The Final Wager – Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Our third game with returning co-champs. How will it shake out?

For the second time this season, the challenger will take it (barring a bizarre wager). The scores:

Bill Albertini: 6,400
Jenica Jessen: 8,800
Ryan Alley: 19,800

The Final Jeopardy! category: AMERICAN-BORN AUTHORS

Basic strategy – first vs. second

Ryan has it locked up, and can wager up to 2,200.

Basic strategy – second vs. third

Given Bill is an English professor, you can assume he’ll wager everything. That almost forces Jenica to wager 4,000 to cover him.

Bill could wager at most 1,599. (In response, Jenica might cap hers at 800.)

What actually happened

Nice work, Bill, on getting this one! Now I want to make an appletini with some of your family’s liquor.

Congrats to Ryan – will he be party to this assumed tie tomorrow?

The Final Jeopardy! clue

AMERICAN-BORN AUTHORS

IN 1915 HIS REASONS FOR NATURALIZATION INCLUDED “HAVING LIVED AND WORKED IN ENGLAND FOR THE BEST PART OF 40 YEARS”

[spoiler]Who was Henry James?[/spoiler]