Doug: Welcome back to The Big Risk and a big round for Matt if there ever was one.
MATT
CY$5,250
BRIAN
CY$13,000
Doug: He's in second place -- but he is noticeably far behind the leader in Brian. Should Matt prevail and win the game, he'll qualify to play for CY$1,000,000 in the Mega Playoff later this season. Brian's looking to play spoiler and begin a run to the Mega Playoff in his own right.
Before we start the questions in this round, I should point to anyone who has not seen TBR in this particular form that *each* of our players must wager some or all of his winnings on one hand of Blackjack. In the process, one or both could be forced to bet everything. So, please don't think anyone has a particular advantage. This round may prove it's truly not over -- until it's over.
And because we want to raise the stakes and make the risks potentially big, each right answer in this round pays CY$2000.
The category of POTUS Nicknames was not selected in Round 3. To remind you, the category deals with nicknames of previous Presidents of the United States. That's the category we'll play with here -- and we start with Matt.
True or false: Theodore Roosevelt was nicknamed "trust-buster".
Matt: False.
Doug: Oh, no, that's true. Brian, your question.
True or false: George Washington was nicknamed "schoolmaster in politics".
Brian: I will say false.
Doug: Woodrow Wilson. Back to Matt with this.
True or false: Rutherford B. Hayes was known as the "dark-horse president".
Matt: True.
Doug: That is true. Back to Brian for the last question.
True or false: Benjamin Harrison was nicknamed "idol of Ohio".
Brian: I will say false.
Doug: William McKinley -- and that wraps up the category.
MATT
CY$7,250
BRIAN
CY$17,000
Doug: Matt made one mistake, Brian made no mistakes. So that increases Brian's lead. Matt will play the blue cards; Brian will have the red deck to play with thereafter. Deej tells us what happens next.
D.J.: Matt, Brian, each of you must play one hand of single-deck blackjack versus Dirty Harry. Before any cards are dealt, you have to wager some or, perhaps, all of your cyber-money.
At the start of the hand, Harry will deal out a total of four cards. The first and third cards from the top of the deck go to you -- the others go to Harry -- with *his* first card dealt face down.
To win the hand, you must come closer to 21 than Harry -- without going over. To make our version of Blackjack simplified, you may only hit or stand. If you stand, Harry must draw a card if his hand is worth less than 17 and must stand if his hand is worth more than 16 -- including a soft 17 or more.
Win the hand and your payoff is 1-to-1. But if you're dealt 21 on those first two cards, that's a blackjack for a 2-to-1 payoff -- unless Harry gets a blackjack, then it's treated like any tie as it ends in a push.
Also, you'll win the hand automatically with a 1-to-1 payoff if you have five cards in your hand totalling 21 or less -- regardless of what Harry has.
D.J.: Before you play Blackjack, you, of course, must place a wager. Your minimum bet is determined by picking a letter off of The Big Risk board. Behind eight of the letters, we have percentages between 10% and 75% inclusive. Behind the remaining two letters are The Big Risk cards.
If you draw any percentage card, your minimum bet is that much of a percentage of your current score. But if you draw one of The Big Risk cards, you must automatically bet "all in".
Doug: Thank ya, Deej. Matt, pick a letter, please, to determine your minimum bet.
(time passes) (buzz buzz)
Doug: OK, no decision in time. By rule, we randomly reveal one of the locations of The Big Risk cards...
Doug: One of them's behind the first I. And that will cause you to go all in, Matt. So let's see some cards, Harry.
(Dirty Harry deals one card to Matt; then his hole card)
Doug: And you get a 4 to start.
(Dirty Harry deals next card to Matt)
Doug: Ewww, Jack joins your 4. Up card for Harry is...
Doug: ...an Ace. Now for you Blackjack purists, we know the dealer would likely offer insurance, then check for a 10 or face card in the hole. For simplicity's sake, we let the player, Matt in this case, play out his hand first. So, Matt, would you like to hit or stand on 14?
Matt: I have to hit.
Doug: Taking another card. If it's a 7, you'll at least push the hand -- even if Harry has a 10 or royalty in the hole. An 8 or higher means you end this round flat broke. Let's see it Harry.
Doug: Oh, Matt. Lady in red gives you too much. What was in the hole?
Doug: It was a 3.
MATT
CY$00
BRIAN
CY$17,000
Doug: Well, you're still in the game, believe it or not. Brian must now pick a letter to determine his minimum bet -- and then go toe-to-toe with Harry. Brian, pick a letter, please.
Brian: I will pick the "T" in THE.
Doug: T it is. Let's have a look.
(ding) (scattered "woos" from the crowd)
Doug: Wowsers. You found a 75% card. That means the minimum bet is 75% of your score -- and 75% of your score is CY$12,750. You may bet more if you'd like.
Brian: Well, let's make it an even CY$13,000 so I go for CY$30,000.
Doug: Not going all in?
MATT
CY$00
BRIAN
CY$4,000
RISK
CY$13,000Doug: Seriously, it's all academic from here. Let's all root for Brian. (Dirty Harry sneers at Doug) OK, most of us root for Brian. (light laughter from the crowd)
(Dirty Harry deals one card to Brian; then his hole card)
Doug: First card is a 6.
(Dirty Harry deals next card to Brian)
(scattered cheers from the crowd)
Doug: Next one's a good looking 4. Up card for the house is...
Doug: ...leave it to him to take the wind out of your sails. Again, we know in the casinos, the dealer would likely check for a blackjack. Still, to keep it simple, we still let Brian play out the hand before the dealer gets any hint of what's in the hole.
So, Brian, care to hit or stand?
Brian: I will hit please.
Doug: All right, Harry, give him another card. (DH sneers again) Come on, he said "please".
(light laughter from the crowd)
Doug: Oh, yeah, big Jack of Hearts doubles your hand's value to 20. Dumb question -- but I'm required to ask -- hit on 20 or stand on 20?
Brian: I will stand!
Doug: Standing on 20. Very well. If there's an Ace in Harry's hole, you'll go down to 4000 -- but still win the game. A 10 or royalty in the hole means your score reverts to 17,000 -- and still a win. A 9, 8 or 7 and you get that 30-grand you're hoping for. A 6 or less and we'll see what happens.
Harry, flip over that card. (DH sneers) Please?
(light laughter from the crowd)
Doug: It's a 3 for a lucky 13. He has to hit.
THE BIG RISK CONTINUES
