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Difference between revisions of "Chris Wills"

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'''Chris Wills''', the champion of [[Series 47]], is often considered the greatest all-round player in Countdown history.
 
'''Chris Wills''', the champion of [[Series 47]], is often considered the greatest all-round player in Countdown history.
  
He began his rise to fame in [[Series 47]], debuting on the 14 January 2002. He won his first seven games with centuries (including a {{score|120|107}} thriller against [[Terry Rattle]]) but won his last game with 92, missing out on the opportunity to be the first all-centuries [[octochamp]]. His total of 875 points is still the eighth highest to date.
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He began his rise to fame in Series 47, debuting on the 14 January 2002. He won his first seven games with centuries (including a {{score|120|107}} thriller against [[Terry Rattle]]) but won his last game with 92, missing out on the opportunity to be the first all-centuries [[octochamp]]. His total of 875 points is still the eighth highest to date.
  
 
In the middle of his run was a classic game against [[Terry Rattle]]. Wills was leading {{score|100|79}} going into the last letters game, where Chris played {{word|REACHING}} to Rattle's {{word|CHAGRINED}}, which Rattle declared as "very dodgy". Dictionary Corner okayed the word and after both players scored 10 points in the final numbers game, it was a [[conundrum|crucial conundrum]] {{score|110|107}} in Wills' favour. The conundrum {{word|LINGOFLOW}} revealed itself and Wills buzzed in with {{word|FOLLOWING}} before the first second had elapsed. Wills is therefore the highest-scoring [[octochamp]] to have had a crucial conundrum game during their run. Rattle's 107 was the highest losing score in the 15-round era until [[David Williams (Series 43)|David Williams]] scored 111, also against Chris Wills.  
 
In the middle of his run was a classic game against [[Terry Rattle]]. Wills was leading {{score|100|79}} going into the last letters game, where Chris played {{word|REACHING}} to Rattle's {{word|CHAGRINED}}, which Rattle declared as "very dodgy". Dictionary Corner okayed the word and after both players scored 10 points in the final numbers game, it was a [[conundrum|crucial conundrum]] {{score|110|107}} in Wills' favour. The conundrum {{word|LINGOFLOW}} revealed itself and Wills buzzed in with {{word|FOLLOWING}} before the first second had elapsed. Wills is therefore the highest-scoring [[octochamp]] to have had a crucial conundrum game during their run. Rattle's 107 was the highest losing score in the 15-round era until [[David Williams (Series 43)|David Williams]] scored 111, also against Chris Wills.  
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Since then, Wills has been a regular at unofficial Countdown competitions, winning [[CoBris]] in 2006 and 2007. He also attended [[COLIN]] events in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, winning the first three of those too. He is consistently rated as one of the top players, and is one of the few players ever to be rated over 1000.
 
Since then, Wills has been a regular at unofficial Countdown competitions, winning [[CoBris]] in 2006 and 2007. He also attended [[COLIN]] events in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, winning the first three of those too. He is consistently rated as one of the top players, and is one of the few players ever to be rated over 1000.
  
He returned to Countdown in 2013, as one of 41 contestants taking part in the ][[Series 68|30th Birthday Championship]]. After receiving a bye to the first round, he won his first match against [[Series 59]] semi-finalist [[Martin Bishop]] by a score of {{score|102|99}}, despite behind for the majority of the game.
+
He returned to Countdown in 2013, as one of 41 contestants taking part in the ][[Series 68|30th Birthday Championship]]. After receiving a bye to the first round, he won his first match against [[Series 59]] semi-finalist [[Martin Bishop]] by a score of {{score|102|99}}, despite behind for the majority of the game. He then met his match in round 2, losing to the still unbeaten [[Series 63]] champion [[Jack Hurst]] by a score of {{score|115|70}}.
  
He holds the record for the most appearances since the start of the 15-round era and for this reason holds the record for the most points scored by any Countdowner. In 18 games, including a [[Episode 4473|12-round special]] against [[Conor Travers]], he scored 1869 points – 106.53 points per game, not counting the 12-round game in the average score.
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He holds the record for the most appearances since the start of the 15-round era and for this reason holds the record for the most points scored by any Countdowner. In 19 games, including a [[Episode 4473|12-round special]] against [[Conor Travers]], he scored 1939 points – 104.5 points per game, not counting the 12-round game in the average score.
  
