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Carc Central Community => News and Events => Topic started by: kettlefish on March 30, 2015, 11:56:34 PM

Title: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on March 30, 2015, 11:56:34 PM
UK Carcassonne Championship 2015

at: UK Games Expo

where: Birmingham

when: Sunday 31.05.2015

start and end time: 10:00am - 3:00pm

price: £6,00

web-side:
http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/game.php?id=BOR1097 (http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/game.php?id=BOR1097)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Decar on April 02, 2015, 01:01:38 PM
Just so everyone knows:

I will be attending the UK Caracassonne Championships - I'm quite excited as I have never done anything like this before!

...also I have some gifts for any attendees from the forums, but more information to follow....  8)

Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on April 03, 2015, 01:51:48 AM
Udo Schmitz from Carcassonne-on-Tour is there too as a special guest.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Decar on April 03, 2015, 01:56:39 AM
I'm excited by this too!  I'm only heading up on Sunday so hope I get a chance to say hello!  :(y)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on April 03, 2015, 02:00:43 AM
Udo Schmitz is a special guest at the UK Championship on that Sunday.

He will have some special surprisings in his package.

MrNumbers knows what I meant.  >:D
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Jéré on April 03, 2015, 02:18:49 AM
Is it open to non-citizens/non-residents/aliens?
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on April 03, 2015, 02:50:02 AM
Quote from: Jéré on April 03, 2015, 02:18:49 AM
Is it open to non-citizens/non-residents/aliens?
I think no.
Udo is a ViP.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Decar on April 03, 2015, 04:02:36 AM
Quote from: kettlefish on April 03, 2015, 02:00:43 AM
He will have some special surprisings in his package.

I dont know whether to be excited or scared about Mr Schmitz's pacakge....hopefully both!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Jéré on April 03, 2015, 05:54:42 AM

Quote from: Decar on April 03, 2015, 04:02:36 AM
Quote from: kettlefish on April 03, 2015, 02:00:43 AM
He will have some special surprisings in his package.

I dont know whether to be excited or scared about Mr Schmitz's pacakge....hopefully both!

He's going to bring all the rotten eggs. ;)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: MrNumbers on April 03, 2015, 08:42:06 AM
Quote from: kettlefish on April 03, 2015, 02:00:43 AM
MrNumbers knows what I meant.  >:D

Definitely I do ;)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: cidervampire on April 05, 2015, 01:57:31 AM
Really looking forward to this event. I'm playing games until late the night before so I should be hangover free for the tournament. Will the lucky winner be the only one to receive the contents of the package or is he going to surprise all of us with it?
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on April 05, 2015, 12:16:41 PM
Quote from: MrNumbers on April 03, 2015, 08:42:06 AM
Quote from: kettlefish on April 03, 2015, 02:00:43 AM
MrNumbers knows what I meant.  >:D

Definitely I do ;)

I seem to remember there being something to do with "aprons"?  O:-)

In any case, it will be good to meet with one of my Carcassonne heroes!

Quote from: cidervampire on April 05, 2015, 01:57:31 AM
Really looking forward to this event. I'm playing games until late the night before so I should be hangover free for the tournament. Will the lucky winner be the only one to receive the contents of the package or is he going to surprise all of us with it?

Is this the first time you'll have taken part? Looking forward to meeting you there!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: cidervampire on April 05, 2015, 12:34:40 PM
Hi Dan,

I was at the Expo 3 years ago last time (I think). The tourney was fun but really odd as the highest scoring players went through to the second round regardless of whether they won so you had the odd arrangement of players conspiring to share huge cities so they could all gain lots of points. Madness!
Do you look like your Meeple?

My real name is Geoff Thirlwell in case anyone wants to say hi
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on April 05, 2015, 12:40:57 PM
Quote from: cidervampire on April 05, 2015, 12:34:40 PM
Hi Dan,

I was at the Expo 3 years ago last time (I think). The tourney was fun but really odd as the highest scoring players went through to the second round regardless of whether they won so you had the odd arrangement of players conspiring to share huge cities so they could all gain lots of points. Madness!
Do you look like your Meeple?

My real name is Geoff Thirlwell in case anyone wants to say hi

Hi!  :)

I read about this on a blog somewhere. I'm glad I wasn't involved that year, it doesn't seem like a sensible way to run a Carcassonne tournament at all!

Yes I do look like my meeple although you'll be able to recognise me (I hope) as I'll be wearing a "Power to the Meeple" t-shirt like this one: http://www.meeplesource.com/proddetail.php?prod=MP08-m (but in green)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: JT Atomico on April 15, 2015, 08:26:28 AM
I'm really disappointed to be missing this - I'm away that week :(

Good luck everyone, looking forward to hearing how you get on!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on April 22, 2015, 03:27:34 AM
at the UK Games Expo 2015 are some special guests.

Here is the link to the guests list:
http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/guests.php (http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/guests.php)

Udo Schmitz is there too.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Decar on April 22, 2015, 06:21:51 AM
38 days + some hours remaining!

7 tickets remain for the Carcassonne Championships
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: jungleboy on April 22, 2015, 07:03:04 AM
I would have loved to be there with you guys (passport control notwithstanding), but I'm flying to Baku that day. Maybe next year...???
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Decar on April 22, 2015, 07:05:40 AM
is there a Championships being held in Baku?  Maybe you could start one  :meeple:
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Jéré on April 22, 2015, 07:35:45 AM
If the French accept a Canadian, why would the British refuse? We are politically much closer: The Queen is our head of state. (...not that I agree!)

The direct flight I saw a couple of weeks ago much be too expensive now... :(
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Decar on April 22, 2015, 07:39:13 AM
Jéré if a flight to South Wales / Bristol is cheaper, I'd happily give you a lift up to Birmingham :)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: jungleboy on April 22, 2015, 07:56:04 AM
Quote from: Decar on April 22, 2015, 07:05:40 AM
is there a Championships being held in Baku?  Maybe you could start one  :meeple:

Maybe we could just call it the European Championships, since the reason I'm going is there to begin with is for the European Games. Even though it doesn't really appear as though Azerbaijan is actually in Europe.
 
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Decar on April 22, 2015, 07:58:01 AM
And if you're the only participant, you could call yourself the European Champion!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Jéré on April 22, 2015, 08:09:45 AM

Quote from: Decar on April 22, 2015, 07:39:13 AM
Jéré if a flight to South Wales / Bristol is cheaper, I'd happily give you a lift up to Birmingham :)

Thanks! I'll have a look at the options... again...
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Jéré on April 22, 2015, 08:12:13 AM

Quote from: jungleboy on April 22, 2015, 07:56:04 AM
Even though it doesn't really appear as though Azerbaijan is actually in Europe.

Azerbaijan has 8.2% of its territory in Europe, which is more than Turkey (3%).
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Decar on April 23, 2015, 07:27:49 AM
Quote from: Jéré on April 22, 2015, 08:09:45 AM

Quote from: Decar on April 22, 2015, 07:39:13 AM
Jéré if a flight to South Wales / Bristol is cheaper, I'd happily give you a lift up to Birmingham :)

Thanks! I'll have a look at the options... again...

I've been wondering about this & if you win in Paris and Birmingham would you have to play yourself at Essen?
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Jéré on April 23, 2015, 08:08:12 AM

Quote from: Decar on April 23, 2015, 07:27:49 AM
I've been wondering about this & if you win in Paris and Birmingham would you have to play yourself at Essen?

I think I've used all my luck already to win in Lille so I'd say it's impossible. :)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Jéré on April 24, 2015, 07:18:55 AM
Quote from: Jéré on April 22, 2015, 08:09:45 AM

Quote from: Decar on April 22, 2015, 07:39:13 AM
Jéré if a flight to South Wales / Bristol is cheaper, I'd happily give you a lift up to Birmingham :)

Thanks! I'll have a look at the options... again...


