Topic: How to win

[redskevin88]

Don’t get lost or get too many penalties: Mark and Michael from Season 14.

The race is not over until the fat lady sings (or gives up): Brian and Ericka survived not once but THREE TIMES on Season 15. Sam and Vince from Amazing Race Asia 3 gets a honorable mention, as well as B.J and Tyler from Season 9 and Zabrina and Joe Jer from Asia Season 1. Also, keeping your cool helps, Niroo from Asia Season 3 and Ericka from Season 15.

Wait for a team to screw up, then benefit: Andrew and Dan are the worst example for all of them. They were saved by Ajay and Ty, Kelly and Christy totally begged to get eliminated in India, and then in Russia, Toni and Dallas lost their passports.

Act like blur sotongs, it helps: Nick and Starr should give Ken and Tina some of their $1 million, having got adopted by the estranged couple. Also honorable mention, Andrew and Dan, for staying under the radar.

“Always, remember to read the clue”: Mark and Bill, Kelly and Christy and Brian and Ericka are the worst offenders (Bolivia, India Roadblock and Netherlands Detour).

Lastly, always hang on to your fanny pack. Staple it to your fanny if needed.

[realshowfan]

My tip: Act & be like Meghan & Cheyne OR Nick & Starr. Never too much, never too little.  


ETA: Oh, and do so if you are okay with being the predictable (don't wanna say boring) team.

[Caelestor]

My tip: Act & be like Meghan & Cheyne OR Nick & Starr. Never too much, never too little.  


ETA: Oh, and do so if you are okay with being the predictable (don't wanna say boring) team.

Well you're still going to win $1 million, so it can't be all bad, right?

[Glamazon Racer]

Oh, and another tip - Don't U-Turn a team that is a light year ahead of you, like Kynt & Vyxsin did.

And if you call people hookers and throw them the finger while at a Yield mat, that also helps!

[Hooky]

Check the schedules to sure a train is coming soon so that your competition will have to wait before crossing the Finish Line!

Come into the race with a declared mission/purpose that resonates with people (like Uchenna & Joyce). Don't be "bland" or you'll usually be out early.

[georgiapeach]

Don't be "bland" or you'll usually be out early.

We  only wish.

[David]

Oh, and another tip - Don't U-Turn a team that is a light year ahead of you, like Kynt & Vyxsin did.

And if you call people hookers and throw them the finger while at a Yield mat, that also helps!

This was just trying to not get eliminated. They had to try something before being out of the race. I understand'em...

[ImANewUser]

Don't be "bland" or you'll usually be out early.

Actually, "bland" = sure-fire winner on this Race.

If you want to win, only go on foreign TAR editions if applying as an all-female team.

[Hooky]

Don't be "bland" or you'll usually be out early.

Actually, "bland" = sure-fire winner on this Race.

If you want to win, only go on foreign TAR editions if applying as an all-female team.

I'll revise my definition and say that the most interesting teams (in general) finish in the middle of the pack, while being bland either means you'll go really far or be out in the first three legs. It's true that the winners since TAR 12 have been pretty bland (especially TK & Rachel).

[mswood]

Hooky

Stoned does not equal bland.

[Glamazon Racer]

The 'interesting' teams are the earliest to go, in recent seasons (Anita & Arthur, Mark & Bill, Lorena & Jason, Zev & Justin, etc.)

[DavidJunior]

What ever you do, DON'T be the fan favorite.

They always make it close, but never come out on top

NEVER

except maybe Uchenna & Joyce...

[Hooky]

I guess we can only conclude that some interesting teams go far, or end up in the middle or back of the pack. Which doesn't say anything at all.

Hooky

Stoned does not equal bland.

[DeafRacer]

Don't be "bland" or you'll usually be out early.

Actually, "bland" = sure-fire winner on this Race.

If you want to win, only go on foreign TAR editions if applying as an all-female team.

