Who's Got a Match?


So how can you improve your chances at matching? First, get with other people to maximize your chances of distinguishing the right from wrong answers. Even players who don’t normally play as teams benefit from helping each other, because more than one person from a location may qualify each time. (Last week Catbirds in Houston led the pack with four individuals matching in a single game). Even when the goal doesn’t getting the highest score, you’ll find it much easier to control your score if you can know the correct answer, because you can then control whether to receive high, low or even negative 250 points.

Second, pay close attention to the number of points available being shown on the screen. This data was not available in MDM’s first incarnation, and may result in many more people qualifying than last time. However, be aware that because of the delay in registering your answer, what you see may not be what you get. It does however make it easier to get in the ball park.

Third, try and play at a location with well-maintained equipment. Boxes that aren’t fully charged may be sluggish, or other problems may interfere with sending signals. Few things are more frustrating than exactly timing a response only to have the box fail to take your answer.

Finally, players DIVOR and RACER developed a system for using the -250 facility. Write down the target score, then calculate the scores that are within multiples of 250 from it. For example, if the Target Score for a game were 9846, you would write down:

Target Score plus 250 = 10096
Target Score plus 500 = 10346
Target Score plus 750 = 10596
Target Score plus 1000 = 10846

If you happen to land on one of these magic numbers, you can back your score down to the correct amount by deliberately punching in the wrong answers and taking the negative 250. Just be careful sufficient questions remain in the game to get you to your goal. As you can see, in order to reduce a score that’s 1000 points over the mark, you would need four questions..

Other magic numbers to watch for are the negative multiples of 250:

Target Score minus 250 = 9596
Target Score minus 500 = 9346
Target Score minus 750 = 9096
Target Score minus 1000 = 8846

If you get one of these, you can bring your score within striking distance by getting 1000 points on

The copyright of the article Who's Got a Match? in National Trivia Network is owned by Brooke E. Smith. Permission to republish Who's Got a Match? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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