Flight is still affordable... "only" 26 euros more than a few weeks ago but I will be applying for a visa around that time so it's wiser not to plan any other trips. Moreover, my trip to Paris is already quite expansive (bloody Thalys!!) so I decided to skip Birmingham. Have fun there!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Rosco on April 25, 2015, 12:03:26 AM
I am considering going and taking my wife and child. We would probably just come for the Sunday but are open to suggestions. What would other people recommend.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on April 25, 2015, 12:19:03 AM
Udo Schmitz is at the UK Games Expo on Saturday and Sunday.
On Sunday he visits the UK Championship.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on April 25, 2015, 12:30:55 AM
Quote from: Jéré on April 24, 2015, 07:18:55 AM
Flight is still affordable... "only" 26 euros more than a few weeks ago but I will be applying for a visa around that time so it's wiser not to plan any other trips. Moreover, my trip to Paris is already quite expansive (bloody Thalys!!) so I decided to skip Birmingham. Have fun there!

Never before have I felt relief and disappointment so strongly and yet in equal measure!

Personally I think it would have been too confusing for you to be representing two different countries at the world championships. Especially if it ended up being a UK vs. France final (although it would be hilarious to see you play against yourself)  :(y)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Rosco on April 25, 2015, 01:53:39 AM
It would have to be kept from him which colour was representing which colour so he couldn't favour one country
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on April 25, 2015, 11:28:46 PM
Quote from: Rosco on April 25, 2015, 12:03:26 AM
I am considering going and taking my wife and child. We would probably just come for the Sunday but are open to suggestions. What would other people recommend.

Last year I went just for the Sunday with wife and both kids. They'll be there again this year, but I'm not 100% sure what they're going to do during the Carcassonne tournament. It's scheduled to run for five hours (10am - 3pm) so it's quite a while, but at least an hour and a half of that will be for the semi-finals, final and prize giving so is only relevant if you reach the top 4 after the first three rounds of 4-player games (or want to stick around to applaud the eventual champion). Plus of course you'll be able to meet Udo and some of the coolest members of CarcC...  O:-)

If your family is into boardgaming then there might be enough there to keep them busy for a few hours, and there's quite a big kids area which would might appeal to your daughter. Mine certainly enjoyed it last year. Hope to see you there!  :) :(y)

Better hurry though, there's only 6 tickets left!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on May 01, 2015, 08:02:21 AM
For anyone who is interested, I've put together the list below of previous UK Carcassonne champions and how they did at the world championships:

Year     Player     Position     Full List (click)     
2006Jon Miller16 of 16http://www.spielezentrum.de/Carcassonne/CC-2006engl/e-ccs-result2006.html
2007(nobody)http://www.spielezentrum.de/Carcassonne/CC-2007engl/e-cc-result07wm.html
2008Michal Frys5 of 20http://www.spielezentrum.de/Carcassonne/CC-2008Engl/e-cc-result08wm.html
2009Michal Frys8 of 20http://www.spielezentrum.de/Carcassonne/CC-2009ENGL/e-cc-results09wm.html
2010Mike Head19 of 20http://www.spielezentrum.de/Carcassonne/CC-2010ENGL/e-cc-finals10wm.html
2011Peter Boswell23 of 24http://www.spielezentrum.de/Carcassonne/CC-2011Engl/E-CCWC2011-finals.html
2012Richard Gough19 of 26http://www.spielezentrum.de/Carcassonne/CC-2012Engl/E-CCWC2012-finals.html
2013Richard Gough9 of 36http://www.spielezentrum.de/Carcassonne/CC-2013Engl/E-CCWC2013-finals.html
2014Robin Blagg33 of 34http://www.spielezentrum.de/Carcassonne/CC-2014Engl/E-CCWC2014-finals.html
2015James Cook25 of 32(no link yet)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on May 14, 2015, 02:25:20 AM
UK Games Expo 2015:
Seminar
Suday 31 05 2015 - 9:00 am:
Udo Schmitz - Carcassonne Workshop

Quote
Find out why the game Carcassonne is so successful around the world. Discover which marketing-events have worked so well ( Including Carcassonne-Geocaching, Simultaneous Carcassonne) and what are are the plans for the future.

In the end of the workshop, Udo will present prototypes of the next Carcassonne Games, which will be published in 2015 and 2016.

http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/seminars.php (http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/seminars.php)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on May 14, 2015, 02:38:59 AM
An update for the Carcassonne UK Championship

the maximum limit are now 60 participants
That means there are 12 tickets left.

Quote
Prizes
The winner will receive £150 towards the expenses of travelling to Essen Spiel in October to represent the UK in the Worlds finals.
Udo Schmitz from Carcassonne on Tour has also generously offered prizes for the top three players, as well as a little gift for all competitors.

http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/game.php?id=BOR1097 (http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/game.php?id=BOR1097)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: loki on May 14, 2015, 08:54:31 PM
Quote from: kettlefish on May 14, 2015, 02:25:20 AM

In the end of the workshop, Udo will present prototypes of the next Carcassonne Games, which will be published in 2015 and 2016.

This should be interesting, would be nice if he talks about expansions to existing carcassone game as well as new Games.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Rosco on May 14, 2015, 11:06:26 PM
Loki are you competing
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: loki on May 15, 2015, 06:25:29 AM
Quote from: Rosco on May 14, 2015, 11:06:26 PM
Loki are you competing

No I am not competing.  I guess I should have said  "That will be interesting"
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on May 18, 2015, 07:53:27 AM
Quote from: kettlefish on May 14, 2015, 02:25:20 AM
UK Games Expo 2015:
Seminar
Suday 31 05 2015 - 9:00 am:
Udo Schmitz - Carcassonne Workshop

Quote
Find out why the game Carcassonne is so successful around the world. Discover which marketing-events have worked so well ( Including Carcassonne-Geocaching, Simultaneous Carcassonne) and what are are the plans for the future.

In the end of the workshop, Udo will present prototypes of the next Carcassonne Games, which will be published in 2015 and 2016.

http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/seminars.php (http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/seminars.php)

It's about 2 hours by car for me (and family) but I'm hoping to be able to get to Birmingham in time for this. How about you Decar, Rosco, cidervampire (and anyone else going who I don't know about)? Maybe if there's enough of us they'll reserve some seats for us at the front and put a sign on them saying "Reserved for Carcassonne Central members". That would make me feel so cool.  8)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Rosco on May 18, 2015, 02:48:05 PM
Dan - you are the man to organise that - i will be there!!!  I am getting excited!!!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: cidervampire on May 19, 2015, 03:42:14 PM
Hi Dan,

I'll be arriving on Thursday, I've booked up for way too many RPG's but I'll be there for the seminar. Looking forward to it and meeting everyone
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: loki on May 28, 2015, 12:04:28 PM
Quote from: danisthirty on May 18, 2015, 07:53:27 AM
Quote from: kettlefish on May 14, 2015, 02:25:20 AM
UK Games Expo 2015:
Seminar
Suday 31 05 2015 - 9:00 am:
Udo Schmitz - Carcassonne Workshop

Quote
Find out why the game Carcassonne is so successful around the world. Discover which marketing-events have worked so well ( Including Carcassonne-Geocaching, Simultaneous Carcassonne) and what are are the plans for the future.

In the end of the workshop, Udo will present prototypes of the next Carcassonne Games, which will be published in 2015 and 2016.

http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/seminars.php (http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/seminars.php)

It's about 2 hours by car for me (and family) but I'm hoping to be able to get to Birmingham in time for this. How about you Decar, Rosco, cidervampire (and anyone else going who I don't know about)? Maybe if there's enough of us they'll reserve some seats for us at the front and put a sign on them saying "Reserved for Carcassonne Central members". That would make me feel so cool.  8)


With several forum members attending it will be interesting to see which of you can distinguish yourselves by providing the first post/tweet/ facebook update of the event and keep the rest of us up to date.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on May 30, 2015, 08:35:38 AM
I've got a message from Udo today. He visits the UK expo.

Quote from: 'Udo - by email - translation into English'
Hello,
A short greeting from Birningham. This exhibition is so much different then the exhibitions in Essen and Leipzig. It's terrible full today. The game Carcassonne is well represented. I'm looking forward to the Championship tomorrow.
One photo shows a wooden BigBox - but it is not sure licensed.
Greetings
Udo

Here are now some photos from Udo Schmitz (Carcassonne-on-Tour) on tour in the UK.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: jungleboy on May 30, 2015, 09:17:04 AM
The last picture is the Basically Wooden area showing their boxes and tile dispenser. Meanwhile good luck to all our members who are participating tomorrow!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on May 30, 2015, 11:30:21 AM
Quote from: jungleboy on May 30, 2015, 09:17:04 AM
Meanwhile good luck to all our members who are participating tomorrow!

