Following multiple appearances on the ‘Jeopardy!’ game show last spring, Palo Alto High School math teacher Daniel Nguyen announced another appearance on the show, which by special arrangement will be aired early for students 4 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Haymarket Theater. 

Nguyen will participate in the ‘Champions Wildcard’ tournament, which will feature winners from seasons 37 and 38 as well as current winners from the ‘Second Chance’ tournament, with four winners earning spots to the ‘Tournament of Champions’ in December.

According to Nguyen, ‘Jeopardy!’ invites contestants who win between one to three games into a ‘Second Chance’ tournament, and the winner from the tournament will then qualify for the ‘Tournament of Champions.’

“‘Jeopardy!’ invented this kind of new competition called the ‘Second Chance Tournament’ where people who didn’t win the game get to come back and play again,” Nguyen said. “People in the middle like me with between one to three games get another opportunity in the ‘Champions Wildcard’ tournament.”

Nguyen said he arranged for the episode to be aired earlier in the day at Paly to work around the school’s Homecoming football game. 

“My original plan was to have a viewing party, provided all the students can attend,” Nguyen said. “The show airs at 7 p.m. when the Homecoming game is, so I was able to ask ‘Jeopardy!’ to give me early access to the episode 4 p.m. in the Haymarket on the sixth. If you’re at the rally, just swing by and it’ll be good time.” 

As for competing in future game shows, Nguyen said he would consider participating in shows similar to ‘Jeopardy!’ that are more knowledge-focused.

“I might [participate in other shows] but a lot of game shows are kind of gimmicky, like ‘let’s learn about the life story of each contestant on air’”, Nguyen said. “But maybe a game that’s more trivia centered like ‘The Chase.’”