The foundation of the World Biermeister Association (WBA) was a phenomenal success. 16 STCCG members from six countries became members (of all the nationalities present at the European Championship only the Czech Republic and USA didn’t send any representatives).
Here’s a list of the members in the order they joined:
Thomas Vorwerk (Germany)
James Hoskin (United Kingdom)
Peter H. Møller (Denmark)
Søren Ramme Nielsen (Denmark)
Lars Flitter (Germany)
Auwerd Bijker (The Netherlands)
Carsten Hartmann (Germany)
Jens Beilstein (Germany)
Daniel Sinner (Germany)
Will Hoskin (United Kingdom)
Johannes Klarhauser (Germany)
Peter van der Helm (The Netherlands)
Derek Barry (Ireland)
Fergus O’Shea (Ireland)
Jens Petritzki (Germany)
Paolo Rubano (Italy)
All paid their annual membership fee of 2,50 Euros, James Hoskin and Johannes Klarhauser also contributed donations of 0,50 Euros. (
Collected monies: 41 Euros)
At the second European Biermeisterschaft (which also doubled as the 1st German Biermeisterschaft), eleven players (astonishingly all but one card-bearing members, and the chairman realized that only two days later) consumed large quantities of beer. We are proud to announce that one brand of beer was no longer available at the end of the festivities because we drank it all. The same thing happened last year at the other location and it’s a fine tradition we will try to uphold in future Biermeisterschaften.
The proxy Chairman of the WBA paid for the first round of beers (all half-liters), which means 11 times 3,20 Euros (=35,20) was subtracted from our treasury, but
5,80 Euro remain for future Biermeisterschaften.
The results of the Constructed Tournament have been posted on both trekcc and open-cards, but the results of the Biermeisterschaft differ in some details. Three players had to be disqualified from the Biermeisterschaft part of the tournament because they were unable to keep up with the drinking. Those were Peter van der Helm (first to be disqualified and thus recipient of the illustrous “
Johannes Klarhauser Memorial Awardâ€, a bottle of alcohol-free beer with special labels), Oliver Thust and Lars Flitter.
Because of timing problems (even worse than last year),
Will Hoskin had the great idea to make the first round count double. Will was the only one of three players earning three victory points in round one (which meant 1,8 litres of beer had to be comsumed until 20 minutes after the start of round two) not to be disqualified, and with two more full wins and 3,6 liters consumed in time, he
became a worthy new European Biermeister. Last year’s champion, Tony Gammell, who describes himself as “not a big beer fanâ€, was missing this time, because he had to play in the finals next morning (something that did not make fellow Irishman Derek Barry or later semifinalist Johannes Klarhauser from Bavaria flinch). As Tony lost the first round the next day, he obviously had very misguided priorities, but that’s the problem with too much (wrong) ambition.
Derek Barry from Ireland, a Biermeister veteran, became second at the Biermeisterschaft (2,4 litres), followed by something not officially called “Team Germanyâ€, but since rank #3 to #7 is all German, it looks a bit like an unsuccessful invasion.
First German Biermeister (because of the “first round counts doubleâ€-rule) is Carsten Hartmann (2,4 litres), followed by Jens Petritzki (also 2,4), Johannes Klarhauser (2,1), Thomas Vorwerk (1,8) and Daniel Sinner (1,5). Auwerd Bijker from the Netherlands only achieved three losses (he conceced his last game against Thomas Vorwerk, as he did last year against Derek Barry), but at least he did all his drinking, which is, in a way, better than earning those three victory points already in round one, but being disqualified soon after...
During the Biermeisterschaft all official TCC level 2 judges present achieved those new WBA judge levels.
Will Hoskin and Jens Petrizki are now WBA level 6 judges (Eat their shorts, Keller!), Johannes Klarhauser became level 4 WBA judge, and Thomas Vorwerk, the head judge and TD of the event, only became level 2 WBA judge, since he had lost the first two games when the only ruling of the event became necessary (and all four judges agreed on that ruling). During the Biermeisterschaft traditionally “anything goesâ€, as long as both players agree, and so for example the first Second Edition instance of a negative point result became possible. (Krim used his ability with the opponent’s permission)
On the next day when players where back to their senses again (although some major TCC official remarked that Carsten Hartmann looked like a
Zombie, and Derek Barry was seen drinking beer shortly after midday again to cure a case of the
jitters), the Chairman and FCA (Financial and Consuming Advisor) of the WBA were elected. 14 of 16 members (Carsten Hartmann and Jens Beilstein were already gone without informing the WBA officials) each had two votes, and the
results are as follows:
1. Thomas Vorwerk (Chairman) 10 votes
2. Will Hoskin (FCA) 8 votes
3. Johannes Klarhauser 6 votes
4. Jens Petritzki 3 votes
5. Derek Barry 1 vote (which may have to do with the danger of the WBA monies turning up in the next pub...)
Regarding the
location of next year’s World Biermeisterschaft (there are vague plans of doing one already this year in the USA, please contact Will Hoskin aka Gumbo for details), the WBA chairman and FCA came up with the following plan with which no member disagreed:
In the unlikely case that next year’s STCCG World Championship should take place in Europe, the world Biermeisterschaft will be at the same location while the European Biermeisterschaft will be at the location of the STCCG EC. If the STCCG WC takes place in Australia or some other continent inconvenient for WBA members, the European Biermeisterschaft will take place where the EC 2009 will be, and the World Biermeisterschaft will take place in another European country later on. Berlin and London have already been nominated for that case.
WBA members (and you can still become a member) are encouraged to do National Biermeisterschaften in thier respective countries (and of course Continentals on their respective continents). Winners of National Biermeisterschaften (minimum 4 players) will get a bye (soon to be explained) at the following Continentals, just as Continental winners will get a bye for the World Biermeisterschaft (this is already counting for this year, Will!).
The bye works as follows: Players with a bye can choose to get an additional Victory Point at the start of the tournament if they drink the beer for that point at the start and “in one go†(TD decides if it was done properly). While this may seem unfair point-wise, one should keep in mind that only the best players and beer drinkers will not be affected (negatively or positively
) in their playing capibility by this procedure, so the probability that this advantage backfires is evident.
That’s all for now. By the way, I’m still in the spirit and drank a beer today shortly after noon