Jay Fisher's Bold Jeopardy! Strategy and Another Jay's Trivia Record Attempt

A Jeopardy! contestant named Jay Fisher recently shared a pretty surprising strategy. He said he planned to lose his game that aired on a Wednesday. His reasoning makes a lot of sense, especially with how the Champions Wildcard Tournament works. This unexpected approach caught many viewers off guard. You do not usually expect a player to aim for anything but first place on Jeopardy!

In this Champions Wildcard Tournament episode, the players were returning champ Drew Goins, Jay Fisher, and Aiden Orzech. Drew Goins had a big lead in the first two rounds. At the first break, Goins had $2,200, Fisher had $200, and Orzech was at -$200. By the second break, Goins was at $5,000, Fisher at $2,400, and Orzech at $400. Orzech struggled to catch up and ended up with -$2,400 going into Final Jeopardy. But Fisher made a good comeback. He got close enough to stop Goins from winning with a runaway. Fisher’s score going into the final round was $15,400, and Goins’ was $23,400.

The Final Jeopardy round ended up being a bit dull because no one wagered anything. This happened because of the tournament’s specific rules. In Champions Wildcard, the player with the highest total money amount wins. This gives players an extra reason not to lose any points. Also, the top four non-winners with the highest money totals get to move on to the semifinals as wildcards. Losing is not the worst outcome in this kind of tournament. Fisher actually planned for a loss in his strategy for this game.

Jay Fisher Reveals His Unexpected Game Plan for the Champions Wildcard Tournament

Why Not Aiming for First Place Actually Made More Sense for This Jeopardy! Player

Jay Fisher shared and explained his strategy on the Jeopardy! Reddit board. He said his wagers on the Daily Doubles were all about getting his score up. He did not necessarily aim to win the game itself. Fisher wagered $2,000 and $1,800 on the two Daily Doubles he found. He answered both of them correctly. This helped him get to his target score without risking too much. It was a calculated move. He wanted to make sure he had a good chance of getting a wildcard spot.

Fisher wrote online "I expect there may be some grumbling on the board about gameplay in this tournament format. I went into the game not trying to win." He explained his thinking. "From my research I posited that $14,000-$16,000 would give me a great chance of advancing as a wild card if I didn’t win. When I wagered on the DDs my goal was not to get ahead of Drew but to get to $14,000. The potential harm from missing was higher than the potential benefit of getting it right.” This shows he thought hard about the tournament rules.

He also talked about his opponents. "Drew was Drew. A powerhouse on the buzzer with an amazing range of knowledge.” He added that "Aiden had a bad day on the buzzer and in tournament play it is hard to get your momentum back. Another day he could easily have won." Fisher finished his post saying "Tomorrow or Friday we will see if my survive and advance was successful.” His plan was all about getting a spot in the next round. He was not focused on beating Drew directly in that specific game. It was a smart way to play the tournament. Many fans praised his cleverness.

Beyond the Wildcard: More Surprising Moments from Jay Fisher's Jeopardy! Journey

From Elvis's Diapers to a Brief Stint as a Senator, Jay Fisher's Other Claims to Fame

Jay Fisher has had a few other interesting moments on Jeopardy!. He later earned a third win. This happened even with a Final Jeopardy clue that many called "ruthless." Viewers have noticed the clues have been harder lately. After two games where no one got the Final Jeopardy correct, Jay stepped up and got the answer right. He definitely showed his knowledge. Fans online were quick to praise his music savvy. One Redditor wrote "Final Jeopardies have been ruthless this week, so congratulations to Jay for nailing this one."

He is also known for beating a nine-day champion named Isaac Hirsch. Isaac lost because of a math mistake, over-wagering by a huge amount. Isaac even held up his pink scrap paper after the game. It showed he realized his error after it was too late. This made Jay a "giant killer" in the eyes of many viewers. It was one of the season's biggest upsets. Jay rarely misses when he buzzes in. He has answered 55 clues correctly and only five incorrectly overall. This shows he is a truly strong player.

