Editor's note: As the action heats up on the CBS series "Survivor: Samoa," we thought it would be interesting to ask former contestant Erinn Lobdell, the third-place finisher on last season's "Survivor: Tocantins," for her insights on the competition. Erinn, who grew up in Waukesha and now lives and works Downtown, will provide analysis following each new episode through the end of the series.

"All Hell Breaks Loose."

Never before has there been such an aptly named episode of "Survivor," and what a great episode it was, with fighting, scrambling and an epic blindside. This is the what we have been waiting for in the middle of this kind of lame season.

As Day 19 opens with a merge, we get a major dose of feelgoodieness before everyone realizes just how much the game changes when you are playing for a team of one. This was a fantastic episode -- FANTASTIC -- but I can't help wondering if "Survivor: Samoa" is just a game of mistakes. They just keep making them, over and over. It is starting to look like the winner this season will just be the one who keeps his or her nose the cleanest.

When I was in Tocantins, I had a very simple strategy. Having seen many previous seasons of the show, I decided to learn from the mistakes of others. I compiled a set of rules that I called my "Do Not Break List." I adhered to them vigilantly and I attribute that set of rules to keeping me in the game as long as I was. In no way are they less than obvious, in fact, I think they should be added to last week's "Survivor, 101" It is unbelievable to me that not one, but four were broken this week! Four! I should teach a class on this, and the Samoan cast should take it.

I think it would go something like this:

Lesson 1: Don't Ever Accuse or Argue
Laura, I don't care if you watched Shambo smash your canteen into a thousand pieces, you never should have come at her in such an accusatory fashion and then you really shouldn't have argued with her in front of everyone. People are always looking to place an "X" on someone else's back. The fact that she made something out of nothing and created some very public dissension made it very easy for people to go along with the plan to get rid of her. I think Erik said it best, "We know Shambo's crazy, so if you get in a fight with Shambo, who's the one that looks bad? You look bad."

Lesson 2: Don't Share Too Much With Too Many
I understand that Russell had to talk to a few different people before he connected, but did he have to show them all the idol? He could have pulled them in without it. I trusted Stephen and JT with my life in Tocantins and I NEVER knew they had the idol. It was an unnecessary move, Russ. The whole point of the Hidden Immunity Idol is that it is hidden. The other point to consider is that when you make promises to too many people, they will talk and they will figure it out.

Lesson 3: Don't Get Cocky
Let me recap some of last night's awesome sound bites. "Extended family? What's Samoan for ‘Get the hell off my island?'" And, "Nobody talks to Shambo, I don't give a f--- if she votes for Probst tonight." What about, "I struggle to see anything that Foa Foa has to offer Galu," and my favorite was to Jaison -- "If I was your coach I would say 'That's what I like to hear.'"

Do we need to keep talking about why Erik was voted out? It's too bad that he couldn't keep his mouth shut. He was a strategic player, performed well in the challenges AND he had an idol. (I mean, really, even the people who are recruited for this show are given the previous season on DVD. Apparently he missed the episode where Brendan was voted out of Tocantins.)

Lesson 4: Don't Panic. Ever
Not in a challenge, not in a tribal council and certainly not when it involves playing an idol. This game can certainly make you paranoid, but Russell panicked for no reason when he played that Idol. The Idol is the only power he had in his alliances. Without it, there are some major flaws in his foolproof plan and it's becoming clear that his days are numbered.

These aren't all of my rules, but its looking like you'll be seeing more in the weeks to come as more and more of them are being broken. Hopefully, these people will learn how to play before its too late.