World Series of Blackjack - Championship Episode

What follows is a televised-hand-by-televised-hand account. Obviously, since it's only a one-hour show, most hands are not televised so you're going to see a lot of jumping of the dealer button.

The WORLD SERIES OF BLACKJACK reaches it's climax tonight! The winners of the five preliminary matches plus the winner of the Wild Card match last week have assembled, each one just 30 hands away from the $100,000 grand prize!

For rules on how blackjack is played, see the small tutorial in the first recap of the series. But know that this is a blackjack tournament, meaning every player starts with $100,000 in chips and must bet between $1000 and $50,000 on each hand (so it's essentially like the prelims, only 10 times the stakes). After 30 hands, the one with the most money wins $100,000 tonight to add to their previous winnings ($10G for the five prelim winners, $5000 for the Wild Card)! The others win varying amounts from the $250,000 prize pool, depending on where they place. There is a "Dealer Button" which goes around the table, but it signifies who BETS and PLAYS first, not who the dealer starts dealing cards to first. This is significant, though, since betting is a HUGE part of tournament blackjack.

Regina Cuzion - Winner, Game 1
Blind (husband John acts as eyes); mistakenly bet lower denominations of chip in one hand...a mistake that resulted in her winning

M.I.T. Mike - Winner, Game 2
Was either in first or tied for first in at least 20 out of 30 hands in his prelim round

Micky Rosa - Winner, Game 3
Tied going into last hand of his prelim, a brilliant betting strategy won him a seat at the finals

Jimmy Pine - Winner, Game 4
Bet the minimum $100 in 25 out of 30 hands in his prelim and beat blackjack guru Stanford Wong

Ken Smith - Winner, Game 5
Doubled-down on a 13 in his last prelim hand; earned his spot when dealer busted and he (luckily) didn't

David Stann - Wild Card Winner
"Bad boy of blackjack"; gusty max bet in 29th Wild Card hand put him in position to pull out the win on hand #30

Host Matt Vasgersian and gaming expert Max Rubin giving us the play-by-play. Our dealer is Tiki....so let's have at it! Jimmy will always be "first base", where the dealer starts dealing the cards. But the order shown, left to right, will be the betting and playing order starting with the "button".

HAND 1
Jimmy BANK:$100,000		Micky BANK:$100,000	Regina BANK:$100,000	Ken BANK:$100,000	Dave BANK:$100,000	Mike BANK:$100,000
Bet: $1000		Bet: $1000	Bet: $3000	Bet: $1000	Bet: $3000	Bet: $2000
9-9 = 18 (split)		10-3 = 13	8-A = 9/19	9-K = 19	K-8 = 18	8-J = 18
Regina has a "soft" 19 with the Ace. She can stay on 19 or hit with a 9 (Aces can be 1-point or 11-point cards depending on the situation).
DEALER: 3
SPLIT $1000 apiece		STAND	STAND	STAND	STAND	STAND
9-K=19 STAND	9-7=16 STAND
DEALER: 3-4 = 7 HIT: 6 = 13 HIT: A = 14 HIT: 4 = 18 MUST STAND
WIN	LOSS	LOSS	WIN	WIN	PUSH	PUSH
BANK:$100,000		BANK:$99,000	BANK:$103,000	BANK:$101,000	BANK:$100,000	BANK:$100,000

HAND 2
Micky BANK:$99,000	Regina BANK:$103,000	Ken BANK:$101,000	Dave BANK:$100,000	Mike BANK:$100,000	Jimmy BANK:$100,000
Bet: $1000	Bet: $3000	Bet: $1000	Bet: $6000	Bet: $1000	Bet: $1000
K-6 = 16	Q-K = 20 (split)	6-4 = 10	Q-5 = 15	10-K = 20 (split)	7-5 = 12
Regina and Mike CAN split their hands; each of their two cards are of the same value, even of they're not the same rank. But splitting 10-point cards is NOT advisable except under EXTREME circumstances.
DEALER: Q
Dealers must check their face-down card if their face-up card is a 10-point card or an Ace. If the dealer has a Blackjack, s/he shows it and the hand is over with everyone a loser. If not, the hand continues as usual.
SURRENDER LOSE $500	STAND	HIT: 8 = 18 STAND	SURRENDER LOSE $3000	STAND	HIT: 8 = 20 STAND
Feeling they didn't have a chance to win, Micky and Dave "surrendered" their hands, giving up half their bets.
DEALER: Q-5 = 15 HIT: A = 16 HIT: 6 = 22 *BUST*
LOSS	WIN	WIN	LOSS	WIN	WIN
BANK:$98,500	BANK:$106,000	BANK:$102,000	BANK:$97,000	BANK:$101,000	BANK:$101,000

