Tell me what you think of this:

5 player game, third and final round.

John: has been a digger all three rounds. In both of the first 2 rounds John got to the gold first, so he pretty much knows what everyone else has in treasure. John is in first place by a small margin.

Paul and George: are both in second place.

Ringo and Pete: have 1 or no treasures and probably can't win the game by this point.

As the third round goes on it becomes obvious that John, Paul, and George are all diggers, and Ringo and Pete are both Sabs.

John knows that if the diggers win, and manage to either break his tools (with the optional rules) or even if John is odd man out on the treasure divisions he could still lose the game.

On the other hand he can "throw the round" and side up with the Sabs...this will ensure (assuming that 3 Sabs can beat 2 diggers) that John gets no more gold, BUT neither will his closest rivals. Ringo and Pete on the other hand will each get 3 gold...not enough to take the lead.

So if John throws the round, he can more easily win the game.

What do you think of this play? Clever? Cheesy? Something else?

-E