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72
Entries, 10 Tournaments, 50 Players, £2840 Prize Fund,
Romolo wins Jackpot.
I was expecting a quite night in Camden; A WSOB Satellite last week, BG
Live in London this weekend, more WSOB Satellites this weekend and next
week as well as the WSOB UK Masters in 10 days time. That's a lot of
backgammon in a short space of time. Yup, I was convinced it was hardly
worth me even running a Bg in Camden evening but it's billed as every 1st
Tuesday in the month so the show had to be put on for those that might
just turn up.
My thinking was, plain and simple, a blunder.
I saw the writing was on the wall when a massive 24 players put their
names down for the minimum £25 entry 8 player tournament. I took the entry
fee up to over £100 and still there were double figures of players
interested. I reminded players that this was a cash only entry tournament
and still they wouldn't drop out. When the entry fee raised to £150 I
re-called out the remaining players names and still nobody dropped out.
I wondered if they were collectively pulling my leg but they all looked
calm and composed. It was only when I got to £190 entry fee that we were
reduced to 8 players.
Monies (+ players £2 registration fee) were collected by Zoe, I did the
draw and moved on to the 16 players that had dropped out of the first
Auction. It wasn't until we got to a £70 entry fee that we reduced to 8
players. Again Zoe took entry fees, I did the draw and off they went to
play.
Now my attention turned to the remaining 8 who had now become 9 because I
allowed a late arrival to enter this new Auction. A £35 entry fee found us
down to 8 players, entry fees paid and off they too went to play.
Next I moved to the remaining players and a set fee of a £10 entry fees.
23 players stepped forward, handed over £12 each, a draw was done and we
had another 3 x 8 player tournaments running. 1 more player turned up
shortly after, was paired up with an opponent and at 7.45 pm I walked
around the Lockside Lounge and counted 24 matches in progress with £2600
being played for.
A quite little evening this month? Erm, I think not. The Bg in Camden
prize fund record shattered - I think so. Should those Money Players who
have thus far ignored Bg in Camden continue with this policy? They
are of course entitled to their ways but I would suggest that they might
wish to re-consider their practise.
That's not to say Bg in Camden is all about playing for big sums of money.
If that's what you wish to make it then that's what it can be. However if
you wish to play for just a few pounds or even no pounds then you can be
equally accommodated for too. We went on to have a total of 48
entrants at £10 this evening. A few other people played for no money at
all. With a large number of players it is very easy for me to find a
suitable opponent for all players.
Romolo was the winner of the 1st Tournament and I expect he'll now enter
the WSOB UK Masters next weekend with money to spare. Geoff Conn won the
2nd Tournament and will now only have to find a £20 note (if he didn't do
a split) in his pocket to enter The WSOB UK Masters, Peter B won T3 and
thus gained about half of his WSOB UK Masters entry fee. This BG in Camden
evening might not have been an official WSOB UK Masters Satellite event
but players used it as such and good luck to them. A further 7 tournaments
played means a further 7 players walked away from the evening with a smile
on their faces. Good for them too.
Given the amount of money being played for I was
ready for a number of T.D. decisions to be called for. Another blunder
Mike! Not a whisper in this department. The evening was very pleasant
indeed with everybody getting along in a cordial yet competitive manner.
Thank you all. The spirit in which Bg in Camden is set thrives.
Looking into the near future London is set top become the
focus of attention of the backgammon world over the next 2 weeks or so:
Backgammon
Live in London 2007 happens this weekend. It's pretty well fully
booked up but we have a few slots left. This 100 people event is designed
to bring new players into live play with an emphasis on the social side of
backgammon life though the standard of play is good. It also includes 2
seminars - one by Chris Bray who writes a column in The Independent
magazine every Saturday and has recently published his third backgammon
book. There will be upwards of 54 tournaments over the weekend as well as
a Backgammon Boat Trip to see a Fireworks Display. We have had to change
venues at the last minute but the show is still on the road and promises
to be as good if not better than in previous years.
There will be more WSOB
Satellites at the Casino at the Empire Leicester Square another at
Doggett's Bar, Blackfriars London SE1 on the afternoon / evening of
Sunday 11th November.
On Thursday 15th November the
WSOB UK Masters kicks off and carries on all weekend until the 18th of
November.
Then London will rest a while until the next Backgammon in Camden on
Tuesday 4th December. Roundabout that time there should be another
announcement to make to Londoners.
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