HAND 7
Jimmy BANK:$105,000	Micky BANK:$90,500	Regina BANK:$126,000	Ken BANK:$106,000	Dave BANK:$122,000	Mike BANK:$104,000
Bet: $1000	Bet: $40,000	Bet: $6000	Bet: $1000	Bet: $12,000	Bet: $1000
7-A = 8/18	7-2 = 9	K-3 = 13	2-9 = 11	A-10 = 11/21	4-5 = 9
Dave has a Blackjack...but he doesn't HAVE to call it that. In tournament play, he can call the Ace a 1-point card and double-down. But the SAFE bet is to take the 3-to-2 offered for a Blackjack...
DEALER: 8
...especially with such a high card for the dealer. The chance of getting a 10-point card on a double-down card are very good...but NOT a given. Of course, Tiki has busted for the last five hands...so maybe she might keep the streak alive...though it's not likely with an 8 up.
STAND	HIT: 10 = 19 STAND	HIT: 3 = 16 HIT: 3 = 19 STAND	DBLE: $2000	BLACKJACK!	HIT: 6 = 15 HIT: J = 25 *BUST*
As stated above, one should always double-down on an 11, since the chances of a 10-point card to make 21 are very good.
DEALER: 8-Q = 18 MUST STAND
			DD Card: 8 Total: 19
PUSH	WIN	WIN	WIN	WIN 3-to-2	LOSS
BANK:$105,000	BANK:$130,500	BANK:$132,000	BANK:$108,000	BANK:$140,000	BANK:$103,000
Ken and Regina have won in all seven hands to this point. Of course, Regina has profited more because Ken's only been betting the minimum so far.

Of course, during the cut-scene, Regina DID lose a hand or two...but Ken only SURRENDERED one hand and won the other two.

HAND 11
Dave BANK:$152,000	Mike BANK:$107,000	Jimmy BANK:$110,000	Micky BANK:$129,000	Regina BANK:$125,000	Ken BANK:$109,500
Bet: $3000	Bet: $1000	Bet: $1000	Bet: $1000	Bet: $1000	Bet: $23,000
6-5 = 11	8-5 = 13	8-5 = 13	4-10 = 14	K-2 = 12	J-J = 20 (split)
DEALER: 9
DBLE: $6000	HIT: Q = 23 BUST	HIT: 10 = 23 *BUST*	HIT: 2 = 16 HIT: J = 26 *BUST*	HIT: 4 = 16 HIT: 6 = 22 BUST	STAND
DEALER: 9-5 = 14 HIT: Q = 24 *BUST*
DD Card: 7 Total: 18
WIN	LOSS	LOSS	LOSS	LOSS	WIN
BANK:$158,000	BANK:$106,000	BANK:$109,000	BANK:$128,000	BANK:$124,000	BANK:$132,500

HAND 14
Micky BANK:$125,000	Regina BANK:$120,000	Ken BANK:$127,500	Dave BANK:$167,000	Mike BANK:$106,000	Jimmy BANK:$109,000
Bet: $4000	Bet: $5000	Bet: $4000	Bet: $3000	Bet: $1000	Bet: $1000
4-J = 14	K-7 = 17	4-8 = 12	A-4 = 5/15	Q-4 = 14	2-3 = 5
DEALER: 5
Basic blackjack strategy states that, if you have 13 or more when the dealer has a low (2 through 6) face-up card, you stand. That's because the dealer will HAVE to hit and stands a good chance of going bust. Also, if you have a 9, 10, 11 of "soft hand" (like Dave's), you should double- down for the same reason.
STAND	STAND	STAND	DBLE: $6000	STAND	HIT: 5 = 10 HIT: A = 11/21 STAND
DEALER: 5-J = 15 HIT: J = 25 *BUST*
See? Told ya.
			DD Card: 6 Total: 21
WIN	WIN	WIN	WIN	WIN	WIN
BANK:$129,000	BANK:$125,000	BANK:$131,500	BANK:$173,000	BANK:$107,000	BANK:$110,000

