Friday, May 29, 2015

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So many parts of tonight’s game were utterly absurd. Maybe I need to drink again tonight.

Let’s start with Alex’s introduction. C’mon, man – you don’t need to give away Dan’s wagering strategies! (Or maybe he really hates me and wanted to put me on some needles.)

There we saw his terrible segue into Andrew’s interview segment about proposing in a graveyard because he wanted his girlfriend’s late relatives to participate in their union. Alex assumed that he was a weirdo, and made a really beautiful story tremendously awkward. Then the Semper Fi for Autumn.

Then a $4,000 wager on a Daily Double, and another DD wager to pull into a tie(!) with very little time remaining, then a $4,000 swing on the last clue. (THAT NUMBER)

Anyway, this is straightforward. /rant

Dan Feitel	Autumn Swinford	Andrew Lasken
11,200	5,400	7,200

First-order calculations

Second doubles up

If Andrew doubles his score, he’ll have 14,400.

To cover this all-in wager, Dan will need to wager 3,200.

Dan		Autumn		Andrew
11,200		5,400		7,200
3,200				7,200
14,400				14,400
min	max	min	max	min	max
3,200

An incorrect response with that wager will leave Dan with 8,000.

To get above his total, Andrew and Autumn must respond correctly to have a shot, so all-in is the way to go.

Dan		Autumn		Andrew
11,200		5,400		7,200
3,200		2,600		800
8,000		8,000		8,000
min	max	min	max	min	max
3,200		2,600*		800*

Andrew should wager at least 3,600 to cover Autumn.

Dan		Autumn		Andrew
11,200		5,400		7,200
400		5,400		3,600
10,800		10,800		10,800
min	max	min	max	min	max
3,200		2,600*		3,600*
	400

What actually happened

Dan		Autumn		Andrew
11,200		5,400		7,200
3,201		5,400		4,001
14,401		0		3,199
min	max
3,201	3,999	5,400		7,200
	399

I am tempted to give Autumn a yellow or something there, but since Alex spilled the beans, it was unlikely that she would cost herself too much. Still, maybe holding back the $2 wouldn’t have hurt.

Andrew gets a pink because he doesn’t cover that unlikely 399 wager out of Dan (to guarantee he doesn’t lose to Autumn.)

Dan has now won 4 games and $99,999. Nice total – almost as good as Vaughn Winchell’s $103,103.

The Final Jeopardy! clue

COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

MENS ET MANUS, “MIND AND HAND”, IS THE MOTTO OF THIS UNIVERSITY WHOSE ALUMNI INCLUDE I.M. PEI, AMAR BOSE AND RICHARD FEYNMAN

[spoiler]What is MIT?[/spoiler]

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