Ten Chances questions

[tpirfansince1972]

I'm wondering if I am in the majority or the minority in missing the old Ten Chances game board.

I very much loved the green board and the old red buttons that had the black numerals on the buttons themselves.  I loved the lattice look, always put me in mind of The Newlywed Game from the 1960s and 70s.

My second question is this.  I am guessing that most of us here, if not all of us here know about the "zero" unspoken rule where just about always the correct answers always end in zero.  If you were on the show, would you say to Drew and to the studio and home audience "The correct prices always end in zero."?  Would the show allow that or edit that out?

[gamesurf]

If you were on the show, would you say to Drew and to the studio and home audience "The correct prices always end in zero."?  Would the show allow that or edit that out?

On the Superfan episode we were politely asked not to mention any hidden rules on the air. I am sure if anybody tried to explicitly spell out a hidden rule it would have been edited out. They are putting on a TV show, after all, they don't want the magic tricks behind their games spoiled for five million viewers. We were of course welcome to use them in the games or shouting advice.

That didn't stop the show from subtly referencing the rule themselves with the very prizes they offered in Ten Chances...

[illustriousrocket]

I'm wondering if I am in the majority or the minority in missing the old Ten Chances game board.

For what it's worth, 10 Chances' remodel has been one of my personal least favorite ones. I don't like the color scheme.

My second question is this.  I am guessing that most of us here, if not all of us here know about the "zero" unspoken rule where just about always the correct answers always end in zero.  If you were on the show, would you say to Drew and to the studio and home audience "The correct prices always end in zero."?  Would the show allow that or edit that out?

It would certainly be edited out, as was already said.

That said, if I was on the show and playing it the furthest I'd go is something like "I know this game."

[Gameshowgenius26]

Actually, I have no complaints about the current color scheme of Ten Chances. And it makes sense that we're not allowed to mention the "Zero Rule" on tv as they expect the loyal fans to know the trick by heart.

[actual_retail_tice]

I also expect that if someone decided to be the hero and say the zero rule on air and they didn't edit it out for some reason, we would also in short order see the zero rule cease to be.

[illustriousrocket]

we would also in short order see the zero rule cease to be.

Almost certainly. It's a thing we know, and they know we know, but as long as nobody openly acknowledges it it's fine. Little nods to it like the Zero board game pass the test.

Honestly, I like it better this way. Unspoken rules like this feel rewarding for an average person who notices them, but if it were out in the open everyone would be doing it without thinking. That's not as fun.

[gamesurf]

we would also in short order see the zero rule cease to be.

I don’t think it’s that big a secret, anybody who has seen Ten Chances more than twice should be able to figure it out. If they wanted the zero rule gone it would be gone.

Part of the fun of the game is screaming at the TV because people can’t seem to pick up on something so obvious. One of the best qualities a game show can have is making the viewer feel like the’ve figured out something the contestant hasn’t.

[Mallory16]

Now what would be the fun of saying it so directly? Be more fun to say something like "there's zero chance I'm going to lose!"

I prefer the old getup, but as far as post-Bob set changes go, I'm fine with the current set. It's nice, if not necessarily great. Side by Side, on the other hand...

[gsn93]

Part of the fun of the game is screaming at the TV because people can’t seem to pick up on something so obvious. One of the best qualities a game show can have is making the viewer feel like the’ve figured out something the contestant hasn’t.

This is one of my favorite things from watching the episodes on the Barker Era streaming channel. The episodes in the rotation is when they switched over to doing the "ends in zero trick" and clearly most of the audience from the time even picked up on it and they get hysterical when the on-stage contestant is fumbling their way through the game. Bob even subtly acknowledges it on-air about how the audience knows how to play the game in those situations.

[tpirfansince1972]

I loved that "I have ZERO chance of losing."  Awesome!

And mercy doesn't almost always seem like everybody in the entire arena knows about the ending in 0 trick except the player doing the game???

I know Scapino has done a Five Fun Facts video about more than 60 pricing games at this point, and he pulls no punches in hating on Ten Chances.  I think it's a fine game, and obviously as it's been on the show since 1975, so too does the staffers and the fans of the show too.

[thatvhstapeguy]

The show is free to acknowledge it however they see fit. The "Zero" board game used as a small prize was an excellent tongue-in-cheek reference to it. Drew himself has blatantly acknowledged it in other appearances and interviews, but I'm sure he isn't going to (nor would the production staff let him) refer to it on-air.

[GameShowKid]

As I've typed many times, Ten Chances is one of my favorite games.

That being said, and I'm not advocating for any change at this time, but any thoughts on making it an "end in zero or five" rule? Part of me would find it quite interesting to see this implemented, and maybe as a surprise to both the host and the contestant. And think of the "twists" that could follow.

For example: First prize. Digit choices: 7, 2, 5 (Surprise Drew! ).  Actual retail price: $25.
Second prize. Digit choices: 7, 8, 3, 0. Actual retail price: $870. (It would not start with '3' these days)
The auto. Digit choices: 2, 3, 1, 4, 0. Actual retail price: $24,130.

Or, and being more specific,
First prize. A mop. Digit choices: 5, 2, 0. Actual retail price: $25.
Second prize. A 65 inch TV. Digit choices: 9, 8, 5, 0. Actual retail price: $895. (It likely wouldn't start with '5').
The auto. Digit choices: 2, 7, 8, 6, 0. Actual retail price: $28,670.

Or, how about have both a 5 and a 0 as choices for the auto?
Example: A Kia Forte. Digit choices: 2, 7, 1, 5, 0. Actual retail price: $21,705. ($25K or $27K very unlikely)
Or
A Kia Forte (with different options). Digit choices: 2, 3, 1, 5, 0. Actual retail price: $23,015. ($25K unlikely, but tougher perhaps)

Of course, there's always the luck factor involved.


Comments? Yes I know, "If it ain't broke..." 

[Axl]

Drew himself has blatantly acknowledged it in other appearances and interviews, but I'm sure he isn't going to (nor would the production staff let him) refer to it on-air.

In one of those interviews, Drew specifically said he's not allowed to say it on the show. 

https://www.cnn.com/videos/entertainment/2024/01/25/drew-carey-the-price-is-right-chris-wallace-wtcw-cprog-vpx.cnn

[furneralcar47]

Sharing too much on camera/ in studio is the kind of behavior that made us GR.NETTERS lose favor with the previous administration.

I feel that if a stage contestant has not “mastered” the basic nuances of the pricing games BEFORE making the trek to the show then that is their tough luck.

[Nick]

Sharing too much on camera/ in studio is the kind of behavior that made us GR.NETTERS lose favor with the previous administration.

Not really.  As far as my memory serves, there was only one member of this site who actively promoted himself outside in line as the one to turn to for help as he had the prices of everything in rotation memorized, and even that was when Roger was still around.

The falling out had more to do with the new regime taking the show in a different direction (remember the whole "game show within a variety show" intention?) and the majority membership at that time was opposed to it.  The suggestion that another member of this site fed a perfect Showcase bid to an on-stage player as a way to get back at them for firing Roger was baseless and unsubstantiated.