The tournament format did not require scores to be recorded.
The tournament was sponsored by Microsoft Hungary and used Windows Vista so there were no videos.
Visitors to the Budapest Games Show 2008 were allowed to sign-up for 10 minute sessions to play Intermediate on 2 computers between 09:00 and 14:00. The version used was Windows Vista. The best 8 players then took part in a tournament consisting of head-to-head matches to complete 5 Beginner, 3 Intermediate and 1 Expert game.
The 6th World Minesweeper Championship took place 25 October 2008 at the Budapest Games Show 2008. The tournament was sponsored by Microsoft Hungary and 46 players competed during the freeplay sessions. The best 8 players were invited to the tournament which consisted of head-to-head matches the first person to finish advancing to the next round. Gergely Vodila (Hungary) beat Attila Borsi (Hungary) for 3rd place. The final took place at 16:00 on stage in front of a large crowd with Thomas Kolar (Austria) beating Christoph Nikolaus (Austria) to win the tournament. Microsoft provided prizes including a Sidewinder X6 keyboard, a Sidewinder X5 mouse and computer software for all players in the tournament.
A technology magazine wrote a review of the Budapest Game Show
2008 including details of the Minesweeper competition. A partial translation in English includes the following:
"The most amusing event was the minesweeper tournament. You know, this is a small logic game which men find next to Windows Solitaire. The current world champion,
Thomas Kolar was here. He travelled from Vienna to Budapest to win the competition. These people play with undetectable speed, clicking up to seven times a second.
The world records for the three levels are 1, 10 and 37 seconds, and Thomas has 12 and 42 seconds so has not quite reached the summit. He plays several hours every
week and says it is more engaging than the latest programs."
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