Gary won £29,999

Its me, I'm back feeling very insecure after Sue did such a great job yesterday. Anyway, its Noel and he's in a jacket, maybe he is expecting royalty, afterall it is the Queen's birthday tomorrow (knighthood is next year Noel, order it up now). Noel referred to Fadil's game, pointing out that since then people have been wary; if John, Julia or Linda had gone on they would have won life-changing sums of money - our players needed courage.

Finally its Gary's turn. I thought this could be the case as a lot of people have arrived at the site today using the search words 'DOND - Gary'. Gary Owen has been waiting a long time - 33 shows. A big mummy's boy, no disgrace in that, his photo was of him and his mum, and he kept one of two lucky pennies, his mother kept the other one. Gary had been sales manager of a courier company, but he had given up his job to be on the show. If this goes badly he should get in touch with John. He hadn't told people that he had quit his job, his mother was going to find out when the show was broadcast. Gary was personalising the game, he had taken a massive risk to be there, and he was looking for an enormous reward - £30,000. Having written down his reason for needing the money he decided to stand throughout the game. Surely Fadil was in the shadows?

Round one: Susie opened box 3 for £5. Francesca opened box 1 to reveal another blue - £50. Box 19 was next, opened by Michael - £35,000 - 'I could have done without that' said Gary. Max had box 10 - £3000. Finally Dave W (nobody calls him smiler anymore) with box 16 - £75,000 . Two of the power five had gone. The banker claimed that Gary was trying to play mind games by putting the stakes so high - he offered £7000. 'No Deal' said Gary, impatient for the question, impatient to move on. The chair was free, so Noel took it, allowing Gary to govern the floor.

Round two: Massimo opened box 17 with a look of surprise, maybe he thought he would he much later - £15,000 - maybe he should have been. Nothing for the audience to cheer, so Gary went straight for the next box - Richard. Again the camera was no sooner on Richard than the lid opened on box 22 - £100,000. 'Oh man, I may need that chair back Noel', said Gary in the silence. There was tension in his half-hearted laugh, this felt like a rout. After the break Gary's 'very good friend' Raj opened box 13 - Noel stated that he was uncomfortable about the game because Gary had laid out his stall at the beginning - 'this was much more than a frivolous appearance on television'. Raj opened 10p and finally the audience could cheer again. Gary was looking at six reds against eight blues - the offer was now down to £3000. Gary talked about his respect for the banker, but his body-language revealed that he just wanted to get on withthe game. Eventually Noel asked the question - No Deal'.

Round three: James, (Gary has gone long live James) with box 20 - £250. Dot was next with box 21 - £100. The audience becoming much louder now. Hilary with box 6 - £10. Suddenly the complexion of the game had changed completely. Noel talked to the banker while Gary paced the floor, contemplating his position - the offer was £10,000. Again Gary looked as if he had no intention of accepting the offer, and Noel tried to get him to think about it - he was persuaded to ask the contestants, Dave W and Morris were both adamant that he should continue. Noel asked the question, repeating £10,000 three times, he was worried that after the 250k there was very little - but Gary wasn't listening - 'No Deal'.

Round four. Dave E opened box 4 - £500. Simon next, looking very serious he opened box 14 - £50. Gary couldn't get the smile of his face, he was nervous, excited, puffing, his arms flaying as he tried to keep a handle on what was happening. He went for the gorgeous Emma, but then Noel called a break. How many times have we seen the £250,000 opened immediately after a break - if it happened now Gary would have little leverage, the only way he would make £30,000 or more would be to go to the end with £50,000 in his box. Noel summarised the game and then Emma opened her box - £1. Noel took his jacket off while at the same time reflecting on how Gary had transformed the board. The offer now was £15,000 - a board containing six reds and three blues - Massimo's words of wisdom were 'deal, the banker has met you half-way, you make the rest yourself'. Noel, the audience (and me) were not in the same club. Gary heard the audience, he asked for advice from somone he trusted and then he went with 300 people he didn't know - 'No deal'.

Round five: Gaz opened box 9 - £20,000, not a real problem at this stage, but we were down to £50k and £250k as the only real amounts left in the game. Claire opened box 12 - £750. The board showed only one blue left, the 1p, watching Gary pacing the floor I kept being reminded of Fadil. Gary went for Patrick box 11 - 'shall I get rid of that 1p, for you?' asked Patrick. And then he did - just great!! Gary hugged Noel, the lowest amount now was £1000 and the £250,000 was still in play. What would the banker do now? Noel spent some time talking to the banker and then slammed the phone down 'Oh no, inevitable'. Gary had laid out his table at the beginning, allowing the banker to keep him dangling, but if the banker wasn't going to offer £30,000 with the current board then he was taking a big risk. Noel turned to Gary from the other end of the studio, 'Sorry you are not getting your wish at this point - £29,999'. Richard offered the £1, telling Gary through his actions he should deal. But Gary was not giving deal signs - 'I'm feeling lucky'. The audience almost unanimously thought he should deal. Noel went nose to nose with Gary (was Noel on a box?) and asked the question . Gary thought long and hard, the music built up the tension - 'Deal'. How could he turn down the amount he said he wanted, especially since he removed all other safety nets (and I am not talking about the game).

Round six: Sandy box 5 was going to be next, but he changed his mind, he really felt that Sandy had the money, he had been avoiding her throughout the game, and now he wanted to finsih as he would have done had he continued to play. Instead he went for Pat, too late in the game for any of the usual banter with Noel. She opened box 18 - £50,000. Morris lifted £1000 from box 15, and finally Sarah opened box 2 - £10,000. The board show £500 and the £250,000. The bankers offer would have been £90,000, Gary put his head in his hands - 'that would have been wicked'. Gary couldn't look as Noel opened his box - but it was only £5000.

As it turned out Gary had written in the book that he only needed £15,000, but he wanted to be the first player to beat the banker twice. Gary had certainly achieved his goal...but Sandy did have the £250,000. If Gary had the steel to keep going he would have won the big one (assuming the swap). An entertaining game, but after a short spell around Kirsty's game, we now seem as far away from the £250,000 win as ever.