Final Jeopardy! Challenge June 2018 and Pruitt

[BSF21]

Oh I got fucking crushed. So much lit. Opera, art, African geography. If I got 40/50 I'd be surprised

I got 29/30 in single jeopardy and a solid 20 or so of double jeopardy we watched from a few weeks ago on the couch this evening. I'll never make it if I don't study stuff I'm just not that interested in.

[Ryan]

41. I think I got 47 or 48 on mine. TOO MANY BOOKS.

[Giff]

Oh I got fucking crushed. So much lit. Opera, art, African geography. If I got 40/50 I'd be surprised

I got 29/30 in single jeopardy and a solid 20 or so of double jeopardy we watched from a few weeks ago on the couch this evening. I'll never make it if I don't study stuff I'm just not that interested in.

[BSF21]

41. I think I got 47 or 48 on mine. TOO MANY BOOKS.

So I'm not crazy right? It all kinda flies by but there were 7-8 straight up lit questions. Poetry, African American Authors, Women Writers...

[Ryan]

I also kind of feel like they weren't written as cleanly as game questions usually are.

[sancarlos]

I also kind of feel like they weren't written as cleanly as game questions usually are.

Oh, Alex.

[L-Jam3]

So what's everyone's thoughts on this dude? He's clearly kicking ass, and I personally approve of the strategy. In fact, it almost seems like it took people so long to figure out the strategy of starting from the bottom up, and wagering big on the Daily Doubles. Hell, I should've tried it myself.

Having said that, I can see how the viewer would have fatigue. It's almost like a James Harden-style, where while it's certainly efficient, it isn't exactly aesthetically pleasing.

[BSF21]

So what's everyone's thoughts on this dude? He's clearly kicking ass, and I personally approve of the strategy. In fact, it almost seems like it took people so long to figure out the strategy of starting from the bottom up, and wagering big on the Daily Doubles. Hell, I should've tried it myself.

Having said that, I can see how the viewer would have fatigue. It's almost like a James Harden-style, where while it's certainly efficient, it isn't exactly aesthetically pleasing.

He's kinda like Alex Jacob on steroids. Gotta respect the game.

[Ryan]

Opposition research:

He's being hailed as some sort of buzzer savant, but it didn't happen right away. In his first game he rang in 32 times to the defending champ's 27. In game 2, he had 23 and his opponents had 19 each.

Now in every game since, he's answered more questions that his competitors combined so he's getting more acquainted with the timing. 42 right answers is stupid high. He would crush 99% of the contestant pool 95% of the time. But get the right 2nd player up there that knows how to control the board, figures out the lights, and bets specifically to beat this guy or die trying (and it would help if the 3rd player gets the fuck out of the way) and he's going down.

[BSF21]

Opposition research:

He's being hailed as some sort of buzzer savant, but it didn't happen right away. In his first game he rang in 32 times to the defending champ's 27. In game 2, he had 23 and his opponents had 19 each.

Now in every game since, he's answered more questions that his competitors combined so he's getting more acquainted with the timing. 42 right answers is stupid high. He would crush 99% of the contestant pool 95% of the time. But get the right 2nd player up there that knows how to control the board, figures out the lights, and bets specifically to beat this guy or die trying (and it would help if the 3rd player gets the fuck out of the way) and he's going down.

I agree. The issue is did the buzz get around the contestant pool and change some mindsets? Is the horror of getting on the stage and trying to take down Goliath but missing too much for guys? One would think even if you don't know what's going on during filming, you come out on stage and they say "here's our champion who is averaging 60k+ per game" you immediately snap to the mindset of "there's no way to play this safe and beat this guy, I gotta get rich or die trying here".

[L-Jam3]

They tape five episodes a day, and the other contestants are sitting in the audience during taping. It can psych a person out watching him.

[Pruitt]

They tape five episodes a day, and the other contestants are sitting in the audience during taping. It can psych a person out watching him.

Yeah, I'm sure that's what's happened many times during some of the epic Jeopardy! runs. That would be the worst feeling.

[tennbengal]

Watched last night to see the guy. That was...impressive. $96,000 on last night's episode. Would have been more but they put the Daily Double in round 1 in the $1000 line and he found it first so he couldn't rack up quite as much in round 1 as he did on other days.

