| Chuck Forrest | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name: | Chuck Forrest |
| Born: | June 3, 1961 |
| Occupation: | Attorney |
| Years active: | 1985–2024 |
| Known for: | Biggest Jeopardy! money winner of season 2 in regular-season play 18th biggest Jeopardy! money winner in regular-season play (1984–2001 values) 51st biggest Jeopardy! overall money winner Winning the 1986 Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions Former record holder as the biggest Jeopardy! overall money winner from 1986 to 1990 |
Charles Forrest (born June 3, 1961) is an American game show contestant who at one time held the record for the largest non-tournament cash winnings total on the syndicated game show Jeopardy! The Los Angeles Times called him "the Alexander the Great of Jeopardy! players." The producers of the show regarded him as one of the best and most memorable contestants of the 1980s. Chuck is widely regarded by other elite Jeopardy! players to be one of the most formidable contestants ever to play.
Jeopardy! run[]
Regular-season play[]
| Game No. | Air Date | Final score | Cumulative Winnings | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 30, 1985 | $18,000 | $18,000 | |
| 2 | October 1, 1985 | $12,500 | $30,500 | |
| 3 | October 2, 1985 | $14,500 | $45,000 | |
| 4 | October 3, 1985 | $15,000 | $60,000 | Chuck sets a new total cash winnings record of $60,000. |
| 5 | October 4, 1985 | $12,800 | $72,800 | Susan McGowan had exactly half of Chuck's score going into Final Jeopardy. In the end, Susan bet $6,399 and got Final incorrect. Chuck bet $0 and got Final correct. Chuck sets a new total cash winnings record of $72,800. A very brief clip of this game was seen in the April 10. 2019 episode of The Goldbergs. |
Tournament of Champions[]
In the fifth quarterfinal game, he faced off against Guy Tonti and Gary Palmer. Throughout the first two rounds, he came up with 30/33 correct responses (including 0/1 Daily Double). He and Guy got Final incorrect, but Chuck advanced to the semifinals via runaway. Palmer received a wildcard with his $6,000, while Guy received $1,000 as his $0 ($2,600) was not enough to advance.
In the second semifinals game, he faced off against Jay Rosenberg and Gary Giardina. Throughout the first two rounds, he came up with 27/28 correct responses (including 1/2 Daily Doubles). He was the only player correct in Final correct and advanced to the finals. Jay and Giardina received $5,000.
In the finals, he faced off against Paul Rouffa and Marvin Shinkman. Throughout the finals, he came up with a combined 43/47 correct responses (including 1/2 Daily Doubles). He got 1/2 Final Jeopardy and won $100,000.
Super Jeopardy![]
In the seventh quarterfinal game, he faced off against Dave Traini, Ron Black and Yael Sofaer. Throughout the first two rounds, he came up with 10/11 correct responses. All four players got Final correct, but after losing to Dave, he, Ron and Yael received $5,000.
Million Dollar Masters[]
In the third quarterfinal game, he faced off against Leslie Frates and Eric Newhouse. Throughout the first two rounds, he came up with 24/27 correct responses (including 1/1 Daily Double). Everyone got Final correct, but after Frates failed to make a cover bet, Chuck came from behind to advance to the semifinals. Fates and Eric received wildcards as their $22,000 and $20,000 were enough to advance.
In the third semifinal game, he faced off against Bob Verini and Claudia Perry, Throughout the first two rounds, he came up with 19/22 correct responses. He and Bob got Final correct, but after losing to Bob, he and Claudia received $25,000.
Ultimate Tournament of Champions[]
He was one of nine players to receive a bye into Round 2.
In the seventeenth game of round two, he faced off against Phil Yellman and Lara Robillard. Throughout the first two rounds, he came up with 21/23 correct responses. He and Lara got Final incorrect, but after losing to Phil (in a come from behind win), they both received $10,000.
Battle of the Decades[]
In the first game of the 1980s, he faced off against India Cooper and Jim Scott. Throughout the first two rounds, he came up with 21/22 correct responses (including 1/1 Daily Double). He and Jim got Final correct, and after a come from behind win, Chuck advanced to the quarterfinals. India and Jim received $5,000.
In the fifth quarterfinal game, he faced off against Mark Dawson and Colby Burnett. Throughout the first two rounds, he came up with 21/22 correct responses. Nobody got Final correct, but Chuck advanced to the semifinals. Colby received a wildcard with his $11,000, while Dawson received $10,000 as his $8,600 was not enough.
In the first semifinal game, he faced off against Ken Jennings and Russ Schumacher. Throughout the first two rounds, he came up with 10/10 correct responses (including 1/1 Daily Double). He and Ken got Final correct, but after losing to Ken, he and Russ received $25,000.
Invitational Tournament[]
In the seventh quarterfinal game, he faced off against Sam Kavanaugh and Monica Thieu. Throughout the first two rounds, he came up with 14/16 correct responses. Nobody got Final correct, but after losing to Kavanaugh (in a come from behind win), he and Monica received $5,000.
"Forrest Bounce"[]
Chuck implemented a strategy known as the "Forrest Bounce" in his play to potentially confuse opponents (Forrest referred to the technique as the "Rubin Bounce" after a law school friend, Donn Rubin, who first suggested it). The Forrest Bounce is applied in the Jeopardy! and Double Jeopardy! rounds with the player in control of the board "bouncing" between different categories rather than continuing through individual categories in sequence. According to Chuck, "The basic point is, you know where you're going next and [your competitors] don't." Host Alex Trebek has expressed aggravation with people who use the Forrest Bounce, noting that the show's writers purposely set up the clues in each category to flow when picked sequentially.
Personal Life[]
Chuck and Mark Lowenthal, a five-time champion in Season 4, co-wrote the 1992 book Secrets of the Jeopardy Champions. Like Chuck, Mark won his Tournament of Champions. A revised edition of the book was released in 2017 as an Amazon Kindle book.
In 1992, Chuck was a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, entering the Republican primary for Michigan's 9th congressional district, which at the time included his home town of Grand Blanc. He finished third, with 9,875 votes. Chuck is now a lawyer with the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
Trivia[]
- Among the ToC winners, he was the first to win the championship as he was the recipient of the most money in the season and the most prize money in the ToC competition[1].
- After Ben Chan, he holds the record for most consecutive runaway games by first appearance (seven)[2].
References[]
- ↑ Examples of the former include Dan Melia, Ben Ingram, James Holzhauer, in the latter case Dan melia, Dave Abbott, Dan Pawson, and James Holzhauer. Among them, Dan M and James satisfy both conditions like Chuck.
- ↑ However, Chuck's 5-game winning streak is a lock-tie in a precise sense, and it also belongs to a runaway game in terms of the overall finals. Overall, Ken Jennings' 28 is the most consecutive runaway games (games 18-46).