There’s winning, and then there’s whatever Barry Dillon and Richard Falle are doing at the card table.
The Langford pair added another feather to their caps – and another plaque to the wall – by winning the national cribbage championship in Whitby, Ontario, from April 25-28.
Representing the Langford Legion, the longtime friends outplayed teams from across Canada in what’s become a bit of an annual tradition.
This latest victory marks Barry’s tenth national title and Richard’s ninth.
“We’re still on a tear,” said Dillon with a laugh, sitting beside Falle inside the Goldstream Tim Hortons where they often practice together. “We’ve only missed winning one year since we started playing together in 2013.”
Aside from that, it’s been a decade-long domination.
They have won tournaments in more than half of the provinces across the country: British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Alberta, and Manitoba.
Their road to Whitby ran through the south Island and B.C. qualifiers, with B.C. – by their own admission – being the toughest part of the journey. But once they reached nationals, it was game on.
Every province, two games, round-robin style. And if you make a mistake?
“You give up so many points,” Falle said. “So we watch everything – the board, the pegging, the cards. Every move matters.”
The two speak in shorthand, often finishing each other’s thoughts. You’d think they’d been playing together forever – and in a way, they have.
Falle started at just six years old in Newfoundland, drawn in by a neighbour who taught him through full-day games and stern corrections. Dillon, also a proud Newfoundlander, learned the game like most do out east – around the kitchen table, surrounded by friends, laughter, and maybe the occasional beer.
They eventually crossed paths at the Legion in Langford, started playing against each other, and then decided to partner up. The chemistry was instant.
“He plays the same style I play,” Dillon said. “He watches the cards. We just kind of clicked.”
Their post-game reviews can sound more like film sessions. “
We don’t fight,” Dillon added. “But we’ll still talk about a hand we played five hours ago.”
Away from the table, they’re just as close. They often practice at each other’s houses, travel with their partners (who are still learning the ropes), and share cod tongues, moose, and other East Coast delicacies brought back from annual Newfoundland visits.
And while they’ve played all across Canada – “Liverpool was a beautiful little town,” Dillon noted, "But it always comes back to the Langford Legion. We love playing there, and we have made a great community."
“It’s the people,” Falle said. “You walk in, you always see someone you know. Pool, darts, cards – it’s a community.”
A winning one, at that. With seven different national titleholders calling the Langford Legion home, it’s quietly become the most decorated cribbage base in the country.
So what’s next?
“Another title,” Dillon said with a grin. “Let the fun begin.”
