Martindale's High Rollers

[wdm1219inpenna]

I've been watching/studying "High Rollers" episodes on Youtube, both the Trebek version and Martindale's version.  I remember both shows fondly, but am wanting to focus on Wink's version.

The white dice used during match play, sometimes they seemed a bit "chalky" like, and I seem to recall one time seeing those dice chip somewhat on the corners.  What were those dice made of exactly?  They seemed lighter than the golden dice used for the Big Numbers bonus game.  Those golden dice seemed metallic.  Trebek's dice seemed like they were made of actual dice material.  I even owned a pair of those dice long ago, and how I wish I still had them today!

I loved the 1987 version that they had the actual "BIG NUMBERS" behind Wink.  I thought it was lame that on the '78 - '80 version on NBC that the Big Numbers were no bigger than the regular match play numbers, since the Big Numbers was played on the same board.  Martindale's Big Numbers were akin to the '74 - '76 NBC version which I really liked.  The difference was on Wink's version, the numbers 1-5 appeared on the top row, while Trebek's 1-5 was on the bottom row.

I had at one time both editions of the home game (Trebek's first edition & the Martindale version.)  As I recall, they were pretty decent replications of the original show.

While I did like the columns clearing concept, I disliked that on Wink's version, they would just play for 1 prize per game, and also disliked those "mini" games that were won from time to time.  Those mini games such as Love Letters for example, seemed to bring the game to a grinding halt.  I preferred the progressive columns from the 78-80 version better.

I also hated that sometimes, one game on the show could have a board that was worth more than $10,000, while the bonus game was worth "just" $10,000 tops.  To me a bonus game should be for considerably higher stakes than the main game, but maybe that's just me.

What are your memories/observations of H.R.?  I'd love to find out more about those dice used, both on Wink's and Alex's versions.

Happy Holidays.

[TLEberle]

Match play? Was there an earlier version of High Rollers that counted each shot toward the pin separately?

[MikeK]

I had at one time both editions of the home game (Trebek's first edition & the Martindale version.)  As I recall, they were pretty decent replications of the original show.

Gameplay?  Yes.  The questions?  Heck no.  I wish I had my copies of the High Rollers home games from the 70s to share with you some of the questions.  However, they're either still packed in a moving box two and a half years after the move, still at my dad's house, or they were thrown out about two and a half years ago, though I doubt Dad would do that to his one and only son.

[clemon79]

Trebek's dice seemed like they were made of actual dice material.

They're not. I suspect they would be significantly heavier than they are if they were Bakelite, based on having held Bakelite dice that were slightly smaller than the HR ones while being quite a bit heavier.

It's my suspicion that they are made of wood, and then shellacked or sealed in some way before painting (maybe even some kind of white shellac, and then the black accents were painted in by hand), considering how they feel light in the hands for their size, yet clack together pretty good and solidly against each other.

[TLEberle]

Gameplay?  Yes.  The questions?  Heck no.  I wish I had my copies of the High Rollers home games from the 70s to share with you some of the questions.  However, they're either still packed in a moving box two and a half years after the move, still at my dad's house, or they were thrown out about two and a half years ago, though I doubt Dad would do that to his one and only son.

MattO has some of the "better" examples of questons from Big Numbers: High Rollers on that page of the Game Show Home Game Page.

[MikeK]

Taking a quick peek at my copy of the Martindale era home game, the questions were very much like what you would have seen on the show--true/false, yes/no, or multiple choice questions.

[Bobby B.]

I had at one time both editions of the home game (Trebek's first edition & the Martindale version.)  As I recall, they were pretty decent replications of the original show.

Gameplay?  Yes.  The questions?  Heck no.  I wish I had my copies of the High Rollers home games from the 70s to share with you some of the questions.  However, they're either still packed in a moving box two and a half years after the move, still at my dad's house, or they were thrown out about two and a half years ago, though I doubt Dad would do that to his one and only son.

I remember reading on Matt's page that the second edition of the Trebek game had better questions.  Do you remember there being any stinkers at all in that edition, or did they still include a few?

[Matt Ottinger]

MattO has some of the "better" examples of questons from Big Numbers: High Rollers on that page of the Game Show Home Game Page.

 
Live to serve.
   
And ten more, just for fun.  As I say on the GSHGHP, this isn't Family Feud.  Theoretically, there's supposed to be only one right answer.  See if you can stumble upon the right answers to any of these.

What is a European lake?  COMO
What is a chess move?  GAMBIT
What is almost passe? RADIO
What is distinguishing feature?  TRAIT
What denotes people of a class?  GENTRY
What makes a natural whistle? REED
What is a cold substance?  ICE
Who was an American Revolutionary Officer?  ALLEN
If you save precious things, you are said to do?  GARNER
What indicates a small amount?  TINGE

[TLEberle]

Live to serve.

I forgot that it was only one in ten that were terrible. How good could the other questions be? "What color's my jacket?" "Does this look infected to you?" "Can't we play Settlers instead?"
   

What is a chess move?  GAMBIT

When I play? Poor.

[Kevin Prather]

"Does this look infected to you?"

Reminds me of a category in a game of Gag WOF that Mike hosted in Palace one time: "Are You Going To Eat That?". The puzzle: "NO".

[Joe Mello]

"Can't we play Settlers instead?"

Out.