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Difference between revisions of "Craig Beevers"

From Countdown
m (Don't think this is needed as Stewart Holden also opted out, thus not making him the solitary champ to do so.)
 
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[[Image:Craig Beevers.jpg|thumb|right|Craig Beevers playing [[Scrabble]].]]
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{{octostats|'''Champion'''|1|907|7}}
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[[Image:Craig_Beevers_trophy.jpg|right|thumb|270px|Craig Beevers winning [[Series 57]].]]
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[[Image:Craig Beevers trophy.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Beevers holding the [[Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy]] after winning Series 57.]]
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'''Craig Beevers''' is the champion of [[Series 57]].
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'''Craig Beevers''' was an [[octochamp]] in and the [[Series winners|champion]] of [[Series 57]]. He was from Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham.
  
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He is only the second contestant to score centuries in all eight heat games, and also the second to score over 900 points. He scored three further centuries in his three appearances in the finals. He is known for his composed demeanour and incredible consistency, especially in the [[letters round]]s.
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He was the second [[contestant]] to score [[Century#Contestants with eight consecutive prelim centuries|centuries in all eight heat games]], and also the second to score over 900 points. He scored three further centuries in his three appearances in the finals. He is known for his composed demeanour and incredible consistency, especially in the [[letters game]]s.
  
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Beevers' appearances began with a crushing victory over [[Baz Hunt]], including impressive finds like {{word|TOEHOLD}} and {{word|EXTREMA}}. He continued to a seven further victories in an [[octochamp]] run that never looked in doubt, with further flourishes like {{word|ICEBOATS}}, {{word|TANDOORI}}, {{word|DOPAMINE}} and {{word|RUMINATED}} and a top score of 128. Solid performances on the numbers and seven solved conundrums saw Beevers' cruise to eight centuries and approach [[Julian Fell]]'s long-standing points record of 924. However an unfortunate shortage of available nines left a maximum total of 987, one of the lowest ever, and Beevers did well to make 907 – percentage wise, the best octochamp run on record (91.89%) until [[Series 69]].
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==Appearances on the programme==
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===Heat games===
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Beevers' appearances began with a [[Episode 4465|crushing victory]] over [[Baz Hunt]], including impressive finds like {{word|TOEHOLD}} and {{word|EXTREMA}}. He continued to a seven further victories in an [[octochamp]] run that never looked in doubt, with further flourishes like {{word|ICEBOATS}}, {{word|TANDOORI}}, {{word|DOPAMINE}} and {{word|RUMINATED}} and a top score of [[Episode 4468|128]]. Solid performances on the [[numbers round]]s and seven solved [[conundrum]]s saw Beevers' cruise to eight [[century|centuries]] and approach [[Julian Fell]]'s long-standing points record of 924. However, an unfortunate shortage of available nines left a maximum total of 987, one of the lowest ever, and Beevers did well to make 907 – percentage wise, the best octochamp run on record (91.89%) until [[Series 69]].
  
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Inevitably, Beevers returned for finals as top seed, beating [[Mikey Lear]] and fellow octochamp [[David Edwards]] without ever looking under serious pressure. The final, against [[Jeffrey Hansford]], was a closer game – {{word|AMMONITE}} and {{word|SNIFTER}} handed Beevers a 15-point advantage going into the first break, and maximums in the next eight rounds left him with an unassailable lead of 23 with two to play. Hansford declared nothing on the final numbers game, but adopted his favoured tactic for the [[conundrum]], buzzing as soon as {{word|RULEAGAIN}} was revealed and answering correctly to leave a final score of {{score|105|82}}. Beevers had dropped just thirteen points in the whole game, taking his all-games total to 1236 – still some way short of Julian Fell's 1307.
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===Series finals===
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Inevitably, Beevers returned for the finals as top seed, beating [[Mikey Lear]] and fellow [[octochamp]], [[David Edwards (Series 57)|David Edwards]], without ever looking under serious pressure. The [[Episode 4508|grand final]], against [[Jeffrey Hansford]], was a closer game – {{word|AMMONITE}} and {{word|SNIFTER}} handed Beevers a 15-point advantage going into the first break, and maximums in the next eight rounds left him with an unassailable lead of 23 with two rounds to play. Hansford declared nothing on the final [[numbers game]], but adopted his favoured tactic for the [[conundrum]], buzzing as soon as {{word|RULEAGAIN}} was revealed and answering correctly to leave a final score of {{score|105|82}}. Beevers had dropped just thirteen points in the whole game, taking his all-games total to 1,236 – at that time, the second-highest [[xicount]] score.
  
