Biba World Championship. 3, 4, 5 July 2009

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Report by Michael Crane (Photos via Michael Crane & Peter Chan. Click HERE to view slideshow)

For a change I am going to report in the correct order! In the Friday 500 (32) Marcus Wrinch went out in the 1st Round and only gained 4 points. This left his nearest rivals an opportunity to catch up or even overtake him in Paul Gilbertson's case. But Paul only managed to gain 9 points, still 10 short of Marcus. The night's winner was Julian Fetterlein who beat David Nathan (2008 500 Champion). See here

Main (54). Was I happy to see the 50th entrant come through the door! I has guaranteeing a £1000 first prize and I eventually ended up with £1080 divided thus: £1000 to the winner, £40 to the runner-up and twenty quid each to the losing semi-finalists. I hope to increase this next year - if enough of you turnout!

By the time we got to Sunday we were down to eight: Paul Gilbertson vs Adrian Jones; Chris Ternel vs Mike Heard; Wayne Felton vs Brian Lever; Marcus Wrinch vs Kevin Stebbing. In each match the first mention prevailed, and from there Chris beat Paul and Marcus beat Wayne for a Chris Ternel, Marcus Wrinch final.

You can't let a world-class player like Chris Ternel take a 7-0 lead in an 11 point match, unless you don't mind losing, that is! Marcus really didn't have a lot of choice in the matter, not until he scored his first point in the 6th game and made it 7-2. He then made it 7-4; Chris pulled away to 9-4; Marcus scraped back to 9-5 and then 9-6; and it is here as Chris starts to bear-in that Marcus looks like going out 11-6 as Chris (b) looks very good for the gammon he needs to become the Biba World Champion. However ...

Black 9 White 6
Black rolls 63

The roll prior to this could have been played safely ...

Chris plays 11/7

Now the 63 leaves a shot as Chris plays 7/4, 6/0. Marcus rolls 21 and misses. A little while later Chris is forced to leave another shot:

Black to play 33: 3/0(4)

Marcus rolls 54 and misses. Chris is unable to get things safe:
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Black rolls 52

He plays 4/0, 4/2. Marcus rolls 31 and misses! Chris rolls 42: 3/0, 2/0 and Marcus replies with 51: 24/19 15/14. And it's here that Chris leaves another shot:

Chris plays 2/0 2/0

Marcus is now facing his very last chance to save the gammon and thus keeping in the match.

He rolls 61: 24/23*, 14/8!

As soon as Chris knows he can't win the gammon, he cubes:
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Black cubes

Marcus cannot take it and he drops and the score moves to 10-6, Crawford. Marcus wins the Crawford, 10-7, he takes a quick point as Chris drops an early cube, 10-8. Chris takes the next cube and well into the game Marcus gets what is his last chance of a hit:

Black to play 61

Chris plays 8/2, 8/7 leaving just a direct 4 (11 rolls) and Marcus rolls a 4 - but it's Snake Eyes (11) and he can't hit! Chris then bears in and off to take the game, the match, and the Biba World Champion title! Congratulations, Chris; and hard luck to Marcus. He put up a good fight but was somewhat handicapped by the 7- lead that Chris built up.

Main: Chris and Marcus

Main Semi-finalists: Wayne and Paul

In the Consolation (50), Mick Vacarey (suffering from a severe stomach pain) fought his way into the final from the non-prog side of the draw. In the meantime, Martin Barkwill entered from the Main 3rd Round, he too fought through to the final of the prog side to beat Kevin Stebbing and then went on to meet Mick in the Consolation final. Visibly distressed, Mick just couldn't manage to beat Martin and he had to settle for runner-up to Martin's 1st. In the Last Chance (32) Nicky Check pipped Chris Evans to 1st place, and in the 3-pointer, World's End (32), Kevin Jones emerged victorious over Gheorghe Filipas. As part of his 'prize' Kevin took home an antique plastic globe, so old that many of its African countries no longer exists! He has to bring it back next year ... hopefully!

Consolation: Martin and Mick	Last Chance : Nicky and Chris
The World's End: Kevin and Gheorghe	The World's End Trophy!

Saturday night's Team (11) was won by me (again) when I beat Nicky Check in the final. In the previous round we almost lost to Richard Biddle and Linda Taylor - but we prevailed as I struggled to control 'Captain Nicky'! In the freeze out Poker (19), John Hedge came out on top with Robert Tutchings in 2nd place, Paul Gilbertson in 3rd and Myke Wignall in 4th. An out-of-form Tony Fawcett could only manage 10th. See here

Finally. I'd like to thank Tom Duggan for sponsoring the event and supplying the trophies (and the globe thingy!). They were admired for their relevance to a world event and (for a change) none were left behind for recycling! The free prize draw went very well. Fanika Petkovska had her eye on the leather board and Tom Duggan his on a Biba backgammon watch - neither were disappointed as they were able to take their pick of the goodies.

The Trophies	The Prize Draw
Sharen and Deana pass the Hatrick board to Fanika

Overall it was a very successful event. The new Biba World Champion is off to another World Championship next weekend somewhere in Europe, I believe. Let's wish him good luck and hope he makes it a double!

Finally, thanks to Deana & Tony Fawcett for their hard work with the admin and the poker and to Sharen for covering when Deana and I were out of the playing-room and for updating the Biba Twitter page so that all the followers could keep up with the events as they unfolded; and of course, thanks to all the entrants that made it the success it undoubtedly was. See you all next year? Who knows, I might up the 1st prize to £1500!

Also, a special mention to Dave (Cracker) McNamara who flew in from Dublin . . . our only overseas entrant! Thanks, Cracker.

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