I'll revise my definition and say that the most interesting teams (in general) finish in the middle of the pack, while being bland either means you'll go really far or be out in the first three legs. It's true that the winners since TAR 12 have been pretty bland (especially TK & Rachel).

Would my mom and I be the bland winners if I haven't slipped up with the final surfboard?  :-p

[DavidJunior]

Don't be "bland" or you'll usually be out early.

Actually, "bland" = sure-fire winner on this Race.

If you want to win, only go on foreign TAR editions if applying as an all-female team.

I'll revise my definition and say that the most interesting teams (in general) finish in the middle of the pack, while being bland either means you'll go really far or be out in the first three legs. It's true that the winners since TAR 12 have been pretty bland (especially TK & Rachel).

Would my mom and I be the bland winners if I haven't slipped up with the final surfboard?  :-p

You two were in no way bland.  I tend to root for the "villains", so I was really hoping that you won 

[georgiapeach]

Winners maybe...never bland!!

[nathandg0924]

Don't be "bland" or you'll usually be out early.

Actually, "bland" = sure-fire winner on this Race.

If you want to win, only go on foreign TAR editions if applying as an all-female team.

I'll revise my definition and say that the most interesting teams (in general) finish in the middle of the pack, while being bland either means you'll go really far or be out in the first three legs. It's true that the winners since TAR 12 have been pretty bland (especially TK & Rachel).

Would my mom and I be the bland winners if I haven't slipped up with the final surfboard?  :-p

You two were in no way bland.  I tend to root for the "villains", so I was really hoping that you won 

They weren't that bland! 
Not all winners were like that!
Try to have fans dislike you! Some of the winners had people dislike them!

[David]

Errr... How to win??

I'd just say not having to eat a ostrich egg when you're probably out of the race (Charlagoddess... <3), or simply not having to play golf a windy day.

[Coutzy]

Also, don't be related.

Nick and Starr and Tammy and Victor remain the only related winners, so this applies double if your signing up for the one of the first few seasons of something.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and The Linz Family, but I don't really count that.

[theschnauzers]

Well we were bound to have a family win TAR 8, so that really proved nothing other than alpha teams related by blood can win.

[TARAsia Fan]

Never lose your passport. It's related to the fanny pack, but sometimes, teams take the passport out to go through stuff. We saw this last season.

If you lose the passport, you are done. No questions asked.

[misterblah]

Also try not come in second last on a leg. Margie and Luke and Dustin and Kandice in the all-stars are the only teams they were never fighting for elimination.

[Hooky]

Don't be "bland" or you'll usually be out early.

Actually, "bland" = sure-fire winner on this Race.

If you want to win, only go on foreign TAR editions if applying as an all-female team.

I'll revise my definition and say that the most interesting teams (in general) finish in the middle of the pack, while being bland either means you'll go really far or be out in the first three legs. It's true that the winners since TAR 12 have been pretty bland (especially TK & Rachel).

Would my mom and I be the bland winners if I haven't slipped up with the final surfboard?  :-p

This is becoming very off-topic, but no, your team was never bland. Even if you had been eliminated on Leg 1, you still wouldn't be bland.

[DeafRacer]

Also try not come in second last on a leg. Margie and Luke and Dustin and Kandice in the all-stars are the only teams they were never fighting for elimination.

Is that the fact?

[DeafRacer]

Don't be "bland" or you'll usually be out early.

Actually, "bland" = sure-fire winner on this Race.

If you want to win, only go on foreign TAR editions if applying as an all-female team.

I'll revise my definition and say that the most interesting teams (in general) finish in the middle of the pack, while being bland either means you'll go really far or be out in the first three legs. It's true that the winners since TAR 12 have been pretty bland (especially TK & Rachel).

Would my mom and I be the bland winners if I haven't slipped up with the final surfboard?  :-p

You two were in no way bland.  I tend to root for the "villains", so I was really hoping that you won 

Wait a min. I'm the villain? :-p  Victor, Jaime and I should be on Villains Team  while my mom, Cara and Tammy should be on Heroes Team 

[David]

Don't be "bland" or you'll usually be out early.