HAND 15
Regina BANK:$125,000	Ken BANK:$131,500	Dave BANK:$173,000		Mike BANK:$107,000	Jimmy BANK:$110,000	Micky BANK:$129,000
Bet: $5000	Bet: $1000	Bet: $3000		Bet: $1000	Bet: $1000	Bet: $4000
4-9 = 13	7-9 = 16	Q-Q = 20 (split)		A-K = 11/21	7-5 = 12	7-9 = 16
During the dealing of the cards, Tiki tosses aside a yellow cardboard card. At the start of the game, that card was placed about three-quarters of the way through the conglomeration of six decks of cards they are playing with. After this hand. Tiki will shuffle the decks and place them back in her "shoe" (the device she places the cards in to make it easier to deal), then insert the yellow card again. This is done in casinos all around...and it helps deter card counting a little.
DEALER: 4
STAND	STAND	SPLIT $3000 apiece		BLACKJACK!	HIT: Q = 22 BUST	STAND
		Q-8=18	Q-2=12 H:Q=22 *BUST*
DEALER: 4-5 = 9 HIT: 6 = 15 HIT: A = 16 HIT: 2 = 18 MUST STAND
LOSS	LOSS	PUSH	LOSS	WIN 3-to-2	LOSS	LOSS
BANK:$120,000	BANK:$130,500	BANK:$170,000		BANK:$108,500	BANK:$109,000	BANK:$125,000

HAND 19
Jimmy BANK:$112,000	Micky BANK:$137,000	Regina BANK:$115,000	Ken BANK:$113,000	Dave BANK:$158,000	Mike BANK:$103,500
Bet: $1000	Bet: $1000	Bet: $3000	Bet: $23,000	Bet: $13,000	Bet: $1000
J-A = 11/21	A-6 = 7/17	J-Q = 20 (split)	9-2 = 11	10-Q = 20 (split)	3-Q = 13
DEALER: 10
BLACKJACK!	HIT: J = 17 STAND	STAND	DBLE: $46,000	STAND	HIT: K = 23 STAND
Jimmy takes his chips from the Blackjack and tosses them towards his pile like he's upset...and he SHOULD be, since betting only the minimum has cost him during this game.
DEALER: 10-9 = 19 MUST STAND
			DD Card: 2 Total: 13
WIN 3-to-2	LOSS	WIN	LOSS	WIN	LOSS
BANK:$113,500	BANK:$136,000	BANK:$118,000	BANK:$67,000	BANK:$171,000	BANK:$102,500

HAND 20
Micky BANK:$136,000	Regina BANK:$118,000	Ken BANK:$67,000	Dave BANK:$171,000	Mike BANK:$102,500	Jimmy BANK:$113,500
Bet: $1000	Bet: $6000	Bet: $1000	Bet: $3000	Bet: $23,000	Bet: $1000
9-K = 19	10-K = 20 (split)	A-7 = 8/18	4-9 = 13	9-9 = 18 (split)	8-9 = 17
DEALER: Q
Much like in the Wild Card game, Tiki FAKES flipping over a Blackjack...and not too many player appreciate it.
STAND	STAND	HIT: 10 = 18 STAND	HIT: 7 = 20 STAND	STAND	STAND
Feeling they didn't have a chance to win, Micky and Dave "surrendered" their hands, giving up half their bets.
DEALER: Q-6 = 16 HIT: 4 = 20 MUST STAND
LOSS	PUSH	LOSS	PUSH	LOSS	LOSS
BANK:$135,000	BANK:$118,000	BANK:$66,000	BANK:$171,000	BANK:$79,500	BANK:$112,500

HAND 22
Ken BANK:$65,000	Dave BANK:$168,000	Mike BANK:$79,500	Jimmy BANK:$113,500	Micky BANK:$137,000	Regina BANK:$115,000
Bet: $1000	Bet: $10,000	Bet: $50,000	Bet: $1000	Bet: $4000	Bet: $15,000
5-J = 15	J-2 = 12	8-2 = 10	K-4 = 14	2-A = 3/13	10-3 = 13
DEALER: 5
STAND	STAND	DBLE: $79,500	STAND	DBLE: $8000	STAND
In some casinos and tournaments, you are allowed to "double-down for less", meaning you only get one card but you don't have to double your bet; you just have to throw SOMETHING in. Mike has done that...and he's all-in. If he loses this hand, he'll end up in 6th place overall.
DEALER: 5-3 = 8 HIT: 5 = 13 HIT: 9 = 22 *BUST*
		DD Card: 9 Total:19		DD Card: 3 Total: 16
WIN	WIN	WIN	WIN	WIN	WIN
BANK:$66,000	BANK:$178,000	BANK:$159,000	BANK:$114,500	BANK:$145,000	BANK:$130,000
With that ONE hand, Mike went from fifth place to second place! And who says POKER is the only game with those kind of money swings?

