The Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament on February 24, 2025, was filled with excitement, especially with fan-favorite Amy Schneider returning to the stage. Schneider, a writer from Oakland, California, was a pre-tournament favorite to win. Her fans eagerly tuned in to see if she could claim victory, but the game turned out to be much more challenging than expected.
Amy Schneider Struggles At The Start
At the start of the game, Schneider struggled to get going. She failed to answer any questions correctly in the first round and quickly fell behind. However, she didn’t give up. Schneider bounced back by correctly answering three questions in a row, bringing her total to $1,000. Before the first commercial break, Schneider had caught up a bit, sitting in second place with $3,600. Luigi de Guzman, an attorney from Arlington, Virginia, was in the lead with $4,800, while Avi Gupta, a law student from Portland, Oregon, was in third place with $1,400.
During the introduction rounds, host Ken Jennings asked de Guzman if he ever thought he would be back on Jeopardy! De Guzman explained that he didn’t expect to return after his five-game winning streak in 2022, but when he got the call for the Invitational, he decided to give it another shot. Meanwhile, Schneider was preparing to release a new edition of her book, Who Is Amy Schneider?, which adapts her 2022 Tournament of Champions experience for younger readers. Gupta, who won the 2019 Teen Tournament, was in his second year of law school.
De Guzman took a big step forward when he correctly answered the Daily Double, wagering $1,200. His total jumped to $8,000. By the end of the first round, de Guzman held a strong lead with $9,600. Schneider stayed in second place with $5,200, and Gupta had $2,600.
Schneider Goes Home
In the second round, Double Jeopardy!, Schneider made a comeback when she answered the Daily Double correctly. The question asked about the famous battle between Leonidas and Xerxes in 480 B.C., and Schneider correctly answered, “What is Thermopylae?” She wagered $5,000, which boosted her total to $12,200. Gupta also made a strong move by correctly answering his Daily Double and going all in, which brought his total to $9,200.
![Ken Jennings & Amy Schneider [Jeopardy Productions | Instagram]](https://tvshowsace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Ken-Jennings-Amy-Schneider.jpg)
However, Schneider’s lead didn’t last long. De Guzman dominated the second round, answering nearly every question correctly. Schneider answered a few but made a couple of mistakes, causing her total to drop. By the end of Double Jeopardy!, de Guzman was far in the lead with $23,600. Schneider was in second place with $14,200, and Gupta was not far behind with $11,600.
The Final Jeopardy! The question was about a famous author who enlisted in the army in 1917 and met the woman who became his wife at Camp Sheridan. Gupta and Schneider both answered incorrectly, guessing “Who is Faulkner?” De Guzman also answered “Who is Faulkner?” but he was wrong too. The correct answer was “Who was F. Scott Fitzgerald?” Schneider, who had wagered $10,000, ended up with $4,200. De Guzman wagered $4,801, bringing his final total to $18,799, securing his victory.
The competition was tough, and the game was full of surprises. De Guzman’s admiration for Schneider, calling her “one of the greatest ever to play the game,” highlights the respect that these contestants have for each other. Despite the setbacks, Schneider proved she could compete at the highest level. De Guzman’s win, despite his vision problems caused by eye swelling, shows that even with challenges, determination can lead to success. Who is your favorite player? Were you shocked to see Amy go? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
