Spoilers for Wednesday 18th June 2008

[JasonCullen]

Well today is the first semi-final with the number one seed David O'Donnell taking on plucky local lad Jonathan Coles . After fairly comfortable wins in the quarter finals for both these players we are in store for a decent game. But can Jonathan upset the odds and defeat the Irish titan? Or will Martin make it 5 out of 5 with his predictions if David wins? Only time will tell...

[Joseph Bolas]

David should win

[JasonCullen]

I had SAPONIN too

[Michael Wallace]

some awesome 4 tops selections coming out this week

[Dinos Sfyris]

I had SAPONIN too

As did I. In fact I've had exact same as David so far. I wonder if that woman in the news article that Damian submitted took Dr. Phil's advice and had a good fidget while watching Countdown!

[Joseph Bolas]

ATTORNED equaller

[JasonCullen]

I had HEAVE

[Michael Wallace]

well this is exciting

[Dinos Sfyris]

Can you have AUTISMS? ie different kinds of AUTISM?

[Joseph Bolas]

well this is exciting

Its going to come down to the conundrum by the looks of it.

[Michael Wallace]

I thought that numbers would get Jo(h?)nathon, but not DOD - must be the nerves!

[JasonCullen]

Its much closer than I would have expected beforehand

[Joseph Bolas]

I thought that numbers would get Jo(h?)nathon, but not DOD - must be the nerves!

I would've thought Jonathan is more nervous because David's declarations on the word rounds is making Jonathan supposedly take risks.

[Michael Wallace]

I thought that numbers would get Jo(h?)nathon, but not DOD - must be the nerves!

I would've thought Jonathan is more nervous because David's declarations on the word rounds is making Jonathan supposedly take risks.

True, but I'd imagine going into the finals as everyone's favourite (and I don't just mean we all <3 him) is pretty damn stressful too, and *then* to find yourself losing could just make things worse.

[Michael Wallace]

DOD needs to get lucky with the last numbers to avoid a crucial conundrum

COULD THIS BE ANY MORE EXCITING?

edit: looks like it'll be a crucial conundrum, then...

[Joseph Bolas]

3rd Numbers Alt: 75 + ((6 + 3 + 1) x 4)

[Joseph Bolas]

That was too close to call.

Well done David and well done Jonathan too for getting to the final 4.

[Michael Wallace]

so how much was DOD paid to make it that exciting?

seriously, that was quite awesome

[JasonCullen]

Its about time David was made to dig deep for his win . I've always wondered how David would cope under immense pressure but he's come through it. Well done David . By the way David, you only beat me by 7 points on this game because you beat me to the conundrum

[Dinos Sfyris]

Christ I know! I already knew the outcome and still sat on the edge of my seat. It was after this game that I met David and let me tell you he was shweating like a bitch!

[Joseph Bolas]

By the way David, you only beat me by 7 points on this game because you beat me to the conundrum

I normally find these harder conundrums solveable, but even I was beaten by David .

[JasonCullen]

This has arguably been the best match of the series. A really enthralling game in my opinion

[Michael Wallace]

oh and of course, well played Jonathon - that was a pretty awesome performance (second numbers aside), especially considering the opposition - certainly seemed to have stepped his game up from his preliminary games, too

[Karen Pearson]

Well done David. Excellent game.

BTW, could I have MULATTO in one of the rounds? Or have I got the letters wrong again?

[Dinos Sfyris]

Well done David. Excellent game.

BTW, could I have MULATTO in one of the rounds? Or have I got the letters wrong again?

Indeed you can Thats the only 7! I assume David was going for the E to make ULTIMATE for that last vowel. Ouch!

[Martin Gardner]

Yeah best game of the series for definite. Bravo to both of them to be honest, very high standard and a very close game.

Martin

[Peter Mabey]

3rd Numbers Alt: 75 + ((6 + 3 + 1) x 4)

A less-obvious alternative: (75-6)x(4+1)/3

[Richard Brittain]

Yeah, good game. I thought Jonathan was one of the likeliest out of all the seeds to beat DoD, and he came closer to doing it than I expected. A very impressive performance by him, well done. If he had put some time in ahead of the finals to improve his numbers skills, he might've gotten the second numbers round and won the game quite comfortably. He's shown himself to be probably the second best letters round contestant this series anyway, behind O'Donnell. Watching from the comfort of my home, I scored quite similarly to Jonathan, except that I managed to get 259 in that numbers round and ended up beating DoD by a few points without getting the conundrum (which was a very good spot by DoD). Overall, it was a pretty solid performance by David, not without one or two mistakes which you would expect anyone to make in a series finals match. Richard Priest and Peter Davies are both good players too and could potentially make DoD sweat again in the final, let's hope that happens.

[Jon Corby]

Holy crap that was exciting

Well done to both players for a great game!

I have to admit I feared for David as it neared a crucial conundrum, but he pulled it out of the bag.

Would have been a very worthy final, let's hope the standard stays that high for the rest of the week

[Martin Gardner]

I think I had the same as Jonathan in every round, including the conundrum (I mean I didn't get it)

Martin

[David O'Donnell]

Christ I know! I already knew the outcome and still sat on the edge of my seat. It was after this game that I met David and let me tell you he was shweating like a bitch!

My Granda didn't want to know the result beforehand but my aunt made an executive decision to tell him because he is 87 and it probably would have killed him. He was quite cross when she told him but thanked her afterwards.

[Julian Fell]

Yes just seen the game - really really well done to both players, fantastic play - and great to see both of you keeping on smiling and joking throughout the nerves, the lead changing hands, words being disallowed etc. Wish I could do that! It's great that David's shown his ability to win tight games against strong opponents, because he wasn't really stretched in his initial run. And he's won both his QF and his SF without the benefit of having the two numbers choices, so all the more kudos to you sir. I stick with my prediction that that's the hardest game David will have this series...

In terms of gameplay I find David a bit like Chris Wills (I'm not saying anything about personality, don't worry!) - although they miss gettable things (unlike, say, Beevers and Gallen), I always struggle playing 'against' them; again in this semi I would've beaten David in a few rounds but it would still have come down to a crucial conundrum (David I presume REFLUXES was the eight you were thinking of in the last letters round? I got that, and counted my scoring 'against' you as if you'd got it as well). It would have been a crucial conundrum between me and Jonathan too.

Also just out of interest David - you know in the round where you went for ULTIMATI - did you have a safe six or seven there? Just wondering (since I was stuck on five).

Despite what others have said, I didn't think the second numbers round was that easy (I missed it at home, of course... I missed the 807 too ), and I wouldn't call David's missing it a bad or surprising mistake, even if it had been an ordinary game, let alone a semi-final. But maybe that's just my low standards on the numbers?! Anyway, looking forward to the final...