£13,000?

And sure enough he goes for a bit of ruthlessness, or perhaps just a bump to take live play into Act III. Definite play-on signal in my book, as you could keep the top two with no other backup and still be looking at an offer above £20k.

I have a feeling he's going to deal. Hope not though.

He's taking a lot of time, think we can see a Deal coming...

Dan talks about his debts again and how at the minute he has to live with his mum and dad, but he would love to move on and live with his girlfriend. Noel gets Dan's girlfriend Lara to join him at the pound table to talk over this offer, they look at the board and the big amounts still in play and run through the possible outcomes should he play on. Dan goes to Mat, and Mat tells him it has been a while since someone has gambled and got it right. Dan gets advice from Calum that it is real money and he could have a bad round and wipe that out. Dan explains the £30,000 worth of debt he has been in and how the £13,000 would have been a real help.

Dan says

DEAL

Oh dear... another 3rd round deal.

It shouldn't be a Deal with £20k and £35k to back up the top two, although without them I think £13k for a totally exposed top two at 11-box might be enough... goodness me he did go!

15 crucial minutes coming up after the break. What boxes go, and how Noel reacts to them, could shape the rest of the season.

Yep, I saw it coming a mile off...

...now I hope he hasn't made a huge error

Noel calls a break before we see the proveout rounds, and refers back to Mat's comment of how gambles haven't gone well recently, but have times changed and would the gamble have worked for Dan?

Think there may be a bit of a regret coming here, have to feel that deal was heavily influenced

Well, if it does go horribly wrong for Dan, I wouldn't wanna be Matt...

He's thirty grand in debt? Bloody hell.

I guess there were two ways this could have gone then - £30k targetism which almost equates to Wakeyism on most boards, or highly conservative play from a contestant who has discovered the cost of being flippant with money. We got the latter...

We're back
It's proveout time...

Noel says this is now a fascinating scenario as very few players have ever made a 3rd round deal work, and he goes over to the board to show the situation at the moment. He does appreciate why Dan dealt with all the debt he has.

Proveout round 4

4 - £35,000 Matt

Can you find the other 2 now says Noel

19 - 1p Pat

1 - £250,000 Nic


Banker time

Woah!

He got lucky there!

Didn't he say that he was thirty grand in debt, but he's managed to get himself out of it now?

That is a different shape to the game says Noel and he wonders how many people he has proved wrong. The Banker thinks that Dan has the £100,000 and he is willing to make a bet with the contestants, and he is so confident that Dan has the £100,000 if he is wrong he will put money behind the bar at the hotel!

Banker's offer would've been:

£3,500

Can think of one 3rd round deal that worked. Guy called Dan, as I recall.

Proveout round 5

16 - £100 Michelle

21 - £750 Des

The £100,000 has to be in this box says Noel.

11 - £100,000 Geena


Banker time

What a jammy......