  | |
| Taped | |
| October 19, 1979 | |
| Run time | |
| 30 Minutes | |
| Host | |
| Wink Martindale | |
| Dealer | |
| Debbie Bartlett | |
| Announcer | |
| Kenny Williams | |
Gambit (1979) was an unsold game show pilot.
This pilot featured Wink Martindale once again as the host and Debbie Bartlett as the dealer, and used the opening and music from the eventual Las Vegas Gambit.
Game Format[]
The object of the game was that of blackjack: come as close to 21 as possible without going over (or "busting"). As in blackjack, the cards 2 through 10 were worth their face value; face cards (Kings, Queens and Jacks) counted as 10 and an Ace could count as either 1 or 11.
While the basic structure of the front game remained intact (with the Gambit Jackpot starting at $1,000 plus $500 for every game not won), the general knowledge toss-up questions were replaced with clues, similar to the future Scrabble, with the answers appearing as puzzles revealed on the "Gambit Answer Machine". Plus, couples now take turns. On a couple's turn, the Answer Machine was activated. After hearing the clue, the couple in control hits their plunger to stop the machine and reveal how many words & letters are in the answer. That determination was indicated by neon boxes and the stars in the boxes indicate where the letters will be revealed. When all said and done, the controlling couple had five seconds to solve the puzzle. A correct solution earned control of the card, but a fail gave control to the opponents.
Once a couple gained control of a card, they had the option of adding it to their own hand or passing it to their opponents. After a couple received any card (whether by choice or by having a card passed to them from their opponents), they could elect to freeze, preventing them from receiving any more cards (neither team was permitted to freeze when the two were tied). This rule prevented their opponents from passing cards to them in order to strategically force them to bust.
A couple could win the game in one of four ways:
- Reaching 21, which not only won the game but the Gambit Jackpot as well.
- Winning by default after the opponents exceed 21 ("busted"), even if the winners had no cards.
- Freezing, after which the opponents miss a question before getting a higher score and without going over 21.
- Having the opponents freeze, then getting a higher score without going over 21.
Each game was worth $250. The first team to win two games won the match, a total of $500 and advanced to the bonus round.
Bonus Round (6-Ball)[]
The bonus round was a complete departure from the "Gambit Board" format. It's a game called "6-Ball" and it's played on a giant Skeeball ramp, featuring three prizes, two "Aces", two "Jacks", and the letters in the word "GAMBIT". The winning couple was given six balls (three for each spouse). If two landed in a prize, they won that prize. If two landed in an "Ace" & "Jack", they won a car. If it landed in one of two red holes, that ball was dead. But if all six letters in the word "GAMBIT" lit up, the couple won $10,000. Once the ball fell into a letter hole, it was popped back out and remained in play. Letters that lit up carried over into the next end game regardless of who would play.
Photos[]
.jpg "Gambit (3).jpg (57 KB)")
Video[]
