c4countdown

Hi all

Before the next COOT, I'm organising a small online knock-out along the same lines as the ABSP Masters scrabble tourney- an elite competition for top players. An insane amount of the current top players play online- not least our latest octochamp Mr. O'Donnell- so I decided, why not pit them against each other in an orgy of Countdownness? The twist is though, there will be wild card places, so if you want in on the action (even if you're as crap as Soo Reams), you will have that chance!

The format is simple enough- quarter-finals will be a straight 15-rounder, whilst semi-finals will be a best of 3, and the final a best of 5.

So far confirmed masters are- Conor Travers, Jon O'Neill, Mark Tournoff, Paul Howe.

Wild card places will be decided by a speedy knock-out competition- if you want in, simply drop your name in below.

Yes please, I would like to appear in my own tournament.

What an excellent idea. I love the online competitions even though I tend to suck the big one, especially against Corby: anyone else picking up on the homo-erotic subtext?

I hereby register for one of the 'speedy knock-outs' that determines entry in this prestigious event and fair play to you mate for taking on the onerous task of organising another online event.

PS I hope Julian Fell and Mark Tournoff are entering.

PPS I wonder if Paul Gallen would enter, I shall ask him.

PPS Julian told me that having msn slowed his computer down, my brother told me that you can configure your start-up so that msn is not loaded automatically, thereby making it no inconvenience at all.

PPPS Is Craig entering?

PPPPS Is this enough postscripts?

Sorry to deprive you of the chance to beat me David but I've already declined Ben's invitation, with apologies - I can hardly compete with the best with only one month's regular practice behind me. Paul G has been invited but I don't know if Ben's heard back from him. Thanks for advice re MSN, I'll look at that when there's a less daunting online tournament to take part in!

I will of course read the results / breakdown of matches in this one with great interest. Blimey Ben, best of three 15-round games for the semis, and best of five for the final? I was hoping all the games would be 15 rounds, but I didn't think you were going to go to those lengths! It'll be a hassle for you to organize, as David said, so good on you for having the idea and taking on the responsibility...

Compared to getting COOT going in a forward direction, this should be a doddle- only four games to worry about at any one time as opposed to the about 15 beforehand, and quarter-finals played before qualifying rounds in some places. :-/ The speedy knock-out will have to be a little more vicious though- given that COMA proper starts around the end of the month.

Here's one for David-

P.S. No and yes, in that order. Read my first post a little more carefully. Julian's invitation still stands, though...

P.P.S. He's been invited but declined, more's the pity. (wuss)

P.P.P.S. Cool.

P.P.P.P.S. He's been invited but hasn't given me a firm answer yet.

P.P.P.P.P.S. See below

P.P.P.P.P.P.S. No it isn't.

Can I watch?

I'll certainly have a go yes

Martin

Yeah why not, prob get beaten badly but its worth a shot, can do most weeknights after 6pm apart from Thursday.

TH

First of all, thanks to Ben for the invitation to play in this tournament. I have moved into Scrabble now and after finally stopping playing Oxford phonies (i hope!) after 2 years, playing Countdown again would not be a good idea! I am still trying to dilute the Oxford dictionary out of me. I am enjoying playing Scrabble at the moment and after 10 years of watching Countdown, I am enjoying the change. I still try and watch the programme but this has become more infrequent due to work- however I still try to catch it whenever a good player has been on- I enjoyed Craig's and David's great performances on the programme.
Also want to say a big thanks to Jono, David, Julian and many others who have said a lot of nice things about me on the forum- it's really appreciated. Incidentally, I'm liking the new forum- has freshened up things a bit which is always good.
Good luck to all the participants in COMA.

Paul

That's a pity, Paul, but on the other hand it does I mean I have a genuine shot at best placed competitor from Northern Ireland.

ben_wilson wrote:The twist is though, there will be wild card places, so if you want in on the action (even if you're as crap as Soo Reams), you will have that chance!

I'd like to have a go.

If I have msn by then, then hell yeah I'd love to get knocked out in the first round!

Re Ben's earlier comments about COOT - yes I remember what a hassle it was to get everybody to play their games on time when I organized an online tourney back in the summer of 2004 (which has now been given the amusing acronym 'JOLT'), and that was with only 12 people taking part. How many players usually take part in COOTs?