Actually, "bland" = sure-fire winner on this Race.

If you want to win, only go on foreign TAR editions if applying as an all-female team.

I'll revise my definition and say that the most interesting teams (in general) finish in the middle of the pack, while being bland either means you'll go really far or be out in the first three legs. It's true that the winners since TAR 12 have been pretty bland (especially TK & Rachel).

Would my mom and I be the bland winners if I haven't slipped up with the final surfboard?  :-p

You two were in no way bland.  I tend to root for the "villains", so I was really hoping that you won 

Wait a min. I'm the villain? :-p  Victor, Jaime and I should be on Villains Team  while my mom, Cara and Tammy should be on Heroes Team 

Do you really consider Victor a Villain? I don't consider you a villain either... Only Jaime (goddess) should be the villain (as well as Cara?)

[TARAsia Fan]

Wait a min. I'm the villain? :-p  Victor, Jaime and I should be on Villains Team  while my mom, Cara and Tammy should be on Heroes Team  

You know, Luke, you may be onto something there! TAR: Villains vs. Heroes!

[DeafRacer]

Don't be "bland" or you'll usually be out early.

Actually, "bland" = sure-fire winner on this Race.

If you want to win, only go on foreign TAR editions if applying as an all-female team.

I'll revise my definition and say that the most interesting teams (in general) finish in the middle of the pack, while being bland either means you'll go really far or be out in the first three legs. It's true that the winners since TAR 12 have been pretty bland (especially TK & Rachel).

Would my mom and I be the bland winners if I haven't slipped up with the final surfboard?  :-p

You two were in no way bland.  I tend to root for the "villains", so I was really hoping that you won 

Wait a min. I'm the villain? :-p  Victor, Jaime and I should be on Villains Team  while my mom, Cara and Tammy should be on Heroes Team 

Do you really consider Victor a Villain? I don't consider you a villain either... Only Jaime (goddess) should be the villain (as well as Cara?)

Hmm, I don't know if I really consider Victor a villain but he (and Tammy) was a viable ally to my team early in the Race before I realized that we should've gotten rid of him and Tammy. Victor has def. played dirty at some degree couple times though.

I know a lot of people considered me as a villain just because of Blind U-Turn and the feud with Jen. Before the Race started, I wanted to use U-Turn on a strong team in order to eliminate them if the time was right anyway so that's not really a villain move for me. That was a purely strict strategy.

I wouldn't really say Jaime is a villain. She's just pretty very aggressive racer who really want to win the Race. She's a total sweetheart when she's not in a racing mode!

Now, on How to Win! Get out of the cab and run to the pit stop if a team is ahead of you. You can pay cab after check in with Phil. We did that in Romania, India, Phuket, and Guilin. Cab drivers were nice enough to wait for us when we ran to the pit stop.

[redskevin88]

Don't be "bland" or you'll usually be out early.

Actually, "bland" = sure-fire winner on this Race.

If you want to win, only go on foreign TAR editions if applying as an all-female team.

I'll revise my definition and say that the most interesting teams (in general) finish in the middle of the pack, while being bland either means you'll go really far or be out in the first three legs. It's true that the winners since TAR 12 have been pretty bland (especially TK & Rachel).

Would my mom and I be the bland winners if I haven't slipped up with the final surfboard?  :-p

You two were in no way bland.  I tend to root for the "villains", so I was really hoping that you won 

Wait a min. I'm the villain? :-p  Victor, Jaime and I should be on Villains Team  while my mom, Cara and Tammy should be on Heroes Team 

I would put you and your mom in the "Heroes" team and have you race against Kisha and Jen...

[misterblah]

Yes Luke. BTW: you and are your mom are such a strong team. You guys never fell below 4th. (Omg i am talking to a racer from one of my favourite seasons!)

