Survivor: All-Stars – Advice for the Remaining Eight

The tribes merged, and from now on, players have to deal with each other carefully. Some will help them advance, others will be targeting them for elimination, and all of them are potential jury members, which means they can't afford to make enemies. As usual, nobody can make sending somebody to jury duty personal – it has to be all business. Survivors also need to consider how they will progress through the game, understanding who are long term allies, short term allies, or marked for elimination. Finally, players have to consider who they'd like to be next to at the end, and why they should be the winner.

Of course, for some, the short term problem is just staying in the game. It looks like the game is set up for the first Pagonging since Thailand, and the ex-original Mogo Mogos are on the chopping block. They need to try to work with the various factions in the ex-original Chapera (and Saboga) tribes to preserve their positions. Power struggles are their chance to shift to a new position in the game.

With all that in mind, what should the Survivors be doing to set themselves up to progress and win the game? It's advice for the remaining eight.

Rupert. Nice job in taking Jenna and Amber with you to your reward. It was important to keep you best ally (Jenna) and a member of the group that can carry you until the end (Amber or Rob) along. I think it's important for you to try to work with them to continue in the game, because Rob keeps the focus off of you as the biggest threat in the game – a stigma that cost you the game in Pearl Islands. Stick to the chores and keep a lower profile than you did in Pearl Islands by letting Rob run the tribe.

Jenna. You need to be subtle and keep reinforcing the idea of the final-four bargain with Amber. The trick is to emphasis how the numbers work – with eight players left, an alliance with Rupert, Rob, and Amber control half the votes, and after that, a majority of the votes. Play the idea as a sure path to the final four – that's an offer which should be tempting to them as it gets results without much work.

Rob. Congratulations – you managed to make enough deals that as you keep breaking them, you'll be piling up enemies on the jury instead of friends. Lex is almost a sure vote against you at this point. Right now you can keep almost everybody happy by getting rid of Kathy and Shii Ann as soon as possible. They are dead meat and can't do anything other than win immunity to salvage their position right now.

Amber. Your biggest worry is that you're tied to Rob as his flunky rather than his partner. Long term, this will only hurt you – nobody respects a player who sails through the game under somebody's protection. You need to start taking some control in the decision making process to get rid of this stigma.

Kathy. You are in a precarious position, as it looks like the enemy tribe is trying to Pagong you. The best way out of the situation is to do exactly the same thing Rob did to you – expose the double-dealings. Back in Marquesas he blew the lid off the Rotu game plan by forcing the confrontation with Zoe, and the tactic worked in your favor. Since you don't have much left to lose, work to expose all the dealings and double-dealings Rob has engaged in, and hope everybody decides he can't be trusted. Good luck!

Shii Ann. Like Kathy, you have an immediate problem is that you are likely to be targeted for elimination. The way to work the situation is to try and divide the tribe, and try to get the six ex-Chapera (pre swap) members to want to get rid of one of their own. It's a desperation measure, but you don't have much time unless something happens to shake up the tribe. You might try becoming a sidekick to Rupert, going fishing with him and on firewood runs, and making it hard for him to want to cut you. It's not much, but it's the best I can offer up for somebody in your position.

Alicia. Your game plan should be to work to eliminate Kathy and Shii Ann quickly, then work to get rid of Tom. That will provide you with some leverage to become the swing vote when there are five, and you can cut a deal with either partnership to advance forward in the game. I'd suggest working with Amber to try to set up that situation. That's one way to plot your progress through the game.

Tom. Like Alicia, you're an odd man in a game with three pairs (Kathy and Shii Ann, Jenna and Rupert, Amber and Rob). As with her, the trick is to try to set yourself up as the critical swing vote. Rupert is probably the person to talk with about the situation; offer him up the deal to vote with him and Jenna against either Rob or Amber when there are five if he'll push to get rid of Alicia when there are six.

Lex. What went wrong? Well, mostly you kept making poor choices at Mogo Mogo tribal council, and it weakened your position to the point where you had to make desperate moves. However, while you lived up to your end of the bargain, Rob did not. It was business, just like when you voted out Richard, Colby, and Ethan.

If you haven’t already done so, make sure to check out these other Episode 10 articles:

Jeffrey Clinard lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, with his cats, Lam and Princess. He can be reached at realityfeedback@bookslv.com.

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