Match and Win - Pilot Episode

[drgullen]

This is a game that I came up with myself which has elements of trivia knowledge as well as luck of the draw.

The idea is to gain control of a 25-numbered board by correctly answering questions from random categories such as Arts, Science, Entertainment, Geography, etc.  The player in control of the board then picks a pair of numbers, trying to find a match and like the title says, if they find a match, they win the amount shown, which could range from as little as $100 in Round 1 to as much as $5,000 in Round 3.  There are also special spaces on the board, such as wild cards, multipliers and negative amounts that can affect a player's score.  The player with the highest money total after Round 3 becomes the champion and plays "Bonus Match" for bonus money.

During each round, the board values are shuffled after each chance and matched values turn into strikes.  Play continues in the round until one of two things happens.  The round ends once all 10 chances have been used up or, if one player matches a total of three strikes, their round ends and the other player gets free picks off the board until the same thing happens to them.  Each individual's "chance" can last for only one pair of numbers (if there is no match) or multiple pairs of numbers (i.e. if you keep matching, you keep picking).

Who would like to give this a try?  I need two players please.  The first to sign up starts us off and is assigned numbers 1 to 50 as buzz codes.  The second is assigned 51 to 100.  I will use Random.org to determine who has "buzzed in" to answer questions.

[gamegirl]

me

[drgullen]

Great, thanks Gamegirl.  We need an opponent for you and then we can begin.

[jman8606]

I will play

[drgullen]

Thanks James, we will begin soon.

[drgullen]

(fade in to a dimly light studio with timpani drum roll)

Shadoe Stevens: "It's the show where the more matches you make, a bigger win is at stake!  It's time to...

...Match and Win!

(lights come up; drum roll stops; theme begins to play; audience begins continuous applause)

And now, the host of Match and Win, Glen Brown!"

(I emerge from stage left as the set moves into place behind me and I stand at a podium between the two seated players)

Thank you so much ladies and gentlemen!  Please keep those hands clapping for our legendary announcer, Shadoe Stevens!

(audience cheers and applauds)

Welcome to Match and Win where hidden on our big board of twenty-five numbers here is thousands of dollars in cash that our two players today are trying to win.  Our game is simple.  Answer the question correctly and you pick a pair of numbers.  If your picks result in a match, you win that amount.  Once matched though, those values turn into strikes on the board, which is shuffled after every chance played.  Three strikes and your round is over, allowing your opponent free picks for the rest of the round.  After three rounds, the player with the most winnings is the champ and plays Bonus Match for up to $25,000!

(audience applauds)

Our first round has a maximum value of $1,000 on that board which may be claimed more than once thanks to some wild cards we have up there.  We also have multipliers that might come into play.  I'll explain more as we go along.

First though, we'll meet our two players today, let's welcome Gamegirl to the show!

(audience applauds)

Gamegirl, it says here you are a fan of board games.  What would you say are some of your favorite board games of all-time?

[gamegirl]

I would say out of the popular games
chutes and ladders or battleship but senat would be my favorite. (not including young childhood games covered with heavy nostalgia)

[drgullen]

Yeah, that was one of my favorites as well, although I grew up in Canada and there, it was called Snakes and Ladders.  Another one I was fond of from my childhood was Perfection, even though more than half the time, the thing would pop on me with only a couple to go!

(audience chuckles)

Best of luck on our show today Gamegirl!  Your opponent here on my left is none other than James Greek!

(audience applauds)

James, it says here that you hope to attend broadcasting school someday.  Is there a particular school you're like to attend more than others and also, after you finish with school, what would be your dream broadcasting job when all is said and done?

[jman8606]

Well, the broadcasting school I want to attend has shut down. But I would love to go to Specs Howard in Detroit. And when all is said and done I would love to be a classic hits radio announcer and eventually a game show announcer/host.

[drgullen]

I can't help but think of Rich Fields and an interview that he did where he said that he decided early on in life that one day, he would be the announcer on "The Price is Right" and everything he did in planning his career, he always made sure it was going to take him one step closer to that goal.  It certainly worked for him, so it can definitely happen to you as well James.  I wish you nothing but success with those goals, I hope they all come true for you!  Best of luck to you on our show today as well!

Let's play Match and Win!

(audience applauds)

As you can see on our board, we have three categories there and those are used for the questions in our game.  Before each question, we shuffle the categories so that our players can choose their favorite of the three for the next question.

Let's do that now please -- here come our first three categories.

(ding...ding...ding)

We have Arts, Science and Entertainment to start with.  Gamegirl, you get the first choice, which of those would you like?

[gamegirl]

Science

[drgullen]

(A reminder I'll be using Random.org to simulate who buzzes in.  Gamegirl's buzz codes are from 1 to 50, and values 51 to 100 are for James)

Science it is.  Hands on buzzers players and here is the question.

What is the minimum number of sides required to create a Polygon?

Gamegirl?

[gamegirl]

4

[drgullen]

No, a triangle would be an example of a simple polygon, so the minimum number of sides is three.

James, this gives you the first chance at picking a pair off the board.

Which two numbers do you fancy?

[jman8606]

4 and 8