Board Thread:Survivor 23: El Salvador/@comment-26875175-20170329232400/@comment-27985501-20170330202546

1. Rank everyone in the merge on who's the most strategic this season and explain why? (the more detailed it is, the better)



Before I start this I want to apologise to anyone I may offend by doing this, but this is simply my presepective of how the merge went, and how strategic each of you seemed to me.



10. Bran - Sorry Bran, I hate putting you last, but your game really just confused me, at first I thought you were with Liam/Aidan, but then you voted against them, and it seemed you had no loyalty to no one, you seemed like a total wildcard, and I never really saw any strategy to your decisions, to me you seemed to vote emotionally and not strategically, therefore that's why I personally saw you as the least strategic.



9. Jay - Jay, you still did really well to make final 4, but a big reason why the Febrisa Four didn't target you earlier on was because you seemed the least strategic out of anyone on the other side. You were SO quiet that it just seemed you did what Liam/Aidan said, like you were told who to vote, now I could be COMPLETELY wrong thinking this, but it's a big reason you flew under the radar and why you didn't become a target, so that's why I'm having to place you low on this list, but I know 100% I could be SO wrong about this and my perception, you could of been very strategic just not with me, as I never really saw it, even at final 4 when I spoke to you about possibly saving you and voting out Gevonte, I came to you, you didn't come speak to me to try and save yourself, and after I told you I had to vote you, you didn't try and fight that much to stay.



8. Aidan - I'm probably being bias here, as you were the first to go at merge, so I never got to see more of your strategic game, but from when I did speak to you, you always seemed to have a good grasp of what was going on, you were strategic enough to know that Liam was a big threat even though you were working with him, and from when I spoke to you before the merge you played it cool and calm about the swap allliance we had along with Bran and Miguel, if you had lasted longer and I had seen some more gameplay from you, you'd be higher on this list.



<span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"HelveticaNeue";color:#3A3A3A;border:nonewindowtext1.0pt; mso-border-alt:nonewindowtext0cm;padding:0cm">7. Ryan - Ryan, I love you so much, and you had a good solid social game that got you into the Febrisa Four that helped you get deep into the merge, the reason I'm having to place you lower on this list, is that your strategic game wasn't as strong as your social, in our alliance you just went with whatever the rest of us said, you never really tried to make a decision in the alliance and you just agreed to whoever the rest of us said to vote, but you were still strategic enough to make some good decisions, I believe Bao's blindside was both you and Gevonte's doing.

