World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating
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Re: World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating
#2Is this game well-known enough in Britain and Ireland that readers will know what on earth is being alleged just from reading this article? Or are you expected to have to google it?
Apparently it’s a game where you take turns swinging a chestnut on a string and trying to hit the opponent’s chestnut and break it. Yes, I can see how a steel fake chestnut would be an advantage here, though I’m amazed it wouldn’t be instantly obvious to even a casual observer that the look and sound were wrong. So maybe I’m still missing something.
Re: World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating
#3What is conker, you ask? Here's a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LcaUTAuQfc
Re: World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating
#4Is this game well-known enough in Britain and Ireland that readers will know what on earth is being alleged just from reading this article? Or are you expected to have to google it? Apparently it’s a game where you take turns swinging a chestnut on a string and trying to hit the opponent’s chestnut and break it. Yes, I can see how a steel fake chestnut would be an advantage here, though I’m amazed it wouldn’t be inst…
I feel there is enough in the article to build an image of the game in your head: I'm imagining a game game where two people trying to destroy the other person's chestnut by whirring and hitting the chestnuts on the end of strings. Now I'm going to go check my mental image against wikipedia.
Re: World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating
#5Is this game well-known enough in Britain and Ireland that readers will know what on earth is being alleged just from reading this article? Or are you expected to have to google it? Apparently it’s a game where you take turns swinging a chestnut on a string and trying to hit the opponent’s chestnut and break it. Yes, I can see how a steel fake chestnut would be an advantage here, though I’m amazed it wouldn’t be inst…
Innate knowledge to Brits, similar to knowing a swan might break your arm
Re: World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating
#6Man, this is conkers!
Re: World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating
#7They said he had balls of steel to try that one
For the yanks and elsewhere, yes conkers is well known in Britain. You basically put a chestnut (but its a conker) on a string by making a hole in the middle. Take turns swinging them on the string, whoever's breaks is the loser.
It used to be great fun till it was banned/requires eye protection now. There's an opportunity there, someone could make a perfectly safe conker app. I'm sure that would adequately replace it. /s
Re: World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating
#8Is this game well-known enough in Britain and Ireland that readers will know what on earth is being alleged just from reading this article? Or are you expected to have to google it? Apparently it’s a game where you take turns swinging a chestnut on a string and trying to hit the opponent’s chestnut and break it. Yes, I can see how a steel fake chestnut would be an advantage here, though I’m amazed it wouldn’t be inst…
Yes, it is. It’s a game most news-reading-age adults will have played when they were at school as children.
Re: World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating
#9What is conker, you ask? Here's a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LcaUTAuQfc
I was very confused by that link calling it a horse chestnut. That is not what I grew up calling a horse chestnut, ie the keratin thing that your farrier trims (or you do with a rasp.)
Separately, what an absolutely nutty thing to cheat at.
Thanks for sharing the video!
Re: World conker champion found with steel chestnut, cleared of cheating
#10The World Conker Championships is an annual event held in England, where competitors from around the world play the traditional game of conkers using chestnuts. Each player threads a chestnut, known as a conker, onto a string and takes turns striking their opponent’s conker, aiming to break it. The tournament follows a knockout format, with players advancing until a world champion is declared. The event has been running since 1965 and has grown in popularity, drawing international participants and spectators.