# Jeopardy! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 10, 2003, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050 "2003-02-10T06:02:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_of\_Sandwhich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/91b2a8/32.png) [@Earl\_of\_Sandwhich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_of_Sandwhich)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/1 "2003-02-10T06:02:35Z")
When you watch Jeopardy!, do you root for a particular contestant, or do you just try to question the answers? I mostly do the latter, but sometimes a contestant will do something that endears me to him or her: if, upon risking it all, he says “Alex, I’d like to make this a true Daily Double,” he will fall into my favor. People who clear categories are another favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/2 "2003-02-10T06:15:09Z")
If there is an attractive woman playing, I will root for her. I was so disappointed to find out recently that the contestants are given a study guide ahead of time. (at least, that’s what I heard) I mainly like watching to see Trebeck be an asshole to the contestants. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/3 "2003-02-10T09:29:01Z")
Former _Jeopardy!_ champion here. No, contestants are **not** given a study guide ahead of time. Not only are contestants not told even what categories will be in the game, they are not allowed contact before the game with anyone (from Alex Trebeck on down) who has seen the categories, clues or answers for that day’s tapings. ---
**Author:** ![senor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@senor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/senor)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/4 "2003-02-10T10:38:05Z")
My question to Mr. Walloon, You must be very knowledgable. Someone who wins one game at Jeopardy must know a very wide variety of subject content obviously. If the subjects were of history and social studies/science plus US presidents I would be a champion. If the subjects were about Ballet, womens fashions, and Nebraska, I would be screwed. Could someone be screwed on categories one day and a reletive poo poo head win the game on silly knowledge like those described above? I cheered for the blind dude who played a couple of years back. He was in the Tournament of Champions, did not win, but did some damage. SENOR ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/5 "2003-02-10T13:41:25Z")
Yeah, that Eddie guy. He whupped some butt! ---
**Author:** ![Grasshopper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f19dbf/32.png) [@Grasshopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grasshopper)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/6 "2003-02-10T16:28:34Z")
It’s easier for contestants to make me dislike them than it is for a contestant to endear himself/herself to me. I usually root for whoever seems the least stuck-up, so many of the people are snotty, it drives me crazy. Particularly annoying - when a person gives an answer, then chooses the next clue without waiting for Alex to tell them they were correct, errrgh. ---
**Author:** ![jacquilynne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/67e7ee/32.png) [@jacquilynne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacquilynne)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/7 "2003-02-10T17:02:35Z")
By default, I’ll support a chick over guys, unless she does something incredibly annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/8 "2003-02-10T17:32:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by senor \* > **Could someone be screwed on categories one day and a reletive poo poo head win the game on silly knowledge like those described above?** Yes. ---
**Author:** ![MisterThyristor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@MisterThyristor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MisterThyristor)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/9 "2003-02-10T19:55:48Z")
I don’t know if anyone else feels this way, but as a viewer I prefer it when the contestant runs the category from the top down, from easiest to hardest. It annoys me when they skip around. (Not skipping around the categories, but skipping around the difficulty level). When the contestant runs a category from the top down, I can often run the category with them. (answering before they do, of course). Skipping around just destroys the rhythm of the game. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/10 "2003-02-10T20:59:18Z")
I never care who wins, but i do like it to be close enough at the end of the second round that Final Jeopardy actually has an impact. If the first-placed person has more than twice the score of the second-placed person, then all the interest is gone for me, because the winner is already decided. I worry less about this, however, than about answering as many questions as i can. Some nights i can answer just about everything on the board; other nights i don’t do so well at all. It really is a crapshoot, with the catgeories you get on any particular night being the key in determining your success rate. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/11 "2003-02-10T20:59:50Z")
Mostly I just try to answer, but like Tangent, I sometimes root for the hot woman. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/12 "2003-02-10T21:53:26Z")
I’m with **GrassHopper**. Usually I root for the person I don’t dislike, or the person who _doesn’t_ seem like an ass. But at least a third of the time, I don’t care who wins and just (try to) answer the questions. ---
**Author:** ![Frida\_s\_Boss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Frida\_s\_Boss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frida_s_Boss)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/13 "2003-02-10T22:20:12Z")
I always try to answer the questions, however, i dont get that many of them right. when i do i feel real smart… that is why a hate all the kid and college jeopardy, because getting a correct answer is not nearly as much fun. i always pull for someone… Eddie was my all time favorite… a brilliant, blind, sports reporter… that is a rare commodity ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_of\_Sandwhich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/91b2a8/32.png) [@Earl\_of\_Sandwhich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_of_Sandwhich)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/14 "2003-02-10T23:33:54Z")
I always feel better about myself when I am able to get a clue that none of the contestants knows. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/15 "2003-02-10T23:48:13Z")
You know what annoys me? When a player in Double Jeopardy who is way behind, who knows that Alex has given the minute warning, still persists in going for the $800 and $1600 questions, rather than going right for the $2000 and at least TRY to catch up. Now, I suppose that could be a legitimate strategic choice, based on difficulty of questions and not letting the player in the lead catch up, but c’mon, if you’re $5000+ out of the lead, why not? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/16 "2003-02-10T23:51:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Leaper \* > \*\*You know what annoys me? When a player in Double Jeopardy who is way behind, who knows that Alex has given the minute warning, still persists in going for the $800 and $1600 questions, rather than going right for the $2000 and at least TRY to catch up. Now, I suppose that could be a legitimate strategic choice, based on difficulty of questions and not letting the player in the lead catch up, but c’mon, if you’re $5000+ out of the lead, why not? \*\* There could be some good strategy to it, however, because IIRC the Double Jeopardy cards are usually behind the $1600 questions. And there’s no quicker way to catch someone than to bet all you’ve got on a Double Jeopardy question. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/17 "2003-02-11T00:32:37Z")
My proudest Jeopardy moment was a few weeks ago when they had Cosmology as one of the categories. All the contestants avoided it until it was all that was left and then I ran the category 🆒. I don’t even remember how many they got right because I was so happy to run a category that everyone was afraid of. ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/18 "2003-02-11T03:54:54Z")
Another former Jeopardy! champion [hence my Member name]. The contestants most certainly do not receive any kind of study guide ahead of time. We are all just really smart, or have a head full of otherwise useless information. I would disagree however that categories are the biggest factor in determining the winner. I think achieving a good rhythm on the buzzer is 90% of the game. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/19 "2003-02-11T16:19:35Z")
As a one-day loser (2nd place) I can back this up. I also never saw a study guide. The consolation prize was cool, though. ---
**Author:** ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050/20 "2003-02-11T16:56:59Z")
I tend to root for nice-looking women if there are any, or for the person who seems the most down-to-earth. Bookworms don’t do it for me. And I really liked Eddie too. However, I think that he did have an advantage in the game (though obviously not in life). Since he was given a sort of “text” version of each question, it seems to me that he could “read” the question faster than the seeing contestants. I’m probably wrong, though. Is it just me, or does anyone else just read the second half of the question on the screen while listening to Alex read the first half aloud? This way, I can sort of synthesize both parts and have an answer ready more quickly. And while we’re at it, does anyone phrase their responses as questions when you’re at home watching? I sure don’t–I know that’s the show’s gimmick and all, but I’ll just shout out “Washington” rather than “Who is Washington?” Sorry for the slight hijack. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeopardy/154050.md?page=2)