Tough BJ decision to make

[London Colin]

It's not to mess up the flow of the cards and I would only do some of these things on high negative or positive counts.

The count is largely irrelevant. Certainly it is the least significant of the many factors a tournament player has to evaluate. Most don't bother with it at all.

I do agree with you on all other points though. But like I also stated, in 15 hands how much can you accomplish other than pure gambling and hunch betting or betting to stay ahead of the competition?

Read Ken's e-book. :grin:

Betting to get/stay ahead of the competition is indeed the primary skill. The sizing and timing of any catch-up bets you need to make is crucial.

Once you have the lead it's a question of correlating your bets and actions with your nearest competitors in order to try and maintain that lead.

Of course you need luck to do well on any particular day, but in the long run you can have a big edge over the rest of the field if you know what you are doing. There's no role for hunches.


One quick illustration: In the early running it's normal to bet the minimum, but if betting slightly more offers the possibility of taking the lead via a 'swing' (you win, your opponent loses) it can be worthwhile. Later on, bigger bets which do not require the (relatively unlikely) swing become neccessary. Usually there comes a point where the button passes you and it's your last opportunity to make a move having seen everybody else's bets. It often makes sense to make a large bet at this point which covers even the possibility of a double-down win by your competitors.

But back to the early running - Suppose you've bet enough for the swing (e.g., you trail by 200, the leader bet 100, and you responded by betting 105), you have a stiff hand which is a BS stand (e.g., 12 v 4), and the leader has stood on a stiff total. Now is a great time to deviate from BS and hit your hand. It's not that much worse than standing, and it opens up the possibility of the swing where otherwise you would be locked into the same result as the leader and only gain/lose an additional 5 chips.

Indeed, I often hit 13 in situations like this (and later on might hit any stiff hand). There is no hunch involved, there's just an opportunity that has been recognised. If a ten comes and I bust then that's just the way it goes. And if the dealer then busts, meaning the swing has actually gone against me, then I swear like a trooper! :grin:

 

[blackjacktilt]

The count is largely irrelevant. Certainly it is the least significant of the many factors a tournament player has to evaluate. Most don't bother with it at all.


Read Ken's e-book. :grin:

Betting to get/stay ahead of the competition is indeed the primary skill. The sizing and timing of any catch-up bets you need to make is crucial.

Once you have the lead it's a question of correlating your bets and actions with your nearest competitors in order to try and maintain that lead.

Of course you need luck to do well on any particular day, but in the long run you can have a big edge over the rest of the field if you know what you are doing. There's no role for hunches.


One quick illustration: In the early running it's normal to bet the minimum, but if betting slightly more offers the possibility of taking the lead via a 'swing' (you win, your opponent loses) it can be worthwhile. Later on, bigger bets which do not require the (relatively unlikely) swing become neccessary. Usually there comes a point where the button passes you and it's your last opportunity to make a move having seen everybody else's bets. It often makes sense to make a large bet at this point which covers even the possibility of a double-down win by your competitors.

But back to the early running - Suppose you've bet enough for the swing (e.g., you trail by 200, the leader bet 100, and you responded by betting 105), you have a stiff hand which is a BS stand (e.g., 12 v 4), and the leader has stood on a stiff total. Now is a great time to deviate from BS and hit your hand. It's not that much worse than standing, and it opens up the possibility of the swing where otherwise you would be locked into the same result as the leader and only gain/lose an additional 5 chips.

Indeed, I often hit 13 in situations like this (and later on might hit any stiff hand). There is no hunch involved, there's just an opportunity that has been recognised. If a ten comes and I bust then that's just the way it goes. And if the dealer then busts, meaning the swing has actually gone against me, then I swear like a trooper! :grin:

Nice plug!! :grin:
Thanks for the info, what you're saying is kind of how I play tourneys, but I obviously have alot to learn. I've only played a few, making the final table only once and busting out of 3 early, first table early

 

[London Colin]

Nice plug!! :grin:
Thanks for the info, what you're saying is kind of how I play tourneys, but I obviously have alot to learn. I've only played a few, making the final table only once and busting out of 3 early, first table early

I'm hoping Ken will give me a commission.

There is a lot of free information available at https://www.blackjacktournaments.com/ and on the tournaments page here, which is a good place to start before buying any books. (Besides Ken's e-book, the classic text is Stanford Wong's 'Casino Tournament Strategy'.)

It's funny; things have been a bit quiet on the bjt forum lately, but there seems to be a sudden surge of tournament-related posts here. I can certainly recommend the bjt forum for more in-depth tournament discussions.

Good luck in your future tournament exploits.