Jeopardy! Masters kicked off its quarterfinals on May 20, with an intense night of competitive trivia featuring six contestants vying for a chance to advance to the semifinals.
The first match showcased strong performances from returning champion Victoria Groce, 2011 Tournament of Champions winner Roger Craig, and current points leader Yogesh Raut, who had yet to face defeat in the tournament. Raut started off robustly, doubling his score with the first Daily Double, but Groce matched his energy by correctly answering 11 clues in the opening round, ultimately trailing Raut with a score of 5,800 to his 6,200.
Groce carried her momentum into the Double Jeopardy segment, where she answered a remarkable 21 clues correctly and secured a Daily Double. Heading into Final Jeopardy, Groce took the lead with 15,800, while Raut sat at 9,000 and Craig at 5,200.
The final clue focused on Thomas Hardy’s 1878 novel, with all three contestants correctly identifying it as “The Return of the Native.” With a strategic wager of 2,201, Groce clinched the victory with a final score of 18,001, earning three game points. Raut finished just behind her at 13,600 with one game point, while Craig’s score of 10,399 left him without any points.
Online reactions were buzzing with excitement, as fans celebrated Groce’s win over the previously undefeated Raut. Comments ranged from praise for Groce’s achievement to sympathy for Craig’s performance.
In the second game, featuring past champions Matt Amodio and Juveria Zaheer, along with Isaac Hirsch, Zaheer captured the early advantage by landing the first Daily Double. However, Amodio bounced back strongly in the Double Jeopardy round, successfully answering two Daily Doubles to narrow the gap. By Final Jeopardy, Zaheer was leading with 19,800, while Amodio was close behind at 18,000.
Amodio was the only contestant to answer the final clue correctly, yielding him a victory with a score of 21,000, while Zaheer ended with 13,599, and Hirsch finished with 4,990.
The exciting matches have sparked predictions and discussions online, with fans eager to see how the remaining competitors will perform in the upcoming episodes.
Jeopardy! Masters continues its action on May 21 with two additional games, maintaining an engaging thrill for trivia fans.