I have not looked at the pond yet so as not to "help" too much, but I will give a general example of what I normally do when 3 players are left in a pond.

Example #1:
Player 1: 5000 points left
Player 2: 4600 points left
Player 3: 1000 points left

If I was player 3, I normally will bet everything I have left. I mean for Player 3, he will most likey be in 3rd place - and if by some-how one of the top 2 bid below my total, I would then move up to 2nd place overall.

Now if I was player 2, this is where it gets interested - since less then 500 seperates player 1 & 2, the 500 point bonus may be the key. I would take a guess that player 1 would bid the min to stay alive - 1,001 in this case - so as player 2, I would probable play 1,100 - which if that gives me the 500 point bonus, would leave me 1 point ahead.

If I was player #1, I would again assume that player #2 will at least play the min to stay alive - 1,001. And since I'm already ahead by 400, I would bid around 1,400 - hopefully enough to keep the bonus away from the other player.

With less then 500 points between the 1st & 2nd place - it can be VERY tricky!

Example #2

Player #1: 5,000
Player #2: 4,000
Player #3: 3,000

As player #3, the same as before - I would bet 3,000. As player #2, it is almost impossible to win. When more then 500 points are between the 2, player #1 can just bid the min to stay alive (3,001) and even if player #2 gets the 500 bonus - it still does not matter. The only way that player #1 can lose is if both Player #2 and Player #3 bid well below the total that player #3 has.