Strategy for Elimination Blackjack Tournaments

Anyone who’s played blackjack tournaments is always trying to come up with a strategy to be more successful.

Like when other players and I get together after each round of play to compare notes. Everyone says, “If I would have bet this” or “if he or she would have bet that,” something else (better for them) would have happened. This debate, on the “correct way” to play, has been going on for years among players of all levels.

Then Elimination Blackjack tournaments came along, which really put a twist on things. In the elimination format, there are 30 hands, with Elimination Hands on 8, 16, 25, and, of course, the final hand 30. This means that at the conclusion of these hands, the player with the lowest chip count is eliminated. It’s like playing four tournaments in one. And what’s so great (or nerve-racking) is that from the start no one is safe. Players used to traditional tournaments - where they bet conservatively until the final hands, then make a big bet and hope for the best - are caught off guard.

In Elimination Blackjack, you can’t sit around and wait. If you do, you’ll be eliminated before you can even say blackjack. In EBJ tournaments, position is more important than ever. If you’re betting first on the first Elimination Hand, then you’re in trouble right off the bat— you need to get aggressive fast and put the pressure on everyone else at the table immediately.

Another important element of Elimination Blackjack is the Secret Bet (and Secret Action), which can be used only one time per round. It’s a powerful weapon, allowing you to make a bet that no one else at the table can see. Let’s say you’re first to bet on an Elimination Hand and a couple of other players are close to you. This is the time to use it. You don’t want to use your Secret Bet early unless you have to. If there is some way you can hold onto your Secret Bet until the end, it may be the difference between winning or losing a tournament. With that said, if you’re in a tough spot, elect not to use your Secret Bet, and get eliminated, the Secret Bet goes to waste. So use it wisely.

In Elimination Blackjack tournaments, you usually start with a bankroll of $25,000; the minimum bet is $500 and the max is $50,000. Again, you have to look at this format like you’re playing four different tournaments in one. The first one ends on hand 8, then 16, 25, and 30.

Number 8 comes up fast. This doesn’t mean you have to come up with a big bet right off the bat. If you’re first to bet on the first hand, bet small. Now if the other players bet bigger and lose, you’ll have a lead on them. If everyone bets the same that’s okay, because on the second hand you’ll be last to bet. Whenever you bet last, you have a great opportunity to make a move. When you need to make up ground, if everyone bets big before you, then bet small. if everyone bets small, then bet big to get the lead. The best strategy is to make a big bet at some point before hand 8, but it doesn’t have to be on the first hand. If you win the big bet, you’ll most likely be sitting pretty until the next Elimination Hand 16.

Remember, once someone gets eliminated on hand 8, the betting position will change. It’s important that you figure out where you will be betting on hand 16. In EBJ, you have no time to relax. You always have to be thinking ahead about when you might use your Secret Bet and where you will be betting on a particular hand.

All the other rules of a traditional blackjack tournament apply.

Remember, no matter how good someone is, they still need to have the card gods watching over them to win. If you make the right bet, but don’t get the winning cards dealt to you, there’s nothing you can do. The most important thing is to have your head in the game and try to make the correct bet. If you make the correct bets and use your Secret Bet at the right time, then sooner or later you’ll master Elimination Blackjack tournaments.

Kenny Einiger
WPT Article