The other night in Apto-Chat Aidan Linge mentioned to me that they had had a huge discussion about the 1,000 club and that the consensus was that it is highly unlikely to happen. My opinion… the 1,000 club will be founded before Series 100, and possibly before Series 80.
Here’s the reasoning:-
1. Since the establishment of Apterous as the ultimate training ground, the top players have been able to scale higher heights. The composition of the 900 club attests to that.
2. The new 15 round format allows for higher average maxes per Octorun.
3. The recent flood of new eligible words since the switch to the ODO, increases the average max per Octorun yet again.
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To examine how much the average maxes have increased by I have done a rough & dirty analysis of the latest series (S75) compared to an earlier series (S55). I have split the first 96 heat games of S75 into 12 sets of 8 games (i.e. Potential Octoruns) and have also done a similar job with the 128 heat games of S55. I’ve worked out the maximums for each Octorun, and from that data have listed the highest and lowest octomaxes and also the average octomax per series. Here is that data…
Series 75
Potential Octorun #01. [6385-6392] = Max of 1025
Potential Octorun #02. [6393-6400] = Max of 1072
Potential Octorun #03. [6401-6408] = Max of 1029
Potential Octorun #04. [6409-6416] = Max of 1049
Potential Octorun #05. [6417-6424] = Max of 1051
Potential Octorun #06. [6425-6432] = Max of 1083
Potential Octorun #07. [6433-6440] = Max of 1060
Potential Octorun #08. [6441-6448] = Max of 1050
Potential Octorun #09. [6449-6456] = Max of 1077
Potential Octorun #10. [6457-6464] = Max of 1073
Potential Octorun #11. [6465-6472] = Max of 1093
Potential Octorun #12. [6473-6480] = Max of 1074
Highest max = 1093
Lowest max = 1025
Average max = 1061
Series 55
Potential Octorun #01. [4128-4135] = Max of 1048
Potential Octorun #02. [4136-4143] = Max of 990
Potential Octorun #03. [4144-4151] = Max of 1014
Potential Octorun #04. [4152-4159] = Max of 1066
Potential Octorun #05. [4160-4167] = Max of 997
Potential Octorun #06. [4168-4175] = Max of 1003
Potential Octorun #07. [4176-4183] = Max of 1037
Potential Octorun #08. [4184-4191] = Max of 1053
Potential Octorun #09. [4192-4199] = Max of 1013
Potential Octorun #10. [4200-4207] = Max of 1004
Potential Octorun #11. [4208-4215] = Max of 1050
Potential Octorun #12. [4216-4223] = Max of 1024
Potential Octorun #13. [4224-4231] = Max of 1014
Potential Octorun #14. [4232-4239] = Max of 1032
Potential Octorun #15. [4240-4247] = Max of 991
Potential Octorun #16. [4248-4255] = Max of 1011
Highest max = 1066
Lowest max = 990
Average max = 1022
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Then I turned my attention to the brightest and best that have ever competed… starting with the 900 club. Here are the members of the 900 club listed in chronological order. I’ve put dotted lines in to show:-
a) when the Apterous effect kicked in in earnest.
b) when the new 15 rounder was implemented.
c) when the dictionary switch to the expanded ODO was made.
[S48] Julian F. (924) = Max of 1015 [91%]
[S57] Craig B. (907) = Max of 987 [92%]
-----------------------apterous-----------------------
[S60] Kirk B. (925) = Max of 1031 [90%]
[S61] Andrew H. (930) = Max of 1077 [86%]
[S63] Jack H. (946) = Max of 1031 [92%]
[S64] Adam G. (903) = Max of 1044 [87%]
------------------new 15-rounder-------------------
[S68] Giles H. (965) = Max of 1060 [91%]
[S69] Glen W. (945) = Max of 1093 [87%]
[S69] Dylan T. (974) = Max of 1050 [93%]
[S69] Jen S. (952) = Max of 1024 [93%]
------------------expanded ODO-------------------
[S70] Mark M. (902) = Max of 1058 [85%]
[S71] Dan McC. (942) = Max of 1026 [92%]
[S72] Tom C. (927) = Max of 1011 [92%]
[S73] Jonathan W. (922) = Max of 1037 [89%]
[S73] Thomas C. (923) = Max of 1025 [90%]
[S74] Paul E. (925) = Max of 1056 [88%]
The above data shows:-
1. The 900 club has been far easier to access since Apterous has been around.
2. Since S68, there has been one entrant to the 900 club per series. (S75 being the exception that proves the rule!

3. Each of these competitors had the potential (assuming they maxed every game) of breaking the 1000 barrier… (Well, there is an exception to this too. Craig Beevers' octomax was a mere 987.)
