In round one, there are 135 players competing in 45 games. The winners of those games will take on nine seeded opponents. The 18 winners then face off for six slots. The two winners of those semifinal games have a date with destiny in the form of one Ken Jennings for a three-day final. The winner of those games wins $2 million. Second place is guaranteed $500,000, while third place is guaranteed $250,000.

No wild cards, no second chances. It's (my favorite words when it comes to Jeopardy! tourneys) win or go home.

LARA ROBILLARD Policy analyst Arlington, VA 1998 5-time Champion	MICHAEL BRAUN High-school junior Silver Spring, MD 2005 Reigning Teen Champion	BILL DICKENSON College instructor Richardson, TX 1996 5-time Champion

Jeopardy! categories: Panamania, At the Movies, Weights & Measures; Hey, "Good" Looking!; Whatcha Got Cookin', Dictator Tots

Daily Double: $800 Dictator Tots. Michael ($400 over Bill's $200) fronts the max of  $1000 early. The clue: orphaned as a boy, he reportedly spent his youth on an uncle's melon farm near the Tigris. Michael's guess: "Who is Saddam Hussein?" Correct for $1400.

End of Round:
Lara - $4400
Michael - $6600
Bill - $4000

Double Jeopardy! categories: Books & Authors, Cable Networking, World of Dance, Life After Death, Reptiles, "A.M."/"P.M."

Daily Double #1: $800 Reptiles. Bill (tied with Lara, $4400 to Michael's $7000) goes $3000. Clue: for her acting abilities, not her appearance, Meryl Streep is often compared to this type of lizard. Bill's guess: "What is an iguana?" Correct response: What is a chameleon? Bill drops to $1400.

Daily Double #2: $1200 Life After Death. Michael ($9000 over Lara's $5600 and Bill's $4600) fronts $1000. Clue: "Success is counted sweetest" was one of a handful of this poet's work published in her lifetime. Michael's guess: "Who is Emily Dickinson?" Correct for $10,000. The other was a gam.

End of Round:
Lara - $11,200
Michael - $9200
Bill - $14,600

All of a sudden, a sure thing for Michael... isn't. Remember, runners-up will take home $5000, while the winner is guaranteed at least $15,000.

Final Jeopardy! Category: Notable African Americans. Answer: in 1980 Marva Collins declined this Cabinet post in favor of keeping her regular job. Correct response: What is Secretary of Education?

Michael's question: What is HUD? (WRONG) Wager: $91. Final score: $9109.
Lara's question: What is Secretary of Education? (RIGHT) Wager: $0. Final score: $11,200.
Dave's question: What is Secretary of HUD? (WRONG) Wager: $7801. Final score: $6799.

Wow. It started with Michael going to town against the adults, then they pulled close, and Final Jeopardy! decided it again. Lara wins it, and will take $15,000 into the next round, with Eric Terzuolo, Michael Rankins, Arthur Phillips, David Traini, Bob Harris, Vinita Kailasanath, Bev Schwartzberg, Dan Melia, Mark Eckard, Michael Dupee, Jeff Richmond, John Beck, Tad Carithers, Jerome Vered, Bruce Borchardt, Fred Ramen, Ed Schiffer, Grace Veach, Ryan Holznagel, Mark Dawson, Michael Rooney, Pam Mueller, Steve Newman, Chris Miller, Leah Greenwald, Jonathan Groff, Brian Moore, Robert Slaven, Shane Whitlock, Michael Daunt, Steve Berman, Eugene Finerman, John Cuthberson, India Cooper, Kyle Hale, Rick Knutsen, Bruce Naegeli, Matt Zielenski, April McManus, Lan Djang and Paul Gutowski waiting in the wings.

Trevor Norris, Phil Yellman, and Josh DenHartog fight it out for slot #43 next time.