Bounding Fire Blackpool - November 2019...

JoeArthur

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Has VASL got something to do with reduced tourny attendance? I ask because if that is the case then whatever is tried to boost tourny attendance is doomed to failure - it is after all hard to compete with sleeping in your own bed.

So how about a weekend VASL tourny rather than these VASL tournys that last months? I would sign up to that in a heartbeat.

Over to you Martin and Simon :)
 

Martin Mayers

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Has VASL got something to do with reduced tourny attendance? I ask because if that is the case then whatever is tried to boost tourny attendance is doomed to failure - it is after all hard to compete with sleeping in your own bed.

So how about a weekend VASL tourny rather than these VASL tournys that last months? I would sign up to that in a heartbeat.

Over to you Martin and Simon :)
Possibly. People can play now whenever they wish which probably does effect things.

Still. Can't beat getting away and playing FTF for a long weekend. But I'm lucky enough to be able to do it and not everyone can.
 

RRschultze

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Possibly. People can play now whenever they wish which probably does effect things.

Still. Can't beat getting away and playing FTF for a long weekend. But I'm lucky enough to be able to do it and not everyone can.
VASL is good and it allows games in the comfort of your own home however agree with Martin that playing FTF and pushing cardboard counters and socialising with other fellow ASL’ers is more enjoyable
 

MTL

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As to Double One, i said some time ago to the organisers that i would be willing to partake if the organisers make if a 5-round event. The format of the time was retained, which is of course legit, and it closed the issue at the time.

Also the location in the far suburbs of London has many advantages for locals but it is less accessible than central London for non-UK citizens. Using the car is an option, but i feel less at ease when driving on the other side of the road, and besides i don't have the freedom, unlike American diplomats, to overrun local pedestrians and get away with it.

I would be interested however to meet locals at their Holborn/Chancery Lane regular treffpunkt, if it still exists, as it is conveniently not too far from the Eurostar terminal.
Hi Mr. T.

It's pretty easy to get to Writtle - the train from London Liverpool St => Chelmsford takes 1/2 an hour, and the venue is a 10 minute taxi ride from there (in previous years, Derek was kind enough to pick people up from the station as well) - not that long a trip by London standards - way shorter than many daily commutes, in fact.

It still exists, after a brief organisational hiatus - https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/londonasl is the group for it. We're hoping to get it going in earnest in the new year.

You'd be more than welcome to attend either, or both!
 

The Magnus

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Correct. Double One is not "London". It's Chelmsford. ...Plus, Chelmsford is not too hard to get to.
Actually, if you fly to Stanstead it is one of the easiest tournaments to get to. One bus ride for below £6 and a pickup by the TD (hint, hint, Martin :) ). Only Copenhagen, Helsinki and Chicago are easier, the rest are more or less a pain (I soon leave for Grenadier, for me the worst of them all in that respect).
 

Martin Mayers

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Actually, if you fly to Stanstead it is one of the easiest tournaments to get to. One bus ride for below £6 and a pickup by the TD (hint, hint, Martin :) ). Only Copenhagen, Helsinki and Chicago are easier, the rest are more or less a pain (I soon leave for Grenadier, for me the worst of them all in that respect).
That's one area I have to doff my cap to Derek. I would gladly pick up anyone who is consigned to a wheelchair, or disabled in some other manner....but failing that I recommend a taxi or local bus :D
 

The Magnus

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I would gladly pick up anyone who is consigned to a wheelchair, or disabled in some other manner....but failing that I recommend a taxi or local bus :D
If somebody is totally insane, as proven by attending 10-11 ASL tournaments a year, would that qualify as disabled ? :)
 

Jacometti

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I attended the tournament in Blackpool in the period 2001-2010 twice and I also recall there were really no players from outside the UK except myself during those two editions. This was at the same time when Arnhem got 30-40 non-Dutch players, while Copenhagen, Lille and Grenadier also had large numbers of non-residents of those countries.

I have always thought it had to do with the island mentality of our UK friends. I personally know only two or three British ASL-ers who dared leave the island for tournaments across Europe, which were just an Easyjet ticket away.

On the other hand, when in Blackpool I realised hardly anyone spoke the English I had learnt at school and had no clue what all dem folks was saying, so maybe there was the language barrier, too.

It is often players who travel to foreign tournaments who make friends and give foreigners reasons to come over and play in their tourneys. Without a core of UK players who promote their events, it is the odd visitor, not a regular crowd. Which is a pity, since ASL tournaments are such a great place to meet new friends from around the world and the hobby.
 
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JoeArthur

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This was at the same time when Arnhem got 30-40 non-Dutch players, while Copenhagen, Lille and Grenadier also had large numbers of non-residents of those countries.

I have always thought it had to do with the island mentality of our UK friends. I personally know only two or three British ASL-ers who dared leave the island for tournaments across Europe, which were just an Easyjet ticket away.
It costs money to cross the channel (whether by car or plane), which adds a layer of expense to attending a tourny. Whereas if you live on mainland Europe - you just climb into your car. It goes the other way - which might explain the lack of foreign attendees at UK tournys. Francois, the tourny director at Villeneuve, will go to Grenadier in Germany, he does not come to the UK which is closer (but more expensive) for him.

Poverty might have something to do with it................there is only so much money to be spent on ASL (unless your name is Magnus :) ).
 

Jacometti

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It costs money to cross the channel (whether by car or plane), which adds a layer of expense to attending a tourny. Whereas if you live on mainland Europe - you just climb into your car. It goes the other way - which might explain the lack of foreign attendees at UK tournys. Francois, the tourny director at Villeneuve, will go to Grenadier in Germany, he does not come to the UK which is closer (but more expensive) for him.

Poverty might have something to do with it................there is only so much money to be spent on ASL (unless your name is Magnus :) ).
hi Joe,

I once drove from Zoetermeer in the Netherlands to the Copenhagen tournament, in a snow storm, a journey of nearly 1,000 kms.

I decided a plane ride would be easier next time.

I would usually budget around $ 500 to attend a single tournament, split between registration, hotel and travel. That amount did not differ much between a trip to Sweden (Linkoping, Kopenhagen), Blackpool, Nimes or Verona, all of which I attended. Grenadier and Lille were the only two tournaments so close I could drive and cut 40% of that cost.

So not sure if your argument holds.....especially in the golden age of the cheap airline tickets (which were everywhere in UK, as I recall) back then.

As for The Magnus......well he is obviously an independently wealthy man. I like him a lot. I hope he gives me some.
 

JoeArthur

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As for The Magnus......well he is obviously an independently wealthy man. I like him a lot. I hope he gives me some.
The way to solve the question is to talk to people at tournys. You have to remember that getting to the airport can sometimes cost more money than the plane ticket.

As for Magnus, he's worked hard to get where he is - so I doubt that he'll give you any of his cash ;)

Many thanks for Death To Facism - Francois used the Blitkrieg scenario in his Villeneuve tourny. Unfortunately my opponent did not want to play it - which is a shame, it looked like great fun.
 

Mister T

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It comes down to three explanatory variables: (i) time, (ii) money and (iii) event quality.
 

Vinnie

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Despite being (over?) Active on these forums for years it was a big step to bring myself to go to a tournament. Part of that was family, could I justify taking a break while leaving Susan with the kids?
Secondly, did I want yo spend time with the sort of person who thinks it worth going go Blackpool to play games?
If I was to go to a continental tournament, I would need to bring my wife and have something for her to do. This wipes out a lot of out of the way tournaments. Additionally, coming from NE Scotland travel adds either an extra 4 hours to Glasgow or an extra £300 to fly from Aberdeen.
 
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