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I also took a look at some other notable legends of the game who scored in the 700s and 800s. Here they are in series chronological order:-
[S47] Chris W. (875) = Max of 1085 [81%]
[S47] Tom H. (850) = Max of 1015 [84%]
[S50] Jim B. (756) = Max of 978 [77%]
[S50] Chris C. (858) = Max of 1045 [82%]
[S51] Sweyn K. (765) = Max of 972 [79%]
[S52] Paul G. (846) = Max of 1010 [84%]
[S54] Jon C. (856) = Max of 1024 [84%]
[S54] Matthew S. (850) = Max of 1037 [82%]
[S54] Conor T. (890) = Max of 1021 [87%]
[S55] Steven Briers. (843) = Max of 1043 [81%]
[S55] Richard B. (820) = Max of 1037 [79%]
[S58] David O’D. (880) = Max of 995 [88%]
[S59] Martin B. (809) = Max of 972 [83%]
-----------------------apterous-----------------------
[S60] Neill Z. (758) = Max of 974 [78%]
[S61] Chris D. (892) = Max of 1013 [88%]
[S61] Innis C. (861) = Max of 1011 [85%]
[S62] Oliver G. (802) = Max of 978 [82%]
[S63] Eoin M. (898) = Max of 1036 [87%]
[S64] Ed McC. (896) = Max of 979 [92%]
[S65] Mark D. (824) = Max of 998 [83%]
[S65] Graeme C. (813) = Max of 980 [83%]
[S66] Jonathan R. (850) = Max of 982 [87%]
[S66] Jack W. (818) = Max of 1030 [79%]
------------------new 15-rounder-------------------
[S68] Andy P. (889) = Max of 1036 [86%]
------------------expanded ODO-------------------
[S73] Stephen Briggs. (883) = Max of 1035 [85%]
[S74] Robin McK. (888) = Max of 1119 [79%]
[S74] Ann D. (884) = Max of 1069 [83%]
[S75] Martin H. (830) = Max of 1069 [78%]
[S75] Jamie W. (825) = Max of 1070 [77%]
[S75] Andrew M. (809) = Max of 1099 [74%]
[S75] Annie H. (775) = Max of 1058 [73%]
From this set of data, these trends interest me the most:-
1. The number of top talents who can achieve 85% or higher of the available max has more than doubled (you could argue, more than tripled) since the advent of apterous.
2. Since the switch to the ODO, it has become incredibly rare (has it even happened once?) that an octomax total is lower than 1000.
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Seeming as I’ve done the number crunching anyway, I suppose it’s time to indulge in a little statsturbation. Here are some fun Top 10s.
Top 10 players when arranged by Octototals:-
#1. [S69] Dylan T. (974) = Max of 1050 [93%]
#2. [S68] Giles H. (965) = Max of 1060 [91%]
#3. [S69] Jen S. (952) = Max of 1024 [93%]
#4. [S63] Jack H. (946) = Max of 1031 [92%]
#5. [S69] Glen W. (945) = Max of 1093 [87%]
#6. [S71] Dan McC. (942) = Max of 1026 [92%]
#7. [S61] Andrew H. (930) = Max of 1077 [86%]
#8. [S72] Tom C. (927) = Max of 1011 [92%]
#9. [S60] Kirk B. (925) = Max of 1031 [90%]
#10. [S74] Paul E. (925) = Max of 1056 [88%]
You have to feel some sympathy for Julian who fell out of the Top 10 earlier this year when Mr. Transude Transude pipped his total by 1pt.