Also try not come in second last on a leg. Margie and Luke and Dustin and Kandice in the all-stars are the only teams they were never fighting for elimination.

Is that the fact?

[Zack.]

Wait a min. I'm the villain? :-p  Victor, Jaime and I should be on Villains Team  while my mom, Cara and Tammy should be on Heroes Team  

You know, Luke, you may be onto something there! TAR: Villains vs. Heroes!

I can see it now: Guido, Tara/Wil, Colin/Christie, Romber, Nate/Jen, and Jaime/Cara vs. Kevin/Drew, Oswald/Danny, Linda/Karen, Kris/Jon, BJ/Tyler, and the Globetrotters. 

To answer the main question: don't come in last, then come in first. The only value finishing first has is a) if the transportation game is arranged in such a way that a small advantage can be parlayed into a huge one or b) if you're a fan of product-placed prizes.

Of course there's the other race fundamentals: hang on to your possessions, learn to drive stick, read the damn clue, get comfortable reading a map, learn to deal with animals / poor people / assholes, memorize everything, and be visible enough that people spot you and post their findings on the Internet.

[Hooky]

Hmm, I don't know if I really consider Victor a villain but he (and Tammy) was a viable ally to my team early in the Race before I realized that we should've gotten rid of him and Tammy.

Yes indeed.

[Glamazon Racer]

Smart strategy is certainly a strong role in winning. Some examples:

TAR7 - Rob quits the meat Roadblock in Camping Suizo, Argentina and convinces Deana and Meredith to also quite and assure his and Amber's safety in the race, without even completing that awful challenge!

TAR5 - Chip & Kim Yielding Colin & Christie was a great move which nearly (twice) knocked Colin & Christie out of the race. They won anyway!

TAR14 - Luke, your U-Turn was perhaps the smartest Yield/U-Turn in TAR history, in my opinion (unlike Tammy & Victor, who U-Turned a ery inconsistent team in the vital part of the race) and although I liked Amanda & Kris, I thought you made a great decision in U-Turning them! The funny part was, they didn't even suspect it was you, so looking like you aren't a threat or cut-throat can be an advantage!

(Oh, and I would definitely classify Tammy & Victor as Villains, although I would NOT want to see them again. I had enough of that! Jaime & Cara, Margie & Luke and Kisha & Jen were my favorites from TAR14, and that made that whole argument (Margie & Luke vs. Kisha & Jen) extremely difficult to watch!)

[DeafRacer]

Smart strategy is certainly a strong role in winning. Some examples:

TAR7 - Rob quits the meat Roadblock in Camping Suizo, Argentina and convinces Deana and Meredith to also quite and assure his and Amber's safety in the race, without even completing that awful challenge!

TAR5 - Chip & Kim Yielding Colin & Christie was a great move which nearly (twice) knocked Colin & Christie out of the race. They won anyway!

TAR14 - Luke, your U-Turn was perhaps the smartest Yield/U-Turn in TAR history, in my opinion (unlike Tammy & Victor, who U-Turned a ery inconsistent team in the vital part of the race) and although I liked Amanda & Kris, I thought you made a great decision in U-Turning them! The funny part was, they didn't even suspect it was you, so looking like you aren't a threat or cut-throat can be an advantage!

(Oh, and I would definitely classify Tammy & Victor as Villains, although I would NOT want to see them again. I had enough of that! Jaime & Cara, Margie & Luke and Kisha & Jen were my favorites from TAR14, and that made that whole argument (Margie & Luke vs. Kisha & Jen) extremely difficult to watch!)

Thank you, Racer!! Only one BIG reason that Amanda + Kris didn't suspect it was us because Mom + I spent all night night with Amanda + Kris at the cafe and the train station in Romania couple days before we U-Turned them. So, we were getting to know each other and enjoyed each other's company. They even said they would like to see us to go to the Final Three (that was before U-Turn fiasco!!) We nearly switched the target to Tammy +Victor! Good thing we didn't since Victor would've breezed by Kris at the roadblock!!

