Thursday, December 29, 2011 Game Recap & Discussion [SPOILERS]

[billy pilgrim]

That's chicken feed compared to this. http://www.slate.com/articles/technolog ... 0/830.html

[xxaaaxx]

Speaking of Jason, can someone explain how you get a 200+ score on one Scrabble word (I forget exactly how much Jason said the word he played was worth)?

He played SELTZERS with the 10-point Z on a Double Letter score, and the entire word hit two Triple Word scores (scoring 9 times). Because the play also used all 7 tiles, it scored the 50 point bonus. Thus, the play would score 275, 284, or 293, depending on how many blanks were used.

Was that in a tournament? An experienced player leaving him/herself open to a play like that would be kinda surprising. Leaving a letter at the side like that is just begging for a double letter + triple word (though the double + 2 triples is impressive).

[AndyTheQuizzer]

IIRC from the interview, it was a Facebook game that the play happened in.

However, there are certainly situations where the optimal play, through the sheer number of points it scores itself, outweighs the defensive risk that is "leaving a tile wide-open in the triple line".

[harrumph]

I'll bet the Other Board Which Shall Remain Nameless gets a few people whining about that one.

This is an Unfair and RIDICULOUS statement.

So says Quizzer Ontario.

[Budphrey]

Congratulations to Dave! Looking forward to your next (few) game(s).

Too bad about that Jason guy, though. Four or five more wins and he could've done all right for himself. Guess he'll have to settle for second-highest winnings all-time from New Jersey.

[econgator]

Whiffed on FJ, going with John Jakes. Would have taken me a few guesses to get to McMurtry.

[JMonde]

What in the world was Jason thinking on that final DD wager? That absolutely cements my feelings about his silver-ness in the UTOC. Yes, he's extremely smart. Yes, he's good on the buzzer. So is everyone else at that level. If he wagers like that, he's one-and-done.

Whiffed on FJ, going with John Jakes. Would have taken me a few guesses to get to McMurtry.

Kinda new to the boards, and new to looking at Jeopardy as more than entertainment, what would have been a more strategic wager?

[heelsrule1988]

Pretty cool that the giant killer is one of us... he looks like someone who could go on a long run of his own. Then again, we know how giant killers typically flame out quickly. Hopefully you can change that trend, Dave!

What a way to get our first entrant into the next TOC, though! Too bad Jason has to wait almost a year and a half... but at least he gets to play Jeopardy again. Nearly everyone who loses on Jeopardy has played it for the last time.

Assuming that OQ can pull him over here - congratulations, Jason, on an outstanding run! I'm as shocked as anyone that no one had won nine games in the last four years, and you certainly earned it. Good luck in the far-distant TOC!

-Dan

...as you secretly fist-pump and breathe a sigh of relief that he didn't overtake you for third place by himself on the all-time wins list.

[MarkBarrett]

The FJ clue had me looking more for a history angle than a western angle. My guess was Shelby Foote.

I won't blame the writers as it's only my fault, but I joined the players in biting on Hatfields and The Secret Garden. They were guesses and that can often cause my score to go in reverse. I figured it was Pan in the Eponyms, but I went for pandemonium.

Dave's guess of A-Rod for Jeter? I'll let the boardie with the NY avatars handle that one. Dave's guess of Rio instead of Sao Paolo? That rebound for Jason could have made a difference. Dave's lucky it didn't matter. Dave getting the Meyer clue? Should I poll that one to go with the Twilight options a few weeks ago?

Was there an edit for Louis Vuitton? It seemed like a jump in figuring out Jennifer had her phrasing and response accepted. It also seemed obvious that Alex at first accepted her McMurty and editors had to do some splicing.

Jason had a nice run and other than no Bronze I have no idea which group he'll go in since he's an early qualifier. We'll see if his stay helps Francis find a way to squeak in.

[seaborgium]

I had no idea on FJ. Zane Grey (or should that be Gray?) was the only thing to pop into my mind, and I knew he was too early for the clue. Of course I know McMurtry, but he just didn't come around. But my streak was asterisked, and I'm glad I won't have to keep qualifying that it included a spoiled FJ that I think I'd have gotten.

[Wimple]

Did anyone else notice that the J round seemed geared toward women? There were categories on shoes, perfumes and kiddie lit. It just struck me as unusual.

[messyjesse]

Blanked on FJ. Name's familiar but I couldn't connect it to anything else. Learn something every day.

I got real excited when I saw the Eponyms category, and then proceeded to go 0-5 in it. Didn't even pull out lynch. Very embarrassing. I did surprise myself by going 4/5 in the Opera category though. Thought the Prospero clue was stupidly easy for its value ($2000 I believe).

I'm also realizing that I don't know much about children's literature (considering how often it comes up). Is there any simple way to study material for such a broad topic? I suppose I could just check the archive for the most common clues/responses, but if there's a Pavlov list out there that would be helpful too.

Weird game. I didn't even realize how far behind Jason was for most of it until the first DD was found and both opponents were above $10,000. I agree that he could've bet better in FJ, especially considering that we've seen him bet conservatively when trailing before. I wasn't that upset with his DD wager, but I was a little surprised that he didn't bet bigger considering he was clearly trying to find it before time ran out/before anyone else could.

[xxaaaxx]

I won't blame the writers as it's only my fault, but I joined the players in biting on Hatfields

Whereas I punked out and waited for one of them to guess first

Dave's guess of A-Rod for Jeter? I'll let the boardie with the NY avatars handle that one.

