As Jamie Ding piled up win after win on “Jeopardy!” over the past six weeks, it became clear that it was going to take a special performance by a brilliant contestant to stop his streak.
On Monday’s episode, Greg Shahade of Philadelphia put on just such a performance, ending Ding’s impressive streak at 31 games.
From the start, Shahade looked sharp against the reigning champ, a Metro Detroit native who had accumulated more than $880,000 in winnings entering the episode. Shahade was the first contestant to correctly answer a question.
Shahade got the next question wrong, however, giving him a negative score while Ding chimed in with several correct responses in a row. It seemed he was building yet another early lead that would propel him to victory.
But Shahade, who plays chess professionally, made virtually all the right moves from that point on.
Partway through the first round of play, he took back the lead on a “true” Daily Double. He maintained a modest advantage over Ding until early in the Double Jeopardy! round, when he hit on back-to-back Daily Doubles, wagering big on both.
After he rattled off a pair of answers about an Oscar Wilde play and the African Union, he had a $10,800 lead. Ding fought to stay in the game, but Shahade had slightly more than twice as much money as Ding entering Final Jeopardy!
Ding, realizing he had no chance of besting Shahade, included a sign-off with his response in Final Jeopardy!, writing “TTFN!”, short-hand for “ta ta for now,” and giving his usual big, friendly wave to the audience.
“He played excellently,” Ding said of Shahade’s performance. “He did exactly what he needed to do. He made big wagers, and it was a pretty comprehensive victory.”
What’s next for Jamie Ding?
Host Ken Jennings told viewers they can expect to see Ding back on the “Jeopardy!” stage for a future competition. The show regularly holds special “Tournament of Champions” events pitting top winners against one another head-to-head.
Ding said he’s not yet been approached about taping the special all-star tournament, but he’s looking forward to it.
“I miss playing ‘Jeopardy!'” he said. “I miss the game, the contestants, the crews. After I lost, I was sad to not be there.”
In the meantime, Ding will continue his day job at the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, where he helps administer the low-income housing tax credit program. He’s also a part-time law school student.
“I’ve got a lot of work to get done and finals to study for,” Ding said. “In that regard, the timing worked out.”
Ding offered a heartfelt thank-you to the fans who have followed his win streak, which started on March 13.
“I’m just really glad I was able to bring some joy to people, especially during these fraught times.”
mreinhart@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Here’s how Jamie Ding’s ‘Jeopardy!’ winning streak ended
Reporting by Max Reinhart, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
