Who is Arthur Chu?
Jeopardy fans will quickly identify the clue associated with that answer: A rockstar shaking up the classic game show.
Chu, a 30-year-old insurance compliance analyst and aspiring actor, has won $102,800 over the course of four Jeopardy appearances last week. The dollar amount didn't set any records -- but Chu's methods of achieving success, called the "Forrest Bounce," has everyone rethinking the game.
The strategy is named after Chuck Forrest, who used the tactic on Jeopardy in 1985. It requires the contestant to be unpredictable, jumping around to different categories and dollar amounts, as opposed to the more traditional way of playing -- beginning with the $200 question and working down the column. The strategy isn't against the show's rules, it's simply unorthodox (and forces host Alex Trebek to stay on his toes).
Chu has also been hunting down Daily Doubles. He managed to identify them three times in just one game last Wednesday, and as another part of the strategy, he bets odd amounts during his Daily Doubles ($5 on a sports question) or final wagers ($8,600 to make sure he'd only tie with another opponent).
"The more unpredictable you are, the more you put your opponents off-balance, the longer you can keep an initial advantage," Chu told Mental Floss. "It greatly increases your chance of winning the game if you can pull it off, and I saw no reason not to do it."
While Chu may be sitting pretty with his prize money, more traditional fans of the game are outraged, calling him a "hero villain" and "swag lord." Others are praising him for his smart use of "game theory."
Chu will return to Jeopardy on Feb. 24 to defend his title.
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