Jeopardy Invitational Tournament 2025 Recap, Part 2: The Semifinals

 

A lot already had happened in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Invitational Tournament and there were more potential going into the semifinals. Three of Jeopardys all-time greats had qualified as had two former College Champions and one runner-up in that same College Championship. There were far fewer women then in last year’s Invitational but it was more diverse with three players of color facing off. The impossible had happened before. Could it happen again?

 

Game 1

Roger Craig Vs. Jaskaran Singh vs Shane Whitlock

Note: Roger and Shane had previous competed in the Battle of the Decades though as I’ve mentioned Shane was eliminated in the first round while Roger made it all the way to the finals.

In his quarterfinal match Roger found all three Daily Double and they helped win. In the semi-final he didn’t find a single Daily Double – and that probably helped him win as well. Confused?

It was a close fight in the Jeopardy round from start to finish. Jaskaran got to the Daily Double when he was in third in SOCIAL TYPES. He bet the $1800 he had:

“Random House says this 2-word term for one who travels a lot for business was suggested by a Mad Max film title.” He knew it was a road warrior and moved into second place. At the end of the round he and Shane were tied at $5000 apiece, with Roger just $600 behind.

Early in Double Jeopardy Jaskaran got off to an early lead and was at $9400 when he found the first Daily Double in THE COUNTY LINE. He wagered $4000:

“Cross this county’s border & you’re in one of the ‘collar counties’: Lake, McHenry, DuPage, Kane and Will.” Jaskaran struggled before guessing: “What is Baltimore?” He was in the wrong state. It was Cook County. He dropped back to $5400. Immediately afterwards there was a $2000 swing in that same category that put Roger in the lead. He managed to hold it and was at $11,600 when Shane found the other Daily Double in PERIOD ENTERTAINMENT. At that moment Shane had $5800, exactly half Roger’s total. It made sense to bet it all:

“The Night That Goldman Spoke in Union Square’ is a song from this musical named for a music style that defined an era.” Shane struggled before guessing: “What is the Jazz Age?” He had the right idea but it was Ragtime and he dropped to zero.

Despite the best efforts of Jaskaran he couldn’t close the gap between him and Roger. At the end of Double Jeopardy Roger still led with $14,400 to Jaskaran’s $12,600 and Shane’s $3200. Once again it came down to Final Jeopardy.

The category was FAMOUS NAMES. (“Not so specific” as Ken said.) “As a young reporter in Appleton, Wisconsin Edna Ferber interviewed this hometown celebrity originally from Hungary.”

Shane’s response was revealed first: “Who is Houdini?” That was correct. (I knew Houdini was raised in that town.) Shane doubled his score to $6400. Next came Jaskaran. He also wrote down Houdini. He came very close to doubling his score and he was at $25,198.

Then we came as Ken put it: “to the Sphinx like face of Roger Craig.” There was laughter but it did give nothing away. He’d written down Houdini. It came down to the wager: $10,801. He went to $25,201. Fans of great Jeopardy tournaments could rejoice: Roger Craig was going to the finals.

 

Game 2

Matt Amodio vs Luigi De Guzman vs Emily Sands

Once again Matt spent the Jeopardy round struggling, this time against two very gifted champions. Luigi went into the lead early, Emily got to the Daily Double ahead of him and he spent most of the round in a distant third. By the time it was over Luigi had a big lead with $8800 to Emily’s $5400 and Matt’s $2200.

Matt picked first in Double Jeopardy and found the first Daily Double IN YE OLDE 18^TH CENTURY BOOKSHOPPE. He knew what he had to do and he did it:

“Of the Division of labour’ kicks off Chapter One in ‘An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of’ the rest of this 1776 Title. The academic knew the answer: “What is the Wealth of Nations?” He doubled his score to $4400.

Luigi held his lead for awhile but then both he and Emily got a $1600 clue wrong in FACTS ABOUT FACTS and then Matt got the $1200 clue correct. He found the other Daily Double on the very next clue in CURRENCIES. With $8000 in front of him, yet again he bet everything:

“Dinar is served in many countries including this small oil-rich one; in the ‘90s the Iraqi dinar briefly replaced its own dinar.” He figured out it was Kuwait and went into the lead with $16,000.

