I'm still watching and still enjoying James. And it's interesting to see the other contestants attempt his strategy. It works for some for a question or two but none have his success.

I'm with your husband. I've been watching forever and rarely miss it, but haven't watched it since this guy's been on. I'm too OCD to like the bottom to top strategy for one lol, but I'm also finding it somewhat boring. Fun to see and guess at who'll win at the end. With this guy, we already know.

I can't watch because I have no tv and it's not available to stream, but I just looked at some short youtube videos of him. It's pretty remarkable the base of knowledge he has, regardless of his strategy. Curious to know what/who might stop him. Will he bankrupt the show, lol?

OLy, I agree. How could one person know all of this and not only that but know it QUICKLY?

Alisande at The Kitchen Table shared a clip of Jame's wife on Who wants to be a Millionaire? She is bright as well. I found it interesting how she used reasoning to guess some of the answers.

I stopped watching Jeopardy years ago, but check in from time to time. I guess those not interested in James will have to just wait it out.

My husband heard/read about James. I guess before the first show he asked many smart questions about the buzzer and ringing in. I guess Alex reads the question, someone triggers something, then the contestants can ring in. So many times you see the contestants frantically and unsuccessfully trying to ring in. James was going to make sure that didn't happen to him.

I have sort of grown to like him. If he walks his talk and truly donates a significant part of his winnings to charity, I will be even more impressed.

They tape 5 shows per day, 2 days per week. By the end of the first day, he has a huge advantage, used to the lights, cameras, pace of the show, knows the buzzer in and outs and is pretty much done with his nerves. Then he's up against newbies who are nervous, figuring out the buzzer etc. It's home field advantage for sure. But without his knowledge base none of that would matter.

Maybe I'm a terrible person for admitting this, but I'm ready for him to lose and go home.

I'm really enjoying watching James. I hope that he beats Ken Jennings record. Though I do feel sorry for the other contestants. I think that after James is finally dethroned that they should all be invited back for a second chance competition. Or at least those who came in second.

DLM - As I said, I'm still watching because I'm amazed by James, too. The advantage of returning champion having a grasp on using the buzzer and being on camera applies to any of the contestants with a long winning streak, but like you said it's the range of his knowledge!!!

shadylady - I'm with you on the dislike of the bottom to top strategy. Other contestants, especially those who participated in the tournament they recently had with the teams of champions, have used that system and I didn't like it then, either.

eld - I'm going to have to look for that clip from Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

RN - Control of the board is so important and I guess James wanted to know how to do that from the start. Interesting!

Ida - A part of me feels the same way. It's almost like he's being just a bit too greedy.

terezosa - I totally agree with you on inviting the 2nd place contestants back for another try. But then again, they didn't do anything like that when Ken Jennings had his run.

I would love to see a competition with James Holzhauer, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. Or maybe even better than that would be James, Ken and Watson, the computer!!!!

I should probably add that I don't want to see James lose because I dislike James, but because I (even DH too, we've both said this while watching) feel badly for the other contestants who had the misfortune to be chosen for the show while James was there, holding court. The others just have a defeated look about them early on in each show, like they know they just don't stand a chance. Move over, James. Give someone else a turn. ;-)

I am totally enjoying watching this guy. I can see the advantage of knowing the buzzer and getting used to the lights, but there must be a fatigue factor by the time the fifth show of the day starts. I remember seeing it in Ken Jennings at the end. He missed a question that really surprised me.

What will happen when the season comes to a close? Do they carryover the winner from the last game of the previous season?

I don't think Ken Jennings is any competition for James H.

Well put, Ida. I'm thinking along the same lines. I believe there were game shows in the past, of course, not on the level of Jeopardy! that had a limit to the amount that could be won.

My thought keep coming back, tho, to Ken Jennings. I wonder if these same feelings/thoughts applied back then, too. Maybe not, because he did accumulate his winnings nearly as fast as James is.

Really?! Suggest someone who is winning step aside because they are winning? It’s a game show. Ratings are going up because Jeopardy James is still playing.

He hasn’t been winning that long, are people too use to instant change?

What other events do you wish winners to foregive their earnings?

i applaud his knowledge, and do hope someone can beat him. I may be watching.

For those who want James to step aside, do you want him to throw the game away so he loses? Just curious about how exactly you think he should be done, aside from losing honestly.

i am still enjoying him.

I really don't care (in spite of my previous proclamations); just think his run has been a long one and am ready for some fresh faces to win. Of course I don't think anyone would want him to throw the game.

I guess I just feel sorry for the 2 new contestants each day who have to compete against him. Also, it would be nice if each game was not such a HUGE runaway. Even if there was a chance that another contestant could win, but James still won, it would make it a little more interesting.

graywings - Yes, the winner at the end of the season returns for the new season.

“. Also, it would be nice if each game was not such a HUGE runaway. Even if there was a chance that another contestant could win, but James still won, it would make it a little more interesting.”

like fixing it? Like what happened in the 50s? A bad thing. Very bad thing.

It was preempted here tonight for the NFL draft. Boo. Someone tell me how James is doing, as if I have to ask.

No, that's not what I meant at all! I would just like to see the "scores" be a little closer so the outcome of the game is not known until after Final Jeopardy. That's all.

