Backgammon in the Park 2005

Following the success of last year I grabbed the same pitch in Clissold Park - in front of a big tree on the side of the Rose Garden. The big tree was the important bit to grab because it was going to be the hottest day of the year and the tree makes for a great glade of wood to play backgammon in. The Tentquee was erected (with some help from players and assistants) in front of the tree. 

This year I had Jessica, Scott and Alis with me. Jessica and Alis are my deceased girlfriends children and Scott is Jessica's boyfriend. Jessica is a Uni Vet student who was in London before flying off to Bolivia on Monday for 2 months to work in the Inti Wara Yassi Wildlife Refuge. She wanted some extra cash (doubtless to buy some wool while there) so she made a few things to sell and took on the catering department. 

It's a very simple format I use for these gigs - £1 entry, if you lose buy back in for another £1, maximum 16 player tournaments, probably running 5 or 6 tournaments though out the day, the winner of each tournament wins a book, anybody that enters gets a free glass of wine / soft drink in The Fox Reformed (sponsors of the event). This means players can dip in when they want and walk around the other attractions when knocked out. Seeing as the event is a bit like a Fair I decided this year to add in "enter 3 times and your 4th entry is a free one" which went down with the players. 

Play started a little late at 10.30 or so but, hay, this was a day in the park so nobody was too worried about that. Tournament 1 kicked off with 8 players and others joined as they arrived. Most were playing in the Tentquee but soon, as the temperature rose, players moved to tables under the tree. Jessica was sitting in the sun selling drinks to thirsty players. Tournament 2 kicked in and we were well and truly running smoothly. 

Dave Treacy took Tournament 1 and thus won a copy of Starting out in Backgammon donated and signed by the present Paul Lamford.

Tournament 3 had kicked in before Tournament 1 was completed, now all play was taking place in the glade and an ever redening Jessica had moved to the shade of the Tentquee. Some unfamiliar faces turned up and announced they used to play with their grandfather but couldn't remember the moves. No problem; they were found a table and a tutor in exchange for their email address. 

Tournament 4 had by now kicked and we had with us Dave Wainwright and Rob Goldsmith. I'm sure they are serious in their work but put them together outside and they are always up for some fun. A couple of years ago they turned up to StokeFest wearing Indian head gear. To keep tradition going they did had their head dresses with them again. Soon they found themselves competing in the Final of Tournament 4. They requested to play a 5 pointer instead of 3 pointer. As long as they were both happy to do so I saw no problem and off they set. It was Dave W who came away the winner and there is now a copy of Starting out in Backgammon waiting for him in The Fox Reformed. Congrats and thanx for being there the two of yous.    

So all the play was done, a grand day was had by all. Having drinks on site was wonderful, Jessica and Alis sold all the scones they had stayed up all night making and players helped take the Tentquee down before we went for our free drink in The Fox Reformed. 

Next year:
 This year Backgammon in the Park was present at the Stoke Newington Fete and not the StokeFest. So what's the difference ? StokeFest is the event that has been happening for over a decade and pulls in 5,000 to 25,00 people. The Stoke Newington Fete was set up in 2004 because the StokeFest Committee didn't get the funding from Hackney Council in time for the 2004 event and some Patrons in Stokey wanted something going on rather than nothing. Hat's off to them for that. 

This year the embarrassed StokeFest Committee secured their funding in time however the Stoke Newington Fete people didn't have the confidence that the StokeFest would actually happen so they ran the Stoke Newington Fete... just in case.

Daft if you ask me. Ok - I can understand that people within Stokey have different ideas on how things should run - Stokey wouldn't be Stokey if that kinds stuff didn't go down - but sorry Guys, there ain't no point having two gigs in the Park - make it 1 really good one. It's what your punters want and bottom line (below Stokey politics) is "give the punters what they want." 

Next year, if I do a Backgammon in the Park, it would be better placed in the StokeFest. The idea of this gig is to put backgammon on front of "home players" at a time when they are out and about looking for stuff to do. This year we had a really nice day out for 30 regular backgammon players but that ain't really the idea - this gig is to target new tournament players. About 40 of them. Put ourselves in front of 5,000 to 10,000 people and we can reasonably expect this to happen. Village Fete = 6 new players.