished that crossword by the time you read this, Jono; I don't reckon I'll ever finish the cryptic one!

I just went to sleep, to be honest.

Great to meet up with everyone, both those I'd met before, and a number of fresh faces.

Yep. There is always a steady stream of new faces to join the (ahem) old ones. The standard across all players was especially high today. Very good to see. Well done everybody.

Possibly best co-event yet.

[Junaid Mubeen]

Excellent day, thanks to all involved, especially Ben and Mother Ben for running things so smoothly.

I loved the 15 round format and was left gasping for more at the end. Congrats Dinos on a sparkling performance, beating Kirk and Paul Howe certainly makes that trophy well earned.

Good to see the Laddimans in action...with the younger models offering the vocal support. SUBEDITOR was surely spot of the day by Kai. Nice one.

Lastly, well done Paul Howe for ousting me on that 6 small numbers game. One of the two numbers I missed the whole day and it just so happens that the only person in the room to get it is my opponent, who then goes on to win the game as a result. Such is Countdown.

Bring on CoBris!

[Kirk Bevins]

I must add my thanks formally to Ben and his mother for organising the event yet again.

The 15 round format is awesome and I'm so glad it was implemented (but I must remember next year not to turn up still drunk, after going to bed at 4am, with a headache as start of a hangover).

What's next is a COLIN-style event 15 round tournament with everybody playing different 15 rounders for more exciting reviews to read.

A cracking day with cracking weather once again, even if my back did decide to suddenly die and I could hardly walk or bend. Argh, such is life.

[Ben Wilson]

It's come to my attention that some people are having difficulty accessing the website, so I'm posting full round-by-round results here.

R1
Howe, Paul 86 Laddiman, Callum 52 34
Vanniasingham, Dan 79 Gordon, Stewart 41 38
O'Neill, Jon 79 Priest, Richard 89 -10
Laddiman, Kai 93 Pearson, Karen 76 17
Fisher, Lee 23 Mubeen, Junaid 104 -81
Evans, Barry 76 Bevins, Kirk 79 -3
Morgan, Jack 58 Sfyris, Dinos 94 -36
Somerset, Howard 53 Brown, Mike 77 -24

R2
Mubeen, Junaid 113 Evans, Barry 60 53
Bevins, Kirk 110 Fisher, Lee 48 62
Sfyris, Dinos 98 Somerset, Howard 65 33
Brown, Mike 83 Howe, Paul 94 -11
Laddiman, Callum 72 Vanniasingham, Dan 95 -23
Gordon, Stewart 79 O'Neill, Jon 92 -13
Priest, Richard 94 Laddiman, Kai 102 -8
Pearson, Karen 106 Morgan, Jack 67 39

R3
Howe, Paul 94 Sfyris, Dinos 120 -26
Vanniasingham, Dan 104 Mubeen, Junaid 114 -10
O'Neill, Jon 121 Pearson, Karen 54 67
Laddiman, Kai 100 Bevins, Kirk 107 -7
Priest, Richard 113 Brown, Mike 75 38
Fisher, Lee 47 Laddiman, Callum 88 -41
Morgan, Jack 22 Evans, Barry 85 -63
Somerset, Howard 81 Gordon, Stewart 79 2

R4
Mubeen, Junaid 80 Howe, Paul 83 -3
Bevins, Kirk 93 Vanniasingham, Dan 72 21
Sfyris, Dinos 75 Laddiman, Kai 101 -26
Brown, Mike 76 O'Neill, Jon 89 -13
Laddiman, Callum 80 Somerset, Howard 75 5
Gordon, Stewart 84 Morgan, Jack 53 31
Evans, Barry 84 Fisher, Lee 67 17
Pearson, Karen 85 Priest, Richard 96 -11

R5
Howe, Paul 108 Priest, Richard 49 59
Vanniasingham, Dan 91 Sfyris, Dinos 113 -22
O'Neill, Jon 101 Laddiman, Kai 110 -9
Bevins, Kirk 101 Mubeen, Junaid 97 4
Gordon, Stewart 73 Brown, Mike 92 -19
Evans, Barry 102 Laddiman, Callum 79 23
Morgan, Jack 67 Fisher, Lee 58 9
Somerset, Howard 79 Pearson, Karen 85 -6

R6
Mubeen, Junaid 103 O'Neill, Jon 78 25
Laddiman, Kai 83 Howe, Paul 95 -12
Sfyris, Dinos 93 Bevins, Kirk 85 8
Brown, Mike 81 Vanniasingham, Dan 98 -17
Laddiman, Callum 50 Pearson, Karen 94 -44
Priest, Richard 103 Evans, Barry 50 53
Fisher, Lee 58 Gordon, Stewart 93 -35
Somerset, Howard 66 Morgan, Jack 77 -11

Agreed on SUBEDITOR being spot of the day incidentally- amazing stuff from the older Laddiman. I have a full record of the rounds still on my laptop so they'll be posted at some point, along with any niners that I can remember being spotted.

Also I should point out that when Jono went for his diving header the ball was three feet away from the goal and slowly rolling towards it already.

[Jon O'Neill]

Lastly, well done Paul Howe for ousting me on that 6 small numbers game. One of the two numbers I missed the whole day and it just so happens that the only person in the room to get it is my opponent, who then goes on to win the game as a result. Such is Countdown.

I got this as well you numpty. But well done for smashing me in game 6.

Also I should point out that when Jono went for his diving header the ball was three feet away from the goal and slowly rolling towards it already.

Outrageous.

What's next is a COLIN-style event 15 round tournament with everybody playing different 15 rounders for more exciting reviews to read.

Not convinced about this. It will take a lot longer, as you're effectively playing nine games each, instead of six. Plus, I think we should keep that volatility for the main tournament. Just my opinion though.

