St. Norbert College professor competes in Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions

GREEN BAY, WI. – (WGBW/ WISS) – Ben Chan, a St. Norbert College philosophy professor and nine-time Jeopardy! champion advances to the semifinals in the Tournament of Champions. In Tuesday night’s quarterfinal match, Chan dominated the board, answering clues on jazz, mosquito species, and even Hilary Duff. He pulled ahead by correctly answering the first two Daily Doubles. While he missed the final Jeopardy questions he still finished first with $29,800 in winnings.

“That was a very clean game,” Chan said about his appearance.

Chan appeared on “Maino and the Mayor” on WGBW and WISS this morning and said he is more nervous preparing for the games than actually playing them.

“It’s funny. You’re nervous preparing. I’m a nervous preparer,” said Chan. “But one of the things I like about Jeopardy! Is…being on stage getting 60 clues in really 15 minutes, when you take out interviews and commercial breaks, is very freeing because there is no time to be anxious.”

Chan says his interest in appearing on Jeopardy! probably started like everyone else.

“One day, I’m playing on my couch. I think, I’ve had a glass of wine, and I think like ‘Oh! I would have won this show today.’ Then the ad comes on to take the ‘Anytime Test,’ said Chan. “And I take the ‘Anytime Test’ …and one thing leads to another.” 

Winning the game does involve a little luck, said Chan. But there is also a lot of strategy that goes into it.

“When the categories come up, mostly what you’re doing is try to find out where the Daily Double will be,” said Chan. “They’re more likely to be in the fourth, third and fifth rows. The strategy is not complicated. Sometimes it’s hard to execute the strategy under the lights.”

Chan will take on Jared Watson and Celebrity Jeopardy champion Ike Barinholtz in the first game of the semifinals on Thursday. Jeopardy! Airs locally on Fox 11 at 6 pm.