$25,000 Pyramid (CBS) Money Total Question

[TLEberle]

True, but if you have a general sense of how quickly you've gotten the first three, and you need an unusual amount like $550 or $800, you can make a quick decision about the $200 and $250 boxes.

Or you can just play the game and try to win The Money.

[BillCullen1]

did anyone ever see this:

player 1 goes up to WC in first half of show, doesn't win $10K, but gets the first five subjects.

player 2 goes up to WC in second half of show, immediately passes on first subject to "go for the win"

While I love having returning champions, I never liked how this show did it because of the above possibility.

I don't recall EVER seeing anyone intentionally doing this.

[snowpeck]

did anyone ever see this:

player 1 goes up to WC in first half of show, doesn't win $10K, but gets the first five subjects.

player 2 goes up to WC in second half of show, immediately passes on first subject to "go for the win"

While I love having returning champions, I never liked how this show did it because of the above possibility.

I don't recall EVER seeing anyone intentionally doing this.

It's a completely stupid and pointless strategy, and nobody with half a brain would ever try it.  If you're any kind of Pyramid player, the first category should only take a couple of clues in most cases. And if you pass on it, you also risk not getting back to it in time and losing the jackpot.

Besides, if you're the celebrity guest, doing something like that is a good way to not ever get invited back to the show.

[Jay Temple]

True, but if you have a general sense of how quickly you've gotten the first three, and you need an unusual amount like $550 or $800, you can make a quick decision about the $200 and $250 boxes.

Or you can just play the game and try to win The Money.

If it's going smoothly, sure. But if your opponent has $550, skipping the $200 to concentrate on the $250 (or $300) can mean that you play the game another day.

[clemon79]

If it's going smoothly, sure. But if your opponent has $550, skipping the $200 to concentrate on the $250 (or $300) can mean that you play the game another day.

The only word I can think of to describe any strategy that involves skipping ANYTHING in favor of the $300 is "moronic."

[MSTieScott]

Am I forgetting a rule? If your opponent scores $750, then if instead of trying to outscore your opponent, you simply play the Winner's Circle straightforwardly and also score $750, wouldn't you get to come back the next day anyway?

[clemon79]

Am I forgetting a rule? If your opponent scores $750, then if instead of trying to outscore your opponent, you simply play the Winner's Circle straightforwardly and also score $750, wouldn't you get to come back the next day anyway?

Yes, you would. Which, I'm assuming, then points back to the stuff we're always talking about regarding playing to tie on Jeopardy!

Except this is far from Jeopardy!

[Ian Wallis]

However, when the scores were being recapped at the end of the show, the big winner was said to have had only $25,000

Another thing to consider are the network's winning limits at the time.  When Pyramid returned to CBS in 1982, the $25,000 network ceiling on winnings was still in place.  It was raised to $50,000 in 1984.  When the show was on ABC in the '70s, $20,000 was their maximum.

[cyclone45]

Why do you play?

YOU PLAY
TO WIN
THE GAME!!

End of story

[davidhammett]

Wasn't there a very brief time at the beginning of the 80's run where they *did* add the two scores together, meaning a possible take of $35K (and then retired, because of the $25K rule)?

[Bryce L.]

Also, one question, if someone won the 7-11 and then got the $25,000, would they leave with $25,000 or $26,100?

[Vahan_Nisanian]

They would leave with $26,100.

On that note, on the 1982-1988 CBS Daytime edition (under the $75,000 limit), a contestant could win up to about $108,300, but keep up to an even $100,000. On the 1985-1988 syndicated edition (not counting the tournament), a contestant could win up to $180,500.

In both editions, this includes winning the 7-11 bonus every single time, and winning the $5,000 bonus for breaking the tiebreaker every single time.

[J.R.]

YOU PLAY
TO WIN
THE GAME!!

Hello?

[PYLdude]

YOU PLAY
TO WIN
THE GAME!!

Hello?

You don't play it to just play it.

[Jay Temple]

Wasn't there a very brief time at the beginning of the 80's run where they *did* add the two scores together, meaning a possible take of $35K (and then retired, because of the $25K rule)?

No, there never was.