You play to win the game.  That means creating your best chance to make it to the end; if it doesn't work out, finishing fifth versus eighth is fairly irrelevant given the static nature of many alliances.  Sometimes a big risk is all you've got.

Were we shy in our thoughts about Boston Rob's chances in Redemption Island?

Sandra, Russell, Parvati doesn't count?

@avclub-858b67085072a6f2403cf500871f4068:disqus , that seems to work every time: own your game, whatever it was.  Look: each jury creates its own moral universe, but "you have to recognize I played the game better than you, and you could have done the same thing to me" seems to be universally successful.

At a certain point, being too well-liked is a problem.

Take it to the bridge, throw it overboard
See if it can swim back up to the shore
No one's in the house, everyone is out
All the lights are on and the blinds are down

Seriously: why not just do MILF ISLAND?

I hear it's incredibly large and impressive in person, though I assume they're not going to show bidders an inch more than they have to.

Yay, Nancy Crozier! I think that just leaves Daddy Detective to return next week if we're going to get every beloved recurring character back at least once this season.

So you're saying … there's NO CHANCE?

The only thing which amused me when I schlepped my five-year-old to The Croods was the use of a variation on "Tusk" as the score during a woolly mammoth chase scene.

He was delicious.

TAGI IS GROGGY

What @JudgeReinhold:disqus said: if you play the auction right, the rewards will come out through other points recognition.

You have to show the Idol before the votes have been read.

Why is Cochran safe? Being well-liked and strategic and capable of winning some ICs makes you a threat.

SOUNA.

What else comes to mind: Chris flipping the Vanuatu game by listening to Twila and realizing where the crack was in the all-female alliance; the Sandra/Darrah/Lill move to get rid of Burton in Pearl Islands; Danni's episode in Guatemala where she won the immunity clue at auction, won immunity, and flipped the game by…

Or another medical evac?

@avclub-c7684d43035cba8fe351d14a41209dc5:disqus I recognize the flaw now; I retired as a mathlete after high school, so counting to four is no longer a strong suit.