Jeopardy Second Chance Recap, Part 3: Week 2 Semifinals

 

 

Before we begin an update on the upcoming Champions Wild Card.

In a sign that the show seems willing to acknowledge ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” next week’s wildcard is a return to the format of tournaments prevalent under the Alex Trebek era. Fifteen quarterfinalists – including Will Yancey and whoever prevails on Friday – will compete in five quarterfinal games that will involve five winners and four wild-card spots for high scores among non-winners. This will no doubt add a layer of strategy to this year’s Wild Card tournament that has been lacking in almost every tournament last year.

I will have details on the official way the Tournament of Champions itself will unfold this weekend but for now, let’s look the three semi-final games, which have been just as thrilling in their own ways as last weeks.

 

Semi-Final Game 1:

Jonquil Garrick-Reynolds vs. Steve Miller vs. Drew Goins

For the record: Drew lost to David Erb in his third win after leading him most of the game.. Steve Miller was the runner up and was ahead of Amar Kakirde going into his fifth match. Jonquil Garrick-Reynolds narrowly lost to Drew Basile in what would be his second win.

From the start of the Jeopardy round Drew was off and running. He found the Daily Double in HISTORIC HISTORY and bet the $3000 he already had:

“The 1973 Arab-Israeli War occurred during these 2 periods, one Jewish & one Islamic, both of which involve fasting.” Drew knew they were Ramadan and Yom Kippur and doubled his score. He finished the round with an incredible $11,600 to Steve’s $3400 and Jonquil’s $2600.

Drew maintained his lead throughout the round but a big Daily Double wager by Steve narrowed the gap. He still had $22,400 when he found the second Daily Double in MANUAL EVENTS and wagered $5000. “See junipers & pines as you never have before at Kofuku-ten, a major exhibition of skills in this art.” He knew it was bonsai and went up to $27,400. He finished Double Jeopardy having gotten 30 correct responses – the highwater mark for any player so far in Season 41  - but he didn’t have a runaway as Steve had $18,400 and Jonquil had $9800.

The Final Jeopardy category was 21^ST CENTURY BUSINESS. “An early version of this app was called Matchbox but that name was too similar to another company that offered the same service.” This stumped me but all three players knew it: “What is Tinder?” (As Ken reminded me: “Matchbox was too close to match.com.” Drew’s wager of $3400 put him at $36,801  the highest one day total in Season 41 so far. And if that doesn’t tell you how tough the clues have been this season, I don’t know what will.

 

SEMIFINAL GAME #2

Josh Heit vs Zoe Grobman vs Enzo Cunanan

Josh lost the tiebreaker in Game 3 to Drew Basile. Zoe Grobman had a memorable stint in her game in which she revealed her love of Talking Heads which almost got her a victory. Enzo Cunanan narrowly lost to Adriana Harmeyer in what would be her eleventh win.

After a bad daily Double very early in the Jeopardy round, it looked like Josh was heading for moving the fastest. He had $5200 at the end of the round to Zoe’s $3800 and Enzo’s $400. Enzo kept going one step forward, two steps back throughout the round.

So Enzo spent the early stages of Double Jeopardy hunting for the Daily Double at the bottom of the board. He’d managed to make it up to $6800 when he found the first Daily Double in OPERA SETTINGS. He bet $2000:

“Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier takes place in 18^th century Vienna during the reign of this empress. Enzo knew it was Maria Theresa and went into the lead for the first time in the game.

Zoe got to the other Daily Double in POTENT QUOTABLES. Saying she hoped she didn’t regret this she bet $6000. She did in more ways than one:

“This pale dry sherry gets title billing in a Poe tale.” She said What is…Amontidello?” She had the right story in mind, it was Amontillado. Zoe said: “I’m gonna remember that one.

Enzo maintained his lead from that point forward finishing Double Jeopardy with $15,600. However a late push by Josh moved him up to $9600 and Zoe finished with $6600.

Final Jeopardy had a very vague category. “FACTS ABOUT COUNTRIES.” I didn’t know this particular fact. “It has 40,000 people & a workforce of 42,000, more than half commuting from nearby, including Vorarlberg state in a neighbor country.” Zoe knew the correct country: “What is Liechtenstein?” (Apparently Vorarlberg is in western Austria.” She added $5401 to put her at $12,001. Josh thought it was Luxembourg which cost him $3601. Enzo started with Luxembourg, crossed it out and wrote in Liechtenstein. Had Zoe responded correctly on her Daily Double she would have been the winner but instead Enzo managed to prevail and he moved on to the finals.

 

SEMI-FINAL GAME #3

Lindsay Denninger v. Ferdinand Percentie v. Sam Cameron

Ferdinand nearly beat Amy Hummel in her fourth win. Sam was reminded of how he nearly beat Greg Jolin. Lindsay was in a neck and neck game with Neilesh Vinjamuri before he prevailed for his third win.

Sam got off to a fast start in the Jeopardy round, amassing $2600 before he found the Daily Double in BEST IF USED BY DECEMBER 31, 1999. He wagered everything. It went badly.

“After 85 years, complete control of it passed to its home nation on December 31, 1999.” He guessed Hong Kong (which went back to the Chinese in 1997) when it was actually the Panama Canal. He rebuilt to $3000 by the end of the round, trailing Ferdinand by $2000.

Sam was in a close battle for the lead when he found the first Daily Double in YOU JUST GOT MONK’D. He bet $5000:

“In 1939 Thomas Merton opened the Bible to Luke 1:20 and read “Behold, you shall be” this & he decided to become a Trappist monk.” It took him a moment to say: “What is silent?” and he jumped into the lead.

He had a bigger lead when he found the other Daily Double in GOVERNMENT WORK but he was cautious and only bet $1000: “You might get a bit sick of Lincoln’s face as a metal-forming machine operator at this agency’s production facilities.” He knew it was the Mint and went up to $17,800. However a late run by Ferdinand at the end of the round stopped Sam from running away with the game – kind of the theme for the semi-finals and Sam finished with $19,400 to Ferdinand’s $10,2000 and Lindsay’s $6200.

The Final Jeopardy category was AMERICAN HISTORY: “The last claim awarded under this act was in 1988, 126 years after it passed, for a parcel of land in Alaska.” Sam and Ferdinand both knew the correct response (as did I at home):”What is the Homestead Act?” Sam’s wager of $1001 gave him the win.

Three gentlemen in the finals and yet another Second Chance winner who lost to Adriana Havemeyer in her original appearance. That motivation was not enough to help either Colleen or Kaitlin overcome Will last week. Will it make a difference this week?

I’ll be back on Friday with the report.