Tuesday 16 May 2017

BikeGammon 2018 - Be part of history


BikeGammon is a backgammon tournament played in a series of venues over one weekend. The mode of travel between the venues is motorbike.

To be eligible to enter, you must be able to play backgammon and travel by motorbike.

When: Thursday 19th April - Monday 23rd April 2018*
Where: Southern England

We'll meet on the south coast - within an hour or so of London - and play the first round of matches there.
 
We'll travel on carefully selected, biking-friendly roads, never overreaching ourselves in terms of distance, and play subsequent matches on the evenings of Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The backgammon will be organised by Dicky Biddle of North London Backgammon renown. The rest will be organised by me - Simon Hopper.
 
The winner will hold the Magnificent BikeGammon trophy for one year.
 
Simon 'BG Boy' Hopper receiving the 2017 Magnificent BikeGammon Trophy
 
This trophy attracts beautiful lovers, enhances your charisma, bolsters your libido and generally burnishes your otherwise ordinary life.**
 
This is year two. There may be a year three, four, five and so on. Let's see.
 
 
DETAILS
NUMBERS: Entrants are limited to 8. First-come first-served.
 
PRIZE MONEY: There may be optional side-pools arranged at the time.
 
ROUTES, VENUES, TOURNAMENT DETAILS: will be finalised in good time - watch this space. Accommodation will tend towards the budget end of the spectrum.
 
DEPOSIT: A deposit of £50.00 secures a place: send your contact details to simon@simonhopper.co.uk and I'll let you have payment info. Deposits are refundable if the event does not take place or if a replacement is found in an otherwise fully subscribed event.
 
 
Well, you're only young once!
 
 
*(Those who wish/need to will be able to return to their 'normal' lives early on Monday.)
**( Some of these claims may be untrue.)

Monday 15 May 2017

The Ballad of BikeGammon '17 (unfinished)

On motorbikes from Germany, The U.S. and Japan
They rode into the Continent, a gladiator band
To vie in competition, for they were in accord
BG Boy, The Newbie and Biddle of the Board

The Newbie (Philip Nicolas)













The Newbie was the tyro, the younger of the three
He travelled with the others for to listen and to see
To learn, to battle-harden; he was not overawed
To stand his ground with BG Boy and Biddle of the Board

Biddle of the Board ('Dicky' Biddle)













Biddle's bike wore shining chrome, you knew when he'd arrived
He was the senior statesman, his status uncontrived
His was the highest rating – a certain source of joy
Now Newbie was his advers'ry – along with BG Boy

BG Boy (Simon Hopper)










The last one loved a contest; he came from Bethnal Green
And was convener of this trial such as had not been seen
He threw down a gauntlet - for a contest he adored -
To prick the pride of Newbie and Biddle of the Board

In Escalles and Valenciennnes, to Rouen, then to Ghent
The city streets resounded to their conflict as they went
No quarter sought or given as their battle-cry they roared
BG Boy, The Newbie and Biddle of the Board

(to be continued...)

Sunday 2 April 2017

Armentieres, Ypres & Ghent: BikeGammon, day#4


Hopper accepts the trophy from Nicolas

It wasn't dull. A four-day motorcycle ride, two punctures (complete with recovery vehicle dramas), one abandoned Harley, several fabulous examples of French and Belgian cuisine, many lovely country lanes, a couple of motorways, some songs, wine, beer, lots of coffees and six fiercely-fought one vs two backgammon matches later, a winner: unabashed by the thought that it might be considered bad form for the event's founder to to take the trophy, Simon 'BGBoy' Hopper pipped Philip 'Newbie' Nicolas in a 1-point play-off to win the event.

On a gripping final day, the competition climaxed as the tour traversed the poignant territory of WW1's western front playing the final three matches (now extended to 7-pointers).

In Armentieres, Nicolas played a blinder as the noon-day sun warmed the players' al-fresco café table to beat the pre-tournament 'strongest' duo in some style. In future BikeGammon tours he'll keep his nom-de-guerre of 'Newbie', but we now know it's simply not appropriate.

Armentieres: Nicolas and Hopper, WW1-stylee

Competition Score
Hopper 4
Nicolas 3
Biddle 1

Ypres: (l-r) Hopper, Nicolas, Biddle

In Ypres, Hopper played solo knowing he needed to win to clinch the tournament. He didn't make it.

Biddle and Nicolas survived his potential backgammon/match/tournament-winning roll (four two-point checkers left, two enemy checkers remaining in his inner board, one-double-needed-but-not-obtained), to roll a 55 of their own to win a gammon on a two-cube and take the match.

Competition Score 
Hopper 4
Nicolas 4
Biddle 2

In Ghent, Biddle now knew he needed to beat the opposing pair, win two points, equalise the scores and take the competition to a three-way, one-point play-off. One earlier-than-theory-would-endorse gammoned double, however, made that task a bridge too far.

It would have been tough to come back from four down in a seven-pointer against two competition-seasoned opponents, but a series of fortunate doubles rendered 'Biddle of the Board' a spectator and the duo took the points.

Competition Score
Hopper 5
Nicolas 5
Biddle 2

With two players tied, the competition rules required a one-point play-off. It was Hopper v Nicolas. 'BGBoy' got the rolls and collected the trophy from his opponent.

