Standard pot, standard rules — the first of two Warm-up rounds. Lets the crowd get familiar with the format and lets contestants start reading body language and negotiation styles. Pot Reveal (30 sec) → Negotiation (2-3 minutes) → Silent Decision (30 sec) → Reveal, roughly 4–5 minutes per pair.

• Standard Split/Steal outcomes apply: Split/Split shares the pot equally, Steal/Steal forfeits it entirely, Split/Steal is winner-takes-all.
• Reputation points: Split/Split = 2 pts each; Split/Steal = 3 pts to the stealer, 0 to the splitter; Steal/Steal = 0 pts each. Weighted at 1x this round.
• Once a decision card is placed face down, it cannot be changed; promises made on mic during negotiation are not binding.

Not applicable to this individual pairing — Reputation Score ties across the full Heats are resolved at the end of Round 6.

Standard pot, standard rules — the second Warm-up round. Final chance for the crowd and contestants to settle into the format before the twists begin. Pot Reveal (30 sec) → Negotiation (60–90 sec) → Silent Decision (30 sec) → Reveal, roughly 4–5 minutes per pair.

• Standard Split/Steal outcomes apply: Split/Split shares the pot equally, Steal/Steal forfeits it entirely, Split/Steal is winner-takes-all.
• Reputation points: Split/Split = 2 pts each; Split/Steal = 3 pts to the stealer, 0 to the splitter; Steal/Steal = 0 pts each. Weighted at 1x this round.
• Once a decision card is placed face down, it cannot be changed; promises made on mic during negotiation are not binding.

Not applicable to this individual pairing — Reputation Score ties across the full Heats are resolved at the end of Round 6.

The pair negotiates without knowing the exact pot size — only told a range (e.g. ₹500–₹2000). Adds real uncertainty to the negotiation with no relationship element needed. Pot Reveal (30 sec) → Negotiation (60–90 sec) → Silent Decision (30 sec) → Reveal, roughly 4–5 minutes per pair.

• Only a pot range is announced during Pot Reveal; the exact value is revealed only at Reveal.
• Reputation points: Split/Split = 2 pts each; Split/Steal = 3 pts to the stealer, 0 to the splitter; Steal/Steal = 0 pts each. Weighted at 1.5x this round.
• If the outcome is Split/Steal, the stealer gets one additional replay of this round; the splitter and all other pairs do not receive a replay. (This replay rule applies from Round 3 onward.)

Not applicable to this individual pairing — Reputation Score ties across the full Heats are resolved at the end of Round 6.

One contestant is privately told the actual pot value; the other must negotiate blind. Only the host and that player know the true value. Changes the entire psychology of the negotiation — genuinely gripping since the audience is in on the secret too. Pot Reveal (30 sec) → Negotiation (60–90 sec) → Silent Decision (30 sec) → Reveal, roughly 4–5 minutes per pair.

• The true pot value is disclosed privately to one contestant only, shown to the audience but not the other player.
• Reputation points: Split/Split = 2 pts each; Split/Steal = 3 pts to the stealer, 0 to the splitter; Steal/Steal = 0 pts each. Weighted at 1.5x this round.
• If the outcome is Split/Steal, the stealer gets one additional replay of this round; the splitter and all other pairs do not receive a replay.

Not applicable to this individual pairing — Reputation Score ties across the full Heats are resolved at the end of Round 6.

Second Info Asymmetry pairing — one contestant again privately knows the true pot value, the other negotiates blind. Reinforces the asymmetric-information dynamic with a fresh pair and pot. Pot Reveal (30 sec) → Negotiation (60–90 sec) → Silent Decision (30 sec) → Reveal, roughly 4–5 minutes per pair.

• The true pot value is disclosed privately to one contestant only, shown to the audience but not the other player.
• Reputation points: Split/Split = 2 pts each; Split/Steal = 3 pts to the stealer, 0 to the splitter; Steal/Steal = 0 pts each. Weighted at 1.5x this round.
• If the outcome is Split/Steal, the stealer gets one additional replay of this round; the splitter and all other pairs do not receive a replay.

Not applicable to this individual pairing — Reputation Score ties across the full Heats are resolved at the end of Round 6.

No negotiation phase at all — contestants go straight from Pot Reveal to the Silent Decision with zero conversation. Strips away persuasion entirely, turning it into a pure gut-instinct/game-theory moment. This is the final Heats round before the Finale. Phase structure: Pot Reveal (30 sec) → Silent Decision (30 sec) → Reveal — no Negotiation phase.

• Standard Split/Steal outcomes apply: Split/Split shares the pot equally, Steal/Steal forfeits it entirely, Split/Steal is winner-takes-all.
• Reputation points: Split/Split = 2 pts each; Split/Steal = 3 pts to the stealer, 0 to the splitter; Steal/Steal = 0 pts each. Weighted at 2x this round.
• If the outcome is Split/Steal, the stealer gets one additional replay of this round; the splitter and all other pairs do not receive a replay.
• The Reputation Score leaderboard closes after this round; the top-scoring pair(s) advance to the Finale (Round 7).

If two pairs are tied on Reputation Score at the end of the Heats, the pair with the higher total EP (in-game cash) earned advances. If still tied, a sudden-death Split/Steal decision decides it.

Only the top-scoring pair(s) on the Reputation Score leaderboard from the Heats (Rounds 1–6) advance to the Finale. The pot is tripled from the standard round value, with full negotiation time and standard rules. This single high-stakes round decides the event's cash prize winner outright.

• The pot for the Finale is tripled from the standard round value.
• Reputation points earned here are weighted at 3x (e.g. a successful Steal earns the stealer 9 points; a Split/Split earns each contestant 4 points).
• Standard Split/Steal outcomes apply: Split/Split shares the pot equally, Steal/Steal forfeits it entirely, Split/Steal is winner-takes-all.
• If the outcome is Split/Steal, the stealer gets one additional replay of this round; the splitter and all other pairs do not receive a replay.
• This round determines the event's cash-prize winner outright, regardless of Reputation Score standing from the Heats.

If both finalists Split, the prize is shared evenly per the Prizes table above. If both Steal, no cash winner is declared and the prize reverts to organiser discretion.