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Online Blackjack Tournaments
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Tournaments grow steadily in popularity each month with more and more online casinos setting them up. If you enjoy team sports and have missed the competitive atmosphere and camaraderie (or commiseration) of pulling up at a blackjack table with other players competing against the dealer, you may want to give tournament play a whirl.
What makes tournaments so hot is the ability of the players to compete against each other for the ultimate top-money prize. Standard blackjack focuses primarily on one player versus the dealer. These contests don't offer a grand prize.
Several land-based casinos and even a few online casinos offer blackjack tournaments.
If you want to find yourself at the final table, you'll need to know how to get there. Tournaments introduce a unique human element into your so-far strictly computerized blackjack experience.
Keep in mind the etiquette when you're dealing with other players online in a competitive environment. Remember that many people find the anonymity of the online casino gives them license to say or do things that they would consider rude in person.
You don't just need to guard yourself against such behavior and not let it throw you from other players; you also need to
keep in mind legitimate complaints from players before you join a tournament. One key rule: Play at your level. Blackjack
players take their tournaments seriously. They, and casinos, have little patience for slow, plodding players. If you have any doubt about that, watch when a novice sits down at a live blackjack table with some seasoned players.
Tournament play or not, seasoned players often get frustrated with slow decisions or indecision. The house, in this case the online casino, likewise will police it's tables to make sure the paying players keep coming back. You don't want to blow your chance to enjoy tournament play by behaving improperly out of ignorance. Take the time to read up on all the tournament rules here and on the casinos hosting the competition before you pull up a seat. You'll keep from losing money needlessly and improve your chances of winning big simply by taking a little time to feel things out.
Types of Tournaments.
Few experiences in online gaming pack more excitement than blackjack tournaments. Made up of several tables with optimally six or seven players each, the buzz of the land-based casinos can inspire you to play your best. The days can be long, consisting of several rounds of play, sometimes consisting of up to 50 hands per round. Some tournaments take days and are both frustrating and energizing. Players begin the first round with an equal amount of chips, and at the end of the round, it's the player who has the maximum number of chips who will advance.
There are two types of blackjack tournaments - elimination and non-elimination tournaments. In both tournaments, players
compete over several hands, and the player with the most money at the end is declared the winner. The tournament play and competition differs slightly in the two types. Let's examine both types so you can decide which is best for you.
Elimination Tournaments.
In elimination tournaments, as the name indicates, blackjack players compete only against the players at the table at which
they are seated. The player who wins the most money at the table advances to the next round of competition, and all other players from the table are eliminated. The advancing player then goes on to compete against the top players from the other tables in the tournament until all other players are eliminated and only the winner remains. This type of tournament is extremely popular.
Non-Elimination Tournaments.
In non-elimination blackjack, players compete against all players in the tournament, whether they are seated at their particular table or not. This is a unique playoff, more like a golf tournament, where each player or team accumulates points (chips) to be posted on a leader board.
The goal of each player is to win as much money as possible through a set period of play. The house doesn't eliminate anybody. These are not as popular as elimination tournaments; however, when playing in one you must remember that you're trying to accumulate the most chips overall. This may affect the way you bet at each table and with each hand. For example, you will have no fear of being eliminated at the table by not having the highest chip count after the round, and therefore, you may not risk going all-in early in the tournament to accumulate as many chips as possible.
Entry Fees and Prizes.
You can usually register for a blackjack tournament several hours in advance. Entry fees are almost always required for
tournament play. Entry fees may range from $10 (small tournaments) to $500 (large tournaments), and they should pay a return of at least 80 to 100 percent back to the players. Most tournaments pay out prizes to at least the top six places, and as a result, prizes usually pay a return of 100 percent of the player entry fees back to the winning players through prizes.