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Beevers opted out of [[Championship of Champions XIII]], just as fellow Scrabble Grandmaster [[Stewart Holden]] had done for the previous [[Championship of Champions XII|Championship of Champions]] event.
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==CoC XIII and Apterous==
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Beevers opted out of [[Championship of Champions XIII]], just as fellow ''[[Scrabble]]'' grandmaster, [[Stewart Holden]], had done for the [[Championship of Champions XII|previous]] [[Championship of Champions]] event.
  
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Beevers occasionally plays Countdown online on [[Apterous]], and for a long time held the #1 human position.
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Beevers occasionally played ''[[Countdown]]'' online on [[Apterous]], and for a long time held the number one human position.
  
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Away from Countdown, Beevers is a member of the [[Association of British Scrabble Players]], and has been the Cleveland club [[Scrabble]] champion on three occasions.
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==''[[Scrabble]]''==
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[[Image:Craig Beevers.jpg|thumb|right|Beevers playing ''Scrabble''.]]
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Away from ''[[Countdown]]'', Beevers has worked for the [[Association of British Scrabble Players]] (ABSP) and the {{w|World English-Language Scrabble Players' Association}} (WESPA), and has been Cleveland ''Scrabble'' Club champion on multiple occasions. He holds grandmaster status, and has organised tournaments for a living. He began playing competitive ''Scrabble'' in 2003.
  
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In the preamble chat with [[Des O'Connor]], he stated his intention to be a future World Scrabble champion. He took his first step toward this on 21 October 2009, when he became the British champion, beating fellow former Countdown contestant [[David Webb]] at the National Scrabble Championship final. He would later become the World Scrabble Champion on 23 November 2014, at the Scrabble Champions Tournament in London, when he defeated the American Chris Lipe {{score|3|1}} in the final to become only the second Briton to win the title after [[Mark Nyman]] in 1993. He also won his second national title in 2015 at the National Scrabble Championship finals, winning 15 games out of 17.
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In the preamble chat with [[Des O'Connor]], he stated his intention to be a future {{w|World Scrabble Championship|World ''Scrabble'' Champion}}. He took his first step toward this on 18 October 2009, when he became the {{w|National Scrabble Championship (UK)|UK National Champion}}, beating fellow former ''Countdown'' [[contestant]], [[David Webb]], at the National ''Scrabble'' Championship final. He later became the {{w|Scrabble Champions Tournament 2014|2014 World ''Scrabble'' Champion}} on 23 November, at the ''Scrabble'' Champions Tournament in London, when he defeated American Chris Lipe {{score|3|1}} in the final to become only the second Briton to win the title after [[Mark Nyman]] in 1993. He also won his second national title in 2015 at the National ''Scrabble'' Championship finals in Milton Keynes, winning 15 games out of 17 (the best-of-five final was scrapped in 2014). Since winning the world title, he has written a book about ''Scrabble'' entitled ''Word Addict: Secrets of a World Scrabble Champion''.
  
