Thursday, December 22, 2011 Game Recap & Discussion [SPOILERS]

[seaborgium]

Has anyone ever made a non-zero FJ wager with a lock-tie lead (excluding tournaments and the laughable wagering of the first season)?

There is a game in the late pre-doubling days (not sure whether it's late '90s or early aughts) where the leader in a lock-tie bet $100. (But it's okay, because second place withheld $100. No tie occurred.)

edit: found it! http://www.j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=2183

[xxaaaxx]

Has anyone ever made a non-zero FJ wager with a lock-tie lead (excluding tournaments and the laughable wagering of the first season)?

There is a game in the late pre-doubling days (not sure whether it's late '90s or early aughts) where the leader in a lock-tie bet $100. (But it's okay, because second place withheld $100. No tie occurred.)

edit: found it! http://www.j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=2183

How do two people screw up basic wagering that badly in the same game!? If that happened today, I'm not sure if I'd shout obscenities at the TV or just sit there in shock.

[Bamaman]

If second place had gotten FJ right, there still would have been a tie.

[RCraig]

As a viewer, one thing I appreciate about Jason's gameplay is his discipline in taking the categories in order (top-to-bottom, and even generally left-to-right across the board). Maybe I'm delusional, but this might even be one reason that the last few boards have seemed easier--the low-value clues are softening up the category (OK, maybe not in Try State Area). Of course, his approach may come back to haunt him in TOC, if he comes up against a disciple of Craig, but the rhythm he establishes sure seems to be effective for him right now.

I have disciples now?!

I'll say it again: As a viewer, I prefer categories taken in a top-to-bottom fashion. As a player, I preferred a different approach. I get totally confused when watching and players jump around. Viewers at home have a much more constricted view of the clue and category (I really think J! will eventually start putting the category name in the top left of the screen.) and it's very disorienting to see a clue without knowledge of the category. I've even watched my own games and been totally confused as to what the next question was about and I was the one who picked it. So yeah, it's confusing. (Full disclosure: I'm usually inebriated when watching my own episodes the first time.)

[RCraig]

<rude intro snipped>
He hits the final daily double. Because of Alex's warning 2 clues earlier of only 1 minute left, it seems like this will probably be the last clue.
1st Place: 22200
2nd Place: 12000
3rd Place: -1400

The state of game also has 2nd place in control of the board and a 400 and 800 left. If I'm in 2nd place, I would do one of two options:
A) I'm confident in the category: I bet enough to get past 22200 + 400 + 800 = 23400. So, I'd probably bet 11500.
B) I'm not confident in the category: Bet 900 and get the DD wrong. If time ends: lock-tie. If time is still left, I pick 400 first (this is key). Now, I have to get this one right. If I do, I do not buzz on the 800 clue and hope the leader gets it and we are back in lock-tie. I believe most leaders will attempt to get the 800 right in this scenario.
It is risky knowing you have to get the 400 right if time remains, but that's a risk I'd be willing to take.

[Vanya]

Has anyone ever made a non-zero FJ wager with a lock-tie lead (excluding tournaments and the laughable wagering of the first season)?

I can't cite the game but I know I've seen it done before (was it intentional? Who knows).

[vellore]

As a viewer, one thing I appreciate about Jason's gameplay is his discipline in taking the categories in order (top-to-bottom, and even generally left-to-right across the board). Maybe I'm delusional, but this might even be one reason that the last few boards have seemed easier--the low-value clues are softening up the category (OK, maybe not in Try State Area). Of course, his approach may come back to haunt him in TOC, if he comes up against a disciple of Craig, but the rhythm he establishes sure seems to be effective for him right now.

I have disciples now?!

I'll say it again: As a viewer, I prefer categories taken in a top-to-bottom fashion. As a player, I preferred a different approach. I get totally confused when watching and players jump around. Viewers at home have a much more constricted view of the clue and category (I really think J! will eventually start putting the category name in the top left of the screen.) and it's very disorienting to see a clue without knowledge of the category. I've even watched my own games and been totally confused as to what the next question was about and I was the one who picked it. So yeah, it's confusing. (Full disclosure: I'm usually inebriated when watching my own episodes the first time.)

Oh gosh, you read that. What made your games more watchable than the garden variety DD-hunter's, was your ability to use your X-ray vision to locate them immediately, and thus cause minimal disruption to the viewer. And by contrast, I usually drink heavily, and despairingly, after watching your games.

[jpahk]

I have disciples now?!

yes. yes you do. i would definitely characterize any graduate of the Roger Craig Jeopardy! Finishing School as your disciple.

[alietr]

It's more like the Roger Craig Jeopardy Finished Off School

[jpahk]

the roger craig "finish him!" school?

[Volante]

Whew, late to this party...

Got Honshu instantly, and thankfully, instead of trying to be cute, stuck with it. My 50/50/0 of Borneo/Sumatra ended with Sumatra, thinking that's where Jakarta was. (Right theory, but lacked proper knowledge.)

Confused Cupid/Eros. No excuse...my go-to for keeping those two straight even had an episode titled 'Comedy of Eros', ergo, Eros was not the son of Venus. I'm gonna just blame that on the cold I'm still recovering from.

The Georgia (largest original colony) clue was pretty amusing, considering the epic discussion we had on that.

I picked up the Thomas More clue from actually knowing it was him in the portrait. Brontes were the same way, but I don't think that is remotely as impressive. I'm also glad I'm finally getting "British architect = Christopher Wren" link down.

Knew there'd be much discussion on that last DD wager. Me? I would probably have Craiged it, considering my earlier luck in the category. Without knowing how much time is left, a $900 gambit would be too risky.

[reddpen]

As a viewer, one thing I appreciate about Jason's gameplay is his discipline in taking the categories in order (top-to-bottom, and even generally left-to-right across the board). Maybe I'm delusional, but this might even be one reason that the last few boards have seemed easier--the low-value clues are softening up the category (OK, maybe not in Try State Area). Of course, his approach may come back to haunt him in TOC, if he comes up against a disciple of Craig, but the rhythm he establishes sure seems to be effective for him right now.

I have disciples now?!

No doubt... and at the risk of subverting your habitual modesty, we ought to give them a name. Rogerians? Craigists? Craigites?

Back to the show (I'm about a week behind still), did anyone else think it demure (if unsurprising) of Alex and the writers to ask about Grand Tetons without seeking or offering a definition? That's just the kind of titbit on which my weekly pub quiz thrives, as Turd Ferguson has attested more than once.

I also made the bi/cuspid goof. The Try State Area cat started badly with zero context but then improved. WA was easy, esp. for me, but I had no shot at LA. Poor Isaac: Hawaii is actually a good deal larger than it was a century ago thanks to fresh land mass erupting from Kilauea. And I'd have guessed VA at 2K. Losing WV in 1863 must be why VA is no longer the largest of the 13. Working that into the clue might have made for an interesting DD.

[Vanya]

No doubt... and at the risk of subverting your habitual modesty, we ought to give them a name. Rogerians? Craigists? Craigites?

Craig's List

[Tehshigelisok]

I also made the bi/cuspid goof.

You think that's bad? I said "cuspidor".