Thanks JB! I haven't been so excited for ages. It seems the wife and kids are now planning on going to Lego Land tomorrow instead, so I'll be all alone. This does mean I'll have a much better chance of spending some money though!  >:D
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: MrNumbers on May 30, 2015, 11:38:58 AM
I also wish good luck to all UK championship participants from CarcC! :(y)
It would be nice, if at least one CarcC member would go to Essen as a national champion! O0
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Decar on May 30, 2015, 11:43:00 AM
Wife and I have just arrived at NEC, we're staying the night In order to not miss anything tomorrow!   It's still very busy and great atmosphere!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on May 30, 2015, 12:19:13 PM
Quote from: MrNumbers on May 30, 2015, 11:38:58 AM
It would be nice, if at least one CarcC member would go to Essen as a national champion! O0

I too would love to see this. But when the inevitable happens tomorrow (to me), don't blame me for losing, blame everyone else for beating me!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Rosco on May 30, 2015, 03:24:30 PM
I too will do my best. But unfortunately I am a typical brit when it comes to competition.  We are all absolutely amazing at what we do - about 37% of the time.   As for the rest of the time we are shit!  In fact worse than that.  So I think I Will either win or crash and burn early on.   Wish me luck though. 
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Rosco on May 30, 2015, 09:50:24 PM
Now I am on route to Birmingham!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on May 30, 2015, 10:21:35 PM
Quote from: Rosco on May 30, 2015, 09:50:24 PM
Now I am on route to Birmingham!

I'm leaving in 10 minutes. See you there!  :)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Decar on May 31, 2015, 12:04:35 AM
I just picked up my ticket - looks like the Carcassonne Championships start at 10:30 now - so no rush after the workshop!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on May 31, 2015, 01:16:01 AM
Rosco, Decar and danisthirty

first of all - have a nice day.
Rosco and danisthirty - have a good drive to Birningham.

How do you recognize each other?

If you come in time to the workshop from Udo - you can say hello to him.
This is Udo Schmitz:
http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/guests.php#udo (http://www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk/guests.php#udo)
--------------------------------------------------
hashtag at twitter:
#UKGExpo
#UKGamesExpo
#ukge2015
#ukge
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: jungleboy on May 31, 2015, 02:14:10 AM

Quote from: kettlefish on May 31, 2015, 01:16:01 AM
How do you recognize each other?

Dan looks like the guy from the meeples.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: quevy on May 31, 2015, 02:56:47 AM
Good luck guys and have a nice day.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on May 31, 2015, 03:53:27 AM
UK games expo - GMS Magazine at twitter:

https://twitter.com/gmsmagazine/status/604918129328812032 (https://twitter.com/gmsmagazine/status/604918129328812032)
https://twitter.com/gmsmagazine/status/604933054034026496 (https://twitter.com/gmsmagazine/status/604933054034026496)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Jéré on May 31, 2015, 04:33:49 AM

Quote from: kettlefish on May 31, 2015, 03:53:27 AM
UK games expo - GMS Magazine at twitter:

https://twitter.com/gmsmagazine/status/604918129328812032 (https://twitter.com/gmsmagazine/status/604918129328812032)
https://twitter.com/gmsmagazine/status/604933054034026496 (https://twitter.com/gmsmagazine/status/604933054034026496)

Haha, they present Udo Schmidt as the "inventor of Carcassonne"
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Rosco on May 31, 2015, 04:38:43 AM
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/31/789356bc181e23bae294ed5559e4792b.jpg)

Game underway - round 2 including cidervampire and decar .

Dan has had a win and a 3rd, I have had a joint first and a second. The other 2 are  busy playing.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on May 31, 2015, 04:39:21 AM
the next short email from Udo Schmitz:

Quote from: 'Udo - by email - translation into English'
11:00am UK - the tournament has been started !
My presentation was successful. But I was nervous.
Greetings from the CarcassonneCentral members
Udo

Here are the photos:
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on May 31, 2015, 05:55:11 AM
Here is the link to the photo album at CarcF gallery - UK expo:
http://carcassonne-forum.de/gallery/album.php?album_id=176 (http://carcassonne-forum.de/gallery/album.php?album_id=176):
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on May 31, 2015, 10:03:31 AM
some more information from Udo Schmitz by email:

Quote from: 'Udo - by email - translation into English'
danisthirty has made it to the semifinals. But he lost the game in the semifinal.
Now he is playing for the 3rd place.
I had to leave the tournament before the game ends - I am now on the way to the airport.
Udo
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: jungleboy on May 31, 2015, 12:26:54 PM
Wow, well done Dan!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Decar on May 31, 2015, 12:27:58 PM
Just got back, home - I won't win any awards for keeping you posted with the days events - That goes to Udo and kettlefish!

But I can say it was a Carcassonne Central took all three places........


.....

....at meeple stacking event.

My wife / Ross and Dan both took first place and won themselves some Castle Tiles.

I think we peaked too soon - The tournament was not so good for us.

I'll let the others describe their experiences - I'll summarize my games now:

I lost my first game, unable to join a 21 point farm - but only 10-15 separated last to first place.

(http://www.tehill.net/carcassonne/postman/CC2015-Expo/1game.jpg)

The second game I fared much better - I won the game, mainly because cidervampire was unable to finish the city in the middle; and some sneaky farming.

(http://www.tehill.net/carcassonne/postman/CC2015-Expo/2game.jpg)

The third game, the fourth participant turned up 20 minutes late and thus disqualified.  I drew some terrible tiles during the game, and didn't put them to good use.  I drew second place scoring only 45 points - 1st had a dynamic game I don't think they broke 60.

The final round I made it to table 7 - Which was great because someone with the same name as me was on table 8 - so at least I beat him ;)  A really fun last round and much more relaxed. Again our fourth player didn't turn up to place. I seemed to draw round tiles for about 60% of the game but drew - I lacked cities during the game, but another sneaky farm for 6 and a cloister on the last tile resulted in ANOTHER draw but first first place, I think we both scored 63.  This was also the only game with a discard rrrr during the game.

Also no photos during the last two rounds, I forgot to ask and my players tidied up way too quickly.

Not sure on my final position - no doubt it will be presented online soon; but I enjoyed all the games with everyone and they were all very different!  Given there were 6 tables above me, I must have been around 25th.

In the morning we got to see prototypes for this + next years carcassonne - Udo Schmitz gave a great presentation (even better considering it was the first time he gave a presentation in English!!!!).

For those interested:Dan, Ross, Geoff, my wife and I presented Udo with two copies of the fan-expansion we had been working on as a memento and gift for KJW, who may come next year.  One set was given to every Carcassonne Central attendee!

(http://www.tehill.net/carcassonne/postman/CC2015-Expo/expansion.jpg)

------------

Carcassonne Central Crew 2015: Me - Geoff - Dan and Ross:

(http://www.tehill.net/carcassonne/postman/CC2015-Expo/cccrew.jpg)

I'll sign off now and let the other regale their triumphs!

Edit:  Forgot to say, Udo gave many gifts to all the participants at the tournaments (or at least those who stayed for the final round).

Big thank you to Udo coming all the way to visit and see how the tournament was run - it made a big difference having him here.  I was a shame more people didn't make the workshop  in the morning, perhaps 9am was a little early for some, as there were around 50 in the tournament.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Rosco on May 31, 2015, 01:50:30 PM
I will give a very brief round up too.  The tournament format was a little strange as there were three initial rounds with four player games.   In these games 1st place got 4 points,  2nd 2 points and 3 rd 1 point with fourth place not scoring. This want too bad however a draw resulted in less points. 

In my first game cider vampire and I were on a table with 2 relative novices and we a actually drew first place for 3 points each.  The last or second to last tile was what prevented me from a clear win but that's carcassonne!

Game 2 started off interestingly with one of my opponents demanding a judges ruling on whether he was allowed to pre -draw his tiles - he was ruled against so he was in a huff for the rest of the game.  It was quite funny really.  I fought hard and all through this game I got terrible tiles with the winner constantly getting everything he needed.  I ended up second by just a couple of points and again the last tile scuppered me.   I don't feel so bad since the winner actually came second in the whole tournament.

