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Any Jeopardy fans here?

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Chat' started by Kickin, Feb 28, 2014.

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  1. Kickin

    Kickin Flea

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    I DVR it and watch it every night. I really like this latest champ Arthur Chu. But he's become an internet phenomena and has a very vocal crowd that hates him so much (though there are a lot more fans). So many news outlets have written articles about it this sensation with him.

    I think he's great because he just exploits the game theory angle of the game better than anyone. And his success speaks for itself. Past champions and contestants also defend him vehemently.

    What do you think of him? And have any of you ever tried to get on the show?
     
  2. luvstp

    luvstp High-Roller

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    I think the guy is great! We DVR and watch it every night too. It does make it harder to follow since he doesn't go down each category systematically, but it keeps other players off balance because he is just that good.

    It is ridiculous to me to see all the negative things being said about him.......so what if he doesn't do what everybody else does? He's doing great and the goal is to win, isn't it? Good for him to be such a great player and I hope he can top Ken Jennings record.

    Never auditioned.....but it would be fun. My problem is my background is math and science and I would get slaughtered on all the history, art and literature questions......of which there are many.
     
  3. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    I DVR it every night but I'm a bit behind (I just watched the college championship final last night). I saw him before the college tourney though and I don't really get the criticism.

    There have been several folks who have used a bit of strategy in the past. I don't get why this guy becomes the villain.

    I suppose the fact that he is pretty annoying and lacks any sort of personality probably comes into play. But he's not interviewing for a talk show host job, he's trying to win money. I say kudos to him! Hope he keeps winning.
     
  4. grosx2

    grosx2 Have fun storming the castle!

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    I'm a fan as well. I've found the Arthur Chu backlash pretty humorous. All the people bitching about him need to take the stick out of their ass. He isn't breaking any rules, so what's the complaint? He won't challenge Jennings' record as he's not nearly as knowledgable, but he'll be fun to watch while he sticks around.
     
  5. dfalk

    dfalk VIP Whale

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    I've been watching it, that guy is one smart cookie. I love when someone on Jeopardy goes on a roll like that, makes it alot more fun to watch.
     
  6. Big Tip

    Big Tip VIP Whale

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    I enjoy trying to figure out his strategy, but he is a stick in the mud.

    I will use this thread to lobby for a change in Jeopardy. I emailed them once suggesting that when a clue is picked and fills our screen, I want the category written in small print at the bottom. The TV players can always see what category they are in, but we home viewers can't. Not always, but a lot of the time, it is important to know the category to answer correctly.

    Okay, semi-rant off!
     
  7. chef

    chef Resident Buffetologist

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    Rarely do I watch TV, but when I do, it's for college and pro football and Jeopardy.
    Whether you like Chu or not, have to respect his smarts. I like him.

    I've tried twice to get on Jeopardy, but have never gotten past the on-line test that are periodically given.
     
  8. dfalk

    dfalk VIP Whale

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    Its a stragety called the Forrest Bounce. Some guy named Chuck Forrest played this way back in the 80's and someone gave it that name.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Forrest

    EDIT: DAMNIT I totally missed it tonight (friday) did he win?
     
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2014
  9. RebelDiceMan

    RebelDiceMan VIP Whale

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    I don't give any credibility to the people who complain about his style of play. He is the one who clawed his way to the top of the Jeopardy mountain. He can play any way that he wants to. I have taken the on-line Jeopardy test twice. It is pretty hard. Back when the Regis version of Millionaire was going around the country doing auditions, I traveled to three different auditions (Birmingham, Jackson, Memphis) and passed the contestant test all three times I took it. At the time, they had around a 10%-14% pass rate at the auditions. The Jeopardy on-line test was much harder.

    BTW-While I have yet to experience much success with the Jeopardy quest, I have been Coast-To-Coast courtesy of game shows. My girlfriend (The Baboo) took me to New York City when she was a contestant on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and I took her to Los Angeles when I was a contestant on Wheel of Fortune.

    If either of us can make it to Jeopardy, we will have the holy trinity of game shows on our resume.
     
  10. Kickin

    Kickin Flea

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    Yup, and it was a good game. He started off poorly but came back strong. He didn't have a lock going into Final Jeopardy as he's had so many times. The second player had slightly more than half of Arthur's total so he was still at risk. The FJ question was super easy though and everyone got it. The other two players gave him a run for his money though.

    There is a Jeopardy board (http://jboard.tv/) that he's been posting on since his appearance on the show. There are also several other past contestants and champions that post there. I didn't realize they tape 5 episodes in a single day, so today's episode (Fri) was the 5th game he played that day. He explained on that board how tiring that was and how he was drenched in sweat by the end during his first full day of competing.

    Big Tip, I've seen that idea proposed by someone on that Jeopardy board as well. Its a good idea and I think if more players start employing the "Forrest Bounce" they may add it in. That seems to be the haters biggest complaint, that they can't follow along with the categories when he jumps around so much.
     
