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Difference between revisions of "Championship of Champions XII"

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Eight days in and it did not seem like the championship could get anyway better. However the first semifinal, Matthew Shore vs Mark Tournoff, was described by Jon O'Neill as "the greatest game of Countdown ever played" — both players scored two nines and, while Shore made a mighty 117, Tournoff made an incredible 124 to take the game. This remains by far the {{corral|text=highest joint score|url=highestjoint.asp}} ever. The second quarter final was less explosive but no less  
 
Eight days in and it did not seem like the championship could get anyway better. However the first semifinal, Matthew Shore vs Mark Tournoff, was described by Jon O'Neill as "the greatest game of Countdown ever played" — both players scored two nines and, while Shore made a mighty 117, Tournoff made an incredible 124 to take the game. This remains by far the {{corral|text=highest joint score|url=highestjoint.asp}} ever. The second quarter final was less explosive but no less  
exciting, with John Davies trying to claw back an 18-point first round deficit after missing STINGAREE/RESEATING against a ferociously focussed Paul Gallen. Gallen held on confidently, running out the winner at 118-96. The third quarter final saw schoolboy prodigy Conor Travers continue to obliterate all before him, pulling out the awesome BRESAOLA in Round 13 and ultimately running out comfortable winner. The last quarter final was between Paul Howe and Jack Welsby but, faced with difficult selections, the game finished close and low-scoring, with Paul winning by 83 to 72.
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exciting, with John Davies trying to claw back an 18-point first round deficit after missing STINGAREE/RESEATING against a ferociously focussed Paul Gallen. Gallen held on confidently, running out the winner at 118-96. The third quarter final saw recent champion Conor Travers sneak through against John Brackstone 101-80, pulling out the awesome BRESAOLA in Round 13 and ultimately running out comfortable winner. The last quarter final was between Paul Howe and Jack Welsby but, faced with difficult selections, the game finished close and low-scoring, with Paul winning by 83 to 72.
  
 
Heading into the semifinals were two players from Series 52 and two from Series 54, and naturally the pairings were between series. The first saw a steady scoring affair between Paul Howe and Mark Tournoff, which headed for a crucial conundrum with Tournoff a point to the good. After six seconds, he buzzed with the correct solution to STUARTFIR to take him into the final, leaving Howe disappointed for the second time in just a few weeks. The second semifinal was a battle all fans had been relishing - Gallen vs Travers. With both players making perfect scores in almost every round, including RITENUTO and HELICONS, there was little to separate them; a crucial conundrum seemed inevitable, and indeed it came, with Gallen leading by 108 to 102. Gallen buzzed in almost immediately with the solution to CHOPLOSER to claim the his spot in the final. Incredibly he had dropped just two points (KETOSIS and the DC-beating CLANGOUR.) Their joint performance, 220 of a possible 230, is by far the best on record.
 
Heading into the semifinals were two players from Series 52 and two from Series 54, and naturally the pairings were between series. The first saw a steady scoring affair between Paul Howe and Mark Tournoff, which headed for a crucial conundrum with Tournoff a point to the good. After six seconds, he buzzed with the correct solution to STUARTFIR to take him into the final, leaving Howe disappointed for the second time in just a few weeks. The second semifinal was a battle all fans had been relishing - Gallen vs Travers. With both players making perfect scores in almost every round, including RITENUTO and HELICONS, there was little to separate them; a crucial conundrum seemed inevitable, and indeed it came, with Gallen leading by 108 to 102. Gallen buzzed in almost immediately with the solution to CHOPLOSER to claim the his spot in the final. Incredibly he had dropped just two points (KETOSIS and the DC-beating CLANGOUR.) Their joint performance, 220 of a possible 230, is by far the best on record.

Revision as of 16:05, 25 July 2007

The Championship of Champions XII is remembered as one of the most consistently excellent Championships of Champions ever produced. Sixteen of the best contestants from Series 49 to 54 were assembled for a knockout showdown from the 29th May to 16th June 2006.

The tournament had originally been scheduled for the end of Series 53, but was delayed by the transition of presenters. The original tournament had a slightly different line-up, including Sweyn Kirkness and Stuart Earl, who were replaced by Series 54 contestants in the.

The first three games all featured centuries, as Mark Tournoff, John Davies and Conor Travers progressed at the expense of Steve Graston, Gary Male and John Hunt respectively. The fourth game saw Jack Welsby make a mere 99 to Jon O'Neill's 94, as both missed PROSPERED. The onslaught of centuries continued, with Paul Howe making 117 against John Mayhew, Paul Gallen taking the tournament's highscore with 125 against Eamonn Timmins, and the first double century game as Chris Cummins' 101 was inadequate to overcome Matthew Shore's 109. The only disappointment was the 86-48 victory of John Brackstone over Series 49 runner up David Wilson.

Eight days in and it did not seem like the championship could get anyway better. However the first semifinal, Matthew Shore vs Mark Tournoff, was described by Jon O'Neill as "the greatest game of Countdown ever played" — both players scored two nines and, while Shore made a mighty 117, Tournoff made an incredible 124 to take the game. This remains by far the Template:Corral ever. The second quarter final was less explosive but no less exciting, with John Davies trying to claw back an 18-point first round deficit after missing STINGAREE/RESEATING against a ferociously focussed Paul Gallen. Gallen held on confidently, running out the winner at 118-96. The third quarter final saw recent champion Conor Travers sneak through against John Brackstone 101-80, pulling out the awesome BRESAOLA in Round 13 and ultimately running out comfortable winner. The last quarter final was between Paul Howe and Jack Welsby but, faced with difficult selections, the game finished close and low-scoring, with Paul winning by 83 to 72.

Heading into the semifinals were two players from Series 52 and two from Series 54, and naturally the pairings were between series. The first saw a steady scoring affair between Paul Howe and Mark Tournoff, which headed for a crucial conundrum with Tournoff a point to the good. After six seconds, he buzzed with the correct solution to STUARTFIR to take him into the final, leaving Howe disappointed for the second time in just a few weeks. The second semifinal was a battle all fans had been relishing - Gallen vs Travers. With both players making perfect scores in almost every round, including RITENUTO and HELICONS, there was little to separate them; a crucial conundrum seemed inevitable, and indeed it came, with Gallen leading by 108 to 102. Gallen buzzed in almost immediately with the solution to CHOPLOSER to claim the his spot in the final. Incredibly he had dropped just two points (KETOSIS and the DC-beating CLANGOUR.) Their joint performance, 220 of a possible 230, is by far the best on record.

And so the final would be a repeat of the Series 52 final! Both players started strongly, with finds like STARFISH, SUNBEAM and CELLARET, but Gallen finally opened a lead in Round 12 with the superb pair TELECOM and DYSPNOEA. An impossible numbers game allowed Tournoff to score 7 points and come within striking distance. The game would again be a crucial conundrum! The roller spun to reveal PRONEPIPE and, just as in their previous match, Gallen buzzed quickly - but this time, there could be no mistake, as PEPPERONI gave him the points needed to take championship. Final score: 111-93 from a possible 118.

Gallen at last allowed himself a smile - it was a fitting end to an amazing championship.