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LOS ANGELES — After a thrilling 40-game streak, “Jeopardy!” phenom Amy Schneider finally met her match.
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Schneider, an engineering manager from Oakland, Calif., lost her 41st game on Wednesday to Rhone Talsma, a librarian from Chicago.
With 40 consecutive wins, Schneider holds the title for the second-longest run in the quiz show’s history, collecting $1,382,800 in winnings in the process. Her appearance on “Jeopardy!” has been one for the history books.
After winning her 10th straight game back in November, Schneider became the first out transgender person to make the Tournament of Champions. She later became the first woman and fourth contestant ever to surpass $1 million in earnings.
Compared to recent “Jeopardy!” challenger James Holzhauer, known for his flashy wagers and aggressive gameplay, Schneider’s approach to glory was relatively understated. Still, she’s indomitable with the buzzer and has waltzed into every Final Jeopardy round since her first with an insurmountable lead.
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That is, until Wednesday.
In the show’s latest episode, Talsma ended the show in first place with $29,600, and Schneider was second with $19,600. Schneider maintained a healthy $10,000 lead going into Final Jeopardy, where the category was “Countries of the World.”
However, she did not provide a response to the clue — “The only nation in the world whose name in English ends in an H, it’s also one of the 10 most populous” — and her wager ultimately cost her the game. Talsma provided the correct answer, “What is Bangladesh?” and thus, a new “Jeopardy!” champion was crowned.
“I had thought that Rhone was going to be tough going into it,” said Schneider. “I loved hanging out with him, we had great conversation before the taping, but I could tell that he was here to play and that he was going to be good. I still came very close to winning, but I did feel like maybe I was slipping a little bit. And once it was clear that he was fast on the buzzer, I knew it was going to be a battle all the way.”
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In the weeks since her initial appearance in November, Schneider has landed herself in rarified company.
Only Jennings, who newly took over part-time hosting duties from the late Alex Trebek, has a longer winning streak with 74 wins. In terms of cash prizes, Schneider’s haul is the No. 4 biggest pot ever in terms of regular season earnings behind Matt Amodio ($1,518,601), Holzhauer ($2,462,216), and Jennings ($2,520,700).
“It’s really been an honour,” Schneider said. “To know that I’m one of the most successful people at a game I’ve loved since I was a kid and to know that I’m a part of its history now, I just don’t know how to process it.”
Schneider will return this fall the Tournament of Champions, where she will compete against Amodio and other top contestants from the current season. Talsma will face two new challengers on Thursday’s show.
“I’m still in shock,” Talsma said. “This is my favorite show … I was so excited to be here and I just wanted to do my best. I did not expect to be facing a 40-day champion, and I was excited to maybe see someone else slay the giant. I just really didn’t think it was going to be me, so I’m thrilled.”
'Jeopardy!' champion Amy Schneider's streak ends after 40 games - Toronto Sun
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