WINNER:
Richard Crossland
This event has now concluded, but the details remain to give an idea of what to expect.
To enter the WTSC24 simply send us your number via our DropBox or message us on the Game of Toads page on Facebook.
To enter the WTSC24 simply send us your number via our DropBox or message us on the Game of Toads page on Facebook.
What do you win?
Along with the honour of being crowned "World Champion", you'll receive the gold-leafed Toadstone Trophy aka Mr 'Bufo' Toad.
Layered with bufonite and gold leaf the oak-disc base represent the four coins used in Toad-in-the-Hole. You'll get your name on the trophy engraved on a special tag placed on the oak coin stack that Bufo sits on. You'll have him to guard for a year.
Legend has it his bufonite-layered centre will protect you from poison (!) 😂 Above he is pictured at the trophy shop, where upon its arrival, the owner said: "I was not expecting that!
Along with the honour of being crowned "World Champion", you'll receive the gold-leafed Toadstone Trophy aka Mr 'Bufo' Toad.
Layered with bufonite and gold leaf the oak-disc base represent the four coins used in Toad-in-the-Hole. You'll get your name on the trophy engraved on a special tag placed on the oak coin stack that Bufo sits on. You'll have him to guard for a year.
Legend has it his bufonite-layered centre will protect you from poison (!) 😂 Above he is pictured at the trophy shop, where upon its arrival, the owner said: "I was not expecting that!

How many players are currently signed up?
32 competitors this year. This will include most of the 16 who played last year.
Are there spaces left?
Right now there are no spaces left. Please scroll down to the WTSC Players Roster. Please message us to be put on the Waiting List. You can take a chance and turn up on the day if you like! But please put your name down for next year at least.
How can I guarantee entry if a space comes up?
By paying to confirm you're coming. Please bear in mind this is a standalone private club event not a pub or league one.
If you do miss out come along and support your favourite player, watch some amazeballs Toads skills or just come for the nail-biting tension and booze. You may just want to see if its for you next year. There is space to allocate spectators who can also get in to St Marys from four pm for just £5.
32 competitors this year. This will include most of the 16 who played last year.
Are there spaces left?
Right now there are no spaces left. Please scroll down to the WTSC Players Roster. Please message us to be put on the Waiting List. You can take a chance and turn up on the day if you like! But please put your name down for next year at least.
How can I guarantee entry if a space comes up?
By paying to confirm you're coming. Please bear in mind this is a standalone private club event not a pub or league one.
If you do miss out come along and support your favourite player, watch some amazeballs Toads skills or just come for the nail-biting tension and booze. You may just want to see if its for you next year. There is space to allocate spectators who can also get in to St Marys from four pm for just £5.
How do I get there?
- Walk from Lewes train station
- Bus from Brighton (Lewes Prison stop)
- Parking for players at club, Christie Road or nearby
Facebook Group
Scan the QR code (right) to go to the Game of Toads Facebook group, or click this link and ask to be join and get the latest updates. |
Remember: There Can Be Only One!
All abilities are welcome
Toads is an inclusive and levelling game. We will spread out the levels and draw out of a hat to balance things out and give everyone a fair crack. The nice problem is that the standard of play is generally very high. But if you're a known player we'll work out your level based on our common-knowledge seeding criteria, such as, if players have won tournaments or done well in leagues etc.
All this will be debated out with game notaries well before we begin anyway. The upshot is: we will do our best to curtail any non-levelling advantage and prevent competitive edge.
Be aware though this event draws the connoisseurs and competition-orientated players of the game, so the absurdity of Toads is even more refined! Don't be put off though, because you couldn't meet a nicer bunch of people.
Toads is an inclusive and levelling game. We will spread out the levels and draw out of a hat to balance things out and give everyone a fair crack. The nice problem is that the standard of play is generally very high. But if you're a known player we'll work out your level based on our common-knowledge seeding criteria, such as, if players have won tournaments or done well in leagues etc.
All this will be debated out with game notaries well before we begin anyway. The upshot is: we will do our best to curtail any non-levelling advantage and prevent competitive edge.
Be aware though this event draws the connoisseurs and competition-orientated players of the game, so the absurdity of Toads is even more refined! Don't be put off though, because you couldn't meet a nicer bunch of people.
Please don't be late
Matches will carry on regardless of a no-show or if you are late. There are no refunds, as we blew the budget long ago.
Can I get a warm up?
Warm ups are done just before each match (or set of group matches) agreed upon by the players involved. There are no warm ups in-between any of the rounds and tables will be closed.
Matches will carry on regardless of a no-show or if you are late. There are no refunds, as we blew the budget long ago.
Can I get a warm up?
Warm ups are done just before each match (or set of group matches) agreed upon by the players involved. There are no warm ups in-between any of the rounds and tables will be closed.