“No, that's not what I meant at all! I would just like to see the "scores" be a little closer so the outcome of the game is not known until after Final Jeopardy. That's all.”

That would mean changing the rules of the game.

That would mean changing the rules of the game.

That's not what she means. I don't think you're understanding what's she's saying.

Please explain.

I'm just saying I would like to see the other contestants be more competition for James. Like the example I gave earlier. It might be more competition for James if he was competing against someone like Ken Jennings of Brad Rutter. That's not changing the rules, is it?

Why does this seem to be turning argumentative? Or am I misreading?

James won tonight.

“It might be more competition for James if he was competing against someone like Ken Jennings of Brad Rutter. That's not changing the rules, is it?

And that may happen in a tournament of champions.

My friend, who did well on Jeopardy, did not know who she was going to to compete with. Scheduling for filming is done, not knowing who you are competing with. Luck of the draw. It’s television.

eta: I am not being argumentative. Just don’t like changing the rules of the game while the game is playing.

IIRC, Ken came along after they changed the rules to allow players to play until they lost, instead of for 5 days. Maybe a time limit is again in order. I was even getting bored watching Ken, but at least he showed more personality.

Who was the champion a couple of years ago who people said didn't "play fair" because he hopped around the board almost randomly and talked over Alex?

Who was the champion a couple of years ago who people said didn't "play fair" because he hopped around the board almost randomly and talked over Alex?

Was it Matt Jackson? (See how I did that in the form of a question?)

Or Alex Jacob?

It was Arthur Chu who jumped around the board. :)

Ken Jennings had a 74 game winning streak. James' streak is less than 25% of that. I'd love to see how it plays out, but I'll be in Europe for most of May and June. I wonder if he'll still be champ when I return??

Today's game was an excellent example of what I was trying to describe in my post from 3 days ago. Finally, someone who, as Alex Trebek put it, "made James work for the money"!

Missi, thanks for the reminder that it was Arthur Chu.

bac, I haven't seen Jeopardy for several days but caught it today, but with divided attention. Was James getting bored with playing, or was that other fellow that good and good on the buzzer?

Interesting observation, bpath! Maybe James is getting bored! That other fellow was certainly good and was also good on the buzzer. Exactly what is needed to compete on the same level as James. I was happy for the other fellow ( I wish I could remember his name) when he found the 2nd daily double in double jeopardy and bet big and won!!!

He really had to "go big or go home". He did go home, but against James, why not make the big bets?

I am still thinking about that game last night. What did the win difference end up being? like $18?? Unbelievable. That "challenger" played really well and James even botched a few.

I also wonder if James is feeling pressure from the show's fans or even the shows producers themselves to back off a little. He doesn't looked as pumped as he did in the first few weeks i.e. energy and not smiling as much. He hides his hand that holds the buzzer so you really don't know if he's even buzzing in or not.

Stopped watching, it's too repetitious lol.

James won by $18...on his 18th appearance. He's just playing games now, to make it more interesting for himself. He recognized a competitor in Adam Levin who could play that game with him, with those big bets. I'll bet James enjoyed Monday's game.

I'm going to watch it differently now, I'm going to see if I can tell what games he's playing each day. Alex has already started doing that; it must make it more interesting for him, too.

I watched last night's show. It was a competitive match. James had nothing to lose by betting big for final jeopardy. It also looked to me that Alex was ignoring James during the show's closing when he seemed to be speaking with only the two opponents. Did anyone else notice this?

We’ve been discussing this on a Facebook page. Some felt that James was toying with the other contestants in the first round. I had that feeling, too. He usually starts out like gangbusters and stays way out in the lead. However, he underestimated the guy on the right ( Adam?). When Adam got the daily double the game changed. I was rooting for Adam. That would have been exciting. I am getting tired of the James train although I must admit I am sure to watch it to see if he will be dethroned.

I haven't gone back upthread, so forgive me if this has already been raised, but what's James's deal? Does he have some sort of "Rainman-like" ability? A photographic memory? I just have a hard time believing that anyone (particularly one so young) is so well-read as to have such a vast store of knowledge on all sorts of obscure topics. It's sort of eerily weird.

Ida - I've been wondering the same. It has to be a photographic memory. He knows everything about everything. He said he never cared for school but likes to read about stuff he doesn't know. It is eerie.

James is a Chicago area guy, and I heard a bit of an interview with his brother on the radio. The brother says James never did homework but aced exams, especially in math. In college he didn't go to class regularly, but took the exams, but that backfired on him once: because he didn't go to class, he didn't know the final exam day had changed, and he showed up for it a day late, and hence failed the course.

I also heard he prepares for things like this by reading middle-school-targeted books. They have a lot of information presented in an interesting way for people who aren't interested lol.

So in that way, he kind of has the edge that Ken Jennings had: he was a test-writer, or something like that. Ken said the category he had to study was Potent Potables, because he doesn't drink.

James is clearly highly gifted (probably profoundly gifted) and is able to soak up information like a sponge, "figure things out", and apply what he learns in interesting ways. And he's not afraid to take chances! After all, now that he has all this money, he can play around, guess, hesitate on buzzing in, skip the buzzer, and wager whatever he wants, large or small.