Much to my amazement, I made it through the first round and qualified for the second round!
I played a very conservative strategy all the way through the session while the other five players were betting all over the place.
Although this was my first experience in a blackjack tournament, I am amazed how accurately the Casino Verite software replicates a real-world experience. From the three weeks of computer practice, I was able to watch how other players bet, keep track of their chips, and determine a betting strategy. Even before the tournament, I was impressed with this product. Now, I am simply in awe of its capacity to assist in learning how to play quality blackjack, both in regular play and in tournaments.
The format of the tournament is a 40-minute session, plus five hands. At the end of 20 minutes, we get an advisory, as well as after 30 minutes. Then, at 40 minutes, they count all of our chips, so we each know what the others have. Then, there is a five-hand countdown.
At the start, everyone had $750 in tournament (non-negotiable) chips. At the end of the 40-minute session, I was in second place with about $700. The man in first was ahead of me by about $50.
We had lost two of the original six players before the five-hand countdown. So, the odds were getting better to qualify. Then, the lady in the group went all in and busted out, leaving just three of us. So, I was feeling pretty good.
I was VERY fortunate to be in the position of betting last on the last hand. Both of the other players were betting large ($100+), trying to gain an advantage. So, I bet small. Going into the last hand, I was in first place by about $90. The third guy was about $350 behind.
The first bettor, who had about $600, went in for $125. The second better, who had about $375, bet the maximum of $300.
Being last to bet, I had a decision to make. If I bet enough to cover a potential BJ on the $300 hand and lost, while he won his bet, I would have dropped below him. And if the first bettor won his hand, I would have been shut out. I decided to take a conservative path and bet contrary, hoping that at least one of them would lose; and if both won, that the $300 bettor would not get a blackjack. So, I bet the minimum of $10.
As it turned out, the first guy won his hand for a total of about $730. And, luckily for me, the second guy busted out. So, it did not matter anymore. However, as a nice finishing touch to the round, I got my first and only blackjack on the last hand. Fitting end to a great session!
Now I will be playing in the second round tomorrow morning at 9:00 A.M. That means that I need to change my flight home, since I booked the flight for early Sunday before I had even known about the tournament.
Tough luck, isn't it, that I have to spend another day in Vegas. ;-)