 
Wills has also appeared on ''{{w|Fifteen to One}}'', ''{{w|The Weakest Link (UK game show)|The Weakest Link}}'' (which he won), ''{{w|BrainTeaser}}'' (which he also won, but failed to take any prize money), ''{{w|Mastermind}}'', ''{{w|1 vs 100}}'', ''{{w|A Question of Genius}}'' (on which he won £5000 with his knowledge of The Smiths), and ''{{w|Pointless (game show)|Pointless}}''.
 
Wills has also appeared on ''{{w|Fifteen to One}}'', ''{{w|The Weakest Link (UK game show)|The Weakest Link}}'' (which he won), ''{{w|BrainTeaser}}'' (which he also won, but failed to take any prize money), ''{{w|Mastermind}}'', ''{{w|1 vs 100}}'', ''{{w|A Question of Genius}}'' (on which he won £5000 with his knowledge of The Smiths), and ''{{w|Pointless (game show)|Pointless}}''.
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{{ep | 4473 | 2/11/2007 | S |Chris Wills| 58 – 69 |[[Conor Travers]]|none|Alison Heard|110}}
 
{{ep | 4473 | 2/11/2007 | S |Chris Wills| 58 – 69 |[[Conor Travers]]|none|Alison Heard|110}}
 
{{ep | 5627 | 23/01/2013 | 30B1 |[[Martin Bishop]]| 99 - 102 |Chris Wills|[[Margaret Mountford]]|Susie Dent|124}}
 
{{ep | 5627 | 23/01/2013 | 30B1 |[[Martin Bishop]]| 99 - 102 |Chris Wills|[[Margaret Mountford]]|Susie Dent|124}}
 +
{{ep | 5643 | 14/02/2013 | 30B2 |Chris Wills| 70 - 115 |[[Jack Hurst]]|[[Ken Bruce]]|Susie Dent|119}}
 
{{episode table end}}
 
{{episode table end}}
  

Revision as of 20:07, 14 February 2013

Chris Wills

Chris Wills, the champion of Series 47, is often considered the greatest all-round player in Countdown history.

He began his rise to fame in Series 47, debuting on the 14 January 2002. He won his first seven games with centuries (including a 120 – 107 thriller against Terry Rattle) but won his last game with 92, missing out on the opportunity to be the first all-centuries octochamp. His total of 875 points is still the eighth highest to date.

In the middle of his run was a classic game against Terry Rattle. Wills was leading 100 – 79 going into the last letters game, where Chris played REACHING to Rattle's CHAGRINED, which Rattle declared as "very dodgy". Dictionary Corner okayed the word and after both players scored 10 points in the final numbers game, it was a crucial conundrum 110 – 107 in Wills' favour. The conundrum LINGOFLOW revealed itself and Wills buzzed in with FOLLOWING before the first second had elapsed. Wills is therefore the highest-scoring octochamp to have had a crucial conundrum game during their run. Rattle's 107 was the highest losing score in the 15-round era until David Williams scored 111, also against Chris Wills.

Having totted up a record 875 points, he returned for the series finals as #1 seed, beating first Brenda Jolley and then Rupert Stokoe with scores of 110 and 118. In the final he faced the excellent Tom Hargreaves, and beat him comfortably to take the series.

He returned for Championship of Champions XI at the beginning of 2003, and was drawn against the masterful David Williams, holder of the 9-round octochamp record. The game was a classic, with Wills emerging the victory with 113 to Williams' 111. In the quarter-finals, he faced the popular Loz Sands, and won comfortably but without a century. A semifinal score of 120 against John Rawnsley saw him comfortable into the final, where he was strong favourite to beat Graham Nash. The match was not as explosive as hoped, and the crucial conundrum was revealed with the scores at 79 – 73 in Nash's favour. Neither player could solve OVERSPADE, so Nash took the CoC trophy and Wills was beaten at last.

Many fans had expected Wills to face Julian Fell in the final, but Fell had been knocked out early on by Nash. To appease fans, a special "Fell vs Wills" episode was filmed in March 2003 and broadcast on the 12 September. Wills was beaten again; this time, Fell was forced to come from behind, but solved the tricky conundrum VICTORIUS in just a few seconds to take the game.

Since then, Wills has been a regular at unofficial Countdown competitions, winning CoBris in 2006 and 2007. He also attended COLIN events in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, winning the first three of those too. He is consistently rated as one of the top players, and is one of the few players ever to be rated over 1000.

