THIS GAME IS NOT SURVIVOR!

The legendary reality show star had to develop a whole new skill set for his latest competition

Rob Mariano - aka Boston Rob - knows a thing or two about competing for cash in tropical settings. He's been on Survivor six times, five as a contestant (with one win) and once as a mentor. (He and wife Amber, whom he met while filming Survivor: All Stars together in 2003, also competed on The Amazing Race twice.) And while those shows prepared him for NBC's Deal or No Deal Island, he's had to level up. "I have a lot of experience practicing social dynamics and selfawareness and strategy. However, this game is not Survivor," says the 48-year-old father of four. (He and Amber share Lucia, 14, Carina, 13, Isabetta, 11, and Adelina, 9.) "We are literally figuring out the strategy as we play, because it's never been done before!" Here, Rob tells In Touch's Fortune Benatar about new tactics, home life and his guilty pleasure.

How is Deal or No Deal Island different from Survivor?

RM: They might both be on islands and have challenge components, but the lack of voting adds a distinct difference to the social game. I relied on my strategic and physical abilities in the excursions to help me gain advantages where I could. The key is being able to adapt.