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Difference between revisions of "Paul Gallen"
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− | '''Paul Gallen''' is widely regarded as one of the greatest Countdown players of all time. He first appeared in [[Series 52]] and score 96 points in his first game, and went on to compile 846 points with a score of 121 and two | + | '''Paul Gallen''' is widely regarded as one of the greatest Countdown players of all time. He first appeared in [[Series 52]] and score 96 points in his first game, and went on to compile 846 points with a score of 121 and two scores of 117 in his first eight games. He scored 'only' 92 against [[Rita Willmott]] but came back above [[century|100]] with 108 points against [[John Hunt (Series 52)|John Hunt]]. The final was a tense affair, Gallen beat #3 seed [[Mark Tournoff]] with {{word|FIACRES}} and {{word|MITOGENS}} in the first four rounds, but Gallen failed to score on the first numbers, so the score was 30-25 in Gallen's favour after 5 rounds. Both players equalled each other in every round from them on, until Tournoff tried {{word|INTERNETS X}} which was only listed with a capital letter. Gallen had {{word|MIRIAD X}} disallowed in the next round, and after both players scored on the numbers, it was a crucial conundrum. Gallen buzzed in on three seconds but gave no answer and the rest of the time was allowed to Tournoff. Tournoff duly spotted {{word|PARTRIDGE}} and won the game dramatically 92-89. |
He was invited back to the [[Championship of Champions XII]] where he beat runner-up [[Eamonn Timmins]] by 45 points, including two nine-letter words. The quarter-final was against [[John Davies]] who was unbeaten with 12 wins out of 12. The [[Series 49]] champion slipped up offering the invalid {{word|GRATINEES}} in the first round, whilst, Gallen had {{word|STINGAREE}}. The players scored equally in every round until Gallen could only find a five whilst Davies has {{word|CABBIE}}. This wasn't enough to force a crucial conundrum, and Gallen won 118-96, in a game closer than the scoreline suggests. The semi-final was against [[Conor Travers]] who was also at the time unbeaten. As in the previous game, the players scored in every round apart from Travers who offered {{word|BOING}} for five when Gallen had a six. This meant another crucial conundrum {{word|PRESCHOOL}} which Gallen solved to beat another previously unbeaten player. In the final, to win the competition, Gallen would have to beat [[Mark Tournoff]] who was both an unbeaten champion and the only player ever to beat Gallen. | He was invited back to the [[Championship of Champions XII]] where he beat runner-up [[Eamonn Timmins]] by 45 points, including two nine-letter words. The quarter-final was against [[John Davies]] who was unbeaten with 12 wins out of 12. The [[Series 49]] champion slipped up offering the invalid {{word|GRATINEES}} in the first round, whilst, Gallen had {{word|STINGAREE}}. The players scored equally in every round until Gallen could only find a five whilst Davies has {{word|CABBIE}}. This wasn't enough to force a crucial conundrum, and Gallen won 118-96, in a game closer than the scoreline suggests. The semi-final was against [[Conor Travers]] who was also at the time unbeaten. As in the previous game, the players scored in every round apart from Travers who offered {{word|BOING}} for five when Gallen had a six. This meant another crucial conundrum {{word|PRESCHOOL}} which Gallen solved to beat another previously unbeaten player. In the final, to win the competition, Gallen would have to beat [[Mark Tournoff]] who was both an unbeaten champion and the only player ever to beat Gallen. |
Revision as of 17:54, 5 May 2008
Paul Gallen is widely regarded as one of the greatest Countdown players of all time. He first appeared in Series 52 and score 96 points in his first game, and went on to compile 846 points with a score of 121 and two scores of 117 in his first eight games. He scored 'only' 92 against Rita Willmott but came back above 100 with 108 points against John Hunt. The final was a tense affair, Gallen beat #3 seed Mark Tournoff with FIACRES and MITOGENS in the first four rounds, but Gallen failed to score on the first numbers, so the score was 30-25 in Gallen's favour after 5 rounds. Both players equalled each other in every round from them on, until Tournoff tried INTERNETS X which was only listed with a capital letter. Gallen had MIRIAD X disallowed in the next round, and after both players scored on the numbers, it was a crucial conundrum. Gallen buzzed in on three seconds but gave no answer and the rest of the time was allowed to Tournoff. Tournoff duly spotted PARTRIDGE and won the game dramatically 92-89.
