Blackjack is one of the most favored card games of both online and offline casinos. For players with real edge in the game, playing just against the dealer is not exciting. This is where blackjack tournaments gain relevance. When you play in a tournament, you get an opportunity to prove your acumen not just against the dealer that is conducting the game but also against other participating players.

With different formats of Blackjack tournaments available, it is possible for any number of members to take part in the game. However, the basic setup of all the tournaments is generally the same. Participants buy an entry fee, against which they are provided with an equal number of chips. After all the participants are registered, the tournament can be played on as many tables as it takes to allow all the players to play the game.

Who wins the game?

All the registered players play the game for a specified amount of time. The participant that is able to gather most chips in the end is declared the winner. The prize money is generally the portion of the entry fee collected by the casino. In some tournaments, one can even earn non-cash prizes or entry to a bigger tournament. Following every single round, only the best player of the table proceeds to the second round. Rest of the players are dropped after every round.

How do blackjack tournaments work?

While more casinos are offering black jack tournaments in the slower winter months and they can be quite fun, it is advisable to enter these tournaments only after knowing the basics of the game and the rules of the tournament. With that said, here is how blackjack tournaments work:

Every contestant is assigned to a table and every player begins with the same bankroll. Players compete for a specified period of time and one with most amount of money in the end is declared the table winner. Thereafter, table winners compete against each other until 4-5 finalists are left.

There are two kinds of tournament formats, non-elimination and elimination. In the elimination format, which is also discussed above, players compete against each other and only the winner goes to the next stage of the contest. In a non-elimination format, all the participants compete against each other with an aim of earning the most money after several rounds. No players are eliminated in this format. Out of these two formats, the eliminations format is more popular.

How to play in Blackjack tournaments

The major part of the blackjack tournament strategy is knowing how to bet. Remember, in order to stay in the game, you need to have more chips than other players of your table do. Novices make the mistake of going all in during the first round with an expectation of doubling their chips right off the bat and securing their position in the round two.

While this strategy can work for some, the basic problem with this strategy is that there is a high likelihood of your going out of the game before you have even gotten your feet wet. Therefore, in the initial stages of the tournament, bet only slightly higher than your opponents, if you are on the last seat. In most of the cases, first bet rotates from round to round, so it is necessary to strategically up your bet, if you are on one of the last seats. Your bet should be just enough to surpass other players. When you are not on the last seat, smaller bets help you make sure that you hold on to your bankroll.

Some tournaments give participants an opportunity to switch one of their cards for the next in the shoe, while others might have some other special rules. You can only take advantage of these rules if you know what these are.

It is also necessary to bear in mind that the competition is going to be tough. Not only are you competing against the dealer, but also against other players who might have a strong insight of the game. With a deep understanding of the strategy and the risk involved, you’ll be prepared to give your best shot in the tournament. No matter whether you win or lose, the more important is the realization that you have played the best you could.

Blackjack is a fun game – but many people feel it’s even more fun in tournament style.

With Blackjack tournaments you don’t have to worry about winning or losing money every hand. You simple buy in much like you would a poker tournament. You’re then given a certain amount of chips each, and then have to wager them with the aim to win the most chips within a certain time limit.

This can mean a lot of fun and strategy. You may want to take the risk when it’s not necessary to double down, and your optimal play actually relies on others.

Thankfully, blackjack tournaments are something that have made their way online.

Where To Play Online Blackjack Tournaments

Before I talk more about Blackjack Tournaments online and their strategy, let’s figure out where the heck we can play them.

The best place to play online blackjack tournaments is 5Dimes.com.

5Dimes currently offer a wide variety of Blackjack games and tournaments, with buyins that can be free – they run a daily freeroll – to high stakes. They have single table blackjack tournaments where 6 people can play, as well as multi table blackjack tournaments where literally thousands of people can play.

5Dimes is a trustworthy online casino that is primarily a sportsbook – but they offer so many other features that people overlook. For example – they offer THREE different online casinos within their software. And that’s just your standard online casino. They also offer live dealer casino, and my favourite – mini games.

So be sure to head on over to 5Dimes.com.

Additional Blackjack Tournament Questions:

Do any online casinos offer Live Dealer Blackjack Tournaments?

At this time – no. However if you are wanting to play online blackjack with live dealers, we’d recommend 5Dimes.com. They offer Turbo Blackjack, Blackjack Early Payout and various other Live Dealer Games.

Should You Just Play Your Own Game?

By this – the person asking means should you focus on your own game, and ignore others.

We highly recommend not doing that. It’s important that you adjust your play style based on others. It all depends how you want to play though. Do you want to go for the big win? Do you want to just cash and anything else is a bonus? Look at the players you are playing with too, and their strategies.

What is the best Blackjack Tournament Strategy?

There are really too many to cover. But one example would be focusing on the players beside you, and how they play. Are they loose cannons? Do they like to bet early? For example I play often in a loose environment where people want to win big or go home. So I will play conservatively the first few hands. If these people win big, then I’ll up the ante and attempt to catch up with them.

Rather than be a leader, I prefer to be a follower. Let the others make the drastic moves.

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