Only reason Tammy & Victor U-Turned Kisha + Jen because of the deal we made during the TBC leg. After the swim challenge we had to stay at some place for few hours before the shops opens to search for gnomes, that's when the deal was struck. Soon as Tammy & Victor showed up, they approached Jaime & Cara and us to make a deal that we all would protect each other and U-Turn Kisha & Jen. I think he only did that because he probably knew that Jaime & Cara and Mom & I would U-Turn Tammy & Victor in a heartbeat in case we gets there to U-Turn before they does. I thought Tammy & Victor should have U-Turned Mom and me, not Kisha & Jen. Again, I think other reason Victor didn't want to U-Turn us because there's no way that Mom and I could have pulled it off at the Chinese Waiter task. That would have been an easy way to screw us up. I'm just glad that Tammy & Victor stick with the deal!

[Hooky]

Thank you, Racer!! Only one BIG reason that Amanda + Kris didn't suspect it was us because Mom + I spent all night night with Amanda + Kris at the cafe and the train station in Romania couple days before we U-Turned them. So, we were getting to know each other and enjoyed each other's company. They even said they would like to see us to go to the Final Three (that was before U-Turn fiasco!!) We nearly switched the target to Tammy +Victor! Good thing we didn't since Victor would've breezed by Kris at the roadblock!!

It was good strategy. I will commend that. But I still think that it would have been better strategy to U-turn Tammy & Victor. You really never know what could happen. For all we know, Tammy & Victor would have had a very tough time with the shutters task. But I think that (barring unusual events) Mark & Michael would have been eliminated had Amanda & Kris not been U-turned. Tammy & Victor probably would have finished anywhere from 5th-7th place. But later down the road, if Amanda & Kris had made it to the Final 4, they probably would have been U-turned by Tammy & Victor anyway.

[Coutzy]

Only reason Tammy & Victor U-Turned Kisha + Jen because of the deal we made during the TBC leg. After the swim challenge we had to stay at some place for few hours before the shops opens to search for gnomes, that's when the deal was struck. Soon as Tammy & Victor showed up, they approached Jaime & Cara and us to make a deal that we all would protect each other and U-Turn Kisha & Jen. I think he only did that because he probably knew that Jaime & Cara and Mom & I would U-Turn Tammy & Victor in a heartbeat in case we gets there to U-Turn before they does. I thought Tammy & Victor should have U-Turned Mom and me, not Kisha & Jen. Again, I think other reason Victor didn't want to U-Turn us because there's no way that Mom and I could have pulled it off at the Chinese Waiter task. That would have been an easy way to screw us up. I'm just glad that Tammy & Victor stick with the deal!

Hindsight is 20/20. U-Turning Kisha and Jen, I think, was a mistake. Given that the final tasks were in hawaii, and one of them involved swimming in the ocean. Kisha and Jen would never have been able to complete that task quickly. Of course there's no way anybody could have known that task was coming up, I'm just saying.

[DavidJunior]

I say U-turning Kisha/Jen was an overall good decision

I mean, they would've killed the pig carrying task

And if Jen was the one driving the jetski the ocean task might not have had as much weight as the actual swimming challenges in Beijing

And who knows how well they would do in the final task?

And if it were a race to the finish line Kisha/Jen would've won hands down

[Glamazon Racer]

I consider Margie & Luke to be the strongest strategic team that didn't finish in the Top Two. Great job with the U-Turn, I thought that was great strategy and great entertainment!

Another thing that helps to win is an alliance, although a loose-alliance, not a back-pack/six-pack sort of thing which was quite weak. Alliances between Ken & Gerard/Derek & Drew, Nick & Starr/Ken & Tina and Jaime & Cara/Margie & Luke were all very effective. So makes friends, not enemies (although most teams I mentioned did not win their race, lol)!

