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Difference between revisions of "Kai Laddiman"

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Laddiman returned for the Series 59 finals in December as #4 seed, and beat [[Debbi Flack]] on a crucial conundrum. In the semi-final he faced #1 seed [[Charlie Reams]]. Laddiman went 14 - 0 after two rounds, but couldn't keep up the same pace and when Reams spotted {{word|SUNDIAL}} in the final letters round, the game was effectively over. Both players scored on the next numbers game, but neither player could solve {{word|LAMEBRAIN}}, which was solved by [[Jo Brand]] in [[Dictionary Corner]].
 
Laddiman returned for the Series 59 finals in December as #4 seed, and beat [[Debbi Flack]] on a crucial conundrum. In the semi-final he faced #1 seed [[Charlie Reams]]. Laddiman went 14 - 0 after two rounds, but couldn't keep up the same pace and when Reams spotted {{word|SUNDIAL}} in the final letters round, the game was effectively over. Both players scored on the next numbers game, but neither player could solve {{word|LAMEBRAIN}}, which was solved by [[Jo Brand]] in [[Dictionary Corner]].
  
He went on to play in the [[Championship of Champions XIII]], still only aged 12 and won a dramatic game on a crucial conundrum against [[Richard Priest]], when Priest buzzed in instantly, but got the answer wrong. In Laddiman's following game, he faced undeafeated [[Series]] champion [[Nick Wainwright]] and kept the game close, notably solving a difficult six-small [[numbers game]] in round 10. However, Wainwright got the nine {{word|DEUTERONS}} when Laddiman only had an eight, which saved Wainwright from a crucial conundrum. Overall, Laddiman appeared in 12 games, winning 10 and losing only 2.
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He went on to play in the [[Championship of Champions XIII]], still only aged 12 and won a dramatic game on a crucial conundrum against [[Richard Priest]], when Priest buzzed in instantly, but got the answer wrong. In Laddiman's following game, he faced undeafeated [[Series]] champion [[Nick Wainwright]] and kept the game close, notably solving a difficult six-small [[numbers game]] in round 10. However, Wainwright got the nine {{word|DEUTERONS}} when Laddiman only had an eight, which saved Wainwright from a crucial conundrum. Overall, Laddiman appeared in 13 games, winning 10 and losing only 3.
  
 
Later in 2009 he returned to Countdown to attend his first unofficial [[Countdown tournament|tournament]], [[CoNot 2009]] followed later by [[CoLei2]],  [[COLIN 2010]] and [[Co:Lon]].
 
Later in 2009 he returned to Countdown to attend his first unofficial [[Countdown tournament|tournament]], [[CoNot 2009]] followed later by [[CoLei2]],  [[COLIN 2010]] and [[Co:Lon]].

Revision as of 17:15, 6 October 2010

Kai Laddiman in his first game.

Kai Laddiman (born 14 November 1996) was a finalist in Series 59. He won eight games with a top score of 105, including the nine letter words INCAPABLE and THIRTEENS. Laddiman was just eleven years old and attracted a lot of national media attention because of his age. Laddiman is the second youngest Octochamp ever, behind Allan Saldanha, and the youngest to achieve it for 20 years. Also notable is the fact that he solved all eight of his conundrums, becoming only the second player to do so after Julian Fell.

Laddiman made his debut on 2 October 2008 in the champion's chair, the day following another octochamp run by Junaid Mubeen. He won comfortably 93 – 64 against James Bruce. His second opponent Jeff Francis held him to a tighter match as he missed ORDAIN and BANDIEST, setting up a highly crucial conundrum with Francis leading by one point, however Laddiman spotted that MUDTEMPLE anagrammed to PLUMMETED to earn another victory. The following week, he scored consistent comfortable victories against Bill Franklin, Don Walker and Alex Gaywood. He went on to beat Zachery Stephenson in a game notable for his niner INCAPABLE as well as a very funny blooper by Carol in the last numbers game (which neither contestant solved correctly). Laddiman beat Hardev Raikmo and finally Richard Pascoe, scoring his only century with words including MOPEDS, MATCHES and another niner, THIRTEENS. He topped it off by unscrambling NICEJOINT to keep his perfect conundrum record.

Laddiman returned for the Series 59 finals in December as #4 seed, and beat Debbi Flack on a crucial conundrum. In the semi-final he faced #1 seed Charlie Reams. Laddiman went 14 - 0 after two rounds, but couldn't keep up the same pace and when Reams spotted SUNDIAL in the final letters round, the game was effectively over. Both players scored on the next numbers game, but neither player could solve LAMEBRAIN, which was solved by Jo Brand in Dictionary Corner.

He went on to play in the Championship of Champions XIII, still only aged 12 and won a dramatic game on a crucial conundrum against Richard Priest, when Priest buzzed in instantly, but got the answer wrong. In Laddiman's following game, he faced undeafeated Series champion Nick Wainwright and kept the game close, notably solving a difficult six-small numbers game in round 10. However, Wainwright got the nine DEUTERONS when Laddiman only had an eight, which saved Wainwright from a crucial conundrum. Overall, Laddiman appeared in 13 games, winning 10 and losing only 3.

Later in 2009 he returned to Countdown to attend his first unofficial tournament, CoNot 2009 followed later by CoLei2, COLIN 2010 and Co:Lon.

Episodes

# Date Type Contestant 1 Score Contestant 2 Presenters Guest Lex Max
4681 2/10/2008 P Kai Laddiman 93 – 64 James Bruce Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Barry Cryer Susie Dent
4682 3/10/2008 P Kai Laddiman 95 – 86 Jeff Francis Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Barry Cryer Susie Dent
4683 6/10/2008 P Kai Laddiman 95 – 61 Bill Franklin Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Barry Cryer Susie Dent
4684 7/10/2008 P Kai Laddiman 91 – 68 Don Walker Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Nicholas Owen Susie Dent
4685 8/10/2008 P Kai Laddiman 89 – 56 Alex Gaywood Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Nicholas Owen Susie Dent
4686 9/10/2008 P Kai Laddiman 97 – 56 Zachery Stephenson Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Nicholas Owen Susie Dent
4687 10/10/2008 P Kai Laddiman 91 – 59 Hardev Raikmo Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Nicholas Owen Susie Dent
4688 13/10/2008 P Kai Laddiman 105 – 55 Richard Pascoe Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Nicholas Owen Susie Dent
4729 9/12/2008 QF Kai Laddiman 82 – 73 Debbi Flack Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Jo Brand Susie Dent
4730 10/12/2008 SF Kai Laddiman 70 – 99 Charlie Reams Des O'Connor Carol Vorderman Jo Brand Susie Dent
4736 15/01/2009 CP Kai Laddiman 93 – 85 Richard Priest Jeff Stelling Rachel Riley Andrew Sachs Susie Dent
4744 27/01/2009 CQF Kai Laddiman 91 – 94 Nick Wainwright Jeff Stelling Rachel Riley Paul Zenon Susie Dent
S28 2/8/2010 S Kai Laddiman 84 – 90 Dinos Sfyris Jeff Stelling Rachel Riley Gary Osborne Susie Dent