An IBM supercomputer named Watson is tied for first place after the airing last night of the first of three exhibition episodes of the popular quiz show game Jeopardy!. Facing Jeopardy!’s two most successful contestants, Watson was tied for first place with $5,000 dollars at the end of the first episode. Ken Jennings, famous for his 2004, 75-game Jeopardy! run, was trailing in third with $2,000.Watson took the lead early in the game, in which contestants are presented with six categories of questions from which to choose. After answering the second clue correctly, the supercomputer selected a randomly-placed Daily-Double, which allows players to wager as much as they have on a question. Watson bet the maximum, and answered correctly, bringing him to $1,400. His two opponents were still stuck at $0 and $200.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=114670