Windy City Weasels

The field for the 2010 Weasel Royale club championship came down to the last board at the last event of the year.

Heading into the Aug. 14 Weasel Pyle, Sam Bassett had a tenous hold on the seventh spot in the Royale field. No fewer than eight Pyle participants had realistic shots at taking the bid from him.

In fact, when the first of the Pyle's four boards ended in Spring 1907 in a five-way draw, Christian MacDonald vaulted past Bassett into seventh place. Sam's board went on for many more game-years, finally ending around 10 p.m. after the Fall 1914 turn with Sam sharing the board-top. That put Sam back in seventh.

But there was still one game going, and in that one, a hard-charging Nate Cockerill had 13 centers. That's where he finished, after the Fall 1915 turn, to leap over not just Bassett but also Pete McNamara.

So, the Royale field will look like this:

1. Matt Sundstrom
2. Adam Berey
3. Peter Yeargin
4. Jim O'Kelley
5. Greg Duenow
6. Nate Cockerill
7. Pete McNamara

Berey, Duenow, Cockerill and McNamara all will be playing in their first club championshp. Duenow and McNamara actually played in last year's Undercard game at the Royale.

The Royale will be held Sept. 11 at Dan Burgess' home in Downers Grove. Should any of these players be unable to compete in the Royale, we'll call on the following alternates in this order: Sam Bassett, John Gramila, Dan Burgess, Christian MacDonald, Amanda Baumgartner and Christopher M. Davis.