If your first three picks match, you win instantly! If not, don’t run out of money until Three’s A Match!
GAMEPLAY
Three contestants compete against each other, answering questions to earn money, which they will use to try to make a MATCH! The game is divided into two parts: THE QUESTION ROUND and the BIG COLOR BOARD!
QUESTION ROUND
Every QUESTION ROUND will begin with three categories revealed. The first two will always be a specific topic, and the third will always be an “everything” category (Grab Bag, Potpourri, Mixed Quiz, etc.)
Players will then decide how many questions they wish to answer in order to win the money pot for that round. Players may choose anywhere from 1-4 questions (choosing the number of questions is always done in secret. For online games, players will submit their number to the host via the chat feature). After all players have locked in their number, they will be revealed at the same time.
The player that bids the HIGHEST number wins the first chance to earn the money pot and first choice of category. In this scenario, ACE wins the first chance with his bid of 4.
The money pot amount is determined by the total number of questions bid on by the players. In the above example, a total of 9 questions have been bid (2+3+4). This number is then multiplied by 10, therefore the pot is worth $90 for this particular question round.
In this scenario, ACE goes first and has chosen PRESIDENTIAL QUIZ as his category. He will then need to answer four TRUE/FALSE questions correctly in order to win the $90 pot. An example of a question may be: “James Madison was the 7th President of the United States,” and the player will answer TRUE or FALSE.
If at anytime the player gives an incorrect answer, the player who bid the second-highest number of questions is then given a chance to win the pot. In this case, SAMANTHA will choose one of the remaining categories and try to answer three questions in a row correctly. If she does, she wins the $90 pot. If not, TYLER is given the chance to win the $90 by answering two questions correctly from the remaining category.
Now you may be asking yourself, “But what if more than one player bids the same number of questions”? Let’s take this example:
Both SAMANTHA and ACE have bid 4 questions. If this happens, the two ‘4’ bids will cancel each other out, and TYLER is then given first chance to choose a category and win the pot. This is where strategy (and a little luck) come into play.
In the above example, if TYLER does not correctly answer three questions, the other two players will have one chance to break the tie. They will resubmit a number of questions. Once again, the player who bids higher wins first chance. If they tie once again, that question round automatically ends, the pot is erased, and another question round begins.
If all three players bid the same number, all three will bid again until there is a difference.
BONUSES
Each question round will also contain a BONUS behind one of the categories.
One such bonus is DOUBLE THE POT. If any player chooses the category that contains this bonus, the money pot is doubled and can be won by any player.
A player can also win FREE BOXES which they can use on the BIG COLOR BOARD. A player can win up to THREE FREE BOXES in a round. However, only the player that uncovers this bonus has a chance to win it.
BIG COLOR BOARD
The other major portion of the game is the BIG COLOR BOARD (BCB). The object is to create a MATCH of three-like symbols going across.
As you can see, there are four ROWS (each color-coded RED, GREEN, YELLOW, and BLUE), and three COLUMNS (marked by dollar amounts $20, $30, and $40). Anytime a player wins a QUESTION ROUND, they have the right to play the BCB in order to make a MATCH.
Let’s use an example where a player just won a QUESTION ROUND and has a total of $150 in their pot.
After having won the previous QUESTION ROUND, they choose to take their $150 to the BCB. Here, they will buy boxes on the board, trying to make a three-of-a-kind MATCH before they run out of money.
In this example, the player has bought “$20 on the GREEN”. They now have $130 left to spend to make a MATCH.
The player has now bought “$30 on the YELLOW” and “$40 on the RED”. They are down to $60 to spend and have not found any matching symbols yet. If they are unable to make a MATCH after spending their money, the game returns to the QUESTION ROUND where players try to earn more money. (Any leftover money from the BCB will remain in the player’s pot).
If the player can get three-like symbols (in this case, 3 Orange Stars), they win a MATCH! After a MATCH is won, all players return to $0, and another QUESTION ROUND begins as normal. The first player to win three MATCHES wins the game!
RULES FOR THE BIG COLOR BOARD
- A player may only play the BCB if they have enough money, or combination of money and FREE BOXES to make a MATCH in one turn. (i.e., $90 total, $50 and ONE FREE BOX, $40 and TWO FREE BOXES, or any amount of money and THREE FREE BOXES)
- No player is required to play the BCB if they have enough money/free boxes to do so. They may keep the money they have in their bank and play another QUESTION ROUND in order to grow their pot higher, bettering their chances of making a MATCH.
- If a player uncovers a FREE BOX bonus, they must use them after winning that particular QUESTION ROUND, or they will be lost.
- If a player does earn any FREE BOXES, they must spend all of their money on the BCB first before using any FREE BOXES.
- All BCB’s are unique. When a player plays the BCB, it’s an all-or-nothing scenario. If they do not make a MATCH, the board reshuffles (so there is no need to memorize where any symbols have been).
- Every BCB contains four different symbols. A symbol will not appear more than once in a particular column.
- A single column CANNOT be bought entirely. For example, if $20 on the RED, GREEN, and YELLOW have all been bought, $20 on the BLUE can no longer be bought. This prevents players from pooling a large money pot to hypothetically buy every box on the board. (There is no guarantee a MATCH can be made on any BCB).
- A single box on the board will contain a “NO MATCH”. This acts like a wasted turn and eliminates one of the symbols from having a three-way MATCH.
SUGGESTIONS
*FOR ALL SHOWS: The main purpose for these shows is entertainment and fun, first and foremost. While many of these games display large amounts of money and/or lavish prizes, we do NOT provide any such prizes for the games. All parties are welcome to provide their own prizes/gifts that may be implemented in gameplay. Below are simply some suggestions we have come up with in order to make the gameplay more interesting and/or competitive.
*ADD A SWAG BAG!: Want to play for real prizes? Add a swag bag of awesome Eek! products to any gameshow package and award gifts as individual prizes or play for an ultimate prize package!
For larger groups, you may play in teams instead of individuals.
On the TV gameshow, a contestant that could make a MATCH on their first three guesses would win a bonus prize (A Car, $5,000, etc.). You are welcome to implement your own prizes here if you wish.
Likewise, you are welcome to use your own prizes as the symbols on the CBC. (i.e., Gift Cards, Tickets, etc.)
Since this gameshow doesn’t feature a BONUS ROUND, you are welcome to have a bonus board made, where a contestant can win a prize by making a MATCH, or whatever prize they match first is what they win.
For any other additional questions or suggestions, visit the FAQ page, or email us at eekgameshows@yahoo.com
THREE’S A MATCH PACKAGE: One full game (First to 3 Matches)