During the cut-scene, Ken bets big and bombs, as does Micky and Dave. Regina, Jimmy and Mike push.

HAND 24
Mike BANK:$159,000	Jimmy BANK:$114,500	Micky BANK:$101,000	Regina BANK:$115,000	Ken BANK:$49,500	Dave BANK:$160,000
Bet: $1500	Bet: $3000	Bet: $50,000	Bet: $5000	Bet: $46,500	Bet: $1500
10-A = 11/21	4-6 = 10	5-A = 6/16	A-2 = 3/13	A-8 = 9/19	6-7 = 13
DEALER: 8
BLACKJACK!	HIT: Q = 20 STAND	HIT: 2 = 8/18 STAND	HIT: 3 = 6/16 HIT: 7 = 13 HIT: 8 = 21 AUTO STAND	STAND	DBLE: $3000
Tiki doesn't even ASK Regina if she wants to stay on 21...duh! Dave doubles down in order to stay ahead of Mike...IF he wins. Doubling on a "hard" 13 is VERY risky. Even if the dealer busts, if Dave has a 9- or 10-point card as his double-down card, he loses since, technically, he busted first.
DEALER: 8-3 = 11 HIT: 9 = 20 MUST STAND
					DD Card: Q Total: 23 *BUST*
WIN 3-to-2	PUSH	LOSS	WIN	LOSS	LOSS
BANK:$161,250	BANK:$114,500	BANK:$51,000	BANK:$120,000	BANK:$3000	BANK:$157,000

Ken is pretty much dead right now. Unless everyone starts making some maximum bets and losing when Ken goes all-in every time and wins, he'll NEVER catch up.

HAND 25
Jimmy BANK:$114,500	Micky BANK:$51,000	Regina BANK:$120,000	Ken BANK:$3000	Dave BANK:$157,000	Mike BANK:$161,250
Bet: $1000	Bet: $25,500	Bet: $10,000	Bet: $1000	Bet: $12,000	Bet: $12,000
10-6 = 16	Q-A = 11/21	5-Q = 15	5-K = 15	8-J = 18	4-9 = 13
DEALER: 4
STAND	DBLE: $51,000	STAND	STAND	STAND	STAND
Micky has done it! He is the first person during this tournament NOT to take a Blackjack on a televised hand! He called his Ace a 1-point card and has doubled down. Good strategy, considering the low card by the dealer. BUT, if he LOSES, he's history since he's all-in.
DEALER: Q-4 = 14 HIT: Q = 24 *BUST*
The gamble paid off for Micky!
	DD Card: 3 Total: 14
WIN	WIN	WIN	WIN	WIN	WIN
BANK:$115,500	BANK:$102,000	BANK:$130,000	BANK:$4000	BANK:$169,000	BANK:$173,250

The last hands of a blackjack tournament are where strategy MORE than takes over. Remember, the object is to have the MOST money at the end of 30 hands, so working out a bet strategy is VERY important now. It's where most of the biggest bets are also made. Like a horse race, the players try to keep as close to the pack as possible, then go to the whip and try to charge ahead down the stretch...and hope the horses doesn't collapse beneath them.

HAND 28
Ken BANK:$2000	Dave BANK:$131,500	Mike BANK:$148,250	Jimmy BANK:$115,500	Micky BANK:$41,000	Regina BANK:$52,500
Bet: $2000	Bet: $18,500	Bet: $18,500	Bet: $1000	Bet: $36,000	Bet: $40,000
7-3 = 10	J-4 = 14	10-K = 20 (split)	7-J = 17	8-10 = 18	K-8 = 18
DEALER: Q
SURRENDER LOSE $1000	SURRENDER LOSE $9250	STAND	STAND	STAND	STAND
DEALER: Q-J = 20 MUST STAND
LOSS	LOSS	PUSH	LOSS	LOSS	LOSS
BANK:$1000	BANK:$122,250	BANK:$148,250	BANK:$114,500	BANK:$5000	BANK:$12,500

Regina and Micky are in the same boat as Mike; the chances of them winning with two hands left are slim and none...and "slim" just left the state. Best they can do is at least try to stay IN the game until the last hand.

