Friday, May 8, 2015

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For those of you who found Louis Virtel’s appearance annoying, I have just one response for you:

(h/t Josh Woo)

Now that’s what you call some good television.

After dethroning three-time champ Scott Ylinen yesterday from second, Andrew Haringer is hoping to do the same with Louis.

Andrew Haringer	Mary Green	Louis Virtel
15,400	10,000	16,000

We’ll deal with this Final Jeopardy! category:

HISTORIC SITES

First-order calculations

Second doubles up

If Andrew doubles his score, he’ll have 30,800.

To cover this all-in wager, Louis will need to wager 14,800.

Andrew		Mary		Louis
15,400		10,000		16,000
15,400				14,800
30,800				30,800
min	max	min	max	min	max
				14,800

An incorrect response with that wager will leave Louis with 1,200.

To stay above his total, Andrew can wager up to 14,200.

Mary can wager up to 8,800.

Andrew		Mary		Louis
15,400		10,000		16,000
14,200		8,800		14,800
1,200		1,200		1,200
min	max	min	max	min	max
	14,200		8,800	14,800

Third doubles up

A successful doubling will put Mary at 20,000.

To cover this, Andrew should wager at least 4,600.

Louis would need to wager at least 4,000.

Andrew		Mary		Louis
15,400		10,000		16,000
4,600		10,000		4,000
20,000		20,000		20,000
min	max	min	max	min	max
4,600	14,200		8,800	14,800
				4,000

Mary would need to wager at least 800 to get above Andrew…

Andrew		Mary		Louis
15,400		10,000		16,000
4,600		2,000		4,000
10,800		12,000		12,000
min	max	min	max	min	max
4,600	14,200	2,000	8,800	14,800
		800
				4,000

…and 2,000 to get above Louis.

Here’s where things stand after the first order:

Andrew		Mary		Louis
15,400		10,000		16,000
FIRST-ORDER		SECOND-ORDER		COVER ZERO
min	max	min	max	min	max
4,600	14,200	2,000	8,800	14,800
		800
				4,000

Second-order calculations

Louis and Andrew are too close for any mind games to make sense there. And Mary needs to be right against a rational Andrew wager to have a shot, so nothing doing with her, either. Unusual!

Zero wagers

Score differences:
Louis and Andrew: 600
Louis and Mary: 6,000
Andrew and Mary: 5,400

Andrew		Mary		Louis
15,400		10,000		16,000
FIRST-ORDER		SECOND-ORDER		COVER ZERO
min	max	min	max	min	max
4,600	5,400	6,000	8,800	14,800
	10,800	2,000		4,800	6,000

Then we add a dollar to the minimum wagers, and subtract a dollar from the maximum wagers.

What actually happened

Andrew		Mary		Louis
15,400		10,000		16,000
15,400		9,500		14,801
30,800		500		1,199
min	max	min	max	min	max
4,601	5,399	6,001	8,799	14,801
	10,799	2,001		4,801	5,999

Had Andrew missed, Louis would have won with $1,199. No reason for either of the two trailers’ wagers.

In any event, Andrew has now won 2 games and $39,599. He’ll go for three on Monday.

The Final Jeopardy! clue

HISTORIC SITES

ON AUGUST 15, 1941 CONVICTED NAZI SPY JOSEF JAKOBS BECAME THE LAST PERSON TO BE PUT TO DEATH HERE

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