2013 Index: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
I made some mistakes, and though that is important, it is not important enough to too much about here, apart from saying I hope I learned from them (i.e. keep it simple stupid!). Anyhoo, I have not really felt like putting the films up, as though there was no lack of quality with the answers and, I hope, questions, there is some disjointedness about the films themselves, so I might put some up, but don't expect too much to soon.
The contest was played over eight specialist subject rounds, followed by general knowledge, normal LSQ scoring (two for a correct answer, one away for an incorrect interruption) except each player played a 'joker' on their own specialist subject, doubling the value of their correct answers to four.
Kudos to Martin Pampel who got off to as good a start as a man could hope for. It was so dissapointing that Colin Foster from Lytham welched out on coming after I had spent at least half a day on his questions. I hope he runs his accountancy business on a more reliable and trustworthy basis. Anyway, it was to Martin's advantage as he got more questions right on Edward II then anyone had a right too. In his own subject, Tom & Jerry he was imperious (see the film) and on Peter's subject, UK number ones 1960 - 1989, he was always going to get a few. After three specialist rounds there appeared to be a distinct prospect that Martin might get to 100 points and win without any general knowledge questions getting started (We were doing the eight specialist rounds first, and Martin already had sixty odd points after only three of them!)
Fortunately the other rounds went closer to plan, with each player nailing lots of great answers, with only the odd points dropped.
It was always going to be the case that a good start on the specialist rounds would always be critical to the final shake-up, and it came through in that Mike Foden ground his way to 101 points off a great set on Steely Dan, and the podiums were occupied by Martin and Julia Kidd (A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin); all three of them truly excelling in their specialisms. Like Peter, Keith Marshall picked a specialism that people could steal in on (Mammals) and could never get started. Remarkable that this year he had dominated a round (Durham) acheiving what nobody has ever done in winning each game on the day, yet resignation appeared to set in. Peter had a storming general knowledge round to come fourth, but people were always going to be sticking the boot in on his initial pick. Sam Roberts chose the entertaining World's Strongest Man franchise, but always seemed a little on the back foot. I know he will be kicking himself for giving up the New Jersey weights (bunny girls) and car number plate (WSM 1; great pull from Julia!). Last in the draw was Daniel Fullard, my dark horse for the competition. Though reasonably solid on Eurovision 1990 -2013 he remained dark. I was convinced that Danny was going let rip, but though he surely will, it was not today.
Once Mike got into the eighties, given the nature of the questions being slightly tougher than normal, he was always looking firm favourite. Having said they got off to good starts, Martin and Julia still kept hitting general knowledge questions, tying twice on correct answers (the timers differntiate hundredths of a second)! and thouroughly deserved their places. Julia, operating on the "In the kingdom of the blind the one-eyed man is king" principle, took the maximum advantage of unique gender and age to haul in over eighty points whilst the old men scrapped over the chesnuts. It was a truly awesome performance for a 21 year old girl though, in the face of such intimidating opposition.