MEMORY MATTERS

CONTENTS
Memory Matters 1
Young and Old, Masters and Beginners 2
Perfect Pairings 2
Side-Show 2
Poker Prevented 2
Games of Old 2
Draughts Large and Small 2
Delbeck Champagne Prize Draw Challenge 2 2
Games People Play 4
Results Section 4
Medals Table 4
Today's Events 4

'The Mind Sports Olympiad is a threshold event on the hinge of history. The 21st century will be dominated by brainpower. Gaming and competence in games such as those at the MSO will become a very important aspect of wealth creation in the future.' - Keith Bradley, Professor of International Management, Director of Business Research, The Open University Business School.

MEMORY MATTERS

One of the media darlings of the MSO has been reigning World Memory Champion Dominic O'Brien. His amazing skills are readily accessible to the public - everyone can understand the magnitude of the feats performed in this event. O'Brien started today's championships with a record-breaking performance. At the same time, rival Andy Bell made it clear that this year's Memoriad will be a vicious battle.

The first of the 12 challenges is the memorisation of a multiple digit number in an hour. This year the test number totalled 4,000 digits since the customary 2,000 was considered too low(!). O'Brien shattered his own world record of 1,392 by raising the mark to 1,512. Incredibly, Bell took an early lead in the competition by toppling Dominic from this list for the first time - the world record is now 1,620 digits!

O'Brien then resumed his customary spot at the head of the leader table by winning the 100 names and faces event, as well as the 500 random words (with another world record). Bell moved closer by winning the 300 spoken numbers - another O'Brien speciality - and another double world record, Andy raising the bar in this competition to 228.

The tension escalated as these titans continued to vault over earlier mental landmarks. In the one hour recall of packs of playing cards another double world record ended in a new theft of an O'Brien speciality. Bell managed an astonishing 1,170, eclipsing Dominic by over 200 cards. Nevertheless, O'Brien managed to extend his slender lead with an unmatched world record in the speed numbers.

After the seventh event, the recall of screen images, the first day of competition ended, and the warriors could retire to tend to their aching brains. O'Brien took another first, and must still be the overall favourite. Nevertheless, with Bell scoring remarkable successes in some of O'Brien's favourite events, tomorrow should provide further drama. As O'Brien remarked somewhat shakily early today: 'I'm a good each-way bet, but I wouldn't put any money on the nose.'

'I memorise ten packs of cards a day. When it's over, I usually have a headache.' - Dominic O'Brien,
The Daily Express

We want to do even better!

We are delighted at the response to the Mind Sports Olympiad that we have received from many of you who are here as participants or spectators. Next year we would like to make the Olympiad even bigger and at the same time to make it even more enjoyable for the participants. Can you help us? Please write to us after the Olympiad to tell us all the things that you liked about our event and any suggestions that you have to improve the Olympiad for next year. Please send your comments by letter to: Mind Sports Olympiad Ltd., PO Box 13388, London NW3 2ZF; or by fax to: 0171 482 0672; or by email to DavidL@intrsrch.demon.co.uk.

Young and Old, Masters and Beginners

One of the delightful aspects of Mind Sports is that there is no ageism. The young and old can compete side by side on equal terms. The oldest player at the Olympiad is Henry Gilmour from Ross-on-Wye who, at the age of 88, is competing in the creative thinking event. The youngest person involved at the MSO is Nathanael Lutton, aged six, who is helping out the chess control team. The range of playing strength in the chess event is quite extraordinary. Competing alongside Michael Adams and Matthew Sadler - the top two ranked players in the country - are players who have never played competitively before. Thanks to the Swiss pairing system, all players are able to compete in every round, regardless of their score.

Perfect Pairings

Arranging the pairings using the Swiss system is a complex task, as there are many intricate rules. However, this task has been simplified thanks to the programming skills of Robert Rozycki. Robert, a software engineer at NEC Australia, has developed a powerful package ('Swiss Perfect') which is able to compile pairings and tabulate results in seconds - a great help bearing in mind the hectic timetable that often accompanies such events. Special features have been developed specifically for this event to handle the great variety of games being played. The DOS version is available free of charge, while the Windows95 version has just been released at a cost of $49. If you want to take the hard work out of running a Swiss pairing event, see Robert's homepage on www.ozemail.com.au/~tourney.

Side-Show

Tucked away on the 'red' side of the Royal Festival Hall on level 2 is a fascinating exhibition area of games inventors and proprietary board games. There you can find a wide array of stands devoted to David Pritchard's Encyclopedia of Chess Variants, astral(!) games, 3-D sculptures and Save the President! - a game with a fine pedigree having been played by no less than President Clinton. A large selection of second-hand games and many out-of-print games can also be found here. So don't end your visit to the MSO without a walk on the red side!

Games of Old

Now that the curious are visiting the MSO Art Gallery in greater numbers, we should mention that another attraction awaits on level 6. R.C. Bell's collection of historical games paraphernalia is on display along the balcony adjoining the Gallery. The exhibition features equipment dating from as far back as the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt (2686-2181BC), and as varied as Inuit betting tools and bark Ubo cards from the Philippines.

