Weird Tournament Rule Question

I'm in a blackjack tounament with rules as follows:
1. Limited to 36 entries.
2. Winner take all, $25,000.
3. 3 rounds.
4. Round 1 is six tables of six. One from each table moves on.
5. Round 2 is two tables of three. One from each table moves on.
6. Round 3 is one table of two. One winner.
7. Money is reset after each round.
8. Players get $15,000 in chips. Min bet is $500. NO MAXIMUM bet.
9. Blackjack pays 2-1.
10. Round consists of 11 hands.
11. Here's the big one: Before each round, you can purchase, for $100, a "Hot Ace". It must be used in that round. You can, then, substitute any card, for an Ace. It will then play like a normal Ace. Blackjacks will pay 2-1. You can only use the "Hot Ace" once in a round. The "Hot Ace" cannot be used if you've just busted. Other than that, it can be used at any time in the hand.

So, what are the best strategies for using this "Hot Ace"?

...What is the original entry fee???

Cobbson

The entry was comped, and I don't think there was an entry fee for anyone. By the way, I won it. My strategy was to go all in at the first time that the count was +1. As it turned out, I had a 20, and the dealer had a 10. I decided NOT to use the "Hot Ace" at that time. I won the hand. This was at hand 4. This put me at double everyone else. Then, by hand 9, most had used their "Hot Aces", but not all used them and were all in, or used them for blackjacks. So, there were two people close to me, and the rest were well below. However, I still had the Ace. The count was almost +3 at hand 9, and I went all in again. As soon as I saw my first card being a 10, I knew that I was then uncatchable. That was round one. Other adventures ensued on subsequent rounds, but I don't know if this is boring to you all, so I won't recount them here.

...With only 11 hands per round, there's not much time to fool around.

Cobbson

I agree that you used your Ace for Blackjack and with all-in, and it can maximum your earnings because you can make 2.5times then your original bankroll.
And at last, Congratulations!