He returned to Countdown in 2013, as one of 41 contestants taking part in the ]30th Birthday Championship. After receiving a bye to the first round, he won his first match against Series 59 semi-finalist Martin Bishop by a score of 102 – 99, despite behind for the majority of the game. He then met his match in round 2, losing to the still unbeaten Series 63 champion Jack Hurst by a score of 115 – 70.

He holds the record for the most appearances since the start of the 15-round era and for this reason holds the record for the most points scored by any Countdowner. In 19 games, including a 12-round special against Conor Travers, he scored 1939 points – 104.5 points per game, not counting the 12-round game in the average score.

Wills has also appeared on Fifteen to One, The Weakest Link (which he won), BrainTeaser (which he also won, but failed to take any prize money), Mastermind, 1 vs 100, A Question of Genius (on which he won £5000 with his knowledge of The Smiths), and Pointless.

He currently works at the University of Leeds, in the Department of Health Studies.

Preceded by
Ben Wilson
Series winner
Series 47
Followed by
Julian Fell


Preceded by
Kate Ogilvie
Champion of Champions runner-up
Championship of Champions XI
Followed by
Mark Tournoff

Episodes

Chris Wills alongside Mark Tournoff at COLIN 2005.
# Date Type Contestant 1 Score Contestant 2 Presenters Guest Lex Max
3166 14/01/2002 P Jeremy Slaney 66 – 107 Chris Wills Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Kathryn Apanowicz Susie Dent 153
3167 15/01/2002 P Chris Wills 118 – 44 Floraidh Campbell Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Kathryn Apanowicz Susie Dent 127
3168 16/01/2002 P Chris Wills 103 – 68 Jeff Baines Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Kathryn Apanowicz Susie Dent 123
3169 17/01/2002 P Chris Wills 129 – 77 April Carlin Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Kathryn Apanowicz Susie Dent 131
3170 18/01/2002 P Chris Wills 103 – 47 David Shaw Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Kathryn Apanowicz Susie Dent 120
3171 21/01/2002 P Chris Wills 120 – 107 Terry Rattle Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Tim Rice Susie Dent 152
3172 22/01/2002 P Chris Wills 103 – 48 Len Barker Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Tim Rice Susie Dent 139
3173 23/01/2002 P Chris Wills 92 – 52 Agnes Budis Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Tim Rice Susie Dent 140
3273 20/06/2002 QF Chris Wills 110 – 86 Brenda Jolley Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Geoffrey Durham Susie Dent 120
3277 26/06/2002 SF Rupert Stokoe 78 – 118 Chris Wills Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance Damian Eadie 130
3279 28/06/2002 GF Tom Hargreaves 67 – 110 Chris Wills Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Richard Digance Damian Eadie 129
3391 7/01/2003 CP Chris Wills 113 – 111 David Williams Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Martin Jarvis Susie Dent 131
3398 16/01/2003 CQF Chris Wills 98 – 69 Loz Sands Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Tim Rice Susie Dent 129
3402 22/01/2003 CSF Chris Wills 120 – 88 John Rawnsley Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Eric Knowles Susie Dent 132
3404 24/01/2003 CGF Chris Wills 73 – 79 Graham Nash Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Eric Knowles Susie Dent 106
S12 12/09/2003 S Julian Fell 100 – 92 Chris Wills Richard Whiteley Carol Vorderman Bob Bevan Alison Heard 123
4473 2/11/2007 S Chris Wills 58 – 69 Conor Travers Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman none Alison Heard 110
5627 23/01/2013 30B1 Martin Bishop 99 – 102 Chris Wills Nick Hewer Rachel Riley Margaret Mountford Susie Dent 124
5643 14/02/2013 30B2 Chris Wills 70 – 115 Jack Hurst Nick Hewer Rachel Riley Ken Bruce Susie Dent 119

See Also


Championship of Champions Runners-Up

I : Joyce Cansfield | II : Peter Evans | III : David Trace | IV : Tony Vick | V : Gino Corr | VI : Chris Waddington | VII : Damian Eadie | VIII : Kenneth Michie | IX : Pete Cashmore | X : Kate Ogilvie | XI : Chris Wills | XII : Mark Tournoff | XIII : Charlie Reams | XIV : Dan McColm | XV : Bradley Horrocks | XVI : James Haughton