Poker Prevented

The Mind Sports Olympiad organisers were highly enthusiastic about the prospect of including poker in the Olympiad, but were thwarted by the Gaming Act. There is often a difficulty with games which have a perception of being associated with gambling, as we saw with backgammon in yesterday's Olympiad News. It would have been possible to play poker for points, but the serious players may well have found it difficult to compete without their usual financial incentive.

One person who was particularly disappointed by this was Stewart Reuben, one of the chess arbiters. Stewart is a leading poker player and has recently published Pot Limit and No Limit Poker, which can be purchased from the Chess & Bridge bookstall on level 2.

Draughts Large and Small

One of the most international events at the MSO is the 10x10 draughts, which features a wide variety of nationalities and includes three former World Champions, Grandmasters Wiersma, Gantvarg and Valneris. The 10x10 ('international') game is particularly popular in Holland, France and in the former Soviet countries. This version evolved from 8x8 draughts some time in the 17th century.

Perhaps surprisingly, the approach required in the two games is very different - the 8x8 version being mainly tactical, while the 10x10 version is more strategic in scope. For example, Ron King, the World and MSO 8x8 Champion, is a relative novice in the sister game. Nevertheless, he has impressed the 10x10 community with his talented and tricky play.

The MSO event which is being run by Paul Visser, an international arbiter, has a £2,000 first prize, an attractive reward for a draughts tournament.

Delbeck Champagne Prize Draw Challenge 2:

Submit your answers to the registration desk on level 2. Check Olympiad News for future questions!
1) Who is the only player to hold all major shogi titles (seven) in one season?
2) Who invented Twixt?
3) By what name is the Chinese game wei ch'i better known?

Yesterday's quiz answers:
1) Sean Adams, USA, 3,850 words per minute! (from Buzan's Book of Mental World Records)
2) Juvenal
3) Nam-Nam
The winner of the Delbeck Champagne is Alf Lawrie. Congratulations!

Where can you ...

learn how to juggle?
learn how to map your mind?
learn how to grow younger?
To find out, visit the Buzan Centres stand on level 2.

GAMES PEOPLE PLAY

MSO director David Pritchard is a leading games expert. He has been a freelance games consultant for the past 16 years, was editor of Games & Puzzles magazine from 1972 to 1981 and has written more than 20 books. He has also umpired a wide range of games. David's chief role at the Olympiad has been the selection of the Mind Sports.

How did you become involved in games?

Games have always fascinated me. I started with chess and reached a reasonable standard, being ranked seventh in the UK. However, I did not regard myself as an especially good player and could foresee other players moving past me. I therefore decided to become involved in other games.

What sort of freelance work do you do?

I test games, write the rules and advise inventors on how to protect and market their creations. For example, in the UK you can publicise your game as being 'Game of the Year', regardless of who made this award. In Germany, there are much stricter criteria. The awards are government sanctioned and judged by a panel including a high court judge.

How many games can you play?

I have written a book on chess variants, which included 1,450 different games, all of which I have played. When I was editor of Games & Puzzles magazine, I looked at approximately 1,000 games each year, most of which I played only once. I have some regulars, such as Rummikub, but I don't have a favourite game.

How did you select the games for the Mind Sports Olympiad?

I was asked to become involved in this capacity in November last year. I wrote to all my contacts around world (I regularly correspond with games buffs), and asked for lists of suggested games. From these lists, I selected games that appeared frequently. I then balanced the list with the inclusion of one or two others. The choice of some games was obvious, e.g. chess, bridge, backgammon, etc; the difficulty was lower down, as there are literally thousands of games out there. Germany produces six times the number of games that the UK does and the US even more.

What are the big games-playing countries?

In Germany, games are very big business. Their main annual games fair runs for four days in Essen in October and typically receives 125,000 visitors. Essen is the Mecca for games players. However, it took them many years to build up the event up to its present size. When they started it was relatively small scale; they had two modest sized halls. Now they use eight or nine very big halls. This year's fair will be held from 23-26 October.

What are the key ingredients for a successful game?

First and foremost, originality, which is also just about the most difficult thing to achieve. You must have a popular theme, a good title, attractive packaging and a careful balance between luck and skill. Games should be based on a theme that everyone is interested in and can relate to. So, hang-gliding, for example, would not be a great choice. The luck/skill balance is important. In a family situation one player will, naturally, be more skilful than others. If they win all the time, the game becomes boring and predictable. If they win most of the time, but the weaker players know that they can also win if the luck is with them, it makes the experience much more interesting.

Are there fashions in games?

Yes, and as with everything else, these fashions can change. At the moment the key features that are sought in games are interaction and decision-making. Interaction is currently seen to be very important. In a turn-taking game such as Ludo, you sit around most of the time waiting for your go - you can fall asleep. In an interactive game you have to be aware constantly for chances to interrupt or challenge or whatever. People also like to make their own decisions, even if they are trivial ones such as whether to go left or right. It is more interesting to make your own choices rather than have them determined by a roll of the dice or the turn of a card. Trivial Pursuit, for example, although highly successful, is perceived by games aficionados as very old-fashioned.

