“Game Show” This is a collection of different versions of game play that would be appropriate for a large number of participants and could be used for a large competition. The different variations are of course only suggestions; one is free to imagine any others that one wishes to. Note: The subjects can be tailored to the interests and levels of the participants, hence there could be a school version based on the school syllabus, (national curriculum), a general child’s game, sportsman, musician, naturalist, etc.. Round one: (5 to 20 participants) There are as many question and response cards as contestants. The order of play of the contestants is chosen at random. The first contestant turns over a response card and chooses a question that he thinks corresponds to it. If he is correct then he wins a point but if wrong, he loses a ‘life’. If he is correct the two cards are removed from the play, if wrong, the first contestant who signals has a chance to choose. Again, if he succeeds he wins a point, if he fails, he loses a life. Any player that reaches three points passes to the next round, a player that loses his three lives is eliminated. The play then passes to the next player, and so on until either there are no more players or there are no more cards. For the players left, the lives that they have lost are subtracted from the points that they have earned, if the score is negative, they are eliminated, otherwise the also pass onto the next round. Rounds two - four: Speed rounds. Each player has a number of card pairs to match up – the first eight to finish pass, then four, then two Round five: (Two participants) Head to Head: This is a return to the basic game play. A number of clue and response cards are presented to the participants, say 30 to 40. Each player in turn chooses a response card then a clue card, within a limited time frame, (10 – 15 seconds). There is no penalty for error other than revealing the response to card chosen. However, one might choose to eliminate a clue and its response after several failed attempts to match them up. The first participant to gain more than half the cards wins. For the loser, the number of correct pairs found can give him the right to a certain level of money or prizes. Round six: Pharaoh’s Pyramid In many ‘game shows’, it is this ultimate round where the contestant has the opportunity to win interesting prizes or important quantities of money. In Pharaoh’s Pyramid, there are a number of different levels. Each time that the contestant wins a round, the prize increases and there are less and cards to choose from. Although if he fails, he is then eliminated. However, there is always a non-clued, clue card, which means that the correct answer might be hidden under a card without a hint. Which means, when he finally gets to the last card, there is one ‘clue-card’ with a clue, and one blank…., will (s)he choose the right one and take away the Jackpot? Of course, these are only ideas and suggestions, there are many, many other variants that exist. Copyright © Gary Edward Gedall 2005 – 2023 Published by From Words to Worlds