University Challenge 2023-24: Qualification Quarter-Final 2: Trinity vs U.C.L.

Good evening again my friends, and welcome back, once again, to Quizzy Mondays! Only six more weeks of this left after tonight with, if I've got my calculations right, the Mastermind final on Easter Monday (April 1st) and the UC final the week after. Tonight's much anticipated match was the second qualifier between two good teams, one of whom began the QFs among the favourites, the others as outsiders; whoever won would join Imperial in the semis.

Trinity College Cambridge narrowly lost to fellow quarter-finalists Manchester in the first round, but went on to beat Southampton in the repechage, Warwick in R2 and, in their preliminary, they won a good close contest 190-170. They were the same foursome as those previous games:

Sarah Henderson, from North London, studying Japanese

Agnijo Banerjee, from Dundee, studying Maths

Captain: Ryan Joonsuk Kang, form Seoul, studying Organic Chemistry

Jeremi Jaksina, from Bialystok, Poland, studying Genetics

U.C.L. won a low scoring first round contest over King's of Cambridge, then beat the fancied Hertford ox Oxford team in R2, and, in their first QF, were comfortably winners over Christ Church 200-130. They were also the same quartet as all those previous matches:

James Hall, from North Finchley, studying Law

Ali Izzatdust, from Portugal and Azerbaijan, studying Intellectual History

Captain: Tayana Sawh, from North London, studying Medicine

Jacob Finlay, from Cranleigh in Surrey, studying Public Administration

So, off we set once again then, and a penalty immediately gave Trinity the lead, from which they took two bonuses. A second starter was followed by just one bonus, but U.C.L. couldn't pick it up and recoup the lost points. The Cambridge side proceded to take the next two starters, including the first picture round, including the first picture round, on Chinese treaty ports; one bonus from both sets took their lead to 60-(-5). Another five were lost, but, again, U.C.L. couldn't pick up, allowing Trinity to immediately recoup the points with the next starter. The next saw Mr Izzatdust buzz, but no answer came, with AR proceding to do a Russell Davies (to Paxo's Robert Robinson) by calling him by his first name while trying to console him! Trinity picked up, and took all three bonuses. Finally, U.C.L. got some points back on the board with the next starter, and took two bonuses on arthropods. They also took the music round, on artists who contributed to Kendrick Lamar's 'To Pimp a Butterfly' album; no bonuses meant they now trailed 95-30.

A third starter in a row to U.C.L. gave them one correct bonus, but another penalty stopped them dead; Ms Henderson was unlucky not to pick it up when she offered 'London Zoo' instead of 'the Zoological Society of London'. The Londoners continued their revival with another starter and two bonuses, but yet another penalty then gave Trinity possession back and they took full advantage with all three bonuses. Unphased, U.C.L. duly began their revival again, taking two starters in a row and the resulting bonuses meant they were now just one perfect 25 behind. The second picture round, on stills from productions of Shakespeare plays, gave them that full house, and the teams were now tied on 120-each!But Mr Finlay then made the same mistake I did of saying 'Taoiseach' as soon as de Valera was mentioned; had we heard 'Mary McAleese', we'd have probably gotten 'President of Ireland', as Mr Jaksina did. Trinity took just one bonus though, and U.C.L. were determined to complete the comeback, as a starter and pair of bonuses put them level again! And Mr Finlay then gave them the lead for the first time with 'iron'; just one bonus followed, but when Mr Hall took the next starter, it looked like that might be enough with so little time left. Indeed, though Mr Banerjee did take another starter for Trinity, there wasn't time for them to pull back. At the gong, U.C.L. won 165-150!

What a great contest that was, very well done indeed both teams! Very well done U.C.L., who, having kept their cool and fought back so brilliantly after that unlucky bad start, have certainly proved their worth now; very best of luck to them in the semis! Hard lines to Trinity, but the semis are still very much achievable for you too; best of luck in the play-offs!

The stats: Mr Hall was, just, the best buzzer of the night with five starters to Mr Jaksina's four. On the bonuses, Trinity managed 14 out of 26 (with two penalties) and U.C.L. 18 out of 30 (with five penalties).

Next week's match: Open vs Christ Church

Mastermind’s second semi-final was won by George Twigg, whose 25 points was enough for him to beat Rob Jones with 21 and Stephen Dodding with 20, with Sharon Reading completing the line-up with 17.

 

We also had the second Only Connect Champion of Champions show from 2011, this time the Epicureans vs the Gamblers. Compared to last week, where you can tell the show is still in its infancy and finding its feet, this week felt more like the Only Connect we know and love now. (Also, is it me, or do the older graphics look more like they were done with 4:3 in mind rather than widescreen?) Curiously, they’re not (yet) showing the Epicureans vs Crossworders special; instead, we’re moving on to the Scribes vs Analysts one next week.