My third game was a lot more friendly and relaxed and it was fun.   All through I was trailing behind but knew it would be close in the final count - unbelievably again it was the final tile that changed the outcome from what could have been.   My opponent got a tile which would give her the same points in whichever of the 2 positions possible but one didn't add points to anyone else and the other added 3 to the eventual winner and 12 to me which would have secured me the win.   Unfortunately she chose the wrong option!  I came second again.

I ended up on table 4 and played a nice 3 player game and again came second to finish in about 13th place.  It was fun and it was amazing to hear about all the top secret plans from Udo.  Udo was very generous with gifts and very friendly.  I had a great time and have come away with some new family games.

Here are a couple of photos.
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/31/ba43ae67184b7bbd8786864986d2f82b.jpg)
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/31/40eb018990a20c21ddb50096f56f1141.jpg)
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/31/c186bb78ebb780a55588b048d150f838.jpg)
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/31/4b96a9ca5d32a24e2253f7956e78a304.jpg)
(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/31/ba850753f16cd893fb56a423a863b2f6.jpg)

It was also fun playing meeple stacking and winning!

I was good to see a few forum members in the flesh and I want to say thank you to decar for the great fan expansion,  and to both decar and Dan for providing gifts for Udo and Klaus-Jurgen and saying that they were from the forum.   

A great day. 
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on May 31, 2015, 01:59:55 PM
Hi Rosco - I see the Windroses I - nice that Udo still had some pieces for the CarcC members at the UK expo. The "Spiel 14" tile and the "Castles in Germany"...
Rosco your profile needs an update.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Benny on May 31, 2015, 02:40:49 PM
Thanks to Decar and Rosco for their reports and the nice pics  :)
Seems that you had a lot of fun and Udo was generous as always  ;)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on May 31, 2015, 02:44:20 PM
the next update from Udo - this time he is in Germany but still not at home...

Udo forwarded a message to me - from Scott Moore - Halesowen Boardgamers:
Quote from: 'Scott More - Halesowen Boardgamers - by email to Udo'
Hello Udo,

I was glad to meet you during the UK Games Expo this weekend. Thank you for bringing copies of the game to use during the tournament - they really were needed! And thank you for bringing the prizes and gifts for the tournament participants - these were very much appreciated.

Lets keep in touch regarding planning for the UK Carcassonne Championship 2016.   

Here are the results of the Carcassonne Championship 2015 semi-finals and finals:

Semi Final 1
James Cook 115
Lim Ven Gee 113

Semi Final 2
John Stroud 141
Dan Chard 117

Final
James Cook 102
John Stroud 93

3rd Place Play-off
Lim Ven Gee 86
Dan Chard  60

So the overall positions are:
Winner: James Cook
2nd: John Stroud
3rd: Lim Ven Gee
4th: Dan Chard

Regards,
Scott Moore
Halesowen Boardgamers
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Decar on May 31, 2015, 02:51:31 PM
Lim was the winner of my first game. He played very well and monopolized his early double farming farm.... I wont forgive him for trapping my farmer though :( my last attempt at salvaging the game.

Dan did receive a great conciliation prize from me and Rosco though.  But unfortunately we forgot to make him wear it for the photo!

Edit:
Just realised Dan can take a new name of: DanWasFourthy!

Well done Dan!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: cidervampire on May 31, 2015, 03:12:15 PM
I had a great time and managed to play in games against all of the chaps from the forum. Looking forward to next year. Loved getting a Dan meeple!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on May 31, 2015, 03:15:42 PM
Quote from: cidervampire on May 31, 2015, 03:12:15 PM
I had a great time and managed to play in games against all of the chaps from the forum. Looking forward to next year. Loved getting a Dan meeple!
The Danisthirty Meeple is very nice.

Cidervampire, did you also get some surprisings from Udo?
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on May 31, 2015, 03:22:04 PM
Wow! What a day!

Firstly was the Carcassonne seminar with Udo. I met Tom (Decar) and his wife, Ross (Rosco) and Geoff (cidervampire) outside the room about 10 minutes before the talk began. I was in a bit of a daze at the time but fortunately they recognised me and we all had a good chat beforehand.

Udo's seminar was great, and I especially enjoyed seeing the new game prototypes afterwards. Even the Star Wars one.  :o There then followed a meeple-stacking competition which members of Carcassonne Central (or their wives) did especially well at with 3 of us winning our head-to-head races and winning cool prizes for our efforts.  :(y)

Next we had a short trip around one of the trade halls and met the couple behind Basically Wooden. They were even more awesome than their products and we chatted with them for a while and left them some of our Carcassonne Central business cards to give out to people before heading to the room next door for the Carcassonne tournament.

The first game of the tournament went very well for me. There were two reasonably big cities completed which three of us shared on both occasions but only two of us were in both cities. I drew more than my fair share of cloisters which I made the most of and ensured that one of the other players (my closest rival) didn't get a share in the main farm too. A few small cities and a couple of roads all helped to ensure my victory with a final score of over 100 which felt like pretty good going for a 4-player game.

(http://www.dan.tehill.net/UK_CC_Game1.jpg)
(Blue for the win = me!)

My next game wasn't so good. It was a very scrappy game and even though I had an equal share in the big city, I never seemed to be able to do very much with what I drew. Black played outstandingly well and seemed to have a never-ending supply of meeples as she was able to claim everything! She also had a lot of farmers down, and their value grew rapidly throughout the game. I struggled to get into this one, and ended up coming third which put an end to my hopes of finishing in the top four.  :blue-meeple: :(n)

(http://www.dan.tehill.net/UK_CC_Game2.jpg)
(someone else took Blue so I was on the back foot before this game had even begun by being Red)

Then I went with Tom and his wife (whose name I've forgotten, sorry  :(), and Rosco to get some lunch. We didn't have long, but just enough time to get a chilli dog from one of the food vans. Then, back to the hall for our final games.

My round 3 game ended up going much better for me than I expected. The main feature of interest from the start of the game was a city that seemed to grow as more people tried to glom into it and then contract as they were then cut out! I was quite late to the party but managed to get 2 knights poised on the outskirts of the city, ready to join it. The city was never completed as Geoff (cidervampire) had been a little ambitious in his plans to take all the points for himself and this required him drawing the cccc tile to get his 3rd knight in. Another player drew it and it didn't go where he wanted, but his placement of a cccf tile joined my 2 knights into the city winning us 14 points each in the final scoring. Elsewhere, another player was surprisingly generous when he completed a 12 or 14-point city for me purely so that he could get the extra 3 points for his farmers. I'm not sure I would have won the game if not for this, but he certainly looked like he knew what he was doing at the time and I certainly wasn't going to stop him!

(http://www.dan.tehill.net/UK_CC_Game3.jpg)
(my Dan meeples beat the Star Wars guys, the monkeys and the ducklings)

I'd already convinced myself that I'd need 3 wins to qualify for a seat at the top table so I wasn't even listening as the names were being called out and was amazed and delighted in equal measure when Tom and Ross excitedly called me away from a conversation I was having with one of the other players! I hadn't been expecting this at all...  8)

So, I was now just 2 head-to-head games away from winning the overall competition. I was quietly confident that I could at least win a place in the final but unfortunately things didn't go my way. I don't think I played an especially bad game at all, but it felt like one of those games where I just couldn't do anything right. For one thing, my opponent drew all but one of the cloisters (which he claimed and in most cases completed). And for another, he drew exactly what he needed to escape every time I tried to trap him somewhere!  >:( Since I couldn't use any of my normal tricks to slow him down, and since he continued to complete his own features all the time, I gradually slipped behind and when my last ditch attempt to win the main farm outright failed (he drew the tile I needed to join it) I knew that I had no chance of catching up and lost by something like 25 points (and forgot to take a photo).  :(

I played my next game out of respect for my opponent, but neither of us were especially fussed about it as we were playing for third/ fourth overall (i.e. we'd both already lost). This game didn't go very well for me either, although I felt that my opponent was a lot stronger than my previous opponent as he had a much better idea of what I was trying to do and blocked me very well. My biggest mistake in this game was ending up with 2 meeples trapped on the same road as I couldn't generate enough points to stay in the game with what I had left. At one point I had a good chance of getting back into the game if I could have drawn one of the two remaining cccr tiles but unfortunately my opponent drew both of them. Meanwhile, he continued to draw exactly what he needed to generate 4 - 8 points every 2 or 3 turns with his one remaining meeple while I sat there twiddling my thumbs. I won both farms outright for a total of 21 points but this wasn't enough to close the gap significantly and he won by around 25 - 30 points I think.

