Daily analysis, Monday, May 12 – Battle of the Decades, SF #1
| Battle of the Decades – knockout rounds | |||||||||
| Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Finals | |||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| preliminary round | |||||||||
Let’s get it on. (Here’s my preview.)
Ken was one coin-flip away from locking this one up before Final – but his 6,000 misstep let Chuck back into the mix.
Ken Jennings: 18,600
Russ Schumacher: 1,600
Chuck Forrest: 15,200
The Final Jeopardy! category: 19th CENTURY POEMS
Chuck has been known to go large out of second, but he played for the wild card on Friday. What will he do here?
Basic strategy
Ken should wager 11,801 to lock out Chuck.
Chuck should wager at least 6,800 to cover an “unsafe” wager by Ken, and no more than 8,400 to stay above him if they both miss.
Russ is eliminated, as he has less than the difference between Ken and Chuck.
Mind games
Ken might wager 5,001 to lock out a rational wager by Chuck.
Chuck might respond by wagering no more than 1,600. This won’t cover a zero wager by Ken, however, …
… so Ken might cap his wager at 1,799 to stay above Chuck regardless, should Chuck go really small.
Bahahaha. As if.
Ken claims the first finalist position. Who will join him tomorrow?
The Final Jeopardy! clue for May 12, 2014 (19th CENTURY POEMS):
WRITTEN ABOUT THE U.S. OCCUPATION OF THE PHILIPPINES, A KIPLING POEM SAID, “TAKE UP” THIS NOW-CONTROVERSIAL PHRASE
Correct response: What is the white man’s burden?
Ken had a lock-up and put it at risk with that bet, since both doubles would be out. Very surprising for him.
All else the same, had Ken responded correctly on that Daily Double, he would have barely had a lock heading into Final (30,600 – 15,200). He made a good play.