The rules of the game

"Power of 10" is all about correctly predicting poll results. If contestants do it really well seven times, they can win $10 million.

In the first round of the new game show, which premieres tonight at 7 on Ch. 2, two contestants guess what percentage of those polled answer questions a certain way; the one that comes closest two out of three times goes on to compete for money.

These aren't political polling questions, but they do sometimes feature politicians. In tonight's premiere, we learn what percentage of Americans think they're smarter than President George W. Bush; what percentage were virgins when they got married; and what percentage would call authorities if they saw someone entering the country illegally.

After winning the two-person round, the surviving contestant then must guess what percentage of those polled answered a certain way within a narrowing range. One correct answer gets you $1,000; two get you $10,000; three get you $100,000; four get you $1 million; five get you $10 million.

But if you're wrong going for $1 million, you drop back from $100,000 to $10,000. If you're wrong going for $10 million, you drop back from $1 million to $100,000.

To win the $1,000, you have to guess correctly within a 40-point range. It's a 30-point range for $10,000; a 20-point range for $100,000; and a 10-point range for $1 million. If you hit a 10-point range on the $10 million question, you're guaranteed to keep your $1 million. But to win the $10 million, you've got to then be exactly right about the percentage within that 10-point range.