Cambridge Professor Triumphs in Epic Seven-Hour Tiddlywinks Championship
Patrick Barrie successfully defends his world title against American challenger Dave Lockwood in a grueling match.
Cambridge professor Patrick Barrie has once again claimed the title of World Singles Tiddlywinks Champion, defeating American challenger Dave Lockwood in a marathon seven-hour match. The grueling contest took place at the Castle Inn pub in Cambridge.
Barrie, a professor in Cambridge's Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, described the championship match as being akin to a boxing world title bout due to its challenger format. As the reigning champion, Barrie could only be challenged by national singles winners. Lockwood, a veteran tiddlywinks player from outside Washington D.C., is known by the nickname 'The Dragon'.
The final score was 26-23 in favor of Barrie, who expressed a mix of elation and relief following the intense competition. "It was a long old match, it went on for seven hours. It was close, hard-fought," Barrie stated. He acknowledged the pressure of being the favorite to win and the formidable challenge presented by Lockwood.
Tiddlywinks, a game with origins dating back to the late Victorian era, involves players flicking small plastic discs, known as 'winks,' into a cup. The modern iteration of the game was formalized by a group of Cambridge undergraduates in 1955.
Barrie highlighted the game's blend of physical skill and strategic thinking. "You've got to think about strategy and tactics, you have to control your nerves," he explained. While mastering the basic shots can be achieved relatively quickly through practice, developing the strategic acumen to know when to execute them takes years.
Harley Jones, chairman of the English Tiddlywinks Association and umpire for the championship, described the match as "really nail-biting." He noted that there are approximately 120 players globally who have participated in a tournament within the last year, underscoring the specialized nature of competitive tiddlywinks.
Barrie is scheduled to compete next against Tim Hunt, the current British champion, with plans to discuss arrangements for the subsequent World Singles Tiddlywinks Championships, potentially to be held in the spring.