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Saturday arrived, and I was quite looking forward to six eleven
point matches, the traditional Swiss Format tournament style. Win
lose or draw it looked like a full weekend was ahead. After
registration, I had a very brief wait, and my first opponent was
Larry Bennett.
I got off to a very good start, winning my match 11-1 in just 45
minutes. This meant I had a bit of a wait for the next round, but
I just wandered around the rooms, watching the other competitors.
By about 2.45 I knew my next opponent, none other than BG in
London’s Vicky Pemberton.
As good as my match with Larry was, this was turning into a
complete nightmare, and after about 30 minutes I found myself 9-0
down. The time for any sort of caution was long gone, and as soon
as the next match started I offered a double. I figured the odds
of clawing back a victory were so small, I might as well lose 11-0
as drag it out further. As it turns out, I gammoned Vicky to make
it 9-4. Things looked a little better, but still far from rosy.
The next game started, and after a dozen or so rolls I doubled
again, and Vicky took it. Twenty rolls later I gammoned her again,
making the score 9-8.
At this stage I am sure Vicky was a little shocked, but she was
still just two points from victory. As the game progressed, I
doubled once more, this time winning a single game, making the
score 10-9 in my favour. We headed into the Crawford game with
some trepidation. Vicky won this game, taking us to DMP.
The final game was a real cat and mouse affair, and luckily for
me, my mouse evaded her cat most of the time, and I scrapped
through with a few checkers to spare. Vicky was a little shell
shocked at events, and reality I was too, so we went and calmed
our nerves with late afternoon beer.
I didn’t have long to wait to find out my next opponent, none
other than the good Mr Pemberton, the very man who put me out of
the last tournament. Since January I have had the pleasure of
playing Stewart three times, and one each occasion they have been
very close, and sadly for me, 100% victorious for Stewart.
This match was no different, and after a good two hours we reached
9-9. Within a few rolls of the next game I felt I had the upper
hand, and offered a double, which Stewart took, effectively making
another DMP. Slowly but surely I clawed my way ahead, and
eventually won the match 11-9. From my perspective a double
victory over a very worthy opponent.
So end of day one with a 3 out of 3.
Before I continue, I have to tell you about my goal setting. I am
a highly competitive person, and like to set myself challenging
goals. My goal for a Swiss format was 3 out of six for the
weekend. I figured even if I got slaughtered on Sunday my first
goal had been met. My other goal was to finish in the top 20 for
the year, based on 10 attendances, and on that count we will have
to wait and see.
Sunday started with Mick Vacarey. Playing Mick was a challenge, as
the first four games were all back games. I don’t dislike back
games, but they usually turn into endurance events, and once in a
while can be quite fun. Mick started well, taking an early lead,
but then I decided to fight fire with fire and entered into two
deliberate back games, which lead to a 6-2 lead. The next game was
a bit of a disaster, leading to comprehensive backgammon,
thankfully with the cube only on one!!
This took us to 6-5, and Mick at this point said he wanted /
needed a celebratory beer. I little breather from my perspective
didn’t go amiss, and about 5 minutes later we got started again.
Once more Mick launched into another back game, but at this point
the dice gods truly smiled on me. Back games usually rely on
constant hitting and a gradual improvement of ones home board.
More often than not, they do not cope well with big doubles, and
certainly not with repeated big doubles.
Early on in the match, I felt my early doubles were helping, and I
doubled. Mick seized the chance, probably anticipating a repeat
backgammon from the last game. Within 10 rolls he re-cubed and I
took it. Pretty much from that point forward, my regular
subscription to “lucky bastards monthly” payed off with a series
of incredible doubles.
As stated earlier, Mick’s board could not stand this, and about 8
rolls later I gammoned Mick on a 4 cube, finishing the match 14-5
in my favour. If Vicky was shocked to lose 11-10, then Mick looked
stunned to lose an 8 pointer in such rapid fashion.
Four out of four, and then silly thoughts crept into my head. I
started telling myself that maybe I could win the event. Luckily
my sensible head also kicked in and told me not to be so silly, as
all the really really good people were left and I was about to get
my come uppance.
Ok, onto round five and enter Tony Fawcett. I have say that I
thoroughly enjoyed playing Tony. He made the experience great,
with loads of light hearted banter and after an hour or so we
found ourselves at 8-8. Next match was a quick one with me
offering a double which was refused. 9-8. Next game went the same
way, and so onto another Crawford. This one was another slow
grind, but slowly I made progress and ultimately won through. At
this point I found out I was the only 5 out of 5 remaining.
It has to be said at this point all sorts of emotions were running
through my head. Could I really do 6 out of 6? Was I just being
romantic. It was all a bit academic, as I didn’t even know who my
last partner was to be, as some of the fourth round matches were
still being played. I estimated I had at least a 2 hour wait. In
reality it became nearer 4 hours.
My final opponent of the weekend was to be Peter Christmas. Peter
had just lost a gruelling match with Bill Spiers, and looked a
shattered man. I hoped, just quietly that it might affect his
play. We got underway once Mike Crane had set up his video camera
to capture all of my undoubted forthcoming errors, and then he
would have plenty to analyse in next month’s magazine.
Within 3-4 rolls Peter said that it was time to get the show on
the road, as we didn’t want to be here all night, and as such
doubled me. I took it as I saw that the game was practically 50/50
anyway. About a dozen rolls later I re-cubed to 4 which Peter
took. A few rolls later, contact was broken and at this point the
dice gods deserted Peter completely. Rather than blessing me with
countless doubles, the gods poured onto Peter a series or 2-1 and
3-1’s just when he needed to run for home.
Peter utilised every last pip count and built up an impressive
collection of at least 10 checkers on his six point. Sadly it
wasn’t enough and I gammoned him to take an 8-0 lead in the final.
A very quick second game took us to 8-1 when I dropped a dodgy
position. I also thought that I needed to protect my 8-0 lead,
having seen what can happen with my match with Vicky.
For a few rolls I started to play very cautiously, and then
realised the fundamental error, and quickly reverted to my normal
mode of play. Given the huge difference in score I waited until I
felt I had a very strong position in the game and cubed, fully
expecting a drop. Peter took it, and subsequently lost a single
game. 10-1 and Crawford loomed.
The final game was something of an anti climax. I established a
reasonable position, nothing too threatening, and then the dice
gods returned with two or three very nice big doubles. That kind
of finished things off, and in a very gentlemanly fashion Peter
conceded the final game. Twenty five minutes and my whirlwind
tournament was over.
Six out six. I could hardly believe it. I am still a bit shocked.
Winning a BIBA event at all makes me extremely proud. Looking at
the statistics, not many people do it, so I am now in that gang.
Winning 6 out of 6 at a Swiss apparently doesn’t happen that often
so I guess I am pretty pleased about that too. I must say that I
am kind of inspired now to do it again. I might even enter the
winner takes all prize fund next time!!!
What I do know is that to win such an event takes luck. Either
good luck on your behalf, as with my match against Mick, or even
repeated bad luck as with Peter.
May the dice be you.
John
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