‘JIT’ Semifinals Set up Huge 2022 ‘TOC’ Rematch — Fans React

Another champion has been crowned on Jeopardy!‘s Invitational Tournament, and it looks like we very well could be heading towards a repeat matchup in the upcoming Jeopardy! Masters primetime event on ABC.

On Wednesday’s semifinals, Sam Kavanaugh, Andrew He, and Larissa Kelly faced off for the chance to advance and face off with the first JIT winner, Amy Schneider.

The first round found Kelly getting just one answer wrong of 13 buzz-ins — unfortunately, though, it was on a true Daily Double. Meanwhile, Kavanaugh struggled at the outset, and while He had fewer correct answers than Kelly, he had more money, leading with $5,600 to Kelly’s $4,000 and Kavanaugh’s $800.

Double Jeopardy was a similar story. Only, this time, it was He who got both of the Daily Doubles (and answered them correctly). By the end of the round, He had a runaway lead with a whopping $32,000 to Kelly’s $13,200 and Kavanaugh’s $9,200.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, He did not choose to risk any of that loot in the Final Jeopardy round, even though he ultimately got the answer right. In the category “Physicists,” the clue was: “This man with a force named after him published an 1835 scientific treatise on the physics of billiard balls.” Knowing they had no chance to win, both contestants declined to enter a guess and instead wrote in well wishes for He. He, on the other hand, got it right by guessing “Who is Coriolis?”

With that, He will face off with Tuesday night’s winner Amy Schneider once again, after the two faced off in the 2022 Tournament of Champions. What’s perhaps even more surprising is the event might become a true double of its own. On Thursday’s matchup, the three remaining contenders will face off for that third spot in Jeopardy Masters: Matt Jackson, Sam Buttrey, and Victoria George. If Buttrey manages to take the win, that will mean it’s the same trio of contestants as there were in 2022, when Schneider took home the $250,000 prize.

Fans are reacting to the potential repeat already with mixed feelings. For some, the possibility is funny: “Would be hilarious if Sam won tomorrow,” wrote on fan on Reddit. For others, it’s a bit of a letdown, as another fan observed, “It’s a little anti-climatic that there’s a chance we will basically see the 2022 ToC for the second time.”

Jeopardy!, weeknights, ABC