Neither Luigi nor Emily refused to concede defeat. All three players were brilliant in Double Jeopardy and all finished with impressive five figure scores: Matt led with $22,800, Luigi was next with $16,400, Emily had exactly half Matt’s total with $11,400.

It came down to Final Jeopardy again. The category was CABINET MEMBERS. And it was murder: “In order of fame, the first cabinet was Jefferson (later Prez), Hamilton (‘my shot’ guy), Knox (of Fort fame), this attorney general’. Matt wrote down his response very quickly and it was the same as mine, though I have to say I wasn’t nearly as sure as he seemed to be.

Emily was first. She wrote down: “Who is Marbury?” (no doubt thinking of the Supreme Court case.) She was wrong. It cost her just $300.

Next came Luigi. He wrote down: “Who is Jay?” He was closer than her but still no cigar. It cost him everything but a dollar.

Finally came Matt. He wrote down: “What is Randolph?” And that was the correct response: Edmund Randolph, another Virginian who would eventually go on to succeed Jefferson as Secretary of State. Matt’s wager was irrelevant at this point but he had bet $10,001 to give him his second straight hard earned victory and putting him into the finals.

 

Game 3

Raymond Goslow vs Juveria Zaheer vs Ray Lalonde

Almost from the start this was a dogfight between Raymond and Juveria. Raymond got off to a quick start in the Jeopardy round and had $3200 when he found the Daily Double in OLD MAN  (OR WOMAN) RIVER. He bet everything:

“Quinbequin to the natives, it was called the Massachusetts by explorers, then renamed in 1614 for a then-prince.” Raymond thought before guessing: “What is Edward?” It referred to the Charles river. He dropped to zero. He rebuilt and the end of the round he and Juveria were tied at $5200 apiece, with Ray trailing at $1400.

The battle resumed in Double Jeopardy with a back and forth. Raymond had just moved into the lead with $12,800 when he found the first Daily Double in ON TOUR. He wagered $5000:

“This 16-year-old’s diary entry for October 18, 2006: “Oh my god I am on the Rascal Flatts tour…I’m opening up for the last nine dates.” He knew it was Taylor Swift and widened his lead to $17,800.

Juveria than managed to close the gap by getting three straight $2000 clues correct and then found the last Daily Double in 5-LETTER ANTONYMS. By that point Ken noted she’d swept all of the $2000 clues and the last Daily was in that clue. She wagered $4000:

“Harmless: relating to a trio of destiny-based goddesses?” She thought before guessing: “What ar4e muses?” I knew it was the fates but I didn’t know the adjective was fatal and she dropped to $12,800. At the end of the round Raymond had an impressive $21,000, Juveria was next with $14,400, Ray trailed with $4200. The 13 game winner had no chance against these two: Raymond got 26 correct answers, Juveria 22. He still had a slight chance, though.

It came down to Final Jeopardy. The category was HISTORIC SCIENTISTS: “A pair of discoveries by him in 1787 are named for stage characters, a new practice in his field.” I figured it out based on the date.

Ray’s response was revealed first. “Who is Herschel?” That was correct. I knew that he had discovered Uranus and that the two moons he had discovered were named for Titania and Oberon, characters from Shakespeare. (Before that, apparently, moons were named for mythical characters.) Ray did what he had to do and bet everything. He was at $8400.

Next came Juveria. She knew it was Herschel as well. But she bet nothing. She still had $14,400.

It came down to Raymond. His response was: “What is IDK?” The wager was now all important. He bet $7801. This dropped him to $13,199 and Juveria had come from behind to win the third and last spot in the finals.

So starting tomorrow two of the greatest players in Jeopardy history will face off against the most successful Second Chance player in Jeopardy history. Juveria’s already beaten a twelve game and a thirteen game winner to get here and we all remember how last year’s Invitational played out for Victoria Groce. Can she do the same against two of the greatest players in history?

The finals begin tomorrow with a spot in the Jeopardy Masters on the line. I’ll be watching with bated breath as will all my fellow fans. I’ll be back with the results when it’s over.