The 2017 Dead Pool

[The Two]

So 2016 has been a pretty terrible year for seeing your heroes die - Bowie, Prince, Muhammad Ali - and based on demographics 2017 probably won't be any better. If only there was some way to turn that sadness into personal glory... That gives me an idea for a game! (Which you Lost)

 

It's free to enter and with no prizes other than the satisfaction of being a wee bit like the grim reaper, the strange feeling when you’re scrolling through twitter on the train, see someone on your list has died, and punch the air in celebration, and the opportunity to make terrible jokes on this thread when someone famous dies.

 

The Rules:

 

Players select a squad of 15 famous names. One person is a "captain" who scores extra bonus points if they die. You score more based on age, so a younger captain will score more than an older one.

 

The game starts at midnight on January 1st 2017 and runs until December 31st 2017. Entries have to be in before the game starts.

 

People must be sufficiently famous that their obituary makes a mainstream news source. Local newspapers and special interest magazines (Gardner's Weekly etc.) aren't broad enough and don't count.

 

Regarding this rule: Nobody will be ruled out on the grounds I've not heard of them. However if your pick dies and isn't so obviously famous that it's all over the news, then it's up to you to find a qualifying news story. This is especially true if their death doesn't make the news this side of the Atlantic, old baseball players for example.

 

Picks have to be human, real people (no fictional characters) and over 18 years of age on 01/01/17.

 

You're not allowed to pick people currently under sentence of death or awaiting trial where the death penalty is a viable outcome. If they’re fugitives on the run then they are eligible.

 

You're not allowed to pick someone famous only for being ill. You're allowed to pick someone famous who has cancer, for example, and indeed this is a good strategy. This rule is about not picking folk that are raising loads of money for charity as they're about to die or people campaigning to change euthanasia laws.

 

You're not allowed to kill any of your picks. So if you do it, please make sure you get away with it. For all our sakes.

 

If you pick someone that's already dead I'll try and let you know, but the overall responsibility for your team is yours.

 

Scoring

 

Each "hit" is worth a base score of 125 points minus the person's age. So the younger they are when they go, the more points for you.

 

BONUS OPPORTUNITIES

• First Blood - First pick overall to die in the year gets bonus of 25 points for each person who had them.

• Solo Shot - If you're the only one with a pick who dies ("Solo Shot"), you get a bonus of 30 points.

• Deadly Duo - 20 points for being one of two with that pick

• Captain Calamity- If your captain snuffs it you get another set of base points added on.

• Deadly December - as with the captain rule. What this means is that if your captain dies in December you get 3x base and not 4x base.

• Last Gasp - Final pick overall to die in the year gets bonus of 25 points per person who had them.

• Unnatural Causes - 40 points if your pick is murdered, commits suicide, or dies in an accident.

• Unlucky 13 - 13 bonus points if your pick dies on the 13th of the month. This is trebled to 39 if it's a Friday 13th.

• Unhappy Birthday - 50 bonus points if your pick dies on their birthday

 

 

 

In Summary

 

PM me your 15 picks including captain and their reason for fame (if it's not obvious) by the end of the year.

 

If you want to change your squad before 31st December you can within reason.

 

If you don't include a captain I'll default to the name at the top of your list.

 

I’ll share everybody’s lists in January and send provide updates of the current standings throughout the year.

 

Any questions, just ask.

[Adam Ryland]

Sorry, I'm going to have to close this due to complaints from some other users. While I don't agree with them, keeping it open is simply not worth the hassle of having to deal with the angry messages.