If you were going up against Matt Amodio....

[Jimmy Owen]

and were $48,000 behind, would you just let him run the board?  You're not gonna get more than $2000 even if you earned it.

[SuperMatch93]

I'd try to get at least double my other opponent's score to ensure the extra grand.

[PYLdude]

Since I probably wasn’t doing well enough to avoid being in that position to begin with, what difference would it make what I did? I’m gonna keep trying to answer what I’m able to and let the chips fall as they will.

Just let me be around for Final. Hopefully  with a few extra bucks in the kitty to play with.

[BrandonFG]

I’m gonna play as well as I can to look like I gave it a fight. And that’s not to diminish the contestants who fell short or ended in the red, but I’m not gonna roll over if I know the material and have quick enough reflexes.

ETA: "to look like". F.U. Autocorrest

[TLEberle]

I’m gonna play as well as I can too look like I gave it a fight. And that’s not to diminish the contestants who fell short or ended in the red, but I’m not gonna roll over if I know the material and have quick enough reflexes.

CORRECT.

[Otm Shank]

This isn't a reverse-Herm Edwards' "you play to win" where you don't play when you can't win.

You are on freaking Jeopardy, which many very smart people try out for and don't make it. Since you will have a few more minutes before you have a lifetime disqualification from the show (unless there is a SuperPasswordesque Tournament of Losers), make the most of it.

[Jimmy Owen]

Maybe the high scores against Matt could be invited back for a "second best" invitational.  As it stands now even if you have a second place, say $20,000, you only get two grand.  Unless you find the daily doubles, Matt will beat you.

[PYLdude]

Maybe the high scores against Matt could be invited back for a "second best" invitational.  As it stands now even if you have a second place, say $20,000, you only get two grand.  Unless you find the daily doubles, Matt will beat you.

Quit while you’re only a little behind.

[Kevin Prather]

Maybe the high scores against Matt could be invited back for a "second best" invitational.  As it stands now even if you have a second place, say $20,000, you only get two grand.  Unless you find the daily doubles, Matt will beat you.

Quit while you’re only a little behind.

I believe that ship sailed around 2009 or so.

[Sodboy13]

Maybe the high scores against Matt could be invited back for a "second best" invitational.  As it stands now even if you have a second place, say $20,000, you only get two grand.  Unless you find the daily doubles, Matt will beat you.

Quit while you’re only a little behind.

I believe that is the strategy Jimmy is advising here, yes.

[Strikerz04]

You don't go on an American Institution, only to just give up when your opponent has ran up the score. You keep going until the Final (bell/whistle/Jeopardy) just to say that you've given it your all. Don't let your opponent (as cool as Matt is) run up the score.

[clemon79]

Quit while you’re only a little behind.

Oh, I disagree sir. He's an *enormous* behind.

[MikeK]

Your best effort to date, Jimmy.  Look how many people you got to bite.

[PYLclark86]

Me: As soon as Matt gets one question right I would simply cry, lie down on the floor and allow the moss reclaim me.

Contestant coordinator: “Yeah, we’re gonna go with someone else here.”

[Jimmy Owen]

There is a point after the third daily double where Matt cannot be caught.  I say play your best until that point. Another tactic he uses is feigning ignorance until the last second to eat up time.