Author Topic: Jeopardy! strategy question (Read 5346 times)

MSTieScott · « **on:** April 03, 2004, 05:34:14 PM »

Here's a thought: Say you're a contestant on Jeopardy! and one of the categories is on a subject that you have a near-encyclopedic knowledge of (for discussion's sake, let's say it's "Game Shows"). Conventional wisdom states that as soon as you get control of the board, you'd start choosing the clues in that category.

But is that the best strategy? Since it's rare for a board to not be completely cleared anymore, would it be a better idea to wait until late in the game to play the category, in the hope that a Daily Double might be in there? That way, you'd have more money that you can wager because you know you'll know the correct response to any Jeopardy! clue about game shows.

The only downside to this strategy that I can see would be if one of your opponents decided to choose the category before you, and lucked into finding the box with the Daily Double before you had a chance to regain control of the board. Especially if they knew that you know a lot about game shows.

So is it worth the risk to play the category late in the game? Or should you just get the category out of the way as soon as possible?

--
Scott Robinson

clemon79 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 03, 2004, 08:44:22 PM »

[quote name=\'MSTieScott\' date=\'Apr 3 2004, 03:34 PM\'] So is it worth the risk to play the category late in the game? Or should you just get the category out of the way as soon as possible?
[/quote]
I say, never underestimate the value of momentum, confidence, and intimidation. If there is a category on that board that you KNOW, without QUESTION, you can run, you should grab it and go to town the second you get control. Reeling off five straight answers in DJ is a swing of six grand. On top of that, the slump could get your opponents off of your game, and you're gonna feel like you're on top of the world and ready to attack the rest of the board.

So, my call, nail it ASAP.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #2 on:** April 03, 2004, 09:49:48 PM »

[quote name=\'MSTieScott\' date=\'Apr 3 2004, 06:34 PM\'] The only downside to this strategy that I can see would be if one of your opponents decided to choose the category before you, and lucked into finding the box with the Daily Double before you had a chance to regain control of the board. Especially if they knew that you know a lot about game shows.
[/quote]
Yeah, especially if your opponent was going shopping for DDs without playing a category top-to-bottom, you could lose out on your dream clue.

My advice (I'm not sure I'd call it a "strategy") is to not give yourself a bunch of extra stuff to think about while you're playing. Pick the categories you like and let the DDs fall where they may. But I definitely see your point.

Jay Temple · « **Reply #3 on:** April 03, 2004, 10:10:19 PM »

I came up with a strategy, but I've never had a chance to try it. The simple version is for the Jeopardy! round. Until the Daily Double is uncovered, pick the clues in your second-best category until it's finished. Then pick the clues in your best category.

My rationale is that you'll have more money to bet on a DD in your best category if you go through your second-best category first. If it's not in your best category, there's no real advantage to finding it sooner or later.

The same principle applies in DJ, but starting with your third-best category because there are two DD's.

ETA: The key difference between my idea and what MSTie said is that if you're good at your second-best category and you get the choice early, you'll have lots of correct answers and not many wrong ones.

beatlefreak84 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 03, 2004, 11:42:44 PM »

I just know that, if it were me playing "Jeopardy!" and the category of "Game Shows" came up, the MILLISECOND I had control, I'd start picking clues in it. Why? The intimidation factor.

Everybody that gets on "Jeopardy!" is smart; hell, most of them are smarter than me! So, having the brains to get the questions is a given; the rest of the game deals with luck, momentum, and intimidation. You obviously can't control luck, so why not go for the two things that you CAN?

Personally, I'd love to see the looks on my opponents' faces after running a category; time and time again, I've noticed flustered opponents after somebody runs a category on the show and it usually takes a good 2-3 clues to get back on track; run it early, and you could be the one setting the pace for the rest of the game. Plus, with the amount of confidence one would gain by getting 5 in a row, suddenly that "Advanced Quantum Physics" category doesn't seem so hard anymore, right?

So, in short: Who cares about the "Daily Double?" Just get the money that you know you can get and the rest will fall into place (in fact, getting a "Daily Double" would probably scare me to death because I'd have to answer the question and be forced to either gain or lose money; at least, with the rest of the clues, I can simply lay my thumb to rest!).

Anthony

trainman · « **Reply #5 on:** April 04, 2004, 12:09:04 AM »

Another variable here is the sometimes misleading or non-obvious category titles. My dream category came up in a Double Jeopardy! round about a year ago...but it was called "Well Trained," and I didn't realize it was five clues about trains right off the bat. I don't think the contestants on that show had any idea what it was going to be about, either, because they saved it for last.

gameshowguy2000 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 04, 2004, 07:37:44 PM »

Good strategies. When Alex introduces the categories, if ANY of those are up your alley, Go for them, and be quick with that ring-in device, because your opponents might know them, too.

Brandon Brooks · « **Reply #7 on:** April 04, 2004, 08:24:42 PM »

[quote name=\'gameshowguy2000\' date=\'Apr 4 2004, 06:37 PM\'] Go for them, and be quick with that ring-in device, because your opponents might know them, too. [/quote]
Really?

