SPOILERS Episode 3 (Botanical Gardens/ Hide and Seek)

I just finished watching Episode 3 of Season 1, so first off, there are SPOILERS for this episode, and second, please avoid spoilers for episodes 4 and onward in your answers; thanks in advance.

This game is set up really well. It's a great introduction to the concept of the heart suit games, and it's really brutal. There's a lot of great flashback moments and the friendships are used to excellent dramatic effect.

Two things bugged me, though.

First, the girl they're with (Shibuki) joins the three friends (well, more Karube and Chota) at the very end, sacrificing herself along with them. Up until that moment, her whole philosophy and approach to the games is counter to this - including going completely against the three friends at the beginning of the game. That's minor. I suppose she was moved by their sacrificing of themselves.

The bigger element that bothered me was the total lack of practicality that they undertake in those final moments. There are four players who are strategising together and working together. Their chances of success go up if they stay alive. So, why do they not chose a sacrificial...uh.. wolf to get his or her throat slit? Maybe it doesn't have to be Arisu. Chota's working with a bum leg (and points out that he has no real skills, unlike Karube and Arisu). Why not transfer the wolf tag to Chota and then kill him to win the game?

The sacrifice for friendship was touching (I was particularly moved by the dropped engagement ring - an unfulfilled future of love and romance was a real dagger twist moment) but it came off as needless and stupid.