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{{series winner|preceded_by=Nick Wainwright|series=57|followed_by=David O'Donnell}}
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{{series winner|preceded_by=Nick Wainwright|series=57|followed_by=David O'Donnell (Series 58){{!}}David O'Donnell}}
  
 
==Episodes==
 
==Episodes==
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{{ep | 4470 | 30/10/2007 | P |Craig Beevers| 118 - 71 |[[Stuart Hamilton]]|Paul Zenon|Susie Dent|120}}
 
{{ep | 4470 | 30/10/2007 | P |Craig Beevers| 118 - 71 |[[Stuart Hamilton]]|Paul Zenon|Susie Dent|120}}
 
{{ep | 4471 | 31/10/2007 | P |Craig Beevers| 120 - 57 |[[Allan Millington]]|Paul Zenon|Susie Dent|121}}
 
{{ep | 4471 | 31/10/2007 | P |Craig Beevers| 120 - 57 |[[Allan Millington]]|Paul Zenon|Susie Dent|121}}
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{{ep | 4472 | 1/11/2007 | P |Craig Beevers| 117 - 40 |[[Shemina Kirby]]|Paul Zenon|Susie Dent|129}}
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{{ep | 4472 | 01/11/2007 | P |Craig Beevers| 117 - 40 |[[Shemina Kirby]]|Paul Zenon|Susie Dent|129}}
 
{{ep | 4502 | 13/12/2007 | QF |[[Mikey Lear]]| 69 - 106 |Craig Beevers|[[Henry Blofeld]]|[[Alison Heard]]|118}}
 
{{ep | 4502 | 13/12/2007 | QF |[[Mikey Lear]]| 69 - 106 |Craig Beevers|[[Henry Blofeld]]|[[Alison Heard]]|118}}
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{{ep | 4506 | 19/12/2007 | SF |[[David Edwards]]| 60 - 118 |Craig Beevers|[[Pam Ayres]]|Alison Heard|131}}
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{{ep | 4506 | 19/12/2007 | SF |[[David Edwards (Series 57)|David Edwards]]| 60 - 118 |Craig Beevers|[[Pam Ayres]]|Alison Heard|131}}
 
{{ep | 4508 | 21/12/2007 | GF |Craig Beevers| 105 - 82 |[[Jeffrey Hansford]]|Pam Ayres|Alison Heard|118}}
 
{{ep | 4508 | 21/12/2007 | GF |Craig Beevers| 105 - 82 |[[Jeffrey Hansford]]|Pam Ayres|Alison Heard|118}}
 
{{episode table end}}
 
{{episode table end}}
  
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==External Link==
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==External Links==
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[http://craigbeevers.me.uk/audition.html Craig's Countdown Experience on his personal website]
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{{WP}}
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*[http://craigbeevers.me.uk/audition.html Beevers' ''Countdown'' experience on his personal website]
  
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beevers, Craig}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beevers, Craig}}
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[[Category:Octochamps of the 15 round era]]
 
[[Category:Octochamps of the 15 round era]]
 
[[Category:Finalists]]
 
[[Category:Finalists]]
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[[Category:Series winners]]
 
 
[[Category:Teapot owners]]
 
[[Category:Teapot owners]]
 
[[Category:Unbeaten contestants]]
 
[[Category:Unbeaten contestants]]
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[[Category:Contestants with eight consecutive prelim centuries]]

Latest revision as of 02:42, 30 October 2025

Craig Beevers
octochamp statistics
Final position Champion
Seeding 1
Points total 907
Conundrums solved 7
Beevers holding the Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy after winning Series 57.

Craig Beevers was an octochamp in and the champion of Series 57. He was from Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham.

He was the second contestant to score centuries in all eight heat games, and also the second to score over 900 points. He scored three further centuries in his three appearances in the finals. He is known for his composed demeanour and incredible consistency, especially in the letters games.

Appearances on the programme

Heat games

Beevers' appearances began with a crushing victory over Baz Hunt, including impressive finds like TOEHOLD and EXTREMA. He continued to a seven further victories in an octochamp run that never looked in doubt, with further flourishes like ICEBOATS, TANDOORI, DOPAMINE and RUMINATED and a top score of 128. Solid performances on the numbers rounds and seven solved conundrums saw Beevers' cruise to eight centuries and approach Julian Fell's long-standing points record of 924. However, an unfortunate shortage of available nines left a maximum total of 987, one of the lowest ever, and Beevers did well to make 907 – percentage wise, the best octochamp run on record (91.89%) until Series 69.