What are the other big games success stories of recent years?

The story of Professor Rubik of Hungary is remarkable. He came over with his invention and was turned away by everybody. Eventually someone gave him a break, and the rest is history. Bizarrely, in Hungary, the number of copies sold exceeded the entire population, because the Germans came over with lorries to ship the game back across the border. The Canadian inventor of Trivial Pursuit also ran into a brick wall at first, but managed to persuade some friends to put up $1,000 each to promote the game. Some of them were last seen relaxing on their yachts in the Mediterranean.

What is the current favourite?

Magic - The Gathering is a huge game, with 30,000 tournaments being held every year and many professional players. It is a wonderful game and fits perfectly the criteria given above for success.

Is the title of a game important?

It is absolutely crucial. I once participated in a meeting to decide the one-word title for a game. The host company flew in executives from all over the world and put them up at great expense in five-star hotel. All to decide one word!

Day Four Leaders and Medal Winners

Bridge Pairs

(Placings and medals)

1 M. Gold/D. Higginson (both England) gold
2 P. Hecht-Johansen/K. Blakset (both Denmark) silver
3 M. Beyer/J. Tesselaar (both Holland) bronze

Mastermind

(Placings and medals)

1 R. Coull (England) gold
2 D. De Toffoli (Italy) silver
3 B. Croucher (England) bronze

Owari Juniors

(Placings and medals)

1 T. Low Ten Que (Eng) gold
2 N. Low Ten Que (Eng) silver
3 M. Cornelius (Eng) bronze

Rummikub

(Placings and medals)

1 M. Naito (Japan) gold
2 G. Hassabis (England) silver
3 H. Kitajima (Japan) bronze

Shogi

(Placings and medals)

1 E. Cheymol (France) gold
2 A. Hosking (England) silver
3 S. Lamb (England) bronze

Chess

(after twelve rounds)

1 M. Adams (England) 10.5/12
2 M. Sadler (England) 9/12
3-6 K. Arkell (England) 8.5/12
D. Gormally (England)
K. Harman (England)
B. Lalic (Croatia)

Draughts 10x10

(after twelve rounds)

1 H. Wiersma (Holland) 18/24
2-3 I. Kirzner (Ukraine) 17/24
G. Valneris (Latvia)

Chinese Chess

(after seven rounds)

1 F.Z. Chen (England) 6.5/7
2 W.W. Cheung (France) 6/7

Scrabble

(after twelve rounds)

1 M. Thompson (England) 9/12 (+609)
2 E. Simpson (England) 8/12 (+834)
3 A. Killilea (England) 8/12 (+629)
4 H. Lamabadusuriya (Sri Lanka) 8/12 (+428)
5 D. Webb (England) 8/12 (+399)

Memory Skills

(after seven rounds)

1 D. O'Brien (England) 714.12
2 A. Bell (England) 556.70
3 D. Thomas (England) 448.05
4 T. Groves (England) 320.67

Othello

(after twelve rounds)

1 Suekuni (Japan) 12/12
2 T. Nakajima (Japan) 9/12
M. Tastet (France)

Go 19x19

(after four rounds)

1-2 Z. Guo (Holland) 4/4
E. Cali (France)

Go 13x13

Not all players have played the same number of games.

1 S. Zhang (China) 13
2 G. Zuan (China) 10.5
3 D. Ward (England) 9

Jigsaw Puzzles

(after four rounds)

1 R. Harwood (England) 710
2 A. Smith (England) 706
3 P. Wood (England) 490

Backgammon

(qualifiers, to date, for Friday's gold section)

J. Balmforth, M. Barkwill, N. Carol, J. Clark, C. Cornwall, D. De Tuffoli, R. Hellman, M. Jahanbani, J. Kwee, O. Omodera, S. Paliwoda, L. Powell, P. Rastan, S. Rimmer, A. Robertson, R. Sheehan, J. Verdion and W.M. Yoon.

Stratego

(after six rounds)

1-2 P. Van Bodegom (Holland) 31/36 [5 wins, 1 draw]
W. Sikteoeboen (Holland)
3-4 Y. Botturi (Italy) 25/36 [4 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss]
A. Pols (Holland)

Zatre

(after ten rounds)

1-2 D. Steuerwald (Germany) 9/10
S. Ludwig (Germany)
3-4 P. Basedow (Germany) 8/10
G. Ditrich (Germany)

Mind Sports Olympiad Medal Table after Day Four

TODAY'S EVENTS

Backgammon pm
Bridge day
Chess am
Chinese Chess pm
Draughts (10x10) pm
Go (13x13) pm
Go (19x19) am
IQ pm
Jigsaw Puzzles am
Mastermind day
Memory Skills day
Othello pm
Owari pm
Rummikub day
Scrabble am
Skat am
Stratego day
Zatre day

OLYMPIAD NEWS TEAM
Editor: Jon Tisdall
Production: Byron Jacobs and Andrew Kinsman (First Rank Publishing)

MIND SPORTS OLYMPIAD
PO Box 13388, London NW3 2ZF
Fax: 0171 482 0672 http://www.mindsports.co.uk/