The 10 Smartest Survivor Players Ever

Any person who competes on Survivor needs to be intelligent enough in their own way due to adapt to being stranded on an island with total strangers. However, some players prove to be a little smarter than others, whether in pure intelligence, strategic cunning, or a magical combination of both.

Being a smart Survivor player doesn’t always correlate with longevity in the game, though. Some of the smartest contestants to ever appear on the show were eliminated quite early, despite high IQs and degrees from Ivy League colleges that proved their intelligence.

Liz Markham (Kaoh Rong)

When Liz Markham appeared on Kaoh Rong back in 2016, she was one of the brainiest survivors the show had ever seen.

Appropriately placed on the “brains” tribe, Liz was a quantitative strategist with the all-time highest IQ of a Survivor contestant (at the time). However, someone had to be the first person voted off her tribe of intelligent humans, and she was the victim of that elimination. She became the third person voted out of season 32 despite her attempt at blindsiding eventual runner-up Aubry Bracco.

Richard Hatch (Borneo)

Richard Hatch got his reputation as one of the smartest Survivor players when he declared on Day 1 of the first season that he had the $1 million check written already, and that he was in fact going to be the Sole Survivor.

Thirty-nine days later, Rich’s prediction came true when he won the game over Kelly Wiglesworth in a 4-3 jury vote. He was also the leading charge in creating the first successful Survivor alliance with the Tagi Four, made up of Kelly, Sue, Rudy and himself. Rich’s strategy remains the blueprint for how to play Survivor successfully, no matter the era.

John Cochran (Caramoan)

John Cochran didn’t play especially brilliantly during his time on Survivor: South Pacific, but when he came back for Caramoan, he played one of the most flawless games in the history of Survivor.

Cochran’s ability to fly under the radar while simultaneously calling the shots was brilliant, as was his decision to go to the end with less-than-worthy opponents Sherri and Dawn. His degrees from Columbia University and Harvard University didn’t hurt his Survivor academic standing either.

Natalie White (Samoa)

Natalie White did all the right things on Survivor: Samoa, and those decisions made her $1 million richer.

Though later disparaged by her closest ally Russell Hantz, Natalie was a genius for aligning with him on Day 1 and letting him do all the dirty work to get the two of them deep in the game. When it came down to final tribal council, Natalie was true to herself and stuck by her decision to hide in Russell’s shadow, emerging from it only at the end when it truly counted.

James Lim (Ghost Island)

Much like Kaoh Rong‘s Liz Markham, Ghost Island‘s James Lim was one of the smartest players to have be cast on Survivor, but it didn’t help him make it very far in the game.

Though he was eliminated before the merge, James had a reported IQ of 150 with a squiggle next to the results, meaning that he answered extra credit questions. The business analyst from New York was also a track captain at Harvard University. Though obviously bright, he was unlucky on the 36th season of Survivor.

Rob Mariano (Redemption Island)

Redemption Island was Rob Mariano’s fourth time playing Survivor, but it was also his most successful appearance on the show, and the one that saw him finally earn the title of Sole Survivor.

Though he arguably ran the game during Survivor: All-Stars (and did so while also forming a Survivor showmance that turned into a real-life romance with Amber Brkich) it didn’t win him $1 million. By season 22, he finally figured out how to get his fellow castaways to both fear and respect him, something that kept him in the game for 39 days and gave them no choice but to vote for him at the final tribal council.

Parvati Shallow (Micronesia, Heroes Vs. Villains)

Survivor legend Parvati Shallow took everything she learned in Cook Islands and applied it to her subsequent appearances on the show.

Instead of aligning with men like she did the first time around, Parvati made women her closest allies in Micronesia while fooling the men into thinking she was on their side. She then eliminated them when she found it necessary. During Heroes vs. Villains, Parvati took a page out of Natalie White’s book and aligned with Russell, only this time completely outshining him with each and every move, proving she was the smarter player.

Christian Hubicki (David Vs. Goliath)

Robotics scientist and professor Christian Hubicki was a fan favorite on Survivor: David Vs Goliath and one of the most likable Survivor players ever. He won hearts and minds in his tribe and among fans with his nerdy persona, great analysis of the happenings at camp, and understanding of the evolution of the game.

Christian was incredibly wise when it came to strategy, and he managed to play a pretty strong social game by making friends with just about everyone on the beach. Other contestants were fascinated by his intelligence and wanted to have him on their side. His smarts were put to the test when his closest ally, Gabby, attempted to blindside him, only for him to play his immunity idol and send her packing instead.

Sophie Clarke (South Pacific, Winners At War)

Sophie Clarke was able to outsmart all of her allies on South Pacific, including the ringleader and memorable personality Coach, who thought he had the game all figured out his third time around.

Sophie was a quiet and observant player, stacking all of her cards and saving them for the end to prove to the jury that she was the mastermind behind everything while allowing Coach believe he was in charge. When she returned for Winners At War she maintained her status as one of the most intelligent winners by constantly running numbers and aligning herself with other brainy alumni.

Yul Kwon (Cook Islands, Winners At War)

Yul Kwon won Survivor: Cook Islands despite being in the minority alliance for a huge portion of the game. He was able to remain alert and involved in each vote, and knew exactly what to do in order to ensure his and his teammates’ safety from elimination.

Yul found the hidden immunity idol on Exile Island the second day of the game, keeping it a secret from most of his alliance. When he returned for Winners At War, he unfortunately was targeted due to his reputation of being incredibly intelligent, and was therefore sent home before the tribes merged.

About The Author

Emily Proctor
(213 Articles Published)

Emily Proctor is an entertainment writer and avid television fan. She recently graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a degree in Communication, Media, and Theatre Arts. In addition to writing for Screenrant, Emily frequently publishes personal essays on her Medium profile and personal blog SheWritesTV.com. She is also an aspiring actress and songwriter.

You can follow Emily on Twitter at @emproct for more of her opinions on pop culture, the latest TV and movies, and links to her work.

More From Emily Proctor