THE RESULTS:
Overall most popular choices (number = rank sum with 8 respondents):
Winning with a starting disadvantage (10)
Winning from a neutral start (15)
Losing with a starting disadvantage (28)
(tie) Winning from a starting advantage (34)
(tie) Losing from a neutral start (34)
Losing with a starting advantage (47)

Notable Patterns:
All but one respondent listed "Winning from a starting disadvantage" as 
their highest preference, " Winning from a neutral start" as their second 
preference, and "Losing from a starting advantage" as their lowest preference.

No respondent ranked winning over losing for the same starting condition 
(i.e. winning with X start always came higher than losing with X start).

Only one respondent strictly preferred winning to losing, everyone else 
preferred losing under at least one condition to winning under some other 
condition.  The most common form was choosing to lose with a disadvantage 
over winning with an advantage.


Questions? Comments? Send 'em!