What tables are being used?
We've earmarked 8 tables and they will be a range of styles. We are happy to receive any other tables you might want to bring in to the mix, for the sake of fairness. As long as its a fair standard played table and toads can go down the hole. We can put them all into a draw to see which ones are played... if there are no objections to the quality of the table!
The broader the range the better for more equitable play and the diminishing of 'home-table advantage'. Of course the table draw every round should also help reduce this.
Tournament Structure Fine-tuning
It will be a straight knockout this year.
We'll separate the seeds in the first round and have a draw for every round regarding the tables, like last year. There will be two phases for the First Round of 32 done in two shifts of 8x2. These will all be best of 5 frames.
The last 16 and 8 will also be best of five frames. The semis and the final will be best of seven frames.
We've earmarked 8 tables and they will be a range of styles. We are happy to receive any other tables you might want to bring in to the mix, for the sake of fairness. As long as its a fair standard played table and toads can go down the hole. We can put them all into a draw to see which ones are played... if there are no objections to the quality of the table!
The broader the range the better for more equitable play and the diminishing of 'home-table advantage'. Of course the table draw every round should also help reduce this.
Tournament Structure Fine-tuning
It will be a straight knockout this year.
We'll separate the seeds in the first round and have a draw for every round regarding the tables, like last year. There will be two phases for the First Round of 32 done in two shifts of 8x2. These will all be best of 5 frames.
The last 16 and 8 will also be best of five frames. The semis and the final will be best of seven frames.
What's the difference between the 'Lewes Worlds' in April and the WTSC 2023 in October? Yes, we have been asked this question 😂 Ours is a singles event designed to find the best player and 'World Champion' across different tables, principally how the game is normally played – one on one – when you walk into different venues.
The WTSC is held at a private members club and from a competition point of view weedles out the home-table champions to see who has really got game.
The Lewes Worlds in April is like a 'Toads Christmas' event at Lewes Town Hall with approximately 200 in attendance. The matches are for teams of four – like a last round league match – on eight near-identical tables, so strategically, it's a different approach.
The WTSC is held at a private members club and from a competition point of view weedles out the home-table champions to see who has really got game.
The Lewes Worlds in April is like a 'Toads Christmas' event at Lewes Town Hall with approximately 200 in attendance. The matches are for teams of four – like a last round league match – on eight near-identical tables, so strategically, it's a different approach.
What rules will the WYSC 2023 follow?
The generally accepted rules of Toad-in-the-Hole. with the following as WTSC-specific rule clarity.
Each match table will be invited to be self-governing with the exception of occasional discreet monitoring by the organisers for the fair play of all. In these cases we would just discreetly advise Toadrunners (scorers) and leave it to them to decide.
1. The oche line is up to the front edge, but not over (inc. shoe).
2. No one in line-of-sight except Toadrunners (scorers) who are experienced in not moving.
3. Starting is by who is 'nearest the hole' with a clean throw. You can toss a coin to see who goes nearest the hole first if you want. The reasoning behind this is that deciding a start from nearest the hole focuses on skill rather than chance.
Putting people off
4. No shouting or sledging just before or during the four throws when players are settled on the oche, subject to a rethrow if players feel inhibited.
5. If you must sledge, do not use personal remarks.
6. If it hits the wood, it's no good, including the front. Toads players should be able to take the design of the table into account and hit the lead clean. (This is the opposite of the Lewes Worlds rule. There some of the leads are almost the same level as the wood).
7. No smoking/vaping in the main room. No drugs on the premises or site, by order of the venue. Thank you.
8. In the case of backboard disputes players and Toadrunners must agree if the Toads coin has hit the back or not, and the Toadrunner's decision is final, as they have the best point of view.
There is of course the backboard anomaly of the Toads coin sometimes riding up with the gradient of the table and flipping up without touching the wood. The back of the lead sounds woodier and deeper as well (connected to lead and from reverberation). Toadrunners will be aware of this as well as close coins near the back which can be checked by doing the Laughing Fish 'nuck' or using paper.
9. All Toads must be able to drop down into the hole. If in the event a hole becomes in the main problematic, then players can call for the hole to filed or widened.
NB. Oche lengths will be specific to the table. If unspecified, it will be 7ft 3" from the front of the table. Details will be available before the event.
The generally accepted rules of Toad-in-the-Hole. with the following as WTSC-specific rule clarity.
Each match table will be invited to be self-governing with the exception of occasional discreet monitoring by the organisers for the fair play of all. In these cases we would just discreetly advise Toadrunners (scorers) and leave it to them to decide.
1. The oche line is up to the front edge, but not over (inc. shoe).
2. No one in line-of-sight except Toadrunners (scorers) who are experienced in not moving.
3. Starting is by who is 'nearest the hole' with a clean throw. You can toss a coin to see who goes nearest the hole first if you want. The reasoning behind this is that deciding a start from nearest the hole focuses on skill rather than chance.
