Jerry Vinokurov
Jerry Vinokurov | |
Noted subjects | Physics, Literature, Philosophy, Eastern Europe, History, General, Ilf and Petrov |
Current college | Brown (2006-2010) |
Past colleges | Berkeley (2000-2005) |
High school | La Jolla High School (1996-2000) |
Stats | HDWhite • NAQT |
Jerry Vinokurov is one of the greatest players in the history of the game. He began his career at Berkeley and went on to found a successful club at Brown University. Pound for pound, he is the angriest man in quiz bowl, and is also known (by Jacob Vannucci) as scary Mr. internet Jerry due to his angry posting on HSQB about bad tournaments [1].
Playing Career
Vinokurov was a member of the Berkeley renaissance along with Seth Teitler, Selene Koo, Jeff Hoppes, and Ray Luo. He was on the Berkeley team that finished second at the 2004 ACF Nationals and he was the leading scorer on the Berkeley team that finished third at the 2005 ACF Nationals.
After finishing his undergraduate in math and physics, he came to Brown, where he started the team, advertising with a hand-written poster in the mailroom - leading to Eric Mukherjee joining the team. In later years, the team picked up, acquiring Dennis Jang, Aaron Rosenberg, Daniel Klein, and several others. Under his leadership, the team became a dominant writing and playing force, winning 2nd place at the 2007 ACF Nationals, the 2008 ACF Nationals, and the 2009 ACF Nationals (losing to Chicago each time).
Jerry has had many notable victories at open tournaments including winning the 2008 Chicago Open with Eric Mukherjee, Matt Weiner, and Jonathan Magin and placing second at CO in 2006, 2007, and 2009. He also notably won the 2009 Minnesota Open playing with Eric Mukherjee and Guy Tabachnick.
Writing and Editing
Jerry is one of the best (and most versatile) editors in the modern game. He was ranked third in Eric Kwartler and Ryan Westbrook's list of the game's best writers in 2008. He was the editor-in-chief for the 2010 Chicago Open, the wildly successful 2010 ACF Regionals, and 2009 ACF Winter. Jerry also wrote the critically acclaimed vanity tournaments The Emergency and Jerry Singles. He also edited 2011 ACF Nationals.
Both Jerry's CO and ACF Nationals were praised for the innovative questions, but were also critiqued as too difficult. The latter was critiqued as perhaps too different in tone than other tournaments to serve as a national championship, although Jerry pointed out he was driven by the oddity and difficulty of many submissions.
Jerry's writing style has been universally praised for producing interesting and enjoyable tournaments[2], but has sometimes been criticized for writing on things that are too difficult and valuing interesting topics over ones that are important.
Mentorship
Jerry has been an important advocate for good quizbowl throughout his career. He served as a godfather figure for the Northeast circuit, founding a healthy program at Brown University, encouraging young players, hosting many after tournament parties, and helping to rejuvenate the lackadaisical region as a whole to the point where it ws able to produce several nationally competitive teams. Apart from that, he is also notable for spearheading the movement that will make the northeast the region with the highest concentration of quiz bowl facial hair, and as the pictures from ACF Nationals 2008 will attest, he has largely been successful. He also maintains QBDB.
Editing
- BUTT
- 2007 ACF Regionals
- Jerry Singles
- EFT1-4
- 2009 ACF Winter
- 2009 VETO
- The Emergency
- 2010 ACF Regionals
- 2010 Chicago Open
- 2011 ACF Nationals
- 2011 MAGNI (physics and other science)
- 2012 ACF Nationals - Physics, Other Science, Philosophy
Results
- 2010 ACF Nationals - Tied for 5th place (with Guy Tabachnick, Aaron Rosenberg, and Daniel Klein)
- 2010 ICT – 7th place (with Daniel Klein, Aaron Rosenberg)
- 2010 Harvard International – 3rd place (with Aaron Rosenberg, Guy Tabachnick, and Daniel Klein)
- 2010 T Party - 1st place (with Aaron Rosenberg, Dan Klein)
- 2010 SCT at Harvard - 2nd place
- 2010 ACF Winter - 1st place (with Aaron Rosenberg, Rebecca Maxfield)
- 2010 Penn Bowl - 2nd place (with Aaron Rosenberg, Guy Tabachnick)
- 2009 FIST Harvard Mirror – 1st place (with Guy Tabachnick)
- 2009 Minnesota Open - 1st place (with Eric Mukherjee, Guy Tabachnick)
- 2009 Chicago Open - 2nd place (with Eric Mukherjee, Ted Gioia, and Dallas Simons), 8th scorer
- 2009 Missouri Open Maryland Mirror - 2nd place (with Aaron Rosenberg, Chris Ray, and SteveJon Guth)
- 2009 SCT northeast - 1st place (with Eric Mukherjee, Dennis Jang, and Daniel Klein), 3rd scorer
- 2009 TIT - 1st place (with Eric Mukherjee)
- 2008 Minnesota Open MIT Mirror - 1st place (with Eric Mukherjee), 3rd scorer
- 2009 Penn Bowl - 2nd place (with Eric Mukherjee, Daniel Klein, Aaron Rosenberg, and Dennis Jang)
- 2008 Chicago Open - 1st place (with Jonathan Magin, Matt Weiner, and Eric Mukherjee), tied for 6th scorer
- 2008 ACF Nationals at Brandeis - 2nd place (with Eric Mukherjee, Dennis Jang, and Aaron Rosenberg), 12th scorer
- 2008 ICT at WashU - 4th place (with Eric Mukherjee, Dennis Jang, and Aaron Rosenberg)
- ACF Regionals 2008 - 1st place (with Eric Mukherjee, Dennis Jang, and Aaron Rosenberg)
- BoB 2007 - 1st place (with Eric Mukherjee, Jonathan Magin, and Charles Meigs), 6th individual
- PARFAIT III - 2nd place, aneurysm (with Eric Mukherjee, Dennis Jang, and Lisa Qing)
- Illinois Open 2007 - 1st place (As part of "Another Victim of the Maleocentric Maleocracy") Stats
- Deep Bench 2007 Brandeis Mirror - 2nd place
- 2007 Chicago Open – 2nd place (with Matt Lafer, Ryan Westbrook, and Ray Luo)
- 2007 ICT - 6th place (with Eric Mukherjee, Dennis Jang, and Phil Grice)
- ACF Nationals 2007 - 2nd place (with Eric Mukherjee, Dennis Jang) Stats
- 2007 SCT Northeast - 1st place (with Marko Djuric, Micha Elsner, and Eric Mukherjee)
- 2006 ACF Regionals - 1st place (with Micha Elsner)
- Results at Berkeley
Art
Below is an artist's depiction of Mount Vinokurov, found in the wreckage of Penn Bowl 2009
External links
Jerry's website, including blog, tournament results and the QBDB