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424 points notamy | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0s | source
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nealmueller ◴[] No.41844703[source]
The World Conker Championships is an annual event held in England, where competitors from around the world play the traditional game of conkers using chestnuts. Each player threads a chestnut, known as a conker, onto a string and takes turns striking their opponent’s conker, aiming to break it. The tournament follows a knockout format, with players advancing until a world champion is declared. The event has been running since 1965 and has grown in popularity, drawing international participants and spectators.
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k7sune ◴[] No.41844867[source]
Considering that it's called a world championship, someone should study the sport in-depth! Are the players allowed to swing the chestnut in a circle like a sling? Can they use carbon fiber strings, or maybe some sort of elastic string to build up more energy? Or can the player use a heavy string so it can crack like a whip? Fancy arm/wrist/fingers movements to accelerate the chestnut in the last moment? What's the optimum strike angle to crack a chestnut along its natural cleavages? This could be so exciting!
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1propionyl ◴[] No.41844968[source]
This all kind of takes the fun out of it don't you think?

Not every game needs to have the fun sucked out of it by endless optimization and instrumental play.

Just conk some chestnuts. Simple as.

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1. bee_rider ◴[] No.41845137[source]
Well, the winner this year was an American so I bet we’ll be back next year with high tech nano-engineered strings and carefully bred chestnuts.