Jay Fisher has some fun stories from his life outside of Jeopardy! too. He shared a surprising family connection to Graceland. "One of my father’s jobs in high school, he worked for a landscaping company, so he planted trees at Graceland," he explained. "And my maternal grandfather had a business doing screen doors and screen windows. So he did some repairs at Graceland of Elvis’ windows. So, yes, we have a family connection to Graceland.” He also shared a funny story about Elvis’s daughter. “And back before disposable diapers, people used diaper services. So, one day, the doorbell rang, and my mother answered the door, and the driver was extremely excited. And he said, ‘Mrs Fisher, you won’t believe it. I have Lisa Marie Presley’s dirty diapers in my truck.’”

In another episode, Jay revealed he was a senator in his home state of Illinois for a very short time. He served for a whopping 22 hours. "The new governor called a lame duck session and I got down there at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, made some votes that afternoon and the next morning and then the new general assembly were sworn in, so my tenure was over," he said. He joked about it, adding "Never figured out where the bathroom was and probably the only Illinois politician to lose money on the deal because I didn't get the salary or per diem.” If Jay gets a fourth win, he might be the last contestant of Season 40 to make it to the Tournament of Champions. That season ends soon.

Another Jay Making Waves: Plainfield Resident Jay Borsom's Epic Trivia Marathon Goal

Hosting 36 Hours of Nonstop Trivia to Set a Guinness World Record

Now, let's talk about a different Jay. Jay Borsom, a resident of Plainfield, is not the same Jay Fisher from the Jeopardy! tournament. But she is also making headlines with her own amazing trivia efforts. On June 7, Jay Borsom plans to host trivia for 36 hours straight. She will do this at Critical Grind Board Game Cafe in Shorewood. If she pulls this off, she will hold the record for "Longest Marathon as a Quiz Master" in the Guinness World Records. That is a serious trivia challenge!

Borsom told a reporter that the idea of a record for this "spoke to me." She felt it was something she could do physically and that she had the place and resources to do it. There is a catch though. To qualify for the Guinness World Record, at least two teams of four people have to be there for the entire time. Borsom also has to ask one trivia question every minute. She only gets 10-minute breaks each hour. This means she will ask over 2,000 questions during the whole event. She is used to faster-paced trivia games. She has owned an entertainment company, Liquid Kourage Entertainment, since 2003 and has hosted pub trivia since 2009.

At the time of publication, she was "about halfway through" preparing all the trivia content. She is not doing it alone. Borsom has help from the Trivia Writers Cooperative. Other independent trivia hosts and writers have sent her question sets to help her. This shows a great community spirit. It takes a lot of work to put together that many questions. She has many people backing her up which is good to see.

Jay Borsom's Unplanned Jeopardy! Appearance Before Her World Record Attempt

The Trivia Host's Unexpected TV Debut and How Her Cafe Is Supporting the Big Event

Jay Borsom will also be coming off a separate trivia high. She had an unplanned appearance on Jeopardy! just three days before her world record attempt. "It's going to be an insane week for me," Borsom said. She explained that she had "no say in the timing of that" but felt it "worked out so beautifully." This is a pretty wild coincidence, having her Jeopardy! appearance right before her record-breaking trivia marathon. It truly makes it an unforgettable week for her.

Critical Grind cafe will be open for the entire event to "keep snacks and caffeine flowing." This is according to owner Dana Buxbaum. Buxbaum believes they are the only cafe in the area to do anything like this. She also thinks they are the only board game cafe in the Chicago suburbs. This is a pretty cool claim. Buxbaum hopes the event will bring more people to her cafe. Borsom is a "huge fan" of the cafe. She said her love for the place and its owners led to the partnership. She feels the cafe has given her a "found family" and a "third space."

To officially get the world record, Borsom has to video-record the whole event. She also needs to print every question she asks. Two independent witnesses must be present at all times. Also, two independent timekeepers must sign off on log books for the entire 36 hours. Locals who want to join can sign up for four-hour slots for $25 per person. Borsom is giving 20 percent of each ticket sale to Tabletop Gaymers. This is a nonprofit that helps ensure gaming venues are safe places. The game will also be streamed on Twitch. Money raised through Twitch will go to Trans Lifeline. Borsom said this is "absolutely the most important cause in my life the last several years." It is great to see her use this big event to support causes she cares about.