The Chaser

[gollob]

I would be a bit annoyed if I was a contestant on "The Chase" when the last competitor goes for a minus amount like tonight (Monday) The other contestants were not very pleased as their £11,000 was reduced to £9000 because he took minus £2000. amont. Was he right to do this?

[ummmm]

No, I find it annoying.

[sandyRoe]

If it's allowed in the rules of the game, then he was. It's not very sporting, though.

[Gizmonster]

The thing is, you're at a dis-advantage if you go last.
If I remember correctly, he "earned" 6k, so if he'd been first, the chaser would prob have offered him 1k or maybe even 2k.
The fact that he was last to go, coupled with the fact that the chaser prob didn't want another person in the final, makes it tough on whoever goes last ..... it's a tough call .............

[netibiza]

But that way they didn't lose quite as much!

[Tizzi24]

It would infuriate me - the same thing happened last night. As suggested on another thread, I think contestants should only take half of what they earn and the surplus then divided up between them all, which would make it a lot fairer. That would stop people going for the minus amount.

[MarkRae]

It's simple, though. The more players who get back for the final chase, the better chance they have of beating the chaser. Not just that four heads are (mathematically, at least!) better than three, but they also get an extra head start per person, so they start on four steps instead of three.

So, the fourth player takes the minus amount in an effort to ensure a greater chance of getting back for the final chase, thereby affording the team a better chance of winning an albeit reduced amount than winning nothing at all.

[Tizzi24]

I see your reasoning Mark, but when other contestant(s) have had the guts to go for the higher amount, it must be galling to see another contestant take a minus amount.

If they did as I suggested, there would still be four players (or however many) in the final chase - the individual who took the minus amount just wouldn't have as much money.