Also I hear (from Charlie) that in past COOTs, players have been free to decide between themselves whether to play over 9 rounds or 15 rounds... seems a bit daft to me, surely every game in a tourney should stick to the same format? I hope future COOTs will do...

Julian wrote:Also I hear (from Charlie) that in past COOTs, players have been free to decide between themselves whether to play over 9 rounds or 15 rounds... seems a bit daft to me, surely every game in a tourney should stick to the same format? I hope future COOTs will do...

Coot III definitely had fixed-format games, and given the ear-bashing Jono's been giving me about the formats, I imagine IV will do as well.

Deadline for wild card entries is Sunday night, incidentally, after which Charlie's speedy knock-out will commence (I'll leave him to go into more detail about that).

Count me in for the wild card place, despite my hatred of online events.

Presuming that it's possible, I'm free pretty much all of next week as cannon fodder for the wild card tournament, it'll make my procrastinating when I should be working feel more productive!

(do I need to do anything?)

No need to do anything yet, I'll contact you on Monday. I'll hold the "draw" on MSN and post the results here.

What is this? Can I play please?

Yes. Anyone else?

Charlie Reams wrote:Yes. Anyone else?

Cool, am I a Master or do I have to play in the retards section?

Corby wrote:Cool, am I a Master or do I have to play in the retards section?

oi!



(not retards, just 'differently abled')

You have to play in the retards section.

ooh, since I'm disabled I get 25% extra time in my exams - can I have an extra 7.5 seconds in every round please?

You can have Jeffrey Hansford sitting next to you to write down your answers.

Deal.

Michael Wallace wrote:ooh, since I'm disabled I get 25% extra time in my exams - can I have an extra 7.5 seconds in every round please?

What is your disability Michael?

Corby wrote:What is your disability Michael?

I'm registered as visually impaired (my eyesight is marginal for that, but I'm blind in my left eye, which helps, so to speak), not sure I can blame it for my countdown performance though...

I already have a 3 hour exam in April, I don't want it to be 3 hrs 45 minutes !

Martin

Martin Gardner wrote:I already have a 3 hour exam in April, I don't want it to be 3 hrs 45 minutes !

Martin

Try not to gouge your left eye out then.

Martin Gardner wrote:I already have a 3 hour exam in April, I don't want it to be 3 hrs 45 minutes !

Each June for the 3 years of my undergraduate degree I had to do that - 4 days of 3 and 3/4 hours maths exams *shudder*

The current line up is:

Ben Pugh
Charlie Reams
David O'Donnell
Dinos Sfyris
Jon Corby
Kirk Bevins
Martin Gardner
Michael Wallace
Tom Hargreaves

If you'd like to take part, you have approximately 5 hours to post here. Likewise any late dropouts, please help me out by letting me know sooner rather than later.

There are currently 4 wildcard slots. Assuming that remains the case, there will be one preliminary game (between two unfortunates) to eliminate one person, and the remaining eight will be drawn into 4 random games. The winner of each game will qualify. That's about as simple as I can make it given the odd number of entrants.

If the number of Masters increases to 5 then things would be a lot easier, hint hint Craig!

Bugger! What are the chances that I'll have Corby putting me out of yet another tourney?

Have Chris W and Craig B turned the invitation down Ben, or just not got back to you?

Fraid I'll have to drop out Not got msn up and running yet cos I'm a technospaz. N'mind I'll be sure to join in next un

Julian wrote:Have Chris W and Craig B turned the invitation down Ben, or just not got back to you?

Not heard back from them yet, will be chasing them up tomorrow. If they're both unavailable, I may bring in some reserves rather than open up 4 wild card places- but obviously I'd rather it didn't come to that.

Sorry I just don't have the time and energy for it.

Corby wrote:

Martin Gardner wrote:I already have a 3 hour exam in April, I don't want it to be 3 hrs 45 minutes !

Martin

Try not to gouge your left eye out then.

FFS, as you can see this message was originally posted before Friday's show.

What are the f***ing chances of that, eh?

Okay, so the final eight are set and the draw was performed online by Ben Wilson using set of balls number 21, under close invigilation from Tom Hargreaves (who may or may not have been paying attention.) The line up is as follows:

Ben Pugh starts against Kirk Bevins
Michael Wallace starts against David O'Donnell
Tom Hargreaves starts against Charlie Reams
Jon Corby starts against Martin Gardner

All games must be played by midnight Friday. Anyone who hasn't played by then forfeits. See the other threads for possible hosts and suchlike. If you get enough notice, post here so people can log on and watch you play, but that's optional. Games are 9 rounds in the normal format.