There had to be a winner, but it really was a case of the taking part mattering most and the main topic of conversation on the morning after was where and when the second annual BikeGammon event would take place.

Well done to Dicky Biddle for running a great tournament and to Philip Nicolas for playing a blinder and demonstrating what a fine competitor he's developing into. The event was born of Hopper's fevered imagination. Whether that warrants congratulations is for others to decide! ;)

We were a new team, but we formed, stormed, normed and performed (he knew a thing or two did that Tuckman). And it was good.

Hmmm; BikeGammon 2018. Now there's a thought.

You coming?





Saturday 1 April 2017

Valenciennes: BikeGammon day#3

In the last, thrilling 17-pointer, the consulting duo of Nicolas/Hopper came back from 2 : 7 down to beat Biddle of the Board, 17 : 11 with Newbie Nicolas giving the lie to his nickname by authoritively steering the duo home courtesy of a doubled 2-cube.

Hopper 4
Biddle 1
Nicolas 1

Can BGBoy get over the line? Can Newbie nix him?! Can B.o.t.B. beat him to it?!

Who knows? Find out exclusively here!!

... is just plain careless.


Didn't matter how much they wanted to, the bike won't be ready before Tuesday, earliest. :(

Mr. 'I'm no little biker chick' Biddle had to ride pillion, wearing a Harley jacket - on a Honda. Oh, oh, the ignominy!

And worse was to follow...

Once is unlucky, twice...

Dicky's turn...

Friday 31 March 2017

Rouen: BikeGammon day#2

Hopper, starting 3:0 up, never looked back. It may have been the luck or it may have been the skill, but either way he won it (notwithstanding an ill-advised, but well-negotiated 16-cube).

Hopper 3
Biddle 1
Nicolas 0

And - what would you do here? (White to play: 66 in a 17 point match, black leads, 9 - 3.)


The tournament possibilities begin to narrow. Biddle and Nicolas need to make inroads. However, there will be six points to be won on Sunday evening. And tomorrow, it's Biddle flying solo. Can the Nicolas/Hopper consulting pair triumph?

As for the evening - wine was taken, offal was eaten, songs were sung, coffee was drunk. It's France, after all.

On to Valenciennes!

Saved!

Philip's bike was taken to the tyre repairer...
... but while we were waiting we were able to begin match #2 with Hopper as the soloist. Either superior play or good dice propelled him to a 3:0 lead.

Three hours late, the trio set off via country roads, assertive overtaking manourvres and a delicious Petit Boullabaise lunch for an eventual arrival in Rouen where rooms have been taken, bikes secured and a match recommencement time of 20.15 agreed upon.

Can Hopper maintain his slender lead? What is the correct cube strategy when 14-away, 17-away? Will the consultees prevail for a second night? These questions and more beg answers.

Watch this space...

Catastrophe!

On BikeGammon, one must be prepared for the unexpected.

The tour is temporarily on hold.

Suggested cube action?

Thursday 30 March 2017

Escalles: BikeGammon day#1


A concatenation of motorcycles in a French hotel carpark?


Intense late-night competition in a French hotel bedroom?

It must be BikeGammon!

Yes, the show is on the road and - after a short but tantalisingly gorgeous ride along the winding coast road from Calais to Escalles - the competition got under way. Match-day 1 saw Philip 'Newbie' Nicolas as the singleton bravely confronting the twin, consulting schoolyard bullies of Simon 'BGBoy' Hopper and Dicky 'Biddle of the Board' Biddle in a 17-pointer.

Philip's game effort saw him come a dignified second resulting in a first-day match score* of:

Biddle 1
Hopper 1
Nicholas 0

All is to play for as the circus heads south-west along more of that Le Manche-hugging highway to Rouen and match-day 2 on which it's Hopper as the solo player vs Biddle conferring with Nicolas.

Will youthful enthusiasm (eh?) prevail over the  wisdom of the years? Will it rain en route? Will anyone read this blog? Tune in to find the answers to these questions and more!


*See earlier post for details

Tuesday 21 March 2017

It's happening...

Founder of BikeGammon: Simon 'BGBoy' Hopper

On Thursday 30th March three Backgammon-playing motorcyclists will leave on the World's First BikeGammon tour/competition.

This ground-breaking event will take place as outlined elsewhere in this blog with the perfect number of rider/players for a three-man tournament.

Details of the event have been finalised with the tournament now filling all four evenings of the trip. It's going to be intense!

Bashful Tournament Director; Dicky 'Biddle of the Board' Biddle

The tournament, in the words of the TD, will operate as follows:

Doubles Singles Round Robin
Players take it in turns to play on their own against the other two consulting players.  Single player gets 2 points for a win, Doubles players get 1 point each for a win.  There will be two rounds of the Round Robin.  The First Round will be five point matches and should take one evening to complete.  The Second Round will be 17 point matches and take three evening sessions to complete.

Highest score at the end of the Round Robin wins the BikeGammon 2017 Trophy.

Philip 'Newbie' Nicolas
Follow the outcome here!

(Those interested in signing up for 2018 should contact Simon Hopper. See more on the UKBGF website.)