[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the January 17 episode of Jeopardy!]
Effectively, that was an surprising guess. The Jeopardy! Champions Wildcard Match is exclusive in that dropping gamers have an opportunity to play once more if their cumulative rating is excessive sufficient. Due to that, it’s sensible (and customary) for gamers on this match guess low in Closing Jeopardy or wager nothing in any respect to allow them to hold their scores as excessive as doable irrespective of if their reply is true or flawed. However one participant didn’t shield their last rating in any respect within the sport that aired on Friday, January 17, the final earlier than the semifinals. They guess all of it and misplaced all of it, and now they gained’t be again on this match.
Adam Hersh, a lawyer from Brooklyn, New York, was within the lead for the primary two rounds of the sport, however Marko Saric, a math professor from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, took the lead in spherical three and was in first place heading into Closing Jeopardy with a rating of 24,400. Hersh was in second place with 18,600, so it wouldn’t have taken a large guess to win if he acquired the ultimate reply appropriate. Will Weiss, a technical program supervisor from Islip, New York, remained in third place all through the sport however didn’t path too far behind for probably the most half. He fell behind in spherical three, nevertheless, along with his rating going into Closing Jeopardy being 5,400.
It was most secure for Saric’s match lengthy sport to guess nothing within the last spherical, and he predictably guess nothing. Weiss was sensible to make an enormous guess to try to catch up, and he solely stood to realize a greater probability at securing a wildcard spot in a while if he answered Closing Jeopardy appropriately. He guess every thing he had, however he answered incorrectly similar to each of his rivals did, so he ended up with zero.
Hersh, nevertheless, guess every thing he had when it could’ve been a lot wiser to guess nothing. A rating of 18,600 would’ve left Hersh because the dropping participant with the second-highest rating, thus guaranteeing him a wildcard spot within the semifinals. Melal Shah has the very best rating of the non-winners at 19,600, and the following highest rating behind Hersh’s would-be 18,600 is Jay Fisher with 15,400. Hersh’s guess ruined what would’ve been a assured wildcard spot within the semifinals. With this sport now full, the wildcard spots now go to Shah, Fisher, Jen Feldman, and Paul Clauson. Listed below are the present match standings:
Jeopardy! Champions Wildcard Match Winners So Far
Monday, January 13: Will Yancey, 13,800
Tuesday, January 14: Evan Dorey, 20,600
Wednesday, January 15: Drew Goins, 23,400
Thursday, January 16: Joey DeSena, 24,000
Friday, January 17: Marko Saric, 24,400
Jeopardy! Champions Wildcard Match Wildcard Standings
1. Mehal Shah, 19,600 — Wildcard
2. Jay Fisher, 15,400 — Wildcard
3. Jen Feldman, 8,200 — Wildcard
4. Paul Clauson, 8,000 — Wildcard
5. Stevie Ruiz, 5,199
6. Adam Hersh, 0 (18,600)
7. Eamonn Campbell, 0 (9,600)
8. Davey Morrison, 0 (8,800)
9. Will Weiss, 0 (5,400)
10. Aiden Orzech, -2,400
Followers on Reddit are shocked by Hersh’s transfer, defined solely by the truth that the gamers don’t know the ultimate scores of the earlier contestants when heading into their video games.
“Why guess something Adam, not to mention EVERYTHING????” one viewer requested on the Jeopardy! Reddit dialogue board. “I can’t assist however marvel why Adam made the all in FJ wager,” mentioned one other. “I really feel like a rating of 18600 nearly ensures you a wildcard spot so going for the W at such a threat was fairly complicated. I’d think about Paul will need to have been shocked after he came upon his rating of 8000 was sufficient to maneuver on.”
One person merely commented “ADAM!!!!!!!!” in disbelief. One fan questioned if he Hersh may’ve thought he wanted the next rating than he did, as he didn’t have entry to the scores of the earlier non-winners. “I used to be so unhappy to see Adam guess a lot and lose all of it,” they mentioned. “I do know he didn’t know the earlier scores moving into however did he actually suppose he would want over $30k to get by?!?!?!”
“Yeah Adam’s wager made no sense in any respect,” one other fan commented. “If 18600 nonetheless fell uncomfortable for no matter purpose to Adam, I might have guess 2000 as a result of in that case, he may doubtlessly have 20600 on the finish which is a assured wildcard spot it doesn’t matter what. And if he had gotten it flawed, 16800 can be a shoo in for a wildcard as nicely.”
One fan mentioned he pulled a Cliff Clavin (the Cheers-inspired joke for when a participant dangers an excessive amount of cash in Closing Jeopardy and loses), however one other fan disagreed.
“I checked….Adam was assured a spot in a wildcard with 18.6K. Man did a Cliff Clavin,” the remark mentioned, because the disagreeing fan replied, “Not likely a Cliff Clavin given he didn’t know the scores from the opposite video games prior. Nevertheless, he in all probability ought to have recognized his 18k could be good or shut.”
Was this a Cliff Clavin transfer? Hold forth within the feedback beneath.
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