4 minute read
SUCCESS IN BLACKJACK TOURNAMENTS
The Ultimate Game Plan
It’s great to see open meetings and live entertainment expanding and blackjack tournaments returning to Arizona’s casinos. Tournaments bring different elements to the game of 21, and the cost of an evening of fun can be pretty reasonable. But there are some essential things to keep in mind.
Tournaments are designed to bring players to the casino floor, and they don’t run speedily. In addition, while you may participate in two or three separate rounds, there’s plenty of time between your specific rounds, so you’ll still have time to play live games.
Be Prepared To Follow The Rules
Gaming tournaments have specific rules that can significantly impact your success. So, your most important goal is to understand the rules before play starts. Read the tournament sheet and discuss any questions with the director, not the dealers or the other players.
I’m not saying you can’t talk to everyone about their experiences before play, but the ultimate authority will be the person in charge – and the rule sheet. Any quality tournament will have a guideline and rules you can read. Casinos that fail to provide detailed rules for their tournaments are skating on thin ice and at risk of losing loyal players!
Once you’ve read the rules, ask the tournament director if you still need clarification. Then, set your strategy based on the particulars. The first round in most tournaments starts with several tables of players involved in a set number of hands or a time limit. If you’ve got an hour to play, you can try different bet amounts and devise your late play to how you compare to player chip stacks on the table.
However, many tournaments have 20-hand rounds with a $500 chip stack and a minimum wager of $5. I’ve watched players bet $5 per hand, hoping everyone else busts out. It happens. But how many people from the table move to the second round?
If it’s just one, you may want to bet conservatively to start, but when you’re down to the last five hands, you’ve got to adjust your bets to catch up with the leaders or protect your stack until you must make your final one or two bets and hold your lead.
If two players move on to the next round, and you’re well behind, you might make your final wager small and win a spot by not busting out while others are wagering big to overtake the lead. If there’s a maximum bet, you better start adjusting your wagers at hand 16 for the best results.
Some Rules To Expect
While every tournament is different, you’ll probably need to wager in order. You might also need to keep your chips sorted and in stacks by denomination. And, more crucially, you may need to slide your wager into the betting circle. Sometimes if you pick up a stack of chips and move them toward the circle, they’ll all have to play; you can’t just drop a few into the circle for your next wager!
Good luck, and remember to find out if there are rebuys, whether blackjacks pay 2-1 or just 3-2, and whether even-money is offered. Oh, and don’t talk to anyone off the table while playing or discuss strategy. You could be disqualified! $
Writer Al Moe has worked in the casino industry for many years. He has lived and worked in Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe. He also attended the University of Nevada, Reno. He is an avid writer and blogger. His book, “Vegas and the Mob," is available online at Amazon.com. He is also the proud father of four beautiful girls.