Putting people off
4. No shouting or sledging just before or during the four throws when players are settled on the oche, subject to a rethrow if players feel inhibited.
5. If you must sledge, do not use personal remarks.
6. If it hits the wood, it's no good, including the front. Toads players should be able to take the design of the table into account and hit the lead clean. (This is the opposite of the Lewes Worlds rule. There some of the leads are almost the same level as the wood).
7. No smoking/vaping in the main room. No drugs on the premises or site, by order of the venue. Thank you.
8. In the case of backboard disputes players and Toadrunners must agree if the Toads coin has hit the back or not, and the Toadrunner's decision is final, as they have the best point of view.
There is of course the backboard anomaly of the Toads coin sometimes riding up with the gradient of the table and flipping up without touching the wood. The back of the lead sounds woodier and deeper as well (connected to lead and from reverberation). Toadrunners will be aware of this as well as close coins near the back which can be checked by doing the Laughing Fish 'nuck' or using paper.
9. All Toads must be able to drop down into the hole. If in the event a hole becomes in the main problematic, then players can call for the hole to filed or widened.
NB. Oche lengths will be specific to the table. If unspecified, it will be 7ft 3" from the front of the table. Details will be available before the event.
WTSC '23 Players Roster
*Eight seeded players indicated by an asterisk.
1. Jonny Wills
2. Ross Hossack
3. Christian Dew
4. Alex Wallace
5. Ed Hill* (WTS Champion 2022)
6. Stu Sampson
7. Simon Barris
8. Dave Fearnley
9. Noel Wilkins
10. James Gibb
11. Mark Powell
12. David Crowther
13. Robert Swabey
14. Kieran Dacey
15. James Masters TBC
16. Wayne Saunders*
17. Richard Crossland*
18. Joe Murtagh
19. Dan Saunders*
20. Christian Cronauer
21. Jake Saunders*
22. Declan Rowell
23. Reg Martin*
24. James Porter
25. Ben Robinson*
26. Andrew Sanders
27. Mark Doig*
28. Matt Mahoney
29. Conal Jacks
30. Steve Burrlock
31. Roly Dean
32. Elena Stevanoska
Waiting List
1. John Miles
2. Rick Deckard
If you're on the waiting list you can take a chance of coming on the day and seeing if there are any no-shows. It can happen.
Roster Notes
Due to the knockout nature of our tournament the cut-off for 2023 is 32 players. In the event of over-demand we have a waiting list and those on it (in order of signing up) and they will get first refusal for cancellations. So far we've had five drop outs due to one thing or another.
Promissory entrants (TBCs and Definites) will be invited to remunerate their fees. If no fees are forthcoming then they will be placed on the waiting list, with the first on the list being invited.
To join the waiting list please email us through the DropBox page or use the email address on the entry form together with your name/s and "Waiting List" in the subject line. Or if you know Jonny, (one of the organisers) contact him direct via WhatsApp or the socials. Its worth doing because it puts us in mind for how to facilitate the tournament for next year.
1. Jonny Wills
2. Ross Hossack
3. Christian Dew
4. Alex Wallace
5. Ed Hill* (WTS Champion 2022)
6. Stu Sampson
7. Simon Barris
8. Dave Fearnley
9. Noel Wilkins
10. James Gibb
11. Mark Powell
12. David Crowther
13. Robert Swabey
14. Kieran Dacey
15. James Masters TBC
16. Wayne Saunders*
17. Richard Crossland*
18. Joe Murtagh
19. Dan Saunders*
20. Christian Cronauer
21. Jake Saunders*
22. Declan Rowell
23. Reg Martin*
24. James Porter
25. Ben Robinson*
26. Andrew Sanders
27. Mark Doig*
28. Matt Mahoney
29. Conal Jacks
30. Steve Burrlock
31. Roly Dean
32. Elena Stevanoska
Waiting List
1. John Miles
2. Rick Deckard
If you're on the waiting list you can take a chance of coming on the day and seeing if there are any no-shows. It can happen.
Roster Notes
Due to the knockout nature of our tournament the cut-off for 2023 is 32 players. In the event of over-demand we have a waiting list and those on it (in order of signing up) and they will get first refusal for cancellations. So far we've had five drop outs due to one thing or another.
Promissory entrants (TBCs and Definites) will be invited to remunerate their fees. If no fees are forthcoming then they will be placed on the waiting list, with the first on the list being invited.
To join the waiting list please email us through the DropBox page or use the email address on the entry form together with your name/s and "Waiting List" in the subject line. Or if you know Jonny, (one of the organisers) contact him direct via WhatsApp or the socials. Its worth doing because it puts us in mind for how to facilitate the tournament for next year.