Alison won £5100

Tea at hand, comfy chair, remote safely tucked away to make sure no-one accidentally switches channels, a clear runway between me and the TV...and so it begins. Charitably Noel began today's show by explaining how Dave 'changed' from being a serious gambler as he came down to the chair.

Alison took not only her box, but also David's coal - from the get-go Alison was making this a very personal challenge. She explained that the coal, given to her by David after his game, reminded Alison of her late father who she discovered, after receiving David's coal, had been a miner. She also positioned a photo of her three children - throughout the game their fresh, smiling faces would be looking up to her.

Round one: Alison was going to call off the meals from her chinese restaurant, starting with options from the starters menu. Noel siad that he wished someone would order salmon, presumeably during one of the meals they must go out for together between shows, because then he could say 'Dill or no dill?'. First item from the menu was 13 - £500, but number 9 was an expensive £75,000, closely followed by the indigestible £250,000. Even though her method was failing miserably she was going to stay with it, a bit like Haig in WWI. However it turned out to be a good tactic, the next two boxes were £5 and 10p. The banker offered £1200 plus a joke worse than Noel's opener. Having suitably patronised the banker, Alison rejected the offer.

Round two: 'please don't do anything to upset the equilibrium' said Noel to James. WHAT EQUILIBRIUM? James opened £1. Alison buoyed up asked for crispy duck, which turned out to be £20,000. Was there anyone left who felt that the chinese menu was still a good idea? After the break the final box of the round was opened to reveal 50p. Alison recognised that the banker did not know what a life changing amount of money would be for her; she was going to keep things close to her chest (now there was a thought). Noel talked up the banker's offer - $4300 - but really it was not a very interesting offer and she finally rejected it.

Round three: £10,000 in the first box of the round, chinese menu was now a thing of the past, Alsion decided to close her eyes, adopting a technique employed by Candice among others. £250 in the next box gave hope, but £35,000 to finish. 'Oh dear' said the banker mockingly, the offer was £3800. Now Alsion was trying to hear voices in her head...hmmmm. She was trying to imagine what her children would be saying to her - a good mother but a lousy gambler. Aaron gave her some contradictory advice; 'you will have reds to the end if it keeps going like this, but they'll be the wrong reds'. Thanks Aaron. Alison said 'No Deal'.

Round four: £1000, £3000, the 'wrong reds' were disappearing fast. Lucy often gets picked around this point, but we would have to wait until after the break to see what she had today. [Recently a number of first time visitors to this site have used search words along the lines of 'Deal or No Deal Lucy, plant'.] On the return Lucy opened the £100,000, so now Alison was left with 5 blues and three reds, this was not going to be a high money game. The largest amount she could win now was £50,000, and the banker offered £2500, which Alison suggested was a fair offer. Noel did a sweep, the contestants advised 'No deal' - Alsion quoted her children 'mum is nothing if not determined'. She declined the offer.

Round five: Aaron opened £5000, which was the best of the worst, and then JT opened 1p, so she was not going to be a member of the 1p club. Julia opened £100 while the others held hands. The board was down to 3 blues against £15,000 and £50,000. The offer was £5100, 'We just can't get you to the big money', sighed Noel, but was he saying more than that. She looked to the photos of her children. Aaron said 'I would say no deal, but for you, in your position, I think you should deal'. Suddenly it became apparent that this amount of money was very important to her. She looked to Noel - 'Deal!'

Round six: £15,000 from Helen, £50,000 from Bob, and the relief around the studio was clear, she had dealt at exactly the right time. The last box of the round of course was a blue, there only blues left. Alison actually had £10 in her box. earlier she had written in the book that she would have been 'very happy with £2000 or more', so she was very, very happy.

Not a great scoring game, not a particularly memorable game, but it had a nice, warm feeling about it....motherly, one might say taking Sunday into account.