Brandon Brooks

Neumms · « **Reply #8 on:** April 04, 2004, 10:43:15 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Apr 3 2004, 09:49 PM\'] [/QUOTE]
Yeah, especially if your opponent was going shopping for DDs without playing a category top-to-bottom, you could lose out on your dream clue.

My advice (I'm not sure I'd call it a "strategy") is to not give yourself a bunch of extra stuff to think about while you're playing. Pick the categories you like and let the DDs fall where they may. But I definitely see your point. [/quote]
Doesn't the shopping for Daily Doubles ploy make a lot of sense? The only concrete advantage of selecting is hitting a DD, so why on earth don't more players play the bottom half of the board first? Even if you don't have much money to wager, better you find the DD's than your opponents. (Or am I cracked?)

Another question--In earlier years of Alex's version, wasn't it far less common that they would get to every question on each board? With the Clue Crew and extra commercials, it doesn't seem logical but I'd swear that's the case. (Not getting to all the questions would make selecting a bigger issue, of course.)

zachhoran · « **Reply #9 on:** April 04, 2004, 11:17:34 PM »

[quote name=\'Neumms\' date=\'Apr 4 2004, 09:43 PM\']
Another question--In earlier years of Alex's version, wasn't it far less common that they would get to every question on each board? With the Clue Crew and extra commercials, it doesn't seem logical but I'd swear that's the case. (Not getting to all the questions would make selecting a bigger issue, of course.) [/quote]
In the first Trebek season, they NEVER got through the entire board before time ran out. It became more common once the show found its niche a couple years later.

In this age of more commercials, I wouldn't be totally shocked to see J! go to 5 categories per round(25 questions) within the next five to ten years. Hopefully it doesn't happen, but chances are that they'd get to every question more often.

Robert Hutchinson · « **Reply #10 on:** April 05, 2004, 05:43:02 AM »

[quote name=\'Neumms\' date=\'Apr 4 2004, 09:43 PM\']Doesn't the shopping for Daily Doubles ploy make a lot of sense? The only concrete advantage of selecting is hitting a DD, so why on earth don't more players play the bottom half of the board first? Even if you don't have much money to wager, better you find the DD's than your opponents. (Or am I cracked?)[/quote]
I disagree that the only concrete advantage of selecting is hitting a Daily Double. I'd much rather pick the categories I know, in order, so as to have a good chance of building up enough money that I wouldn't need to worry too much about my opponents finding Daily Doubles.

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #11 on:** April 05, 2004, 08:55:24 AM »

Quote

Doesn't the shopping for Daily Doubles ploy make a lot of sense? The only concrete advantage of selecting is hitting a DD, so why on earth don't more players play the bottom half of the board first?

I'm sure there are many good reasons why contestants usually go top-to-bottom, but to me that gets boring after a while. I'd like to see contestants take categories out of order more often. I'm surprised that it doesn't happen more often especially after Alex announces "less than a minute left". If there's a full category to go, and you're several thousand behind, why not take the $2000 clue first to try to catch up before time runs out? Yet I see manycontestants still play it in order and quite frequently the $2000 clue remains unplayed.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #12 on:** April 05, 2004, 12:05:02 PM »

[quote name=\'Neumms\' date=\'Apr 4 2004, 10:43 PM\'] Doesn't the shopping for Daily Doubles ploy make a lot of sense? The only concrete advantage of selecting is hitting a DD, so why on earth don't more players play the bottom half of the board first? Even if you don't have much money to wager, better you find the DD's than your opponents. (Or am I cracked?) [/quote]
You're not cracked, that's certainly one valid strategy. Still, there's something to be said about building up a bank first, as well as the intangible advantage of finding a rhythm by starting at the top of a category (or, for that matter, of running a category).

(I also know perfectly well that this shouldn't be a factor when you play, but shopping around doesn't make you any friends on the production team, from Alex to the director to the poor stagehand who operates the board!)

Neumms · « **Reply #13 on:** April 05, 2004, 02:13:51 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Apr 5 2004, 11:05 AM\']
You're not cracked, that's certainly one valid strategy. Still, there's something to be said about building up a bank first, as well as the intangible advantage of finding a rhythm by starting at the top of a category (or, for that matter, of running a category).
[/quote]
Thanks. I must say, while this doesn't keep me up at night, I've long wondered about that. I'd agree, too, that momentum is a good thing, and that it might impact a player's state of mind to see Alex sneer at him because of how he plays.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #14 on:** April 05, 2004, 02:53:51 PM »

[quote name=\'Neumms\' date=\'Apr 5 2004, 02:13 PM\'] Thanks. I must say, while this doesn't keep me up at night, I've long wondered about that. I'd agree, too, that momentum is a good thing, and that it might impact a player's state of mind to see Alex sneer at him because of how he plays. [/quote]
And as I said, it's not just Alex. The contestant coordinators definitely encourage you to go top-to-bottom, but they do make it clear that you don't have to (except in rare circumstances).

Personally, I've always wondered why they didn't just change the rules and require players to go from the top down. Ninety percent or more do anyway, and since it's a pain for the production people and probably distracting to some viewers to do it differently, why not just forbid it?