Gambit (game Show) - Gameplay

Gameplay

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.

Martindale asked a series of questions, usually multiple-choice or true-false, to two married couples. The first couple who buzzed in and correctly answered the question won control of the next card from the top of a deck of over-sized (but otherwise regulation) playing cards. The first card was shown before the first question, but cards thereafter were presented face down.

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, which started at $500 and increased by that amount at the start of each day (or at the start of each match on Las Vegas). After being won, the jackpot reset to $500.
• 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 $100. The first team to win two games won the match and advanced to the bonus round.