[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'225687\' date=\'Sep 11 2009, 05:08 PM\']
Do rules changes have to be cleared with S&P first?
Generally yes, but in this case it doesn't disadvantage the contestant. They may have cleared the rule change (and rewritten the bible) after the fact.
[/quote]
Yes, it does. The change encourages the contestant to not switch the marker, which is a terrible move odds-wise.
Granted, if a contestant knows the rules and/or game well enough, it
shouldn't be an encouragement, but honestly, how many people outside this forum know the rules to Barker's Markers? Or have even heard of the Monty Hall problem, for that matter?
On a more general note, I'm not surprised that this was the final straw that broke Barker's Markers's back. The game seemed like it was hanging by a thread for years. It was only played a few times a year...the rules aren't actually all
that straightforward...lots of contestants got confused by it...the game takes an incredibly long time to play (only a half-minute less than Ten Chances!)...and not much of a payoff, since the prize package is just three middle-tier prizes (treadmills, armoires, etc).