Bulletin: Day #4

SCHEDULE

• Day 4 (Sunday 22nd April, [en route to] Epsom)
• Lunchtime 5-pointers
• Evening 7-pointer Round-Robin

COMMENTARY

North to Epsom, busy sunny Sunday roads, breakfast at an inn then the two final 5-pointers beside a pub beside a pond with the noisiest frog's chorus you've ever heard.

BotB wins his third of three, BGBoy does likewise in the negative and the final table sees the latter bottom, the former top and The Wizard and Pilgrim in between in that order.

With BotB having won the now completed lunchtime event, he and The Wizard both have a first and second place in a sub-competition. Seven points each. It's all going to rest on the Last Supper this evening - a 7-point round-robin - to decide who is BikeGammon Champion 2018!

BGBoy has finally relinquished his hold on the trophy and Pilgrim is discovering that his current approach to the game ('experimenting to see what happens') may need reviewing.

Suddenly the two leaders are very interested in the form of the trailers - at least in respect of how they perform against their adversary!

BGBoy cannot win BikeGammon, but he can win the evening event, triumph in one of the three sub-competitions and take the side-pool.

The first pairings see BotB v The Wizard and BGBoy v Pilgrim.

The Wizard takes it, beating his higher-ranked opponent and making himself huge favourite for the overall title. BGBoy wins his first, too, keeping him in the hunt for a sub-comp win.

Now it's The Wizard v Pilgrim and BotB v BGBoy. The Wizard wins at a canter. Now it's on the other second-round match. BotB is ahead but can't bring it home, BGBoy hangs in there, gets the dice he needs and beats his opponent for the first time in the weekend!

Finally, The Wizard v BGBoy and BotB v Pilgrim. Once again, Pilgrim contrives to lose quickly (but he's the best of losers - and a great playing and traveling companion!). Can BGBoy beat the favourite - and will it make a difference to the overall title?

The match is long and tense and BGBoy prevails to top The Last Supper table, take the side pool (BtoB and The Wizard having done so for the other two sub-tournies) and make something of his weekend.

It doesn't alter the final outcome, though and The Wizard is rightfully crowned the new BikeGammon Champion for 2018. He played well, made creative and intelligent plays when he needed them and enters backgammon history as one of only two players ever to have won this trophy! :)

RANKINGS

Evening 11-Pointers

Lunchtime 5-Pointers

The Last Supper (7-point round-robin)

Thanks to Len Brown for treating us to dinner!