Maxine won £10,000

A very blue shirted Noel opened Thursday's game. The shirt made his hands look massive - a marionette to the banker's puppermaster. He asked would it be "Avarice or ambition...", and when the music stopped it was the golden Maxine who was caught in the headights. Maxine was a publican from Essington near Wolverhampton. She believed she had a guardian angel looking after her - whenever something bad happened it was balanced by something good. Photos of a gorgeous daughter and step daughters were lined on the desk - Noel hoped that they would lead to a gorgeous game. Breathless Maxine steadied herself, a younger version of Aretha Franklin; maybe it was her hair and make up, but she seemed to glow.

Round one: John, box 14, retrieving his Terminator title opened £35,000. Box 6, gorgeous Linda - £5000. Dave E, he didn't want her to go because she was his 'boozing partner', opened box 11 - £50. Richard, clearly comfortable in his sexuality wearing a pink shirt, had box 18, and it had £3000. Claire lifted the lid on box 8 - £500. Maxine's approach was to 'get rid' of key people so that they wouldn't feel guilty nearer the end. Her biggest ambition was to see her daughter graduate, and then she wanted to live in Spain. Noel commented on the photo of her husband, 'He's a bit old for you isn't he?'. Gosh Noel was on dodgy ground there, but Maxine simply said that she liked the older man, and then looked sideways at Noel - 'in fact he looks like you in a certain light', suggesting that the bad light helped Noel. Good for her! The banker's offer was £8200. Noel felt that the banker was worried, 'he didn't know how to read you'. The offer was in the top ten of opening offers. Maxine didn't think about it - she just waited for the question - 'No deal'.

Round two: Gary, box 12, 'knew she was going to do well' - 10p. James, box 2, 'got a good feeling about this one' - £250,000. I think he had just mis-interpreted that feeling. Maxine was not really worried by this, some players come to the table with the big one in mind, and others have a different agenda. She thought about Fadil with box 20, and then went for Hilary, to Maxine's mind something was wrong with the number 20. Hilary opened her box (number 9) after the break - Hilary lifted £15,000. Again the discussion about the party atmosphere - DOND was rapidly turning into the ballon game, where you voted for the only one to get thrown out - nobody wanted to leave. The offer was £2200, reflecting the loss of £250k. Noel thought it was cruel but Maxine was sanguine - 'No deal'.

Round three: 'Pat M was here for three shows before she realised it wasn't Countdown', joked Noel as he wound them up for round three. Maxine went to Dot, box 21 - £1000. Morris had box 15 - he sang a song. He'll be in the next Lilt advert but probably not for his singing voice - £250. Sandy, box 19, had already opened two low numbers it was time to go high and she did - £20,000. The contestants were asked to guess the banker's offer, they hovered around £5000. The banker actually offered £6600. What did Gary think? He had a 'good feeling, keep going'. Immediately she seemed ready for the question, but when asked the reply was a long time in coming. It seemed she might go either way, a long sigh - 'No deal'. Her eyes were watering.

Round four: Sarah, box 3 - £5. Pat M had said enough, she just opened her box 7 - 1p. Maxine lept off the chair. Noel tried to hide the remaining power amounts on the board (you need to be my size Noel), but Michael opened box 1 after the break - £75,000. 'My life hasn't been easy, and this game is going the same way' reflected Maxine. Noel tried to persuade the banker that Maxine had a strong position but the offer was £4400. Maxine watched Noel replace the receiver, something was going through her mind. 'I like the older man', she said in her best seductive tone. She described the banker as sexy, the older man with lots of money, every girl's dream. Amazingly this worked, the banker actually phoned back and the offer went up to £6100 - he really is a letcherous creature. Five blues against three reds - Maxine was struggling but from somewhere she found - 'No deal'.

Round five: Dave W, box 16 - £50,000 - another day without cheers for him. Emma next, the new girl with box 4 - 50p. Raj next, box 10 - £1. Maxine was now jumping up and down, clapping and shrieking like a teenager - 'God this is so exciting'. The glow was back. The offer was £9000 - the audience groaned and the glow was gone. Maxine thought the £100k was in her box, but she was looking at two reds and three blues, and she desperately wanted to put her daughter through university. Massimo and Gary both said Deal - but Maxine was going after the £100,000 - 'No deal'. Noel along with everyone else was wrong footed by this, they all expected her to deal.

Round six: Julia, box 22 - £100. Maxine whelping like a trapped rabbit - Noel trying to bring her back down to Earth. Massimo box 13 - £10 - the tension rocketing, the audience going mad, and Maxine's cheeks bursting as she tried to hold on to reality. Just one more box to go - 'its your lucky day', said Noel. 'Got to go with you Gabrielle', said Maxine apologetically. Box 17 was opened and suddenly the bubble had burst - £100,000. Silence. The phone rang like a taunting football supporter. The offer was £2900. She was facing a board of £750 and £10,000. The shock of losing £100k was still hovering and she responded as a reflex - 'No deal'. The banker phoned back to offer the swap - she rejected it. Noel said 'I don't want to sway you but if Kirsty had accepted the swap she would have been our first £250,000 winner'. What exactly were you trying to do Noel? Maxine stuck to her guns. Noel opened the box and there was the £10,000, she had survived. Just as Gary had predicted and just as Maxine herself had said, a difficult journey, but she had prevailed - and she had beaten the banker in that she was taking home an amount higher than any of his offers.

A good game this, lots of guts and a good result - the more I watch the clearer it is that the final amount is not important, its the way the game is played. Was it avarice or ambition? Well, in Maxine's case I think there was a third option - adventure.