  11. dfalk

    dfalk VIP Whale

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    Cool, ill have to check it out. Ya they tape all the shows for the week in 1 day. I read a few ask me anythings on Jeopardy not to long ago that you learn alot from. Worth the read if you're bored.

    Ken Jennings newer one
    http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/14gkj7/i_am_jeopardys_ken_jennings_my_new_book_because_i

    Ken's older one
    http://www.reddit.com/comments/fwpzj/iama_74time_jeopardy_champion_ken_jennings_i_will/

    And A guy named Ben who won 7.5 games
    http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1i4g6i/hi_im_ben_i_won_seven_and_a_half_games_on/
     
  12. dfalk

    dfalk VIP Whale

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    Poor Aurthur got his ass whopped today. 11 day champ with something like $295K in winnings, not to shabby.
     
  13. Kickin

    Kickin Flea

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    Ugh that was a rough game for him, he was playing worse this entire week but today he never got his usual momentum. The girl who won played well though, she deserved it. I would've liked to see Arthur keep going, he was exciting to watch. Guess we'll have to wait until the Tournament of Champions....
     
  14. luvstp

    luvstp High-Roller

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    Betting in double jeopardy on a true daily double in philosophy was a big mistake. He went for the jugular instead of just a nice lead. I thought yesterday's show was rough for him too as he got the axe on a couple of mispronounced words. You could see his frustration building.

    Good run for him though--he was fun to watch.
     
  15. ardee

    ardee It's only money.

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    I really disliked him, so I am so glad he is gone. Now Jeopardy! will be fun to watch again.
     
  16. luvstp

    luvstp High-Roller

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    Why did you dislike him?

    Now the brain tribe on Survivor is clearly something to dislike.
     
  17. Vegas Insight

    Vegas Insight MIA

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    In theory, but even had he wagered conservatively, in the end it wouldn't have mattered. Had he nailed the DD, he still fails in FJ and loses the game.

    As for the oh-so confusing method of bouncing. I don't buy it. He knows he's going to bounce, but it's not as if he is mentally plotting which category to bounce to and reviewing his mental inventory of knowledge on the subject before he moves to that column. The only advantage he has is that he is picking the category. He needs to switch gears and answer quickly in a different category, too, just like those dumbfounded challengers.

    I suppose if you don't have the benefit of seeing him play before you're up against him, there's a bigger element of surprise, but I don't buy the idea that changing categories is so unsettling that challengers are reduced to drooling idiots.

    I could never cut it on Jeopardy. But I think I'm a cut above at Wheel of Fortune. Maybe some day I'll finally live out my lifelong dream to be on a game show.
     
  18. Vegas Insight

    Vegas Insight MIA

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    It's not much fun when a contestant runs away with the game, like Jennings did many times, but for a while it's fun to see somebody win more than a handful. It doesn't happen all that often. Had Chu won 40 in a row the novelty would be worn off, other than the interest in seeing how close he might come to Jennings, but it was fun to see somebody dominate the game for a while. It was more interesting as of late to see how long he could remain king of the mountain. Unless the woman that beat him today runs off 10 in a row, it's going to be less fun to watch.
     
  19. Kickin

    Kickin Flea

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    That IS the advantage. It is the only advantage you have when you're choosing categories. If you just select the next question in the category like most people do you cede that advantage. No one ever said it reduces the challengers to "drooling idiots", you just made that assertion up so you can disagree with it.

    His strategy that has helped him win so many games has been based on exploiting the game theory angle of the game. Much like an advantage player in a casino making use of every advantage they can get.

    Agreed though that it wouldn't have mattered if he won that DJ question. When it came up I knew he was going to make it a true daily double. Seeing him down at zero that late in the game was kind of crazy since by that point he usually has a whopping lead.
     
  20. Vegas Insight

    Vegas Insight MIA

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    I exaggerate by using the term drooling idiots, but I disagree with the trauma it causes players to not know if the next question is about Shakespeare or Miley Cyrus. It's not as if Chu gets to pick what the categories are. It's not as if he gets to pick a board devoid of sports categories because he is picking different categories every turn.

    If some find that jumping between categories is mind boggling, more power to them. I watched Sale of the Century for years, and every question was about something different than the last question, yet it didn't cripple the contestants.

    If I know the answers to questions about baseball, state history and Vegas casinos, bouncing back and forth and not knowing which is next is not going to bother me. Again, if that's a handicap for others, then bravo to Chu for exploiting it.

    If you're a contestant on Jeoopardy and you're discombobulated by not knowing if your next question is about the Civil War or David Letterman, I have to wonder how you passed the tests to be a contestant in the first place.

    By the way, has any of Chu's opponents, sans one, gone on the record and stated how dizzying and handicapping it is to play it Chu's way?
     
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