Online exclusive
How do you win a pub quiz? Regular quiz practice, reading lots of general knowledge material, and watching endless TV game shows.
“You’ve got to practise a lot,” says Shaun Wallace, one of the original “chasers” on the UK TV quiz show The Chase, aka The Dark Destroyer. “You have to do a lot of reading in relation to general knowledge. And simply turn up to as many pub quizzes as you possibly can. Practice makes perfect, I always say. Yesterday, I went to my usual Tuesday night pub quiz, I’m hosting another one tonight. For me, pub quizzes are a way of life, and it’s a great way to interact with people, test your knowledge, a bit of showing off.”
One good way to get better, says Wallace, who is also a barrister, is to watch lots and lots of TV quiz shows. He no longer reads original factual material like encyclopedias, though he did as an aspiring quizzer.
“When I started out, on a show called Fifteen to One, which was the Rolls-Royce of tea-time quizzes on Channel 4.”
It was a tough, three-round quiz game with 15 contestants that originally ran from 1988 to 2003. “I always wanted to win the grand final with the fifth century BC either Roman, Egyptian or Greek artefact [prize]. And I took six weeks off from my [legal] practice and read 27 encyclopedias. Sad to say, it didn’t go that well. So that’s the only time I’ve really read encyclopedias.”
But it wasn’t wasted effort: “That’s when my knowledge really, really shot up.” His practice now is to watch lots of game shows. “I go on to YouTube and watch TV quiz shows like Fifteen to One, the Weakest Link, Mastermind, The Chase, and just test myself. But I’m only interested in the questions I get wrong, not the questions I get right, because I already know the answer.”
So he doesn’t go to Wikipedia and online sources for subjects like history? He does not.
“Those subjects I’ve already got a good grounding in. That’s my favourite topic. History is a very, very strong subject for me. Not just English history, but histories of other nations around the world. I’m very good at science, good at geography, literature, art, not too bad on entertainment. My Achilles heel is [TV] soaps. Every Achilles has their heel, and my Achilles heel would be soaps. Not interested.”
He’s also good in sport, partly because he loves it, particularly rugby. He’s coming to New Zealand this month for a series of quizzes around the country, but it’s no coincidence at all that the All Blacks are playing two tests against England while he is here (more on that soon).
Being interested in a subject is key to retaining information, Wallace says. Reading and researching is important, but that strong curiosity and absorption is essential. “Everybody has their own method. But for me it’s all about interest. If you’re interested in something you’re not going to forget it.”
Apart from TV soaps, another Wallace weakness is pop music that doesn’t involve number one songs or number one albums. But he works on that gap in his knowledge. “I play a quiz daily in England called PopMaster, hosted by the brilliant Ken Bruce. If I’m not in court I always try to play that every single day with my dear mate of 20 years, just to try and improve my pop knowledge. I’m very good at UK number one hit singles and albums, but anything outside that I’m a bit ropey. I’m very good at group lead singers and what instruments various band members play.”
He suggests listening to the quiz question carefully. “A very good quiz setter will set a question whereby the clue is in the question – not too easy but not too difficult. But if you look for the clues, you will find the answer. And obviously the advantage I have as a quiz professional – I’ve been one for the last 20 years – is I’m also I’m a trained barrister. I’ve been a barrister for 40 years [he’s 64]. So I’ve used my transferrable skills, thinking on my feet, reacting quickly, research.”
Success didn’t come easy. Wallace’s late father was reportedly illiterate, but as a child, Wallace loved to read and learn. He failed his O level English exams several times, and his initial application to law school was rejected. He graduated from the Polytechnic of North London with a BA in law in 1983.
Staying physically fit can also help your quizzing, Wallace says. He follows the theory of healthy mind, healthy body. “I always get up every single morning without fail and go over to the park and do about 40 minutes’ workout in the outdoor gym. Rain or shine. If it’s raining I’ll put on my wetsuit, if it’s snowing I’ll put on a wetsuit and a hat. For me, it’s important to keep physically fit because that’s linked to having a healthy mind. And it makes you motivated. And in the afternoon, I then go to meet my personal trainer and we do another hour stint. We mix up our training, so I do yoga and Pilates on day two, do stretches, although I don’t stretch as often as I should. By Sunday I’ve got aches and pains so I then go for a massage.”
He watches The Chase only if he has time, he says. “I’m very, very busy. If I’m not in court I’m filming. If I’m not filming I’m hosting quizzes. If I’m not hosting quizzes I’m doing talks in schools. So when I have the opportunity.”
Can he remember any of the hardest questions he’s been asked?
“Questions are always hard if you don’t answer them in the moment. I remember in the Mastermind grand final [in 2004 he won it, the first black contestant to do so], the last ever question was on Lord of the Rings. I guessed the wrong one and said it was Narnia. I should have got it but I didn’t. You won’t forgot it when you’re asked it and you get it wrong.
“I’ve never watched The Simpsons and I was asked what colour’s Marge Simpson’s hair. A relatively easy question for ordinary people who watch the show. So I said orange and it’s blue, so I took a lot of stick over that. If you don’t know the answer you don’t know.”
Shaun Wallace is appearing at events in Queenstown, Dunedin, New Plymouth, Hamilton, Kerikeri and Auckland from July 5, https://www.believeitornot.co.nz/
Shaun Wallace on the All Blacks v England
Does Shaun Wallace think the All Blacks are as good as they used to be?
“Listen, the All Blacks are a sort of conveyor belt of brilliant talent. And that’s why they’ve been at the top of the game, in terms of world rugby. I think they are. Obviously every team is cyclical. I was at the Rugby World Cup final last October. I was gutted that New Zealand didn’t win, I thought they were the better team, but South Africa know how to grind out a World Cup victory, that’s why they’ve never lost a World Cup final.
“One of my favourite players, and I’ve struck up a good friendship with, Sam Whitelock, he’s now retired. Aaron Smith, now retired. So it’s cyclical. They’ve got to build towards 2027 now. So, hopefully, they keep a core nucleus of good players like Beauden Barrett, I’m sure he’ll still be around; Mark Telea, I’m sure he’ll still be around. As long as they keep a core of experienced players and bring out the talented conveyor belt, which New Zealand seem to produce year after year, decade after decade, century after century, then they should be able to build a good team heading towards 2027.”
Who will win the All Blacks-England tests? “I fully expect New Zealand to win those test matches.”
