Blackjack Tournaments

As a Blackjack avid player, you will probably note that rising numbers of online casino are providing Blackjack tournaments, but the idea of playing in one can be daunting, particularly if you have not tried this before, so our team has put together this article to show everything you need to know about playing in blackjack tournaments.

Normally, to be eligible for an online casino blackjack tournaments you will need to download the software at a reliable casino like Spin Palace (some casinos provide flash tournaments should you not wish to download software) and register for the relevant tournament (schedules are often available on each casinos website or in promotional newsletters).

It is very important to understand the different tournament types before selecting a specific one to play in:

Blackjack Tournament Types

There are huge range of blackjack tournament types to select from, and they all differ in registration, entry fees, rules and prizes from casino to casino so it is best to always read all related terms and conditions before playing. That said though, the most popular types of tournaments are as follows:

Sit and Go

These types of tournaments start as soon as the required number of players have entered which usually means they are smaller than scheduled tournaments and provide smaller prize pools. Most casinos run a number of "Sit and Go" blackjack tournaments throughout the day, so they are simple to find and easy to play in.

Scheduled Tournaments

As the name indicates, scheduled Blackjack Tournaments are planned in advance and commence on a certain date and at a certain time so you need to register and "buy in" in advance and then be available during tournament periods to play. Owning to the nature of these tournaments, the number of entrants and prize money is usually bigger than that of Sit and Go tournaments.

Guaranteed Tournaments

In most blackjack tournaments the prize is made up of a percentage of the entry fees that means the bigger tournaments have big prize pots should the required number of participants enter. On the contrary though, if smaller than expected numbers of players enter, then the prize pot is remarkably smaller. Guaranteed Tournaments  vary in that they guarantee a minimum prize pot which the winner is sure of achieving.

Satellite Tournaments

These types of tournaments do not provide cash prizes but rather advancement to more prestigious blackjack tournaments. So gaining one of these can mean that you can participate in a tournament that you may not able to afford otherwise.

Multi-player tournaments

All of the above-discussed tournament types are played against the dealer (whether or not there are some players at a table or not). Multiplayer blackjack tournaments nevertheless involve players competing against both the dealer and one another, rather than just the dealer.

Blackjack Tournament Formats

There are normally two types of tournament formats, namely elimination or non-elimination:

Elimination Tournaments

As the name implies, in this format players compete against one another at each blackjack table and the player (or in some cases top two players) with the most money advances to the following round.

The other players at the table are excluded from the competition. This is normally the most common and frequently occurring tournament format found at online casino.

Non-elimination Tournaments

In a non-elimination format, players struggle against all the other players that have entered the tournament. The aim is to win the most money after some rounds but no one is excluded. This type of tournament is not as popular as the Elimination ones but you do get a lot of game play for your money.

Playing in Tournaments

When you understand the different types and formats you can choose the tournament best suitable for you and register for it. You may need to pay an entry fee for some but others are played with free tournament chips. If you must buy in make sure that the casino hosting the tournament returns the entry fees to the prize pools. This information is often available in the fine print related to each promotion.

When the tournament starts, every contestant is assigned to a table and starts off with the same bankroll. Players will play blackjack for a specified period of time or number of hands (normally between 15 and 30 hands). The dealer does not always begin dealing at the first seat, rather a button is placed randomly on the table to indicate who the first hand will be dealt to and it rotates consecutively from player to player with each hand. So when it is in front of you will know how to wager. At the end of the round, the contestant with the biggest bankroll is the table winner. Table winners then fight against all of the other table winners until only 6 or 7 are left, these then compete for the grand prize.

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