Some great games, even in the qualifying stages! Could people post when they are playing so I can either offer my services or just observe. At least I didn't get Corby -- he's my nemesis in online Countdown.

I just played my game with Tom. I took a lead in the first round with TOADISH, which I maintained to the conundrum despite missing TAPIOCA and BAROUCHES (whatever that is.) However he nailed me by solving STAGDROOP in one second to take the game. Well played Tom, good luck against the greats!

Bad luck, Charlie. I wouldn't feel too bad since even Craig had bother with that conundrum! Well done, Tom, but shouldn't you be considered a master already?

Michael and I shall be playing tomorrow night at 9pm, can someone volunteer to host?

Charlie Reams wrote:However he nailed me by solving STAGDROOP in one second to take the game.

That was on TV very recently.

http://thecountdowncorral.com/cd/recap.asp?recap=1237

David O'Donnell wrote:Michael and I shall be playing tomorrow night at 9pm, can someone volunteer to host?

I hopefully can, providing I don't forget.

Is it possible to watch?

Ben Pugh wrote:

Charlie Reams wrote:However he nailed me by solving STAGDROOP in one second to take the game.

That was on TV very recently.

http://thecountdowncorral.com/cd/recap.asp?recap=1237

Oops- for what it's worth, I didn't actually see that show or conundrum- the one online was originally going to be ARTHROPOD but I then changed it, and by some minor miracle came up with exact same scramble Michael (or whoever's in charge of conundra nowadays) did when he set the conundrum!

Ben, when are you free? I am a bit busy this week but will be on msn in certain daytimes (what is your msn address? mine is bevins_69@hotmail.com - dont send email there as i dont check it), such as Tuesday day time and Thursday day time. Evenings are busy this week with darts and getting drunk (as it's half term)

David O'Donnell wrote:Michael and I shall be playing tomorrow night at 9pm, can someone volunteer to host?

I'll be around too, I'll ask Martin to come online as well and we can get our game out of the way afterwards too if somebody would be kind enough to host...

Kirk Bevins wrote:Ben, when are you free? I am a bit busy this week but will be on msn in certain daytimes (what is your msn address? mine is bevins_69@hotmail.com - dont send email there as i dont check it), such as Tuesday day time and Thursday day time. Evenings are busy this week with darts and getting drunk (as it's half term)

Thursday daytime is the best time for me.

I can host your game, Jon. I already have the conundra prepared.

Ben Pugh wrote:Is it possible to watch?

Of course! Just come online at 9 or a little before, say "hi" to me and I'll invite you. When are you playing Kirk? That should be interesting.

I guess thursday daytime some time but I don't know Ben's msn address? Can you post it here please Mr Pugh?

David O'Donnell wrote:I can host your game, Jon. I already have the conundra prepared.

Cheers mate. If you could let me know the conundrum in advance like you usually do, that would be pretty helpful too.

Corby wrote:

David O'Donnell wrote:I can host your game, Jon. I already have the conundra prepared.

Cheers mate. If you could let me know the conundrum in advance like you usually do, that would be pretty helpful too.

Yeah, no bother. Remember to buzz in after a couple of seconds this time, a few players got suspicious last time when you unravelled the conundrum before I had a chance to reveal the scramble.

David O'Donnell wrote:I can host your game, Jon. I already have the conundra prepared.

The plural of "conundrum" is "conundrums". (According to the ODE.)

Conor wrote:The plural of "conundrum" is "conundrums". (According to the ODE.)

Yeah, but Malcolm has proved elsewhere that the ODE is UTTER TURD.

Conor wrote:

David O'Donnell wrote:I can host your game, Jon. I already have the conundra prepared.

The plural of "conundrum" is "conundrums". (According to the ODE.)

I was employing 'conundra' in the sense of a procul este profani type thing.... obviously

David O'Donnell wrote:
I was employing 'conundra' in the sense of a procul este profani type thing.... obviously

Ah, quite.

I've created an address just for online Countdown, which is mgcountdown@hotmail.fr (I was logged onto the French MSN site at the time I registered) I don't really mind putting it on here as it's only for Countdown anyway. What time is the online Countdown tonight?

Martin