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<p style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline;font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-variant-caps:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;widows:2;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px; word-spacing:0px"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"HelveticaNeue";color:#3A3A3A;border:nonewindowtext1.0pt; mso-border-alt:nonewindowtext0cm;padding:0cm">6. Liam - Liam had you made it deeper into the merge, you'd probably be number 1 on this list, you were the head of the opposite alliance to the Febrisa Four, you were the strategic leader calling the shots, not only that but you are a brilliant liar, you very nearly caused my own elimination with your Idol play, you were the most strategic player on the other side, and there's no doubt in my mind had your Idol play worked out, you most likely would've run this game and would be sitting here. The only reason I have you this low on the list is that I didn't get to see much more of your strategic game because of your early elimination in the merge, if I'd seen more of your strategic gameplay uphand, you'd be much higher on this list.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left: 0cm;vertical-align:baseline;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal; orphans:2;text-align:start;widows:2;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px; word-spacing:0px"> 5. Gevonte - Gevonte you played the perfect social game this season, you made the final 3 with NO blood on your hands, and that's why I'm convinced you would've won this game had you made the final 2. You had an amazing physical game to, and your strategic game was also very, very good. You helped make strategic decisions within the Febrisa Four, and outside it with the Bao blindside, the only reason you're not higher is because your strategic game to me wasn't as dominate as others.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left: 0cm;vertical-align:baseline;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal; orphans:2;text-align:start;widows:2;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px; word-spacing:0px"> 4. JJ - JJ you played a very strong strategic game a lot more than most people realise. When we first merged and you became the crucial swing vote at the first merge tribal council, and you played it perfectly, you milked as much as you could possibly be promised out of the Febrisa Four for you to vote with them, which was very smart strategy and you were immediately on my radar after that. Also you tried to make big moves such as voting out the biggest threat at final 7 being Dean, which made me realise how strong of a strategic game you were playing. You are way smarter than you give yourself credit for I think, and had you pulled the Dean blindside off, you'd probably be even higher on this list.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left: 0cm;vertical-align:baseline;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal; orphans:2;text-align:start;widows:2;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px; word-spacing:0px"> 3. Miguel - Miguel, you played a very strong and impressive strategic game that did help you get to the final 2. You made a lot of decisions in the Febrisa Four alliance, and made a huge decision flipping at final 6 to guarantee yourself a locked final 3 and to avoid a tie at final 4. You were a big strategic player in this game. The reason I'm not placing you any higher Miguel is because that you still risked your own game with rocks, Gevonte and Ryan both thought you were gonna flip back, so they didn't realise rocks was gonna happen, but you did, and that was HUGELY the luck of the draw, you could've easily been rocked out instead, therefore I feel it made your overall strategic game weaker as you put your entire game in jeopardy, especially when you could've put some faith into me, as I believe I could've flipped Gevonte and made him vote Ryan at final 4, but you underestimated me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left: 0cm;vertical-align:baseline;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal; orphans:2;text-align:start;widows:2;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px; word-spacing:0px"> 2. Max - I really hate having to rank myself, and I hope I don't come across as arrogant or cocky by placing myself this high on the list. The reason I put myself so high up is because I truly feel I played a very strong strategic game. The Febrisa Four was created MAINLY because of me, Miguel can say he helped create it as well, but I feel I'm the one who really made it because I talked to Miguel, Gevonte and Ryan about it, and I was the one who made the chat. I also was the one who suggested we split the vote at final 9 because of Liam's Idol, and I always did my best to make sure I was safe. I also made a huge strategic move in causing your blindside JJ. At this point in the game, when you started targeting Dean I saw you as my biggest threat as you had played a very strong game up to this point, and I was aware of your potential to make this huge move and blindside Dean, so I took it upon myself to take you out, and I successfully caused your blindside. I also set myself up perfectly at final 3, as both Miguel and Gevonte would've taken me to the final 2 I believe as well. I played as strong as a strategic game I could, and made many strategic decisions throughout the game, such as deciding to team up with Miguel to take down Gevonte in the final Immunity challenge.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left: 0cm;vertical-align:baseline;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal; orphans:2;text-align:start;widows:2;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px; word-spacing:0px"> 1. Dean - Dean in my personal opinion and from my perspective was the strongest strategic player this season. Dean, you always tried to make strategic moves to position yourself better in this game constantly, you played very well in my opinion, at the start of the merge you made a strategic move by deciding to go to the Brisa's (specifically the Febrisa Four) and align with us by buliding good relationships and bonds with us, which was very smart and strategic as you knew that the original Brisa's had the numbers entering the merge, so by working with us it made sure you were safe. You never, not once, gave up, even if your strategic plans failed sometimes, you always tried your hardest to stay, for example, at final 6 after I told you I was voting you out, you tried your hardest to flip Gevonte and Ryan (and it seemed it almost worked) but then got Miguel to flip anyway, but even after that you were still willing to work with me as long as it kept you in the game, you had an amazing mouth on you, and that helped you make strategic decisions in order to stay in the game, such as making sure to paint a big target on Gevonte/Ryan at final 7, nearly turning me and Miguel against them. Not only that, but you were such a good talker, you could convince people to do what you wanted, as you'd make them feel comfortable and then convince them it was best for their game, such as getting Miguel to flip at final 6, as you knew it would keep you safe as rocks would happen, showing your strategic mind. Dean, you were a big strategic player, and you could influence people while making strategic decisions, and that's why I placed you as number 1 on my list.

<p style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline;font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-variant-caps:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;widows:2;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px; word-spacing:0px"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"HelveticaNeue";color:#3A3A3A;border:nonewindowtext1.0pt; mso-border-alt:nonewindowtext0cm;padding:0cm">Max, I don't know if you were paranoid or not. But, if I stuck around for a couple of rounds, which placement would you think i'll get and why? <p style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline">

<p style="margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline;font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-variant-caps:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;widows:2;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px; word-spacing:0px"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"HelveticaNeue";color:#3A3A3A;border:nonewindowtext1.0pt; mso-border-alt:nonewindowtext0cm;padding:0cm">I'd say 3rd, as I believe if you had successfully gotten out Dean, you could've broken the Febrisa Four up, as you could've used Jay and Miguel to keep yourself in the game, as Miguel would of made a move with you in order to avoid a tie at final 4 with the Febrisa Four, and I think you could've snuck into the final 3, but then gone home the last second for being a jury threat, I think this because you are a smart player, and you would've known the Febrisa Four was two duos, which you could use to your advantage.