A lawyer with an international law firm from Washington, D.C....

Rachael Schwartz

The first woman to win the Tournament of Champions back in 1994, Rachael is now a Washington, D.C. lawyer with an international law firm handling corporate transactions. Like most Jeopardy! contestants, Rachael credits her winning ways to a lifelong love of reading. "Even as a kid," she says, "I used to read all the time. Including at the dinner table." Although Rachael admits to having "more education than is probably healthy for one human being" that hasn't stopped her from her latest pursuit, a degree in biotechnology. When she was asked for 5 words to describe her style of play she offered one. "Tenacious." 'Nuff said.

Hi, I'm Rachael Schwartz, the first woman to win the Tournament of Champions. Watch me participate in Jeopardy!'s Million Dollar Masters tournment. But right now, you're watching me on jeopardy.com.

When did you first appear on Jeopardy!?
Oh, my first appearance on Jeopardy! was in 1993. Um, I came out to California, and there was a 5-time champion ahead of me, so I had to wait through four games, and I finally got on the fifth game of the day. Um, I did miserably for about the first 95% of the game, and then I finally came through on a couple of clues that nobody else knew, and hit a Daily Double, and was the only one who got the Final Jeopardy! question, so I really lucked out. I was having a terrible time with the buzzer. Slowed me down for a while.

What is your fondest memory from your previous appearances on Jeopardy!?
Oh, I think my fondest memory was probably when it was all over with. Um, it's a kind of a nerve-wracking experience. It's fun when you're up here actually playing the game, but I think waiting to go on stage is the hardest part of it.

Do you get recognized from your previous Jeopardy! appearances?
After I was on Jeopardy!, and then after they showed it in reruns, for a couple weeks after that people would recognize me in the street or in the airport or in the malls. But Jeopardy!'s something--I mean, I always put it on my résumé, because it's something that sort of distinguishes you from everybody else.

Do you have plans for the money if you win?
No. No, I've actually--I refuse to make plans for winning the million dollars, because I would just rather be pleasantly surprised if it happens, and I think I'll have lots of time--if it does happen--to think about what to do with it.

"In 1994, she became the first woman ever to win the Tournament of Champions. Now a lawyer with an international law firm, from Washington, D.C...."

2014 Battle of the Decades quarterfinalist: $10,000.
2005 Ultimate Tournament of Champions Round 1 player: $5,000.
2002 Million Dollar Masters tournament quarterfinalist: $10,000.
1994 Tournament of Champions winner (semifinalist by wildcard): $100,000.
Season 10 4-time champion: $37,499 + Jeopardy! '92 home game.