[Kirk Bevins]

What's next is a COLIN-style event 15 round tournament with everybody playing different 15 rounders for more exciting reviews to read.

Not convinced about this. It will take a lot longer, as you're effectively playing nine games each, instead of six. Plus, I think we should keep that volatility for the main tournament. Just my opinion though.

Change it so there are just 2 people to a table then and either of you can do DC - it's not hard to pick your own cards. The only problem comes with conundrums but you could put your hand up and the organiser (Ben?) could come round and turn one over and spend 30 seconds at your table. Would work lovely.

[Ben Wilson]

What's next is a COLIN-style event 15 round tournament with everybody playing different 15 rounders for more exciting reviews to read.

Not convinced about this. It will take a lot longer, as you're effectively playing nine games each, instead of six. Plus, I think we should keep that volatility for the main tournament. Just my opinion though.

Change it so there are just 2 people to a table then and either of you can do DC - it's not hard to pick your own cards. The only problem comes with conundrums but you could put your hand up and the organiser (Ben?) could come round and turn one over and spend 30 seconds at your table. Would work lovely.

I would want to trial this first. CoNot was intended effectively as a trial of the 15R format for a real-life tourney and we lost an hour off the time. I'll take a poll for COLIN nearer to the time.

[Ben Wilson]

By popular demand...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTvgdH-0AHM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoZ1ivOQW8c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTyGTUjqhSI

[Mike Brown]

By popular demand...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTvgdH-0AHM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoZ1ivOQW8c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTyGTUjqhSI

Cheers for that, Ben, great stuff. Pity, though, that we didn't get to see Jono's kamikaze leap over the fence!

[Karen Pearson]

Thanks Ben for a great day. Really well organised. And thanks to Jill (Gill), Ben's mum, for superb refreshments all day. She worked tirelessly to keep us fed and watered.

And, even better, is the fact that I didn't come even nearly last!! Maybe the practice is paying off gradually.

Congrats to Dinos on winning the event and the wine spot prize and to Kai for winning the Celebrations spot prize (thank goodness Kai didn't win the wine!).

[Dinos Sfyris]

(thank goodness Kai didn't win the wine!).

I bet Mrs Kai begs to differ

I absolutely loved the 15 round format as well. As for individual games vs Countgen for all I'm actually in the latter camp as I think its a great atmosphere for everyone to be able to play along in the same game. That way we can applaud awesome numbers solutions and words like SUBEDITOR and NAPOLEON.

[Dinos Sfyris]

Just watched the footie videos. Epic goal from Jono. I reckon that one will be replayed on Sky Sports for years to come! Also when the ball goes over the fence there's a massive sigh from everyone and evident deep disappointment on our faces as we all walk back!

[Kai Laddiman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTvgdH-0AHM 0:44

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoZ1ivOQW8c 0:46

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTyGTUjqhSI 1:22 and 3:46

Amazing first experience there, so glad I came.

A few points:

I am dead pleased that I (supposedly) got all the 9s available

In my game against the Howinator, we both had SUAVEST, but he'd written SAUVEST, and he disallowed his word. If he hadn't, he'd have won the tourney

Also happy to have won the Celebrations

Both of my losses, to Howinator and Bevan, were on crucial conundrums I'm kicking myself about

I beat Mr Saurus

Thanks to everyone for making it such a great time, especially Neb and Mrs Neb. Loved it.

[Paul Howe]

Great day as always, massive thanks to Ben and Jill for organising everything. Was good to see everyone again and to meet a couple of new faces from apterous. Congrats to Dinos for his awesome performance, and hard luck to Kirk for losing out on the final conundrum again *snigger*

Still stoked about beating Junaid at 6 small, especially as I was otherwise pretty awful at the numbers. There were powerful karmic forces at work though, and I immediately handed him back 14 points by missing a fairly easy 7 and writing down the wrong letters in the round after that.

I think the 15-round format worked well, the games at COLIN are quicker as there's no need to check solutions from the entire room, so I'm not sure it would be a big problem time wise. I still quite like the romance of the 9-round game though. Number one request from me would be to take advantage of everyone playing the same letters and use Countgen if possible, but I appreciate that requires an available laptop.

[Dan Vanniasingham]

Belated post from me echoing what was already said (much easier this way). Getting to play 6 different top players is a challenge but also a pleasure, and Ben is the unrivalled master of running these tournaments - with Jill the queen of the kitchen (that lunch was superb).

Always good to have a team effort on the quiz machine in the pub afterwards too, until a "Famous People" round on Hex throws up _ U _ / _ I _ S O N and brings back painful recent memories.

I'm looking forward to Cobris, if it happens, and if there's strong demand for a London/SE based event then I know a few of us could be willing to give it a go.

[Naomi Laddiman]

(thank goodness Kai didn't win the wine!).

I bet Mrs Kai begs to differ .

Too right, I would have enjoyed drinking that!

Thanks for organising a thoroughly enjoyable day Ben, and to his mum for all her hard work, especially keeping Harry and Max quiet and happy by feeding them with cakes, sweets and crisps all day! It was good to see some familiar faces again, as well as meeting some new ones. Congratulations to Dinos, and well done to Karen who represented us women excellently!

[Matt Morrison]

any CONOT photo albums kicking about on Facebook?

[Dinos Sfyris]

any CONOT photo albums kicking about on Facebook?

Yeah Naomi posted about 6 or 7 nice pics

[Matt Morrison]

any CONOT photo albums kicking about on Facebook?

Yeah Naomi posted about 6 or 7 nice pics

Link me Dean. I'm interested in visions.

[Dinos Sfyris]

any CONOT photo albums kicking about on Facebook?

Yeah Naomi posted about 6 or 7 nice pics

Link me Dean. I'm interested in visions.

Here you go