Ace in the Hole is a game that will be played with 9 contestants per 'game week'. There will be three heats, and a final with the winners of each heat.
In each episode, three players will battle with their intelligence and their instincts, as I will ask them trivia questions in a wide range of categories which they will try to answer correctly.
So is it simply a game of trying to get the most right answers?
Nope!
In each round, I will ask four questions in four different categories. The contestants will give their answers to me by PM.
Before the start of each round, the players are obliged to bet an 'ante': an amount of cash that goes into the pot for the winner of that round.
Each player starts the episode with $750, and the ante for the first round is $10. This will double each time until the fourth round.
After each player has answered the questions, the first player in the hand for that round is to act. They can decide to either bet more cash (up to $50), or fold if they think their 'hand' isn't worth betting, in which case they will no longer play in the hand.
The other players will then decide if they will call the current bet, fold their hand, or make a larger raise.
Next, I will reveal the correct answers. The first player in the hand can then make another round of betting/folding, just like the first time.
If there are still multiple players left in the hand, the first player in the hand will reveal how many answers they had right. The remaining player(s) can then decide one final time if they want to bet again or fold.
The winner of each round takes the pot for that round. This happens if:
a.
Two players fold, and the remaining player wins the pot.
b.
Two or three players play the full round, and one has the most answers.
If there are multiple players who have the same amount of right answers, there will be a
number guessing question.
Whoever comes closest to the right number then wins the pot, as a kind of shootout question.
As you've undoubtedly noticed, this game shows a lot of similarities to poker. You could see that the questions are the pre-flop situation (if you know something about poker, you'll understand), the first betting round is the flop, the second betting round - after I reveal the right answers - is the turn, and then comes the river.
Of course, you can also try to bluff your opponents off of the hand. For example, if the only remaining opponent was first to act and has revealed they had two correct answers, but you only have one, you could decide to make a big bet to puzzle your enemy and make him fold. But be careful, as he/she might make the call!