Jeden z dziesięciu (literally One Out of Ten) is a Polish general knowledge quiz show based on a British format Fifteen to One, broadcast on TVP2 (in the years 2018–2024 on TVP1). It is the second longest running quiz show in the history of Polish television, after Wielka gra (1962–2006), and currently the longest continuously broadcast.

Format

Ten contestants stand in a semicircle, each behind a lectern with a number from 1 to 10, name of the contestant and three lights to represent the player's lives (called “chances” in Polish version). Contestants answer general knowledge questions and lose "chances" for incorrect answers or failure to answer within the three-second time limit. After a contestant is eliminated from the game, their lectern is dimmed. The host asks questions until three contestants remain and they advance to the final round. The podiums are assigned to contestants by drawing lots before taping.

Round 1

In the first round, each contestant is asked two questions. If they answer the first question incorrectly, they lose a "chance". If they answer incorrectly one more time, they lose the remaining two chances and are eliminated from the game. Therefore, to advance to round 2, contestants must answer correctly at least one question.

Round 2

The first remaining contestant in order answers the question asked by the host; if correctly – they gain the opportunity to nominate another contestant. If a correct answer is given by a competitor from podiums 1–5, they selects a competitor from podiums 6–10 to answer, and vice versa. The number of questions in round 2 is unlimited and round 2 continues until only three contestants remain. In round 2 the competitors should nominate another competitor to answer, although the rules don’t prohibit taking the question on themselves (however, this situation has only happened twice in the programme’s 30-year history).

Round 3

At the beginning of round 3 each of the three remaining contestants is given a new set of three "chances" and receives one point for each "chance" they had kept through rounds 1–2. The host reads the questions and the competitor answers after pressing the buzzer, earning 10 points for a correct answer. The first contestant to give their third correct answer gets the opportunity to nominate the next contestant. If the contestant nominates themselves and answers correctly, they receive 20 points. In round 3, the host asks a maximum of 40 questions. Round 3 can end earlier, when all contestants lose their all their "chances". Each contestant who kept their "chances" after 40 questions receives 10 additional points for each "chance" they have defended. The winner is the contestant who was the last to keep a "chance" while the others lost it. If more than one contestant still has a "chance" after 40 questions, the one with the most points wins. If there is a tie, the players with the most points are the winners and the prize is divided in half. If the competitors have scored enough points, they qualify for the Grand Final at the end of the season. The maximum number of points a competitor can score in a single episode is 803 (3 points for "chances" retained from rounds 1–2 and answering all 40 questions correctly). In the history of the program so far, only one participant has scored 803 points, in the episode broadcast on November 23, 2023.

Grand Final

Ten players who scored the most points in the regular episode throughout the season take part in the Grand Final. If there is a tie and the number of competitors exceeds 10, the organizer reserves the right to additional eliminations, although it happened that even twelve competitors took part in the Grand Final. The same rules apply to the Grand Finale as to the regular episode.

Prizes

As of 2024, the winner of the regular episode wins PLN 5,000 and a stay in a luxury hotel; the winner of the Grand Final receives PLN 40,000 and additional prizes; the contestant who gained the most points throughout the season – even if they didn’t win the Grand Final – receives PLN 10,000. All competitors who qualify for round 3 receive small prizes, such as containers of sweets or watches.

Tapings

For many years the program was recorded in the TVP3 Lublin studio. However, in 2024, the tapings moved to Warsaw. Several episodes of one series are recorded in a row in one day. People who want to get take part in the program must complete a quiz consisting about twenty-five to thirty questions, and they can only make two mistakes. If a candidate makes three mistakes, they may be asked an additional questions – if they answer correctly, they can qualify for the program. The waiting time for an invitation to the program after correctly completing the quiz can be up to over a year.

Transmissions

The first episode of Jeden z dziesięciu was broadcast on June 3, 1994 on TVP2. The host of the program from the very beginning is Tadeusz Sznuk, a Polish radio and TV presenter. As of 2024, the current hostess giving prizes to the participants of round 3 is usually Sylwia Toczyńska. On January 15, 2018 – after 24 years – the program was moved to TVP1. Jacek Kurski, then the president of Telewizja Polska, informed that this change was dictated by the demands of viewers of the historical TV series The Crown of the Kings who didn’t want to switch channels to watch their favorite programs. Media not associated with the then Polish government noticed that this change was most likely dictated by the falling viewership of TVP1’s main news program, Wiadomości. In 2024, the show moved back to TVP2.

Airdates and winners

Reception

As of June 2024, Jeden z dziesięciu is the second-longest running quiz show in the history of Polish television after Wielka gra (1962–2006). Tadeusz Sznuk, known for his great culture and impeccable appearance, is sometimes called “the last gentleman of Polish television”. In March 2009, the program’s audience was approximately 2.44 million viewers. Episodes broadcast in Autumn 2023 were watched by an average of 1.06 million viewers.