(http://www.dan.tehill.net/UK_CC_Game5.jpg)
(2 farms and a long road not enough to make up for another bad game by me playing as Blue again)

However, regardless of the fact that I really messed up an outstanding opportunity to win the competition (something I doubt whether I'll ever be in the position to be able to do so again) it was still a fantastic day and I went home feeling satisfied with having come fourth. Maybe next year I can do better. Maybe not. We'll see.

Meeting Udo and receiving all the various gifts from him was awesome, and getting to spend time with Tom, Ross and Geoff was fantastic! It felt like we'd known each other for years and I loved being part of our little Carcassonne Central crew; there was a real sense of camaraderie between us as we made our way around the expo and chatted with other fans of Carcassonne, handing out our business cards and Dan meeples to anyone who showed a passing business. Guys, I really can't emphasis enough how much I enjoyed your company and support today, and I can't wait to do it again next year! You rock!  :(y) :(y) :(y)

(http://www.dan.tehill.net/goodies.jpg)
(various wonderful goodies that I brought back from the expo with me, mostly gifts from Udo and Tom; thanks so much guys!)

(http://www.dan.tehill.net/tshirt2.jpg)
(knowing how much I love Star Wars, Tom/ Ross/ Geoff [I'm not sure who's predominantly to blame] bought me this memento to help console me after losing both of my head-to-head games)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: loki on May 31, 2015, 03:31:08 PM
were there any announcements regarding expansions to the Carcassonne game?
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on May 31, 2015, 04:15:38 PM
Thanks for your reports Decar and Rosco! Especially the photos; seems like it was just yesterday...  :)

Thanks also for my "lovely" t-shirt (will post pics tomorrow). I'm sure I'll wear it one day. Maybe.

Quote from: jungleboy on May 31, 2015, 12:26:54 PM
Wow, well done Dan!

Thanks JB!

Quote from: Decar on May 31, 2015, 02:51:31 PM
Well done Dan!

Thanks!  :)

Quote from: cidervampire on May 31, 2015, 03:12:15 PM
I had a great time and managed to play in games against all of the chaps from the forum. Looking forward to next year. Loved getting a Dan meeple!

Glad you liked it! Looking forward to next year already...

Quote from: kettlefish on May 31, 2015, 03:15:42 PM
Quote from: cidervampire on May 31, 2015, 03:12:15 PM
I had a great time and managed to play in games against all of the chaps from the forum. Looking forward to next year. Loved getting a Dan meeple!
The Danisthirty Meeple is very nice.

Glad you liked yours too kettlefish!

Quote from: loki on May 31, 2015, 03:31:08 PM
were there any announcements regarding expansions to the Carcassonne game?

Yes, but I don't think Udo was 100% certain on anything. Unless I'm mistaken though, it seems that the existing major expansions (old artwork) will be re-released in the new artwork.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: jungleboy on May 31, 2015, 08:04:50 PM
Thanks for all the great reports guys. I'll try to come next year if I can.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: quevy on May 31, 2015, 11:29:26 PM
Congratulations Dan, for the good final position,
I'm very envious and happy that you have spent a beautiful day together. I hope that one day perhaps we can organize a great meeting.

The mini expansion gift looks great :)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on May 31, 2015, 11:38:31 PM
Does no one of you make a photo from Udo?
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on June 01, 2015, 12:05:20 AM
Quote from: quevy on May 31, 2015, 11:29:26 PM
Congratulations Dan, for the good final position,
I'm very envious and happy that you have spent a beautiful day together. I hope that one day perhaps we can organize a great meeting.

The mini expansion gift looks great :)

Thanks quevy. Maybe next year in Essen we will be able to get together for the special 15-year fan meeting?

The mini expansion looks very good indeed. I can't wait to play it! Well done Decar!  :) :(y)

Quote from: kettlefish on May 31, 2015, 11:38:31 PM
Does no one of you make a photo from Udo?

No. I had hoped to get one of us all together either after his seminar or after the tournament but he had to leave both earlier than expected so we missed out on the opportunity...  :(
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Decar on June 01, 2015, 03:45:02 AM
Well done to Dan for summarizing the day's events so coherently after getting home (merit to you).  That was well beyond me!

I totally agree the Carcassonne Central Crew Camaraderie (CCCC) made a huge difference to the day; and it was great having people to discuss the games with - It was very strange; and yet so natural: recognizing Dan, Ross and Geoff even though we'd never met in person (or even seen a photo) before.  As Dan said, we felt like we'd been friends for years.

There was one little event that you may have missed Dan:  You decided to interlope a stall full of MeepleSource Meeple (Board Game Bits I believe) with a single lone Dan-Meeple.  Rosco and I visited later in the day and it was gone!  It must have found a new home: much to the confusion of the staff - so either someone nicked it or they made a profit from it ;)

I can now say I've entered:  My First Carcassonne Tournament  :D
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on June 01, 2015, 05:15:56 AM
Quote from: Decar on June 01, 2015, 03:45:02 AM
There was one little event that you may have missed Dan:  You decided to interlope a stall full of MeepleSource Meeple (Board Game Bits I believe) with a single lone Dan-Meeple.  Rosco and I visited later in the day and it was gone!  It must have found a new home: much to the confusion of the staff - so either someone nicked it or they made a profit from it ;)

Oh yes, I'd forgotten about that! It was kind of like shoplifting in reverse; wait for the guys behind the stall to turn their backs and then subtly sneak an extra meeple onto their table!  ;)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: MrNumbers on June 01, 2015, 05:41:52 AM
Thank you, Dan, Rosco and Decar, for detailed event report! It looks like you had a very good time together! :(y)

Good job, Dan, reaching top-4 of national championship! It is great result anyway! :D
Are your plans to visit Essen this year still alive?
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: jazbang on June 01, 2015, 05:47:28 AM
Hello.

My name's James, incredibly I won the tournament at UKGamesExpo.  Thanks to Dan for giving me the heads up about this forum.

I only started playing Carcassonne two years ago - in fact it was at Expo in 2013 (my first) that one of the PlayTest guys - Dave - suggested it'd be something I'd like. I bought a copy of the base game almost immediately (because I trust Dave) and, what do you know, he was right.

I enjoyed playing the game over the following 12 months with my wife (who usually beats me) (at Carcassonne) and my Dad (who doesn't), and I introduced it to some non-gaming friends, who all seemed to like it. I also wasted hours and hours playing on the iPhone app - and then at last year's Expo I entered the tournament expecting to come last, but having a lovely day - and in the interest of full disclosure, to try and get a story out of it for a show I was writing about board games that I eventually took to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2014, also the Leicester Comedy Festival earlier this year http://www.chortle.co.uk/review/2015/02/15/21851/james_cook:_always_be_rolling (http://www.chortle.co.uk/review/2015/02/15/21851/james_cook:_always_be_rolling) and then finally, at UK Games Expo this weekend just gone.

In that tournament, I managed to win 2 out of 3 'group' games, but came 4th in the other - so I ended up on the second table, where I came second.   So I was wrong about coming last, but right about having a lovely day - and a solid five minute 'bit'.

It was great fun - so I was eager to enter again this year.

This report will smack of false modesty, so I will say this - I reckon I'm a pretty good Carcassonne player. BUT I got a stupid amount of luck in the tournament yesterday...

Game 1. I won by 3 points.
Game 2. I won by 1 point.

Game 3. I came second. A long way behind the winner, and the only reason I beat the 3rd and 4th place players was that it was advantageous for the eventual winner to share a large city with me early on - essentially relegating the other 2 players to 3rd and 4th, while giving herself a massive lead.

After that - I was ranked #1, and went into the semis, expecting to be found out.

When the player who'd won game 3 saw that I was on the top table (and she wasn't), an understandable look of confusion was on her face.

