I just posted the latest rule changes for this event at https://www.blackjacktournaments.com/tournaments/blackjack-tournament.1575/ Looks like it's exactly the same as the previous Spanish 21 event: https://www.blackjacktournaments.com/tournaments/cinco-de-mayo-50-000-spanish-21-tournament.2640/ I'm expecting similar advancing thresholds for the quarter final and semi final accumulation rounds. Perhaps a bit higher since we're not using spanish decks here and the "Match the Dealer" bet will not be available to chip away at my opponents' bankrolls
Well, it would appear that some of the players at this event are learning. The more successful ones in any case. Quarter Final Accumulation The cut for 12 out of 80 in the quarter final was once again a fairly low 10,600 (starting BR is 5,000). Based on previous results, some analysis using my simulator and what I observed during the first quarter final session, I had it pegged at 10,000. The good news is that I did hit 10,000 during my session. The bad news is that I ended up with 9,950 and missed the cut by 650. The big news is that some players, realizing that the bankrolls carry over to the semi final and then again to the final, went big, kept going and were successful. The top score was 76,100, the second score was 45,000 and third was 32,000. These are important scores since only the top 3 at the final table win more than 500. Compare that with a top score of 26,500 at the previous spanish event which had the same format as this event. Semi Final Accumulation With 2 tables of 6 players each, side by side, play was fairly strategic in this round. The cut for the top 5 out of 12 ended up being 29,750 with the front runners coasting in at 75,000, 50,300 and 42,000. They announced the scores for both tables at hands 20 and 24 out of 25, which were synchronized (i.e. they waited for both tables to reach those hands). Everyone had a chance at the bigger money, but I didn't stick around to see what the final outcome was. Looks like I will have to adjust my sights a little higher next time. Even if I had made the first cut at 10,000 it would have been tough to get into the bigger prizes from that position.
I am very sad to announce that this event along with all other events for other games (baccarat, roulette, Spanish 21, carnival games) at this casino are canceled until further notice. The casino is under new management (Great Canadian Gaming) and extensive changes are underway, both physically (a new building is being constructed) and on the floor (all blackjack variants are now dealt from CSMs and the layout of the floor has been re-organized). While the staff are hopeful that events will resume once the new casino is built, I am not so sure. Management completely cut all advertising for the previous two events causing them to to be under-attended. According to one tournament official I spoke to, they then held the poor attendance up as a reason to review the viability of the events. I, along with another member of this forum, am sad to see these events go. We both did very well over the years in the events for all of the games, except for the carnival games.
