1981 - Present
Okay, pay attention to these rules and let me know if you understand them. The contestant is shown a four-digit prize. Estimating the price of that prize, the contestant writes a check for an amount which, when added to the price of the prize, equals between $3,000 to $3,500. If this range is met, the contestant wins the prize and money in the amount of the check. If the range is not met, the check is voided and the contestant loses.
Simple enough? Well, I think so. But for some reason, this game has baffled hundreds of contestants in its 18 year history. The contestants don't know what to write, they don't know how to fill out the check, they don't know WHERE to fill out the check...uf! The audience constantly groans when it sees this game come around on the turntable, but it's not that difficult to figure out!
The range for contestants to meet increased to $5,000 - $6,000 in the late '80s with the advent of higher-priced prizes. At the start of the 37th season the range was increased again, to $7,000 - $8,000.
The contestant's name is hurriedly scribbled on the check during the prize description so that it appears in the name column when the game turns around. The checks are souvenirs for the contestant win or lose.
Name Change: I'm clueless as to why the name of this game morphed from Blank Check to Check Game around 1987 or so. Here's a bizarre hypothesis: On one occassion, after yet another contestant spent 15 minutes trying to figure out how to play, Bob said, "I wish Goodson-Todman would get a game show called 'Blank Check,' find someone else to host it, and get me a new game!" Well, Bob had probably forgotten about a little-known game show called "Blank Check" that Art James hosted back in 1975. Maybe that had something to do with it. Otherwise, I'm clueless; the name change in no way whatsoever reflected a significant rule change or change in the playing of the game.
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| It's a beautiful rolltop desk! Note: Dian does not come with this prize. What an outfit! | Uh oh, the audience moans--it's Blank Check! |
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| The total of the check and the prize must be within $3000 to $3500; this was later upped. | What penmanship! He's writing the check for $1,650. |
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| The check amount registers on top. A Blank Check player tried to write in that window once--crazy! | ARP of the desk...$2,000...has Dian done the math? It's not good news... |
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| He's gone over by $150! | But he gets a great souvenir to keep! That's Janice with the VOID stamp there. |
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| It's 1998, and the name of the game is now Check Game. | She's written a $2,000 check. Note that the win range is now $5,000 to $6,000. |
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| ARP of the prize...$3995. | Wow! What a player! She won with just $5 to spare! |