Blackjack is the most popular table game. Players compete against the dealer for the highest point total without exceeding 21. Like poker, there are also blackjack tournaments. While these are not as popular as in the past, casinos still use these as promotions for high-volume players. A few buy-in tournaments exist.
Differences Between Cash Blackjack Games and Tournaments
There are many differences between cash blackjack and tournament play. A player can sit at a traditional cash game for as long as he or she wants. Players may re-buy, leave when they bust, or take any winnings off the table at any time.
Tournaments have a set number of hands per round. Chips must remain on the felt in view of all other players.
Another difference is how the game is dealt. At a standard blackjack game, the dealer gives the first card of a new hand to their left. This is known as first base. In a tournament, a button moves around the table. With that, first base moves, too. If the first hand starts at the dealer’s left, that player will get cards last in the next hand, and the second player to the dealer’s left gets dealt first.
At a cash blackjack table, there is no order to the betting. Everyone puts chips in the circle in no particular order. Position matters in a tournament. The player who gets cards first bets first. Players behind them can use this information to size their wagers.
In a typical game, players are only concerned about the dealer. Whether other players win, lose, or push is irrelevant there. In tournaments, every chip stack matters because the top one or two players from the table advance through the brackets. You must always be concerned about other chip counts after every hand.
Blackjack tournament rules may be different than the ones in standard games. Blackjack may pay 2/1 instead of 3/2 or 6/5. Surrender may be added or removed. Split rules may be looser to allow aces up to four hands, or may only allow splits once. Unlike a cash table, blackjack tournament minimum and maximum bets often increase with each round. Players may not sit out a hand in a tournament. No re-buys are usually permitted in tournaments. When a no re-buy rule is included, once a player busts, they are out. VIP invite tournaments don’t usually allow re-buys, while ones with cash entries often do.
Best Strategies to Use
The most important part of playing in a blackjack tournament is understanding the rules. This tells you how many hands per round are played, the payouts and available play options, the number of players who move on to the next table, how the betting rounds work, and what is permitted during play. String bets, meaning placing a bet in multiple actions, are not permitted. Bets must be made in one motion. Any attempt to add more chips to a bet after the first stack touches will not be allowed.
Ensure you know communication rules. Languages other than English are usually not allowed at the tables. Discussions with railbirds are usually banned.
Once in action, it is imperative to watch the other chipstacks. As it gets near the end of a level, you must ensure you have a chance to move to the next table. If you bet too small, you may not be able to gain enough chips to achieve that. If you are the chip leader near the end of the tournament, bet in amounts that make it impossible for others to catch you, regardless of how the hand ends. If you are in last position and every player goes all-in in front of you, hold back a chip in case the dealer beats everybody, like when getting dealt a blackjack.
Take advantage of your position. Acting late, especially last, allows you to determine how much needs to be wagered on a hand to keep up with the chip leader or maintain your lead. Math skills should also be used to determine if you need to hit or stand in odd situations. For example, you may need to hit a hand like 18 or 19 if another player has the same hand and will end up with more chips than you at the end.
When trailing, bet the opposite of the large stacks. If they bet big, you bet small. If they bet small, you bet big. If you fall behind early, always wager the maximum to give you a chance to catch up before it is too late.
Unless you must try to catch a big stack late, ensure you have enough chips left to double down or split. If you trail by more than the maximum bet, you should double down or split on your first two cards no matter what they are, because it is the only way to win.
Each blackjack tournament has different rules. It is impossible to cover all the scenarios. Practice and understanding math and odds are the best ways to increase your chances of winning. Many blackjack tournaments are either winner-takes-all or only pay a few places. This causes massive variance as dozens of players are in most events. Don’t be afraid to take a shot when you need to because, if you don’t, you may leave no way to win. If you get an early lead, play conservatively and make others catch you before risking large stacks.