In the semi-final, it was fairly even and it all came down to whether my opponent could draw the tile which would connect 2 fields, giving him the win.  No such tile emerged in the final 3 or 4 turns - so we scored the game and it transpired that I had sneaked a victory. By 2 points.  3 wins, total net margin of victory: 6.  Including Game 3 (when I'd come second) I was going into the final with a 'negative' points difference.

The other finalist, John (who I believe is a previous winner), had won his semi-final by a considerably higher margin  - and with way more points, so SURELY, I thought, this was when I'd get found out.

THIS NEXT BIT MIGHT NOT MAKE ANY SENSE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THE TERMINOLOGY...

Quite early on in the game, a large city started to emerge - in which John went 2 - 1 up (in terms of meeples in the city), then I managed to pull it back to 2-2 as the city expanded.

He added a third, but I had position two more in adjacent tiles - all I needed was for the right tiles to emerge - before too long they did, and I was 4-3 up.

The city was now over 15 tiles big, and with only two incomplete parts of the wall.  Over a couple of turns, John managed to position two extra meeples around one incomplete section, and was waiting on a tile with 3 city sides and one field side - which he drew THE VERY NEXT TURN. 

He was now 5-4 up in the city, and needed only to close one wall to take 58 points!

There were around a dozen tiles left at this stage, I tried to position a meeple adjacent, but the tiles weren't coming for me - so instead I took my one remaining meeple (we were sharing a field AND a smaller incomplete city elsewhere) and tried taking as many 'bits and bobs' points as I could. 

Thanks to a couple of easy-to-complete cloisters, I'd accrued a lead of around 30 points - so the game all hinged on whether John could draw the tile he needed to complete the mega-city.  Had he done so he would have won, if not - the city would be worth only 28, and probably not enough for him to take the lead. Probably.

It came down to the final two tiles.  John had first pick, and it wasn't the one he wanted.  I took the remaining tile which would have won John the game - but also helped me complete an 8 point city - so in the end I won by 9.

But it was all on that last tile.

John was incredibly gracious in 'defeat' (although second in the tournament is till pretty good!) - as indeed was everyone else, and friendly and warm too.

So I'm off to Essen then, and I may even get another show out of it.



Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: jazbang on June 01, 2015, 05:55:05 AM
Here is the final - with meeples removed (apart from John's yellow ones in the mega-city).

The tile on the far bottom left was the crucial one, which didn't get drawn until the final turn - and by me.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on June 01, 2015, 05:55:37 AM
Welcome to the forums James, and congratulations on your impressive victory!

Thanks also for that comprehensive write-up, it's always good hearing about how other players got on...  :)

I'm sure there are plenty of players on the site who would love the chance to get some practise against a national champion and hopefully help you to prepare to do us proud at the world championships in Essen!

PS - have a browse through this thread and you may recognise yourself in some of the photos!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Rosco on June 01, 2015, 06:29:37 AM
Congrats  James.  It was a good day. Welcome to the forum. 
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Hounk on June 01, 2015, 07:33:28 AM
Yes, congrats, and great to have you here. Hopefully soon in some of the JCZ games organised in the forum. Also consider bringing you're wife, if she is normally even better then you. And good luck for Essen.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on June 01, 2015, 09:08:07 AM
Hi jazbang,
congratulations to you - the new UK Carcassonne champion 2015 and welcome to our CarcC forum.

Did you visit the workshop from Udo Schmitz before the championship started?

Greetings
kettlefish
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: jma03 on June 01, 2015, 03:29:21 PM
Congratulations to all for your tournament and dan its final position .
pretty pictures and comments.
the truth is that it is nice to see such a good atmosphere and warmth in it.
after the summer or next year I would like to participate in any event or tournament.
and to meet any member of Central CARC .
tournament winners qualify for another tournament (world or something) ???
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: ScottMoore on June 01, 2015, 04:15:26 PM
Hello all!

I was handed a Carcassonne Central business card during the UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 and also advised to solicit advice from members of this forum about future championships. With my mind and body still recovering from running 6 board game tournaments over the 3 days of the UK Games Expo, this might seem a strange time to be thinking about next year’s event. However, various conversations are still fresh in my memory and so here goes.

First, I should put everything into context. Just over three years ago, Halesowen Boardgamers was approached by Richard Denning, one of the two directors of UK Games Expo, asking whether we would be interested in taking over the running of the board game tournaments at the Expo. With less than three months before the Expo started, three wise fools with little or no previous experience of running tournaments volunteered and we threw ourselves in at the deep end. The end result was 150 more or less satisfied entrants to 7 tournaments over 2 days. We were invited by UK Games Expo to do it all again the following year, which we did, but being masochists we expanded to 11 tournaments over 3 days. To make life just a little easier for ourselves, we used the same format and points system for every tournament. After that experience, we streamlined back down to 6 tournaments for 2015 and kept exactly the same format.

We inherited the Carcassonne Championship from the previous tournament organisers. Although it is not as high profile as the Catan Championship, which is sponsored by Mayfair Games and thus benefits from an impressive first prize, it is nevertheless regarded as an important tournament by UK Games Expo as it attracts a healthy number of entrants – 52 this year – and provides the UK entrant to the Carcassonne World Championship. It has a prize worth £150 rather than the £50 voucher that is awarded for the other (non-sponsored) tournaments.

I started playing Carcassonne back in 2002 or 2003 when I lived in Budapest. Although, as a group of gamers, we soon “outgrew” it in favour of more complex (and less chance-based) games, I did also appreciate it as a gateway game that is suitable for playing with non-gamers, as well as one of the better light 2-player games. I should add that I have never had the chance to play a non-random variant of the game – I’m sure that I would appreciate that more – nor any of the expansions published in the last 10 years or so.

Having run the tournaments for 3 years now, we are well aware that 4-player games of Carcassonne are far from ideal for selecting the UK entrant to the World Championship – indeed, a member of Halesowen Boardgamers won the UK event a few years ago and subsequently came 19 out of 20 at Essen. Although I personally would be happy to run a 2-player tournament of Carcassonne using variant rules and possibly including one or two expansions, there are three major reasons why we have run the tournament 4-player using the base game and standard rules:
1)  It is a practical impossibility to run otherwise! This is for the simple reason that we cannot secure enough copies of the game to run a 2-player tournament. With 52 players this year we would have needed 26 copies – yet we had just 15-16 or so copies and counted ourselves blessed! We have learnt over the course of the 24 tournaments we have run at the UK Game Expo that we cannot rely on players to bring their own copies. We supplement the meagre number of player copies with games begged, borrowed and stolen from all available sources. For the same reason, we cannot even contemplate using expansions let alone such expensive gadgets as chess clocks!
2) UK Games Expo have clearly stated that they prefer us to run tournaments that attract larger numbers of players. Carcassonne is popular and widely played, but principally the base game and more as a multi-player rather than a 2-player game. We have to be cautious about making any changes to the format that might reduce interest in the tournament. Both UK Games Expo and we as umpires would be delighted if the tournament were sponsored – the chances of that happening are improved the more people take part. The fact that the tournament feeds an entrant into the World Championship is not unimportant, but neither is it the main reason behind it.
3) As I wrote above, we use the same format for all tournaments – it would be very difficult for us to run 6 or more tournaments for 250+ players if we had different formats for each one.

However, we are open to suggestions for changing the tournament. Indeed, I had a meeting on Saturday with Richard Denning and Udo Schmitz where we discussed ideas for next year. There could well be changes to the Catan tournament due to its increasing size (99 players this year) and profile, and it may make sense to introduce similar changes for Carcassonne. One idea is to expand the tournaments to 2-day events, while ensuring that players can compete in both of them. On Saturday we would run 3 “qualifying” rounds using the current format – we probably could not fit in more rounds – and then on Sunday the top 16 or so players would play a further 2, or possibly, 3 rounds in the “finals”. For Carcassonne, we would certainly consider running the finals as 2-player.

Scott
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: ScottMoore on June 01, 2015, 04:53:35 PM
Dan, congratulations on reaching the top 4 on Sunday!

