Đi tìm Ẩn số is the first Vietnamese franchise of Deal or No Deal, initially hosted by comedian Thanh Bạch. The show premiered on June 19th, 2005 on HTV7 and aired at 10a.m (GMT+7) on every Sunday as a part of TFS's Sunday entertainment show Tạp Chí Văn Nghệ.
On the first season, the set of the show was originally similar to the Deal or No Deal Australia with 20 cases and the top prize of 50,000,000₫ (US$2,400).
After the premiered of Deal or No Deal (USA), since the second season, the format followed the US version, with 26 cases held by models. The prizes range from 1,000₫ (5¢ US) to 100,000,000₫ (US$4,800). Like the original Netherlands format, there is a quiz round, but it is shorter. The quiz round is not played in celebrity editions. The final episode was aired on September 24th, 2017,
Gameplay[]
Australian format (2005 - 2006)[]
The first format of the first Vietnamese version is very similar to the Dutch and Australian version of Deal or No Deal (including the logo, set and soundtrack).
Before preliminary rounds[]
Before preliminary rounds, the show recruits 20 contestants, including 19 registered contestants and a lucky audience selected at random.
Preliminary rounds[]
In the first round, the host asks the contestants 5 questions, each with 4 possible answers, are given to 20 players. All players are given 5 seconds to answer each question using keypads. If a player answers correctly, they receive one point for each contestant who answered incorrectly. All players who choose a wrong answer receive nothing. The two highest scorers at the end of the round move on to the next round.
In the second round, the two remaining contestants face each other at a single showdown-style podium with two buzzers on it. They are given 5 seconds to decide whether or not to press the button. If a player buzzed, that player receives 3,000,000₫ (US$144) and the other one moves on to the final round. If no one buzzed, the host will ask a math question. The one who buzzes first and calculates correctly proceeds to the final round.
Opening the cases[]
The contestant begins the game by opening five cases. This process is repeated for the next four cases. After the first five cases, the major contestant is given a "Bank Offer", which is a certain amount of money. The contestant now has to decide between a "Deal" or "No Deal". If the contestant says Deal, they win the money that is offered, and they must open the rest of the cases. If the contestant says No Deal, then gameplay continues. The list below explains how many cases must be opened for each round:
- Round 1: 5 cases to open
- Round 2: 4 cases to open
- Round 3: 3 cases to open
- Round 4: 2 cases to open
- Round 5-9: 1 case to open (Depending on when/if a deal is taken)
After round 3, to open the case, the podium player holding the case must first guess the amount that they have in their briefcase, winning a small money if their guess is proved correct upon opening the briefcase. The list below explains how many money must be won for each round:
- Round 4: 600,000₫
- Round 5: 500,000₫
- Round 6: 400,000₫
- Round 7: 300,000₫
- Round 8: 200,000₫
- Round 9-10: 250,000₫
Bank Offers[]
The Bank Offers are based on, but not equivalent to, the of the remaining briefcases. That is, if there are mainly large valued briefcases remaining, then there is a high chance that the contestant's briefcase is valuable, and so the Bank Offer will be generous. Conversely, if the player has been less fortunate and opened the more valuable briefcases, then the Bank Offer will be low.
End of game[]
If the player continues to the end without making a "Deal", the game ends with their own briefcase being opened and the amount in that briefcase being won, otherwise they win the offer they said "Deal" to.
US format (2006 - 2017)[]
The second format was similar to the US version (including the set, graphic, soundtrack (despite the show use both US and Dutch soundtrack), except of the logo). However, the preliminary rounds of the first format still used with minor changes (except celebrity editions).
Before preliminary rounds[]
Before preliminary rounds, the show recruits 26 contestants, including 21 registered contestants and 5 lucky audiences selected at random. However, in several special episodes (excluding celebrity editions, which the preliminary rounds is not played), the show recruits all 26 registered contestants.
Preliminary rounds[]
In the first round, the host asks the contestants 5 questions, each with 4 possible answers, are given to 26 players. All players are given 5 seconds to answer each question using keypads. If a player answers correctly, they receive one point for each contestant who answered incorrectly. All players who choose a wrong answer receive nothing. The two highest scorers at the end of the round move on to the next round.
In the second round, the two remaining contestants face each other at a single showdown-style podium with two buzzers on it. They are given 5 seconds to decide whether or not to press the button. If a player buzzed, that player receives 3,000,000₫ (US$144) and the other one moves on to the final round. If no one buzzed, the host will ask a math question. The one who buzzes first and calculates correctly proceeds to the final round.
However, the preliminary rounds is not played in celebrity editions.
