Bada Bing Blackjack Tournamenet - Golden Nugget Las Vegas - Las Vegas, NV

Discuss the Bada Bing Blackjack Tournamenet event at Golden Nugget Las Vegas in Las Vegas, NV.

Is this an open event? Any details on registration times or play?

 

This is an open tourney, $500 entry/$500 rebuy. $100,000 total purse, $50,000 top prize. Semi finalists win $500. I believe other details are on The Golden Nugget website.

 

I checked their website but didn't see any blackjack tournaments listed. I found some old posts to prior tournaments and it sounds like a good tournament. It looks like registration starts Friday night but most likely play is Saturday and Sunday. Just trying to plan on when I need to get there and how early of a flight out is reasonable on Sunday. If anyone remembers time of final table that would help a lot.

Thanks!

 

Final Table starts at 3:00 pm.
You are correct; reception/registration on Friday evening, tournament play starts at 9:00 am Saturday morning. Round 2 starts at 9:00 am on Sunday morning.

 

Thanks for the info. It's been a long time since I have been to Vegas. Hope to make it out to one of these tournaments.

 

In the past, this was not a true Open tournament. You needed to know somebody or sweet-talk a host into being allowed to enter. Perhaps things have changed, it's been a couple of years since I've played them. If I were you, I'd call a host there and test the waters before making concrete plans to make the trip.

 

Sounds like a good suggestion. I'll definitely do that before buying a plane ticket and making a hotel reservation.

 

I missed their last event because it was when we were at Buffalo Run but I did play in the one prior to it (February?)
Don't think you'll have a problem getting in but be prepared to pay a large room rate. Like all casinos, part/all of that can go away based on your play.
I'm sure you'll not regret going as this is a well ran event.
I won't be able to do this one for several reasons but certainly would recommend it to you.

Billy C

 

Anyone with a players card can buy into the tourney. Stop by the hosts room. sign says "Casino Credit." Almost across from the pool A "right" around corner from Gold Tower check-in and ask about a "Tourney Room Rate". You'll at least get a host for future events. Or call ahead and ask for a host. Most are very accommodating.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions. I did go online and sent an email to the link to ask about tournaments. The person who responded was very helpful. Here is what she gave me.


Thank you for choosing the Golden Nugget. I currently only have information for the June BJ Tournament, which I will include below. The details and schedule for August is still being finalized and should be available at the end of May.

• $100,000 total prize pool with a 1st Place prize of $50,000!
• All 24K Select Players Club Card holders can enter the tournament for $500!
• Register on Friday night to be eligible for a chance to win one of 10 drawings of $100 each in Promo Chips. Must be present to enter. Need not be present to win.
• Tournament prizes awarded to top 26 Finishers.
• Get back in action with Re-Buys and Wildcard Drawings for free seats, including a Wildcard Drawing for the Final Round.
• Only participants in Round 2 or those who have purchased a Re-Buy are eligible for the Wildcard Drawings. Wildcard Drawings will only be held if necessary to fill the field.
• Re-Buys/Super Re-Buys are $500. Only participants of Round 2 may purchase a Super Re-Buy.
• Tournament play times will be issued at tournament registration instead of reserved in advance.
• Mulligans: Guests may purchase a Mulligan any time before the start of their Round One session for $50 and before the start of their Re-Buy Round session for another $50. A Mulligan is a chance to replace a card with new card.
  • With a Mulligan, the player may take one of their first two cards and replace it with the next card from the deck. If they don’t use their Mulligan on the first two cards, they may use it on a hit card instead, but once they’ve hit, they may only replace the most recent hit card. Player may continue to play their hand as normal (hit after using the Mulligan unless the Mulligan was used to replace a double down card).
  • A Round One Mulligan Card may be used in Round One only and a Re-Buy Mulligan Card may be used in the Re-Buy Round only. Only one Mulligan may be purchased per person for both Round One and the Re-Buy Round. Unused Mulligan Cards will not be refunded.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS


Friday, June 24, 2016

5pm – 7pm Tournament Registration, Reception, & Drawing


Saturday, June 25, 2016

8:30am – 10:30am Late Registration & Continental Breakfast

9am – 1:30pm Round 1 Rush Tower Baccarat Pit

1:30pm – 3pm (approx.) Re-Buy Round


Sunday, June 26, 2016

8:30am – 10:30am Continental Breakfast

8:45am Wildcard Drawing for Round 2

9am – 11:15pm Round 2

11:15am – 12:30pm Super Re-Buy Round

12:30pm Wildcard Drawing for Quarter Final Round

12:45pm – 2pm Quarter Final Round

2pm Wildcard Drawing for Semi Final Round

2:15pm Semi Final Round

2:45pm Wildcard Drawing for Final Round

3pm Final Round

4pm (approx.) Prize Distribution

No one mentioned the mulligans. That makes things interesting too.

Pat

 

The mulligans were added very recently in the last 2 tournaments. I believe they can be used only in the first round. This tournament keeps getting expensive. They really should allow un-used mulligan to be used again like the Hilton used to do.

 

I agree with Professional's sentiment.
Another thing you should know is that, more often than not, the final table is " chopped" rather than played.

Billy C

 

Since this is top heavy, would taking a chop make sense? I think it comes out to $13K plus change, which is close to what second prize comes out to. I assume that everyone has to agree to chop and if you are the only holdout everyone else will hate you.

 

Correct- The final is chopped at 14.3K almost 80% of the time. Everyone has to agree in a secret ballot.

 

All of the above are correct, in my experience. I final tabled this one time, the secret ballot had one holdout so we had to play it through, ended up 5th, never found out who the one holdout was. The smart play is to chop since it does nearly equal 2nd place cash for all.

 

You are surely right, my friend but I have never been a "chop" fan.
For some reason, they haven't let me vote at the Nugget yet!

Billy C

 

Some high rollers get free entry to the tournament but must pay for rebuys. Some of those players bet maybe $100 - $200 a hand at the tables.
On one tournament the rules stated that some players could also get free rebuys.
I once played in the high roller section: bought in for $800 and lost $300 after 5 hours betting $25 - $100 and later received a free room invitation on a non tournament date.
Based on luck alone making it to the final table (or semi finals) is not worth the $500 entry fee; you need to get at least a free entry even if you have to purchase the rebuy if necessary.
I just recently received a flyer from the GN about the Bada Bing tournament and no mention of mulligans in the flyer. Maybe mentioned on website.


......................................................BlueLight

 

I agree with BlueLight that the tournament is too expensive and the casino is making too much money out of it, particularly after adding the mulligans purchase. There was an earlier discussion on this board about 2 years ago about the cost. It was estimated that the average cost (including the rebuys) is about 1050 per person and it was essentially a negative EV assuming average play. They also added a pre-tournament event on Thursday for $100 in which everyone plays a hand against the dealer. If you lose, you get excluded and keeps going on until the last man standing get to win $5,000. What I heard happened that when there was a one person left (definition of one man standing), they said No, you get the $5000 only if you win your next hand agains the dealer. He lost and got only $500.

 

PRO: Correct on" last man standing." The "standard" EV calculations may or may not be negative. But you'll not get a thirty to one return even with a chop at many events, let alone BJ tourneys. Sure the Mulligan and last man standing bring in extra money. But the GN puts up a nice welcome reception and two mornings of "continental" breakfasts which are more than continental. And if one is not comped in more times than not three nights of room are included and generally there are promo chips to return playas. The three double deck pitch and one double deck shoe games are competitive as are a number of video poker opportunities. There is even a no commission pai goa with a healthy progressive jackpot for minimal investment. For an open event in Vegas, in today's environment, I don't believe you can find a better deal. And it is very competitive. Some long time top players.

 

For us big drinkers, there is also unlimited free booze throughout!

Billy C