HAND 29
Dave BANK:$122,250	Mike BANK:$148,250	Jimmy BANK:$114,500	Micky BANK:$5000	Regina BANK:$12,500	Ken BANK:$1000
Bet: $27,000	Bet: $27,000	Bet: $50,000	Bet: $2000	Bet: $2000	Bet: $1000
10-7 = 17	10-Q = 20 (split)	5-3 = 8	K-K=20(split)	4-3 = 7	J-9 = 19
DEALER: Q
Dealers must check their face-down card if their face-up card is a 10-point card or an Ace. If the dealer has a Blackjack, s/he shows it and the hand is over with everyone a loser. If not, the hand continues as usual.
STAND	STAND	HIT: 3 = 11 HIT: 3 = 14 HIT: A = 15 HIT: A = 16 HIT: 7 = 23 *BUST*	STAND	HIT: 4 = 11 HIT: 2 = 13 HIT: 10 = 23 *BUST*	HIT: 2 = 21 AUTO STAND
This is the first time all tournament that someone went to SEVEN cards. Didn't help Jimmy, though. Folks, unless you're SURE a deuce is the next card, do NOT hit on a hard 19, like Ken! He was hitting to try and beat the assumed 20 of the dealer (you should always assume a 10-point card as the face-down card since their four times more abundant than any other value). He absolutely lucked out when he hit that deuce!
DEALER: Q-6 = 16 HIT: Q = 26 *BUST*
Had Ken not hit, the dealer would've taken the 2 and made an 18. Had THAT happened, Dave would've lost and Mike, for all intents and purposes, would've won the tournament! So Dave thanks Ken IMMENSELY for taking that chance.
WIN	WIN	LOSS	WIN	LOSS	WIN
BANK:$149,250	BANK:$175,250	BANK:$64,500	BANK:$7000	BANK:$10,500	BANK:$2000

It all comes down to one last hand. Whoever is ahead at the end of this hand wins 100 "large"! Of course, all the OTHER places are up for grabs, too...and, much like in a poker tournament, a higher placing gets you more REAL money. So strategy is as important as ever, even for those who aren't playing for 1st place.

*FINAL HAND!!*
During the last bets, Dave pretends to hold a microphone and "interviews" Mike about "how it feels to lose to" him.
Mike BANK:$175,250	Jimmy BANK:$64,500	Micky BANK:$7000	Regina BANK:$10,500	Ken BANK:$2000	Dave BANK:$149,250
Bet: $40,000	Bet: $10,000	Bet: $2500	Bet: $2500	Bet: $2000	Bet: $12,000
If Mike surrenders his hand here, it forces Dave into either winning the hand and the tournament...or losing the tournament. Jimmy has locked 3rd place up, not wanting to bet big and hope Mike and Dave bet big and destroy themselves. Ken has 6th place all to himself, leaving Regina and Micky to battle for 4th.
6-7 = 13	J-Q = 20 (split)	Q-K= 20 (split)	8-7 = 15	7-7 = 14 (split)	2-5 = 7
DEALER: 10
If Tiki had Blackjack, everyone would lose...and Dave would win the tournament by a mere $2000. But she doesn't.
SURRENDER LOSE $20,000	STAND	STAND	STAND	HIT: A = 15 HIT: 7 = 22 *BUST*	HIT: J = 17 STAND
This is it! If Tiki does ANYTHING but busts, Mike wins the tournament. If she busts, Dave wins the tournament. Tiki's chances of busting: about 21%.
DEALER: Q-5 = 15 HIT: 3 = 18 MUST STAND
LOSS	WIN	WIN	LOSS	LOSS	LOSS
BANK:$155,250 WINNER!!! $100,000!	BANK:$74,500 3rd Place $15,000	BANK:$9500 4th Place $10,000	BANK:$8000 5th Place $5,000	BANK:$0 6th Place $0	BANK:$137,250 2nd Place $25,000

So...Ken walks away with only the $10,000 he won in the preliminaries, Regina takes home $15,000 total, Micky a total of $20G, Jimmy gets $25,000 total and Dave - who was a REAL victim of a bad beat on the last card - walks out with a grand total of $30,000. But it's M.I.T. Mike who lucks out and takes home a grand total of $110,000 and the World Series of Blackjack Title!