Series finals

Inevitably, Beevers returned for the finals as top seed, beating Mikey Lear and fellow octochamp, David Edwards, without ever looking under serious pressure. The grand final, against Jeffrey Hansford, was a closer game – AMMONITE and SNIFTER handed Beevers a 15-point advantage going into the first break, and maximums in the next eight rounds left him with an unassailable lead of 23 with two rounds to play. Hansford declared nothing on the final numbers game, but adopted his favoured tactic for the conundrum, buzzing as soon as RULEAGAIN was revealed and answering correctly to leave a final score of 105 – 82. Beevers had dropped just thirteen points in the whole game, taking his all-games total to 1,236 – at that time, the second-highest xicount score.

CoC XIII and Apterous

Beevers opted out of Championship of Champions XIII, just as fellow Scrabble grandmaster, Stewart Holden, had done for the previous Championship of Champions event.

Beevers occasionally played Countdown online on Apterous, and for a long time held the number one human position.

Scrabble

Beevers playing Scrabble.

Away from Countdown, Beevers has worked for the Association of British Scrabble Players (ABSP) and the World English-Language Scrabble Players' Association (WESPA), and has been Cleveland Scrabble Club champion on multiple occasions. He holds grandmaster status, and has organised tournaments for a living. He began playing competitive Scrabble in 2003.

In the preamble chat with Des O'Connor, he stated his intention to be a future World Scrabble Champion. He took his first step toward this on 18 October 2009, when he became the UK National Champion, beating fellow former Countdown contestant, David Webb, at the National Scrabble Championship final. He later became the 2014 World Scrabble Champion on 23 November, at the Scrabble Champions Tournament in London, when he defeated American Chris Lipe 3 – 1 in the final to become only the second Briton to win the title after Mark Nyman in 1993. He also won his second national title in 2015 at the National Scrabble Championship finals in Milton Keynes, winning 15 games out of 17 (the best-of-five final was scrapped in 2014). Since winning the world title, he has written a book about Scrabble entitled Word Addict: Secrets of a World Scrabble Champion.

Preceded by
Nick Wainwright		 Series winner
Series 57		 Followed by
David O'Donnell

Episodes

# Date Type Contestant 1 Score Contestant 2 Presenters Guest Lex Max
4465 23/10/2007 P Baz Hunt 48 – 108 Craig Beevers Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Barry Norman Susie Dent 121
4466 24/10/2007 P Craig Beevers 109 – 24 Thomas Baldwin Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Barry Norman Susie Dent 121
4467 25/10/2007 P Craig Beevers 103 – 33 Chris Bibby Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Barry Norman Susie Dent 120
4468 26/10/2007 P Craig Beevers 128 – 36 Peter Watts Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Barry Norman Susie Dent 134
4469 29/10/2007 P Craig Beevers 104 – 70 Martin Larter Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Paul Zenon Susie Dent 121
4470 30/10/2007 P Craig Beevers 118 – 71 Stuart Hamilton Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Paul Zenon Susie Dent 120
4471 31/10/2007 P Craig Beevers 120 – 57 Allan Millington Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Paul Zenon Susie Dent 121
4472 01/11/2007 P Craig Beevers 117 – 40 Shemina Kirby Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Paul Zenon Susie Dent 129
4502 13/12/2007 QF Mikey Lear 69 – 106 Craig Beevers Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Henry Blofeld Alison Heard 118
4506 19/12/2007 SF David Edwards 60 – 118 Craig Beevers Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Pam Ayres Alison Heard 131
4508 21/12/2007 GF Craig Beevers 105 – 82 Jeffrey Hansford Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Pam Ayres Alison Heard 118

External Links

Retrieved from "https://wiki.apterous.org/index.php?title=Craig_Beevers&oldid=180614"