Well, he was a shortstop, once upon a time, and the "no one will think he stinks" bit could apply to him, since he's taken a lot of crap (some deserved) over the years. That said, current Yankee SS = Jeter. He shouldn't have missed it, but I won't rake him over the coals for it, unless he misses another Yankee clue tomorrow

[dhkendall]

The FJ clue had me looking more for a history angle than a western angle. My guess was Shelby Foote.

For some reason, I kept thinking alternate history, settled on (I think) Turtledove (and was rather surprised I pulled that out of my Aquitaine).

I won't blame the writers as it's only my fault, but I joined the players in biting on Hatfields and The Secret Garden.

I ruled out The Secret Garden since it was a bottom-row clue, but yeah, I bit on Hatfields as well, having absolutely nothing to lead me one way or the other (the best thing to have done was clam and wait to see if it would have been taken by someone else, I suppose).

Dave's guess of A-Rod for Jeter? I'll let the boardie with the NY avatars handle that one.

Well, he was a shortstop, once upon a time, and the "no one will think he stinks" bit could apply to him, since he's taken a lot of crap (some deserved) over the years. All that having been said, Yankee SS = Jeter, he shouldn't have missed it.

I was quite pleased with myself that I must've been learning something from my J! studying, as sports trivia is typically hard to sink in for me, but I remembered that Yankee SS = Jeter, and got it.

[pinkfreud]

Was there an edit for Louis Vuitton? It seemed like a jump in figuring out Jennifer had her phrasing and response accepted.

I don't remember a Louis Vuitton clue. There was a shoe clue with the response "Louboutin," which Jennifer mispronounced as loo-boo-tawn. To be fair, most people mispronounce this name. I assume that's why her response was accepted.

[econgator]

What in the world was Jason thinking on that final DD wager? That absolutely cements my feelings about his silver-ness in the UTOC. Yes, he's extremely smart. Yes, he's good on the buzzer. So is everyone else at that level. If he wagers like that, he's one-and-done.

Whiffed on FJ, going with John Jakes. Would have taken me a few guesses to get to McMurtry.

Kinda new to the boards, and new to looking at Jeopardy as more than entertainment, what would have been a more strategic wager?

I don't see the pre-FJ totals, but maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought (which was why I deleted the comment, but you had already quoted me -- c'est la vie).

[jpahk]

congrats dave! sensational performance against a ridiculously strong champion. i was cheering for both of you! and actually jennifer too. great game to watch.

After watching all of the games in his run, I think it's fair to say that Jason Keller is at least the greatest Jeopardy! champion since Joon Pahk. I would still take Joon Pahk as a greater player for now, but Jason Keller has been marvelous.

i hear you, but this is almost damning with faint praise. i mean, there wasn't even a 4-game champ in the 2.5 months between my run and jason's. (even roger only won 3 of his 4 ToC games, as did buddy.) i don't know about me vs jason. there are definitely some things he does much better than me (pop culture, notably). but anyway, there's no real need to compare the two of us.

as a gentle criticism, i'll offer this about jason: he was so good on his DDs yet relatively conservative with his wagers, costing him a few lock wins. then again, when you're that consistent on FJs, who needs locks? tom nissley only locked 1 of his 8 wins, but he kept winning because he kept getting FJ right (and having the lead going in, of course).

as for the secret garden, the clue said "title character", so no, that's not a good guess. (the protagonist is named mary lennox, by the way.) i clammed, as the wording ruled out the two burnett books i know (little lord fauntleroy being the other).

[MarkBarrett]

Was there an edit for Louis Vuitton? It seemed like a jump in figuring out Jennifer had her phrasing and response accepted.

I don't remember a Louis Vuitton clue. There was a shoe clue with the response "Louboutin," which Jennifer mispronounced as loo-boo-tawn. To be fair, most people mispronounce this name. I assume that's why her response was accepted.

Ah, thanks. I'm glad I'm not archiving tonight's game. I showed how much I would have botched that correct response.

[KenJenningsFan74]

After watching all of the games in his run, I think it's fair to say that Jason Keller is at least the greatest Jeopardy! champion since Joon Pahk. I would still take Joon Pahk as a greater player for now, but Jason Keller has been marvelous.

i hear you, but this is almost damning with faint praise. i mean, there wasn't even a 4-game champ in the 2.5 months between my run and jason's. (even roger only won 3 of his 4 ToC games, as did buddy.)

What you say is certainly true. If I were to remove you from the equation, then I would probably go back and say that Jason Keller is the greatest champion in the regular games since at least Tom Kunzen and perhaps even Roger Craig in September of 2010, pending the outcome of Jason's appearance in the next Tournament of Champions.

Whenever I see a great new Jeopardy! player, I always ask myself to fill in the "He (or she) is the greatest player in the regular games since..." blank. For some time to come I think that players will hit the wall of Joon Pahk and be stopped right there, as had been the case for several years with the walls that were Dan Pawson and David Madden before Roger Craig made his mark. In considering the list of all champions with at least six wins, the only ones I can imagine ranking higher than you are Ken Jennings, David Madden, Dan Pawson, Roger Craig and Larissa Kelly, and I'm not at all sure that I actually would rank all of them higher.

[John Boy]

"Farewell and well done" to Jason, congrats to Dave. And to Jennifer...ouch. It really is rare to see one lousy letter cost someone over $20K. But the ruling was correct.

That was hard to watch, and I can't imagine what it must be like to be in her skin today.