Top 10 octoruns (using only the list of notable octoruns above) when arranged by the total max available:-
#1. [S74] Robin McK. (888) = Max of 1119 [79%]
#2. [S75] Andrew M. (809) = Max of 1099 [74%]
#3. [S69] Glen W. (945) = Max of 1093 [87%]
#4. [S47] Chris W. (875) = Max of 1085 [81%]
#5. [S61] Andrew H. (930) = Max of 1077 [86%]
#6. [S75] Jamie W. (825) = Max of 1070 [77%]
#7. [S74] Ann D. (884) = Max of 1069 [83%]
#8. [S75] Martin H. (830) = Max of 1069 [78%]
#9. [S68] Giles H. (965) = Max of 1060 [91%]
#10. [S70] Mark M. (902) = Max of 1058 [85%]
#10. [S75] Annie H. (775) = Max of 1058 [73%]
Robin’s crazily high max suggests that a mixture of prodigious skill and incredible luck *could* potentially lead to the founding of the 1100 club one day!
Do you see how many of those high maxes come from Series 70 or later? The 1000 club is unpopulated as yet, but the clock is ticking.
Most crucially, here are the top 10 players when arranged by percentage max achieved:-
#1. [S69] Jen S. (952) = Max of 1024 [93%]
#2. [S69] Dylan T. (974) = Max of 1050 [93%]
#3. [S57] Craig B. (907) = Max of 987 [92%]
#4. [S71] Dan McC. (942) = Max of 1026 [92%]
#5. [S63] Jack H. (946) = Max of 1031 [92%]
#6. [S72] Tom C. (927) = Max of 1011 [92%]
#7. [S64] Ed McC. (896) = Max of 979 [92%]
#8. [S68] Giles H. (965) = Max of 1060 [91%]
#9. [S48] Julian F. (924) = Max of 1015 [91%]
#10. [S73] Thomas C. (923) = Max of 1025 [90%]
Spare a thought for Kirk who misses this Top 10 by a whisker. He is tied with Thomas on 90% maxes, but as Thomas’s % is actually 90.0488% and Kirk’s is 89.7187%, Thomas takes 10th place.
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Final observations and conclusions:-
1. If you are looking at best Octorun ever, there is a strong argument to be made for queen of Countdowning, Jennifer Steadman. Her octomax percentage is fractionally higher than 2nd placed Dylan's.
2. You have to feel some sympathy for the many players (especially from older Series’) who were denied the potential of entering the 1000 club as their octomaxes were <1000. Notably Lee H, George G, Jim B, Sweyn K, Craig B, Michael MacD-C, David O’D, Martin B, Kai L, Neil Z, Oliver G, Ed McC, Mark D, Graeme C, Jonathan R.
3. Of those only Craig Beevers managed to join the 900 club, and only Beevers and Ed McCullagh managed to score in excess of 90% of the available max.
4. The greatest players have managed to operate at a 93% max rate.
5. Operating at 93% you would need the overall max to exceed 1077 to join the 1000 club.
6. It is not beyond the realms of possibility that someone of Julian Fell’s talent with Callum Todd’s Apto-training could operate at a 95% max rate in the future.
7. Operating at 95%, you would only need an available octomax of 1052 to join the 1000 club.
8. Given that the average octomax for the current series is 1061, surely the very first 1000 scorer (kilochamp?) is due to grace our screens before S80?
9. As it stands, if any of the 11 players who operated at 90% max or higher, had been fortunate enough to have a McKay-esque max of 1119, they would be in the 1000 club right now with an octototal of no lower than 1007pts.
10. The only exciting question left is who will it be??! If I were a betting man (and I often am!) my money would be on Matthew Brockwell or Zarte Siempre to be the first… with the likes of Stephen Read, Eddy Byrne, Robert Miller also in the frame.
11. You have to wonder if the potential accolade of founding the 1000 club might be enough to tempt the likes of James Nguyen, Robert Foster, Matt Bayfield, Jamie McNeill, Dale Levell, Matt Hall, Barry Bridger, Chris Hare, Toby Pereira etc etc etc (the list is not exhaustive) onto the show?
12. Or maybe the first member of the 1000 club is someone who has yet to discover the online community? All we can say for sure is… we are living in interesting times. A golden age of Countdowning… that has yet to reach a peak.
