Marketing specialist TJ Fisher from San Francisco clinched a spot in the 2026 Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions finals by winning the second semifinal on January 28, 2026 (Season 42, Game 103). Fisher overcame a triple stumper in Final Jeopardy and strong play from band director Steven Olson to finish with $10,799, securing advancement as the second finalist.

In the intense semifinal matchup, Fisher faced three-time champion Steven Olson, a band director from Princeton, Illinois, and Laura Faddah, a manager from Memphis, Tennessee, who had earned her spot via an eight-win regular-season bye. Heading into Final Jeopardy, scores stood at Fisher with $13,800, Olson with $8,400, and Faddah with $1,600.

The Final Jeopardy category was 20th Century Bigwigs, featuring the clue: "The subtitle of a 2022 bio of this magnate who died in 1976 is 'The meek shall inherit the earth, but not its mineral rights'." All three contestants missed the correct response, "Who is J. Paul Getty?" Faddah wagered $1,599 and answered "Who is DeBeers?" to finish with $1, Olson wagered $5,404 and answered "Who is De Beers?" to finish with $2,996, and Fisher wagered $3,001 and answered "Who is Nestle Du Pont?" to finish with $10,799.

The triple stumper left Fisher with a comfortable lead and ensured his advancement to the finals, which begin in early February 2026. The first contestant to reach three wins in the finals will claim the $250,000 grand prize and an invitation to Jeopardy! Masters. Fisher’s victory was fueled by correctly answering both Daily Doubles in Double Jeopardy, which allowed him to overtake Olson, who had dominated early but missed a key Daily Double. Observers noted that Olson’s aggressive wagering may have cost him a closer finish.

No mention was made of Scott Riccardi in this episode, who advanced from the prior semifinal on January 27. Fisher now joins Riccardi as the second confirmed finalist in the Tournament of Champions. The semifinal drew praise for elite-level play, strong signaling, strategic wagering, and dramatic Final Jeopardy tension. Fans lauded Fisher’s composure and comeback skills, while Olson’s performance earned respect despite the loss.