pichenotte newsletter 1 carroms crokinole game boards

Pichenotte Newsletter #1

May 29, 2001

Greetings !

This is Newsletter #1.

It is being sent in text form (.txt)
In the future, I'm going to send them in .txt (plain text) and .html (with graphics) format.
Just delete the one you don't want. Or tell me now, which one you want.
We hope it will be entertaining and informative.
Please give me all the feedback...... especially the positive....... you want !

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OK, what's going to be in the Newsletter?

1) History of the game - new discoveries and general discussions .

2) Rules and Strategy - discussions about the rules and strategy

3) Pichenotte Hall of Fame - record-setting feats, legends and myths included.

4) FAQ updates - This will also be available online

5) Events - Upcoming events

6) Product Updates - Research / Development and Current Sales Items

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OK, let's get down to it-
In no particular order:

5) Events -

The big thing happening right now, I think, is the World Crokinole Championship.
What: World Crokinole Championship
Where: Tavistock, Ontario
When: Saturday, June 2, 2001 ( that's this Saturday !)
Contact: info@worldcrokinole.com
Or visit: www.worldcrokinole.com
Telephone: 519-655-2102
This is a great event.
Lots of very friendly people and some very excellent shooters/players.
Find out all about it at their website, www.worldcrokinole.com

A couple of unique rules:

-No moving your chair.
-No body part can touch the floor other than your feet.
-No standing up.
-No "calling a twenty" You must make contact!
-All the pucks are wooden and flat top and bottom.
-If you're going for contact using a combination of your own, and you do not make contact, all of your own pucks that were used in the combination are removed - ouch !

All boards are sprinkled with shuffleboard pellets (wax) to make them play equally fast. (Don't try this on our boards - ours are not at all compatible for many reasons. For their boards, it works.

We much prefer our minimal friction pucks to their wooden "discs"

And the shuffleboard wax is a mess to clean up - (spill it on the floor, and somebody's sure to go on an unpleasant slip and fall episode)
Anyway, you can still sign up, even on game day.

Even though it's officially not Pichenotte, Norm and I went the first year 1999. We played singles and doubles. It took us both quite a few games to get used to the delicate touch of the light wooden pucks sliding on the shuffleboard wax.

We finished in about 40th place out of 110 singles positions. Not bad, but it was more about having fun (and selling our boards) than trying to win.
This year there will be a Carrom board demonstration also, by some top players.
OK, enough about the WCC. If you can make it, definitely go.
Send us some photos and stories if you do. Say hi to Wayne Kelly and Bill Gladding for us.

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Sales / Products

Boy, do we have a lot of boards in stock right now.

You can view them at http://www.pichenotte.com/LagasseModel1.htm

All the boards are on sale $100 off for the month of June.
Felted boards now $495
Non-felted boards (yes we're building them again) - $395
If you get a carry bag with a board, carry bags are $75.
Buy a felted board with a carry bag, and the shipping is free!

Felted, non-felted, inlaid, you name it.
Only about 9 carry bags left right now.
Translucent pucks are fully stocked and we've been selling lots of them.
For solid opaque color pucks, we have purple, yellow, black, tan, brown and white.

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Hall of Fame-

Just got an email from a friend in Florida.

His buddy shot off three opponent's pucks and his own puck scored a twenty.
Now, this is not a record, but in honor of this fellow,
We're calling this shot a "Bram" (his last name)
There were witnesses, and they signed a document attesting to the feat, seriously. I will post this soon on the web.
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Shooting two opponent's pucks off and scoring a twenty we call an E-Binger (as in EEE-Binger) after the "patented" shot of our carry bag-making pichenotte fanatic, Scott Ebinger

For the Hall of Fame record books:
(send in your records):

Here are some of the records we'll be posting on our website:

Two opponent's pucks off and a twenty - Scott Ebinger - who else has done this ?
send in your name for a listing on any shot.

Three opponent's pucks off and a twenty - Mr. Bram

Four opponent's pucks shot off the board and scoring a twenty: Dave Lagasse

Five opponents off and shot puck not staying on the board: Dave Lagasse

11 out of 12 twenties in a real game: Dave Lagasse, Norm Lagasse

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So, as I see it, here are some Hall of Fame shots never been done:

Five opponent's pucks off and your puck stays on the board.

Five opponent's pucks off and your puck scores a twenty.

Twelve out of twelve pucks in the twenty hole in a real game.

Having a puck land on top of the post, not touching the board at all.

So if you have some Hall of Fame claims to post, let me know.

Anything unusual or spectacular will be considered.

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1) History of the Game.

Boy this is a vast subject, and I I'll get into it in a future newsletter.
Wayne Kelly, known as Mr. Crokinole, has a lot of good research on this.
If you don't have his book yet, go to www.crokinole.com and order one today.
He knows a lot about it from the Ontario Canada perspective.
Our goal is to find out more about the Quebec story.
There are several Pichenotte boards in the Quebec Museum of Civilization.

Anyway, I'll write about this in a future issue.

But.......If you have stories of old boards, or photos, and you'd like to share them, send them my way and I'll post them on the web for all to enjoy.

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6) Research and Development

#1 topic here is that we're going to be producing a unique type of board soon that will be very affordable.

It will be a full-sized board with hardwood rails of cherry and walnut.

The round top playing surface will be a "secret recipe" composite material that looks like real wood. You know how particular we are about our boards, so trust us, this will be a great looking board. The first run will be "Wild Apple" that looks like a deep cherry color.
The surface is very, very tough, ie. it will take a lot of use and still not show any wear! You could literally throw the pucks at the board and it would not hurt the surface. It is very easy to clean, also.
The play on the board is very consistent and true.

We already have the tops and bases made.
We're working on the rails right now.
Stay tuned for more on this board in the coming months.

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Well, that's it for the first newsletter.
Until next time,
Keep on Flickin'

Dave and Norm

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For the Finest in Pichenotte / Crokinole Boards
Dave Lagasse and Norm Lagasse
www.pichenotte.com

Pichenotte Newsletter #1