[brian]

[Pruitt]

Ken Jennings may have been Gordie Howe, but this guy is Gretzky.

ETA: From the New Yorker:

[A_B]

I really wish Trebek hadn't posted about "mind-boggling" results. I hope it's true, but that cancer doesn't play.

[Ryan]

Only 42 wins short of the record. So close.

[Pruitt]

Only 42 wins short of the record. So close.

Three different people called me today and basically started the conversation with: "Did you hear what happened on "Jeopardy!"?"

A question that can only have one answer.

[The Sybian]

Only 42 wins short of the record. So close.

Three different people called me today and basically started the conversation with: "Did you hear what happened on "Jeopardy!"?"

A question that can only have one answer.

Fuck, the one day I forgot to record it!

[Pruitt]

Must say that I'm not surprised that when he did lose, it was on a Monday episode. That means the other two contestants would not have seen him play yet.

It would be so intimidating to sit in the audience and watch him destroy contestants over and over and then have to get on stage to face him.

[BSF21]

Only 42 wins short of the record. So close.

Three different people called me today and basically started the conversation with: "Did you hear what happened on "Jeopardy!"?"

A question that can only have one answer.

"what is yes?"

[Pruitt]

Only 42 wins short of the record. So close.

Three different people called me today and basically started the conversation with: "Did you hear what happened on "Jeopardy!"?"

A question that can only have one answer.

"what is yes?"

As a former game show question writer, I am humiliated by this.

[DaveInSeattle]

Have to like that he's changed his twitter avatar to Weird Al from the 'I lost on Jeopardy' video.

[brian]

He was never going to break Jennings' win record playing that high variance strategy. Will be interesting to see future contestants try to mimic it. Could make for more interesting matches going forward.

[sancarlos]

His run was the most entertaining that show has been for quite awhile. (I don't mean that in any derogatory sense - I really enjoyed watching him play.)

[Rex]

Opposition research:

He's being hailed as some sort of buzzer savant, but it didn't happen right away. In his first game he rang in 32 times to the defending champ's 27. In game 2, he had 23 and his opponents had 19 each.

Now in every game since, he's answered more questions that his competitors combined so he's getting more acquainted with the timing. 42 right answers is stupid high. He would crush 99% of the contestant pool 95% of the time. But get the right 2nd player up there that knows how to control the board, figures out the lights, and bets specifically to beat this guy or die trying (and it would help if the 3rd player gets the fuck out of the way) and he's going down.

I should have known that Jeopardy advanced analytics exists.

[Ryan]

The 3rd player did not get the memo (I feel really bad for him - chances are he was the 3rd best player that whole week) and she still held James off. Hitting the daily double on the very first clue was an amazing omen.

Anyway, congratulations to either Evgeni Malkin's sister or the long lost Hart brother I can't tell which. She seems cool for a librarian!

[Pruitt]

Opposition research:

He's being hailed as some sort of buzzer savant, but it didn't happen right away. In his first game he rang in 32 times to the defending champ's 27. In game 2, he had 23 and his opponents had 19 each.

Now in every game since, he's answered more questions that his competitors combined so he's getting more acquainted with the timing. 42 right answers is stupid high. He would crush 99% of the contestant pool 95% of the time. But get the right 2nd player up there that knows how to control the board, figures out the lights, and bets specifically to beat this guy or die trying (and it would help if the 3rd player gets the fuck out of the way) and he's going down.

I should have known that Jeopardy advanced analytics exists.

https://thejeopardyfan.com/final-jeopardy-betting

Beware "Stratton's Dilemma"

[sancarlos]

He was never going to break Jennings' win record playing that high variance strategy. Will be interesting to see future contestants try to mimic it. Could make for more interesting matches going forward.

His strategy didn't hurt him in the game he lost. He didn't have any incorrect answers in the entire game. He got beat by A) a fine player, B) who got and hit the daily doubles, C) and beat him on the buzzer many times.

[sancarlos]

Tonight was the first time I've ever seen a tie. Had to go to the tiebreaker question to advance the winner in the Teen Tournament.

[Pruitt]

Tonight was the first time I've ever seen a tie. Had to go to the tiebreaker question to advance the winner in the Teen Tournament.

It used to be that if there was a tie, both contestants advanced as champs.

What a brutal way to lose...