He was invited back to the Championship of Champions XII where he beat runner-up Eamonn Timmins by 45 points, including two nine-letter words. The quarter-final was against John Davies who was unbeaten with 12 wins out of 12. The Series 49 champion slipped up offering the invalid GRATINEES in the first round, whilst, Gallen had STINGAREE. The players scored equally in every round until Gallen could only find a five whilst Davies has CABBIE. This wasn't enough to force a crucial conundrum, and Gallen won 118-96, in a game closer than the scoreline suggests. The semi-final was against Conor Travers who was also at the time unbeaten. As in the previous game, the players scored in every round apart from Travers who offered BOING for five when Gallen had a six. This meant another crucial conundrum PRESCHOOL which Gallen solved to beat another previously unbeaten player. In the final, to win the competition, Gallen would have to beat Mark Tournoff who was both an unbeaten champion and the only player ever to beat Gallen.
In the final, both players played an impressive game with all maximums for both players all of the first 11 rounds, including the impressive STARFISH in round 1. It was Gallen that took the lead in rounds 12 and 13 with TELECOM and DYSPNOEA. Again all Gallen had to do was score points on the final numbers game and he would avoid a crucial conundrum, but he duly got the number game wrong and let Tournoff in for a crucial conundrum. This time Gallen made no mistake, and took the conundrum PEPPERONI for himself and took the Championship of Champions title with him too. Both players have 14 wins from 15 games, their only defeats being against each other.
Gallen now goes to Belfast University, studying Law.
Episodes
# | Date | Type | Contestant 1 | Score | Contestant 2 | Presenters | Guest | Lex | Max | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3762 | 31/08/2004 | P | Roy Thearle | 83 – 96 | Paul Gallen | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Barry Norman | Susie Dent | |||
3763 | 1/09/2004 | P | Paul Gallen | 117 – 49 | Harry Brunt | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Barry Norman | Susie Dent | |||
3764 | 2/09/2004 | P | Paul Gallen | 103 – 77 | Claire Marston | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Barry Norman | Susie Dent | |||
3765 | 3/09/2004 | P | Paul Gallen | 103 – 82 | Ray Jones | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Barry Norman | Susie Dent | |||
3766 | 6/09/2004 | P | Paul Gallen | 117 – 35 | Jean Tully | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Charles Collingwood | Susie Dent | |||
3767 | 7/09/2004 | P | Paul Gallen | 106 – 57 | Ed Pritchard | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Charles Collingwood | Susie Dent | |||
3768 | 8/09/2004 | P | Paul Gallen | 83 – 39 | Stephen Todd | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Charles Collingwood | Susie Dent | |||
3769 | 9/09/2004 | P | Paul Gallen | 121 – 47 | Mo Yusuf | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Charles Collingwood | Susie Dent | |||
3834 | 9/12/2004 | QF | Rita Willmott | 61 – 92 | Paul Gallen | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Rick Wakeman | Susie Dent | |||
3838 | 15/12/2004 | SF | John Hunt | 47 – 108 | Paul Gallen | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | |||
3840 | 17/12/2004 | GF | Mark Tournoff | 92 – 89 | Paul Gallen | Richard Whiteley | Carol Vorderman | Richard Digance | Susie Dent | |||
4119 | 6/06/2006 | CP | Paul Gallen | 125 – 80 | Eamonn Timmins | Des Lynam | Carol Vorderman | Ann Widdecombe | Susie Dent | |||
4122 | 9/06/2006 | CQF | Paul Gallen | 118 – 96 | John Davies | Des Lynam | Carol Vorderman | Ann Widdecombe | Susie Dent | |||
4126 | 15/06/2006 | CSF | Paul Gallen | 118 – 102 | Conor Travers | Des Lynam | Carol Vorderman | Kim Woodburn | Susie Dent | |||
4127 | 16/06/2006 | CGF | Paul Gallen | 111 – 93 | Mark Tournoff | Des Lynam | Carol Vorderman | Kim Woodburn | Susie Dent |
Preceded by Graham Nash |
Champion of Champions Championship of Champions XII |