Everyone loves a good duel! At least in the movies we do. Our hero goes up against a worthy foe, and we hold our breath while the opponents or contestants raise their swords, commence, and fight to the bitter end. The “dual” usually comes about in order to defend someone’s honor –whether one’s own, a friend’s, or a maiden’s. In the end, we hope that our hero will win, and honor will be restored.

When we think about contestants today, however, we rarely think about duels. We think primarily of game shows. One “contestant” faces off with another in a challenge of wits. We root for the contender, or in some cases, the underdog, but the only “honor” upheld is that of one person’s ability to outthink or outmaneuver another.

Whether dueling men or game show contestants though, both events issu…