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“Kind of disappointing to hear that Watson basically ignores the FJ! category, if true.” How are you getting that idea? It didn’t bet much because it wasn’t at
by ugh 16y ago
“Kind of disappointing to hear that Watson basically ignores the FJ! category, if true.”
How are you getting that idea? It didn’t bet much because it wasn’t at all confident, we don’t know what it would have done if it had been more confident.
Watson likes to play it safe, though, as can be seen in this demo game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgYSv2KSyWg&t=20m26s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgYSv2KSyWg&t=20m26s (I skipped ahead to Final Jeopardy.)
He was $16,000 ahead but one of the contestants could get within $1,600 by betting all of his money. So, naturally, Watson bet only $1,599 even though it was very confident (and ultimately got the answer right). That secured Watson’s win, no matter what the others did. (This is really not impressive or anything like that, if all you want to do is win the game, that’s what you do. Basic game theory.)
- epanastasi 16y agoWagers are made after the category is shown but before the the clue is revealed. It can only use the confidence in its knowledge of the category, not of the question itself, in the calculation of the bet.
- ugh 16y agoAh, didn’t know this. Sorry, there has been no Jeopardy on German TV since I have been 12, it was not really clear when the wagers are placed. Well, makes sense. I guess they are very nervous about FJ! and know that it’s not one of Watson’s strengths.
- bayleo 16y agoI wonder if they altered that logic for the two-game tournament though, so that it would only play more conservatively on the second FJ.