Jennings Defends 'Jeopardy' Title

Who is Ken Jennings?

Any "Jeopardy!" fan can tell you he's the software engineer who became a household name after winning a record $2.5 million on the popular game show last year. Now, he may be on the brink of setting new records as he prepares to take on two challengers in a three-day title match.

His 2004 success prompted many fans of the show to wonder, how would Jennings fare against some of the other champions of the game?

We'll find out this week when he faces off against two former "Jeopardy!" masters, Brad Rutter and Jerome Vered, in the $2 million "Ultimate Tournament of Champions." The two earned the right to challenge Jennings in a 15-week competition.

"This is about as good as it's going to get," Jennings tells The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith. "I've watched Brad and Jerome. These are great 'Jeopardy!' players."

Rutter, the first millionaire winner, had said before that he wanted to compete against Jennings. "But not in a sort of like 'I got to take that guy down' way," he tells Smith. "When you want to be best, you have to play the best. Ken was obviously doing things on 'Jeopardy!' no one had ever done before, and was very impressive in doing so. So I always wondered how I would do."

A Pennsylvania resident who now hosts his own quiz show on local TV,
Rutter took home $1,155,102 in the 2002 Million Dollar Masters tournmament.

Vered an author, admits that during Jennings remarkable run last year, he looked for weaknesses or chinks in Jennings armor.

"He's a very good player," he says. "Everybody has chinks. On the board, anyone can win on a particular day or lose. Michael Jordan didn't win every game."

Vered won $ 96,801 as an undefeated five-time champion in 1992. He held the record for one-day winnings - $34,000 - for many years.

Jennings says he actually felt the pressure during the three-day tournament, which was taped, but airs May 23-25.