I noted your reference to not expecting to be in such a position again - you are right that the 4-player format means that chance plays a bigger role in determining the outcome than if it were 2-player. You only have to look at the position this year of twice-former champion Richard Gough (32nd after round 3) to realise that the results depend on more than just skill, or lack thereof. However, as I wrote above, there is simply no way we can run a 2-player tournament at UK Games Expo unless there is an event sponsor to provide at least a couple of dozen copies of the game. Even then, both UK Games Expo and any sponsor would probably be reluctant to consider a more competitive 2-player format unless we can provide convincing evidence that it would not significantly reduce the number of entrants (and UK Games Expo have experience from the past suggesting that it would).

If you'd really like to see a 2-player tournament and, especially, if you envisage one using expansions then I would suggest that you and/or other Carcassonne enthusiasts get involved in the 2016 Expo. There are three possibilities I can suggest:
- if we do move to a 2-day format for the UK Carcassonne Championship, then we would need help towards the additional umpiring requirements. It would make sense for Carcassonne experts like yourselves to plan and umpire the finals (among the three of us from Halesowen Boardgamers who run the tournaments, only Gordon has any knowledge of such arcana as the Swiss System and I'm fairly sure even he has no idea what a Buchholz tie-breaker is!) This could be in conjunction with the sponsor, if there is one next year.
- you could run an additional tournament on the Friday of the UK Games Expo. This would need to differentiate itself from the main Championships, so the more different the format the better. You should aim for at least 16 participants, possibly 24. Copies of the base game may be available, but any expansions would need to be sourced from somewhere.
- you could run a demo game. This would ideally take place in the trade halls as part of a sponsor's stand, but the Expo organisers might be persuaded to provide space for a demo game in a tournament room.

Scott 
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Safari on June 01, 2015, 05:05:55 PM
Welcome to the Forum ScottMoore and jazbang and congrats for winning the tournament!
Dan, congrats for your fabulous 4 place!
And thanks to the detailed reports of everything. You created a really nice expansion. I wonder when one might be able to have a look on it here in the forum.  ;)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on June 02, 2015, 02:59:37 AM
Hi Scott, and welcome to Carcassonne Central. What an introductory post too!

Firstly though, I just wanted to say thanks to you and everyone else from Halesowen Boardgamers for your organisation of the Carcassonne tournament (and all the others). I meant to thank you in person on Sunday, but got so caught up in the tournament that I left in a bit of a daze as well as being in rather a hurry to catch up with the other CarcC guys. I noted that everything seemed to run very smoothly on the day though, and everyone I spoke to throughout the day was enjoying themselves just for being there, regardless of how their games were going. It was a huge credit to you.

Thanks also for your detailed post here. It’s been very interesting reading about how you came to end up “owning” the Carcassonne tournament, and for what it’s worth, even though I’ve only taken part in the last two, I can safely say that you guys should be very proud of the job you’re doing! I can’t pretend to understand the pressures you’re under or the obligations you have to meet but your post has certainly helped me to appreciate just how much there is to think about, not least of all with keeping the number of participants growing year on year.

With regards to expansions, obviously they are fairly significant to the game of Carcassonne and many of us rarely play at all without certain expansions such as Inns & Cathedrals or Traders & Builders included as standard. They can change the game a lot though, especially if you include more than 3 or 4 of the major expansions at once, so my personal feeling is that I’d prefer to see our national championships played with the base game only. This keeps us in line with what the rest of the world does in their national tournaments (as far as I’m aware) and also how the world championships are played. I do feel that a separate Carcassonne event where expansions are included could prove popular though, and maybe this is something that could be considered for next year? I don’t know how we could go about making this happen, but if it were to become a possibility (perhaps by running a number of 4-player games using a previously disclosed set of expansions, either as a tournament or just for fun), I’m sure there would be no shortage of people here at Carcassonne Central offering to host/ support it!

In light of everything that you’ve justified in your post, if I could change the way that the current tournament is run it would be to allow the top 16 or top 8 players from the tournament as it is run at the moment to go through to the knock-out stage (rather than just the top 4). Each of the top 16/ 8 players would then be just four/ three head-to-head games away from overall victory but would have been tested thoroughly throughout and those who performed well in the main tournament but missed out on reaching the top 4 previously would still be given the chance to stay in the competition. The most obvious problem with this is the amount of time taken to run the tournament, but if it were split over two days you could run the knock-out element on day 2 and keep the existing competition as a qualifier on day 1, perhaps with 4 rounds rather than 3? There would be no need for any more copies of the game, and it might help to improve our champion’s chances at the world championships...

Anyway, it seems like there’s a lot to think about at the moment. Thanks again for your post; I’m sure it will inspire a lot of very excited discussion here! If you or anyone from your group are ever in the Reading area, please drop me a line and I’d be happy to meet up with you to discuss thoughts/ future plans over a beer or two! As a quick flick through the site here will reveal, Carcassonne Central includes a lot of very enthusiastic Carcassonne fans who would be very happy to partner with you and help out with any/ all Carcassonne events in future so please stay in touch!  :) :(y)

Best regards, and thanks again for all your hard work,
Dan

PS – I noticed that the full results from the Carcassonne tournament haven’t been published on your website yet. Is there any chance you would be able to post them here, assuming you have the full list available, so that those of us who took part can see how we did overall?
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on June 02, 2015, 05:28:21 AM
Here are some more pictures:

HiG on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153334534802299.1073741861.237314407298&type=1)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Guy on June 02, 2015, 06:05:46 AM
Did anyone who went get some information about forthcoming expansions? I know Dan mentioned star wars but was there any further developments from kettlefish's hint from last month about a tunnels expansion or new mini expansions?
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Decar on June 02, 2015, 06:10:34 AM
Yes - but we were told that the information was sensitive to HiG and their partners and asked not to divulge anything further.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Guy on June 02, 2015, 06:36:53 AM
Quote from: Decar on June 02, 2015, 06:10:34 AM
Yes - but we were told that the information was sensitive to HiG and their partners and asked not to divulge anything further.

I thought that might be the case. The one weekend I'm out of the country all year and I miss out on loads of cool stuff! Oh well. It all adds to the anticipation.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: ScottMoore on June 02, 2015, 07:48:59 AM
Hi again Dan. Your thoughts about the Carcassonne Championship align very closely with my own! I prefer to play multi-player Carcassonne with at least Inns and Cathedrals. Unfortunately, I'm not very familiar with other expansions, but now that I've discovered JCloisterZone that may change very soon! However, I think the main Championship is best using just the base game. If Carcassonne gets a sponsor for next year, then we can certainly consider running an additional tournament on the Friday that includes a couple of expansions. Regarding the main championship, since we took it over in 2013 we have been limited by time considerations. It is run on the Sunday (mainly because Catan is run on the Saturday) and we are supposed to finish before 3pm so that the winner can be given his or her trophy during the main awards ceremony. Alas, this year we overran, though in retrospect we could have started the tournament half an hour earlier. However, as I already wrote, the idea being considered for next year is that Carcassonne and Catan become two-day events. If this happens then we might be able to increase the number of qualifying rounds for Carcassonne from 3 to 4 (these would be on the Saturday). I think we would put 16 players through to the "finals". I'm not sure whether we would run the "finals" as knock-outs or using the Swiss System - it really depends on how much time we would have available on the Sunday - probably enough for 3 rounds.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: ScottMoore on June 02, 2015, 07:50:58 AM
Cut and pasted from Excel, hence the formatting issues...

UK Carcassonne Championship 2015         
         
52 players competed over 4 rounds in groups of 4, with the top 4 after 3 rounds competing on the "top table" in round 4 to decide the winner. In this Tournament, the top table was split into 2 groups of 2, with the players playing a semi-final and final, together with a play-off for third/fourth place.         
The winner of this tournament was awarded the title of UK Carcassonne Champion, receiving £150 towards the cost of entering the 10th Carcassonne World Championships at Essen Spiel in October 2015.         
         
