JEOPARDY! has unveiled the lineup for its first-ever Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament, premiering after the Tournament of Champions.

Legends like Chuck Forrest, David Madden, and even some Chasers are returning to fight for a coveted spot in May’s Jeopardy! Masters.

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Ken Jennings will host the brand-new Jeopardy! Invitational TournamentCredit: Getty

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The lineup includes a murderer’s row of 27 trivia titansCredit: Instagram

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Fans were shocked that GOAT contestant Brad Rutter was not in the mix – but otherwise can’t waitCredit: Jeopardy!
The full lineup for the brand-new JIT was dropped on Wednesday on Jeopardy!’s official Instagram.

Unlike other tournaments this season, JIT opens the floodgates to iconic older champions returning after decades away from the buzzer.

The JIT will feature 27 contestants, including Andrew He, Amy Schneider, and Sam Buttrey.

They were guaranteed spots after placing fourth, fifth, and sixth in the first annual Jeopardy! Masters.

The prize is $100,000 prize and a slot in Masters Season 2, which airs in May on ABC Primetime.

JIT LINEUP

Here is the rest of the lineup for the JIT, which will come right after the now-airing ToC:

Brandon Blackwell, Chaser on The Chase and Teen Tournament semifinalist.
Colby Burnett, 2013 Tournament of Champions winner and third-place in the team-based 2019 All-Star Games.
Lily Chin, 2017 College Championship winner and 2017 ToC semifinalist.
Leonard Cooper, 2013 Teen Tournament winner and All-Stars Games player.
Celeste DiNucci, 2007 Tournament of Champions winner.
Chuck Forrest, Season 2 five-day champ from 1985 (before the win cap was lifted) – he invented the famed Forrest Bounce technique. 1986 Tournament of Champions winner.
Dhruv Gaur, 2019 Tournament of Champions semifinalist.
Ben Ingram, eight-day champion and 2014 Tournament of Champions winner.
Alex Jacob, 2015 Tournament of Champions winner.
Mackenzie Jones, eight-day champion and 2015 ToC quarterfinalist.
Sam Kavanaugh, 2021 Tournament of Champions winner who called his snub from Masters Season 1 a “gut punch” on social media.
Larissa Kelly, six-day champion and 2019 All-Star Games winner.
Alan Lin, six-day champion and 2009 ToC runner-up.
David Madden, 19-day champion in 2005 and the second-longest streakholder to Ken for decades. All-Star Games winner.
Pam Mueller, 2001 ToC semifinalist and 2019 All-Star Games third-placer.
Austin Rogers, 13-game champion and 2017 ToC runner-up.
Monica Theiu, 2012 College Championship winner.
Jason Zuffranieri, 19-day champion.
Arthur Chu, 11-day winner and 2014 Tournament of Champions runner-up, who infamously sparred with Alex Trebek.
Victoria Groce, Chaser on The Chase, who is one of the best trivia players in the world.
Matt Jackson, 13-day champion and 2015 ToC runner-up.
Terry O’Shea, a 2014 College Championship winner and 2014 Tournament of Champions semifinalist from Brooklyn, N.Y.
Dan Pawson, nine-day champion, 2009 Tournament of Champions winner.
Jennifer Quail, eight-day champion and 2021 Tournament of Champions runner-up.

WHAT IS: THE FORMAT?

The JIT will begin airing the day after the 2024 Tournament of Champions finals concludes.

That means it will hit the small screens as soon as March 14 and as late as March 20.

There will be nine quarterfinal games, three semifinals, and a best-of-four final.

This means that the legendary player who wins two final games wins the title first.

The now-annual throwdown will decide one of the six spots in Masters, with the first three going to last season’s finalists – Matt Amodio, winner James Holzhauer, and Mattea Roach.

The other Masters slots will be the winner of the 2024 ToC and a producer’s pick.

Then regular episodes will finally resume for the first time this season.

FANS REACT: ‘AVENGERS OF JEOPARDY’

Fans took to Reddit in a frenzy where they were all-in on the huge stars coming out of retirement – minus the third GOAT, Brad Rutter.

“The only person who isn’t on here is Brad, but that’s because I assume he’s the producer pick for Masters this year,” one wrote.

“Shocked to see Brandon and Victoria, but I’m kinda here for it, tbh,” another penned.

“The biggest omissions I see here are Julia Collins, Emma Boettcher, Brad Rutter, and Roger Craig – if any of these were to be Producer’s Pick for Masters, it’ll likely be Brad,” wrote a third.

“What a great line-up. Excited to see a lot of these players back. Wish Brad were on it though. I’ll always think of “We love you Alex” when I see Dhruv’s name,” wrote a fourth.

“They really brought out the Avengers of Jeopardy! for this tournament, hm? Tournament fatigue? Never heard of her. I am salivating at these potential matchups,” wrote a fifth.

“Nonstop tournaments, but I can’t complain,” one more said.

Reporter Claire McNear joked on X after dropping the lineup early, ”
where’s brad is the new where’s kate.”

The matchups, AKA who faces who, haven’t been announced but should be dropped shortly on the Jeopardy! website.

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Aside from Amy, Sam, and Andrew, Jeopardy! is digging into the archives for this oneCredit: Jeopardy!

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The tournament even includes Chuck Forrest, who created the Forrest BounceCredit: Jeopardy!

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The 27 legends returning are also Austin Rodgers, David Madden, and Arthur ChuCredit: Jeopardy