Good chance for a subbuteo tournament in Sydney this winter

Brett Davis recently had an update as to the state of Subbuteo at the moment dead as a door nail, saw a lot of comments on the subbuteo Australia blog and upsetting but like all things I think it can be salvaged (he's a glass half full kind of guy). "I keep checking the Crown and Andrews website to see if it is out as yet but nothing is here. So I rang Crown and Andrews to find out. The game has been ordered and is coming to Australia. They have also ordered the extra sets as well eg referee's, ball sets and extra teams. I have set up a meeting with Crown and Andrews to see the game as soon as it lands and also to see if there is a way that my email address can be included in a slip of paper or something to let people know about clubs in Australia. I am hoping to set up a database of contact details like Robert was doing but with the purchase of new games means new blood and new clubs. I hope this is possible as with a central location of data we won't be in the dark from each other and new clubs will know about other clubs as well hopefully a return to inter club games", added Brett.


"I have also been invited on the Sunday 10th June and Monday 11th June to display Subbuteo at the Toy and Game Expo http://www.toyandgameexpo.com.au/index.php/whats-on/learn-to-play at the learn and play area. I will be taking some forms to get interested peoples details to add to the database here also. I think this will be a great thing to get the game out especially now Crown and Andrews are on board and if they can add contact details even better for us and the club scene.


I have spoken to Hubertus Country Club at 205 Adams Road Luddenham (a club I am a member of) and to see if they are willing to give us a room for league nights and tournements. Karen the lady there see's no problem with this and I am writing a proposal to this effect for the board. If this can become a reality then we will have a place to play with access to nice dinning and bar facilities.


Which brings me to my next point, about time for a tournement I am thinking August/September any dates that suit the bulk of us? Also a time to start if it can be late afternoon to night I am ok with that so as people can take kids to sport etc, I will have to confirm with the club exactly but all I need to do is drop off the proposal for the board to vote on (she let me know as it is not costing the club any money they should be fine and they might get a few more new members as well so win win I think.)


That's about it I am not ready for this great game to die and I am truely hoping and praying that with Subbuteo in shops again and my details in the box we can get new clubs up and running here again and make Australia the power house I know it can be."

Some players sent a positive feedback. Mike Newton is keen to play if we can get an event organised of any size, shape or form. He is likely to move to Sydney in a couple of months which could make it easier.

Simon from www.subbuteoz.com also keen to get playing again if we can organise it, if possible in September.

Paul Magee and Dominic Grenot are also ready to play in August or September, just like Steve Dettre who will be available after the Olympics.

Hopefully Eliot Kennedy will be available as well, just like Robert Green who will be back from Stockholm (Sweden) for his sister's 50th. Robert should be available between September 14 and September 25.

All this will be confirmed soon and a date will be set in the near future.

A big change for the WASPA circuit

There were a lot of comments in the last few days about the possible change to have WASPA tournaments with only three players instead of four. A mail has been sent to several tournaments organizers and players and, apart from two people who didn't really know if a change like this would be a good thing, everyone gave support. The idea is not to lower the standards of organisation but just to help smaller associations and isolated groups of players. In countries such as Australia, Canada or the US, it's difficult to get players together for a tournament because of the long distances between cities. Also, in the last few months some tournaments were held with only three players. Despite of the efforts made by the local organizers to have something great, the tournaments could not count for the WASPA ranking and archives. Hopefully the change will motivate more clubs and players to organize tournaments under WASPA banner. The idea is to have more nations involved in the near future. The decision is therefore taken with immediate effect.

For more details about the WASPA circuit, take a look at http://waspa-circuit.blogspot.com/ 

Gerald Brightwell is also in the FISTF rankings

We may have forgotten to mention that Gerald Brightwell is also in the FISTF rankings. Gerald doesn't appear in the open section but he will be in the veterans table at the end of the month. For those who don't know hiw, Gerald is born in Melbourne, Australia but later moved to Malta and now lives in London. He took part in the FISTF Open of Knighton (Wales) this saturday and lost in the semi-final of the plate tournament. He also finished third in a group of four players in the main event. Gerald plays at the Plumstead club in London, which meets once a month for a local tournament.

Jean Carl Tabone, Vincent Mifsud, Gerald Brightwell and Derek Conti in a recent subbuteo evening at the Valletta Subbuteo Club in Malta

Australia in the different rankings of April 2012

There are not many names involved in international subbuteo. In the FISTF ranking, Robert Smith is now 396th in the Open category. More than 1170 players are involved in the rankings.

In the WASPA ranking, there are only 154 players involved. Robert Green is ranked 30th. Australia is also in 11th position in the WASPA ranking of nations.