Also,  bring along a partner who doesn't fear everything in the world. *cough*Mika*cough*

[Hooky]

I would put you and your mom in the "Heroes" team and have you race against Kisha and Jen...

I wouldn't! Margie & Luke would be the sneaky, unsuspected villains and Kisha & Jen would be the heroes (without being self-righteous or perfect).

[DeafRacer]

We were being sneaky at times!! Like one time when we were flying from Phuket to Bangkok, Tammy came up to me and asked me to see if we were going to take backpacks with us or leave it in cab because the clue said we were going to the schoolyard boat dock *something like that*. Mom was asleep at that time when Tammy talked to me so I told her, "We are going to leave our backpacks in cab. I'm sure that we aren't going to be on boat."  She was like oh ok we'll do same thing then.  She left. Soon as Mom woke up, I told her about Tammy and the boat thingy. I told her that we need to make sure to take our backpacks with us when we get to the dock. Mom was like, "Didn't you just lied to Tammy?"  I was like..... well, I want us to win the first place again!!  The ploy sort of worked, haha.

I consider Margie & Luke to be the strongest strategic team that didn't finish in the Top Two. Great job with the U-Turn, I thought that was great strategy and great entertainment!

Another thing that helps to win is an alliance, although a loose-alliance, not a back-pack/six-pack sort of thing which was quite weak. Alliances between Ken & Gerard/Derek & Drew, Nick & Starr/Ken & Tina and Jaime & Cara/Margie & Luke were all very effective. So makes friends, not enemies (although most teams I mentioned did not win their race, lol)!

Also,  bring along a partner who doesn't fear everything in the world. *cough*Mika*cough*

That means a lot to hear that!

I say U-turning Kisha/Jen was an overall good decision

I mean, they would've killed the pig carrying task

And if Jen was the one driving the jetski the ocean task might not have had as much weight as the actual swimming challenges in Beijing

And who knows how well they would do in the final task?

And if it were a race to the finish line Kisha/Jen would've won hands down

I don't think Kisha & Jen would be able to carry the pig. The pig was *really* heavy! Only because Mom was able to lift it up because we moved around a lot while growing up *military family* so we are pretty much used to lift heavy stuff up. It paid off a big time for us!! For the final task, I recalled I never seen Jen & Kisha writing anything down in the book about what have been going on the race. From what I know that Jaime & Cara, Victor & Tammy, Amanda & Kris, Mike & Mel, and my team carried a small journal book around to document everything on the Race. I know few other teams didn't do that. And, I wondered how Jen would handle the jet ski task if she have survived the pee bathroom break    Im sorry but that pit stop moment was just classic!

[DavidJunior]

I wondered how Jen would handle the jet ski task if she have survived the pee bathroom break    Im sorry but that pit stop moment was just classic!

Best and worst part of the season for me

Best because, who could write that stuff?  Let alone, predict that going to the bathroom would cause an elimination...

But worst because, I was rooting for them, ever so slightly more than another favorite team of mine 

[DavidJunior]

oooh, it's good to hear that you could bring journals!

that's one of the main questions I would ask if I ever get on

[Hooky]

oooh, it's good to hear that you could bring journals!

that's one of the main questions I would ask if I ever get on

Yes, I remember there was a deleted scene (an online clip) where Amanda & Kris talked about their journal.

[apskip]

DeafRacer,

That's a good fakeout you put on Tammy in Bangkok at the boat engine shop. However, there was no actual gain from it. Victor was smart enough to go back for the packs before their boat with its questionable engine finally left for the waterway. The only teams who actually lost time and were faked out totally were Mark/Michael and Kisha/Jen.

[Glamazon Racer]

I think that if I ever went on a TAR season, I would probably struggle through just about every task there is, but if I somehow survived and made it to the end, memory is my specialty.

A question for Luke, how far ahead of you and Jaime & Cara did Tammy & Victor get ahead after that final task? Was it still close?