Tournament rankings after three rounds         
         
Position    Name    Tournament Points   Sum of Scores
1   James Cook   10   233
2   John Stroud   9.5   218
3   Dan Chard   9   220
4   Lim Ven Gee   9   204
5   Andrew Page   9   199
6   Michael Jones   9   198
7   Ben Richards   9   193
8   Kevin Cliff   8   203
9   Tim Murphy   7.5   187
10   Peter Boswell   7.5   170
11   Kay Murray   7   211
12   Mark Teale   7   210
13   Sotirios Karamitsos   7   190
14   Ross Jenkin   7   182
15   Siobhan Murphy   7   174
16   Nicholas Bamber   6.5   215
17   David Hudson   6.5   188
18   Rory Tovell   6.5   186
19   Cecilia Summer   6   185
20   Matt Young   6   182
21   Nicky Taylor   6   181
22   Catrin Treharne   6   172
23   Catherine Harvey   6   170
24   Jeff Thirlwell   6   162
25   Patrick Gallagher   5.5   168
26   Thomas Hill   5.5   166
27   Sunny Cheng   5   205
28   Ian Moor   5   181
29   Jennifer Hill   5   175
30   Tom Hill   5   154
31   Steven Buckley   5   142
32   Richard Gough   4.5   190
33   Robin Blagg   4   195
34   Samantha Gan   4   194
35   Richard Tubb   4   180
36   Helen King   4   169
37   Benice Dixie   4   160
38   Julia Bamber   3   186
39   Kieran Briggs   3   162
40   Andrew Hill   3   161
41   Andrew Hannay   3   155
42   Trisha Chambers   3   143
43   Patrick Murray   3   117
44   Will Cousins   2.5   143
45   Peter Wakefield   2   168
46   Josh Curd   2   166
47   Sarah Briggs   2   162
48   Colette Horsburgh   2   160
49   Jassie Tan   1.5   189
50   Jeremy Lambert   1   184
51   David Jameson   1   163
52   Mark Cromey   1   109
         
Top table results         
         
Game   Player    Score   
Semi-final 1   James Cook   115   
   Lim Ven Gee   113   
Semi-final 2   John Stroud   141   
   Dan Chard   117   
Final    James Cook   102   
   John Stroud   93   
3rd place playoff   Lim Ven Gee   86   
   Dan Chard   60   
         
Final round results and final tournament rankings         
         
Position    Name    Table   Score
1   James Cook   Top   
2   John Stroud   Top   
3   Dan Chard   Top   
4   Lim Ven Gee   Top   
5   Michael Jones   2   79
6   Kevin Cliff   2   78
7   Andrew Page   2   45
8   Peter Boswell   3   76
9   Tim Murphy   3   55
10   Kay Murray   3   38
11   Mark Teale   3   38
12   Sotirios Karamitsos   4   112
13   Ross Jenkin   4   103
14   Nicholas Bamber   4   78
15   Cecilia Summer   5   62
16   David Hudson   5   51
17   Matt Young   5   50
18   Rory Tovell   5   48
19   Jeff Thirlwell   6   94
20   Catrin Treharne   6   70
21   Nicky Taylor   6   56
22   Patrick Gallagher   7   72
23   Thomas Hill   7   72
24   Sunny Cheng   7   51
25   Richard Gough   8   74
26   Steven Buckley   8   53
27   Jennifer Hill   8   41
28   Tom Hill   8   28
29   Helen King   9   70
30   Richard Tubb   9   66
31   Samantha Gan   9   51
32   Julia Bamber   10   81
33   Andrew Hill   10   60
34   Benice Dixie   10   56
35   Kieran Briggs   10   52
36   Andrew Hannay   11   84
37   Patrick Murray   11   71
38   Sarah Briggs   12   93
39   Josh Curd   12   83
40   Peter Wakefield   12   75
41   David Jameson   13   107
42   Jassie Tan   13   93
43   Mark Cromey   13   66
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: ScottMoore on June 02, 2015, 07:52:10 AM
Oops, having posted the results here I've noticed a mistake - Dan was only fourth overall and not third!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on June 02, 2015, 07:58:52 AM
Quote from: ScottMoore on June 02, 2015, 07:52:10 AM
Oops, having posted the results here I've noticed a mistake - Dan was only fourth overall and not third!

I'll accept third!  :D

Yes, I was going to point this out. I was third after the first 3 rounds but went down to 4th as a result of losing my two head-to-head games.

Although, if we went by the 2012 rules (based on combined score alone) I would have come 2nd!  :)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on June 03, 2015, 03:07:43 AM
danisthirty, Decar, Rosco and cidervampire

When I first met the members of CarcF  at Burg Konradsheim in 2012 it was if we know each other for years. And then the next year at Spiel 2013 in Essen it was great to meet the members and so many other ones the first time (also from CarcC: Carcatronn and MrNumbers). We were around 15-20 members at the Spiel 2013. It was amazing to see the members and talk with them. But in 2013 the time was short to talk enough with each member. It was some kind of chaos - to find the surprisings for the members...
At the Spiel 2014 we were only a small round, but that was fine, because there was more time to play and talk together.

I look forward to the next Spiel in Essen - this year and also the Spiel in 2016.
We plan to organize a big fan-meeting in 2016. More information follows.
---------------------------------------------
I've read on BGG that Joff was also at the UK Games Expo (https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1343582/uk-games-expo) (Friday and Saturday).
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on June 03, 2015, 04:13:01 AM
At HiG facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Brettspiele/photos/a.281965897298.141444.237314407298/10153336774682299/?type=1&theater) - today

Whaleyland,
thank you for translation.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Decar on June 03, 2015, 05:07:53 AM
Fantastic!  :D

Thanks for letting us know & Whaleyand for the translation!

I will be uploading all of the materials for the mini-expansion very soon :)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: JT Atomico on June 04, 2015, 03:00:42 AM
It looks like this was a great day, I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to make it! Congrats on fourth place Dan!
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on June 06, 2015, 05:16:52 AM
Kieran Briggs (Wheelz) has posted at BGG what he has received at the UK Carcassonne championship...

Here is the link to BGG:
 Show us your Expo haul! (https://boardgamegeek.com/article/19387412#19387412)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on June 07, 2015, 12:30:17 AM
Udo Schmitz

He said - "Thank you for all the nice surprising gifts that you gave him at the UK games expo."

He is very happy about the gifts.
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on June 07, 2015, 01:58:18 PM
Wow - that's a very handsome looking meeple he had there in the top photo!  :-*
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on June 07, 2015, 02:07:03 PM
Quote from: danisthirty on June 07, 2015, 01:58:18 PM
Wow - that's a very handsome looking meeple he had there in the top photo!  :-*
Do you mean this Dan meeple?
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Decar on June 07, 2015, 02:18:49 PM
I was going to say:

I agree, those meeple do look handsome, but I'm not sure about that interloper on the right hand side  ^-^
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on June 07, 2015, 02:29:38 PM
Quote from: Decar on June 07, 2015, 02:18:49 PM
I was going to say:

I agree, those meeple do look handsome, but I'm not sure about that interloper on the right hand side  ^-^

Well I was going to say:

Yes that one. It looks almost as handsome as the man upon whom it is based.

But now I won't...
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: kettlefish on June 08, 2015, 01:57:18 AM
at the HiG homepage - news:

http://www.hans-im-glueck.de/news/newsdetails/news/britische_carcassonne_meisterschaft/ (http://www.hans-im-glueck.de/news/newsdetails/news/britische_carcassonne_meisterschaft/)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: Jéré on June 08, 2015, 03:43:01 AM
Will Udo Schmitz be in Paris in 2 weeks? (My guess is no because it's Filosofia's market??)
Title: Re: UK Carcassonne Championship 2015 at UK Games Expo
Post by: danisthirty on June 08, 2015, 05:24:52 AM
Quote from: Jéré on June 08, 2015, 03:43:01 AM
Will Udo Schmitz be in Paris in 2 weeks? (My guess is no because it's Filosofia's market??)

I imagine that Udo's schedule must be a fairly busy one and is probably managed very carefully between Carcassonne on Tour and HiG. However, I like to imagine that a small part of the reason for him making it to the UK Games Expo was partly down to my inviting him in September last year. If it was seen as a significant event then I'm sure he would have come anyway, but having taken part in the UK Carcassonne championships in 2014 I thought it might be the sort of thing that could benefit from him being there so I liaised with the organisers a bit and sent him a random email out of the blue to see if he's consider it. Fortunately he did!  :)

I don't see the fact that Carcassonne in France is published by Filosofia as being a problem; it's Z-Man games in the UK after all. But perhaps if you invite him you may be pleasantly surprised! (although 2 weeks may be a little short notice)...