Opening the cases[]
The contestant begins the game by opening sixth cases. This process is repeated for the next five cases. After the first five cases, the major contestant is given a "Bank Offer", which is a certain amount of money. The contestant now has to decide between a "Deal" or "No Deal". If the contestant says Deal, they win the money that is offered, and they must open the rest of the cases. If the contestant says No Deal, then gameplay continues. The list below explains how many cases must be opened for each round:
- Round 1: 6 cases to open
- Round 2: 5 cases to open
- Round 3: 4 cases to open
- Round 4: 3 cases to open
- Round 5: 2 cases to open
- Round 6-10: 1 case to open (Depending on when/if a deal is taken)
After round 4, to open the case, the podium player or the audience must first guess the amount that they have in their briefcase, winning a small money if their guess is proved correct upon opening the briefcase. The list below explains how many money must be won for each round:
- Round 5: 1,200,000₫
- Round 6: 1,000,000₫
- Round 7: 800,000₫
- Round 8: 600,000₫
- Round 9: 400,000₫
- Round 10-11: 500,000₫
Bank Offers[]
The Bank Offers are based on, but not equivalent to, the of the remaining briefcases. That is, if there are mainly large valued briefcases remaining, then there is a high chance that the contestant's briefcase is valuable, and so the Bank Offer will be generous. Conversely, if the player has been less fortunate and opened the more valuable briefcases, then the Bank Offer will be low.
End of game[]
If the player continues to the end without making a "Deal", the game ends with their own briefcase being opened and the amount in that briefcase being won, otherwise they win the offer they said "Deal" to.
Celebrity Edition[]
Most celebrity episodes of the show removed the preliminary rounds, making the format was exactly similar to the US format. Instead that, 2 celebrities advanced to the final round instead of 1.
Case values[]
There are many versions of game board, since the show has evolved. Here are all the versions:
Australian format, with 20 cases (2005 - 2006)[]
First board (2005 - 2006)
The currency of the amounts on the money board, on the briefcases, and offered by the Banker to the contestants is in Vietnamese đồng (₫). The smallest case of the first format is 1₫ ($0,0000632). The first nine cases were label from 01 to 09 instead of 1 to 9.
| 1 | 500.000 |
| 50 | 1.000.000 |
| 100 | 1.500.000 |
| 500 | 2.000.000 |
| 1.000 | 2.500.000 |
| 5.000 | 5.000.000 |
| 10.000 | 7.500.000 |
| 25.000 | 10.000.000 |
| 50.000 | 25.000.000 |
| 100.000 | 50.000.000 |
US format, with 26 cases (2006 - 2017)[]
Second board (2006 - 2017)
After change to US format, the number of cases were increased to 26, the lowest case was increased to 1,000₫, and the Top Prize was double to 100,000,000₫. However, for an unknown reason, the đồng sign is never used in all of the amounts on the money board, but it was still used on the briefcases and offers by the Banker to the contestants.
| 1.000 | 1.000.000 |
| 2.500 | 1.250.000 |
| 5.000 | 1.500.000 |
| 7.500 | 2.000.000 |
| 10.000 | 3.000.000 |
| 15.000 | 4.000.000 |
| 20.000 | 5.000.000 |
| 25.000 | 10.000.000 |
| 50.000 | 15.000.000 |
| 75.000 | 20.000.000 |
| 100.000 | 25.000.000 |
| 250.000 | 50.000.000 |
| 500.000 | 100.000.000 |
Top Prize Winners[]
The show has 10 top prize winners, with 4 known winners. The other 6 were unknown. There is a winner under Australian format, while other 9 were winner under US format.
Australian format (2005 - 2006)[]
| No. | Name(s) | Date | Amount won | Previous offer | Other amount | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (unknown) | Before October 2005 | 50,000,000Đ
($3,159) |
25,998,000Đ
($1,643) |
1Đ
($0,0000632) |
First Asian winner. The other case contained the lowest value worldwide |
US format (2006 - 2017)[]
| No. | Name(s) | Date | Amount won | Previous offer | Other amount | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lê Bình (celebrity) | December 9, 2011 | 100,000,000Đ
($4,808) |
75,411,000Đ
($3,626) |
50,000,000Đ
($2,404) |
First known celebrity winner. His last 2 cases were the highest 2 in the game. |
| 2 | Thanh Xuân | February 14, 2010 | 100,000,000Đ
($4,808) |
? | ? | She appeared on an 2012 special episode as the friend of contestant Hồng Hạnh. Her winner was mentioned in this episode. |
| 2 | Nguyễn Thụy Minh Trang | July 15, 2012 | 100,000,000Đ
($4,801) |
40,010,000Đ
($1,921) |
25,000Đ
($1.20) |
First known female winner. |
| 3 | (unknown) | 2014 | 100,000,000Đ
($4,671) |
? | ? | |
| 4 | (unknown) | August 2015 | 100,000,000Đ
($4,660) |
? | ? | |
| 5 | Nguyễn Thị Đào | February 28, 2016 | 100,000,000Đ
($4,459) |
26,100,000Đ
($1,164) |
20,000,000Đ
($892) |
|
| 6 | Giáng Tiên (celebrity) | September 3, 2017 | 100,000,000Đ
($4,400) |
18,340,000Đ
($807) |
75,000Đ
($3.30) |
Last top prize winner before the series concluded in 2017. Second celebrity winner. |
Trivia[]
- This is the first version of Deal or No Deal that included 20 cases format, the other were Những ẩn số vàng and Kapamilya, Deal or No Deal.
- The smallest case in the first format, 1₫ ($0,0000632), was contained the lowest value worldwide.
- Despite the show changed to the US format since 2006, the old Netherlands logo style still used until the show ended in 2017.
- However, the US logo style of the show was shown in the game board graphic.
See Also[]
- Những ẩn số vàng (the Northern Vietnam version of Deal or No Deal)