Pearl River Resort Anniversary Tournaments

I asked Ken about this and he encouraged me to post a notice about it here. I originally saw information about this tournament in an article in Jackpot Magazine: http://www.print2webcorp.com/news/j...0040527/p33.asp

Pearl River Resort has a press release about the tournaments which seems to be the source for the article, but includes a few more details:

Pearl River Resort to host $120,000 blackjack tournament
-Monday, May 24, 2004
CHOCTAW, Miss. – Pearl River Resort is inviting all blackjack players to try and take home their piece of $120,000 in total prize money during the Summer Series of Blackjack. The tournament will be held at the Golden Moon Hotel and Casino every Wednesday beginning June 9 and running through Aug. 11.

There will be three weekly sessions at 6 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. each Wednesday night starting June 9. Each session is open to the first 36 players, 108 players per week and first place for each session is $1,500. The three winners each week will advance to the semi-final and final rounds to be held Aug. 18.

“We want to offer table players the chance to win a big prize,” said Sheila Martin Executive Director of Gaming at Pearl River Resort. “So the winner of the final round of the tournament will take home $50,000 in cash.”

Second place in the finals will win $15,000 while third place be awarded $10,000. The buy-in for each session is $100 which includes a tournament gift.

Weekly registration will be handled on site in front of The Sports Ticker Lounge one hour before the first session. Tournament players may buy-in for the following sessions if there are seats available.

Pearl River Resort, located on Hwy. 16 W. in Choctaw, MS is a development of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Pearl River Resort is comprised of a number of individual properties. These include: Golden Moon Hotel & Casino, Silver Star Hotel & Casino, Geyser Falls Water Theme Park, Dancing Rabbit Golf Club, 14 great restaurants, the world's first Hard Rock Beach Club and Clearwater Key, an eight-acre tropical beach attraction.


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From what I can tell, it seems that there is only one cash winner for each round, and they advance to the semi-finals. It also appears that the finals only pay the top three spots. Check my math, I may be missing something.

They don't state the format of the weekly tournament rounds, but somehow they go from 36 players to a single winner in under 60 minutes.

I'll update the listing if I get more details, and I hope anyone else will contribute if they find anything out.

Sentry

 

too bad I don't live in MS

The way I read it is 3 winners per week. So, 30 winners at $1500.

 

Prizes vs Entry Fees

Based on the information available at present, I think the money works out like this:

Three weekly Wednesday sessions at 6, 7, and 8 p.m., with each of the three sessions limited to 36 players each, 108 total players per week x $100 entry fee= $10,800 in entry fees.
First place for each (of the three weekly) sessions is $1,500 x 3= $4,500.
They pay $4,500 out of the weekly $10,800 collected, and use the remaining $6,300 towards the prizes for the finals.

$ 45,000 total weekly session prizes
$ 50,000 1st place
$ 15,000 2nd place
$ 10,000 3rd place
$120,000 total prize pool

$108,000 total weekly entry fees (unless they are charging participants another entry for the final rounds)
It looks like the casino may be contributing $12,000 to the prize pool for the finals.

Sentry

 

Choctaw

This sounds like fun.
Where is Choctaw?
Isn't that the home of Marcel Leadbetter and his chainsaw?
IG

 

Winner take all in the qualifiers?

It looks like winner take all in the weekly qualifiers. I assume you can only qualify once so 3 players each week will be gone and I expect that not every players can play every weekly tournament at $100 X 3 tournaments per week X 10 weeks of qualifying.

If I was to play I think it would be around the 4th or 5th week when the crowds should be down. Actualy it might be worth going by July 7, on the way down to The Grand Tunica tournament July 9 & 10. That way you could catch an extra tournament on the trip.

 

Finals conflicts with Vegas tournaments

Pearl River finals on August 18th will confict with Vegas Stardust 16-18 & New Frontier 19-20 tournaments.

From what I was told it will be a highest total tournament each session, with 6 tables and 6 players per table. The High winner from all the tables will be the session winner. Good luck if you play, hope you get a cold dealer.

 

Good local tournament

Don't get me wrong I would play Pearl River if I was closer and it didn't conflict with Vegas, it just isn't worth it for me with my other options.

 

I Played the weekly tourney last Wednesday and won the first session



This was actually a pretty fun tournament to play (especially when you win a little). High chip total wins and you don't really have a way to check your competition so it turns into a shoot out of sorts at the end rather than a strategy play since nobody really knows an accurate chip count and only the top one advances from the session. The pit will offer their "educated guess" if asked about how the other tables are doing.

They are running 3 sessions each Wednesday (36 max players per session). If they don't get a minimum number of players for a session, then that session is cancelled. I played in the first session of the third week of this ten week tourney and it was full. However, I think they didn't make a couple of earlier sessions in the first couple of weeks so there should be less than 30 players at the final tables on August 18th.

Wish me luck...the final is being played on my birthday and I'd like to really have a celebration at the Golden Moon's expense!

I am also signed up for the Tunica tourney in July at the Grand. Hope to see and meet a few of you there in person.

 

Congrat's

Way to go, it is always nicer when you win. You sound like a tournament player, win a little and go entry a little bigger tournament...LOL. I am trying to go to Tunica, if I do I'll look for you. You can remind me what winning is like (it has been 7 months since my last win) making the semifinals at the Hilton only got my entry back.

 

ThanksTX

This was my first win and I am looking forward to learning more from the masters in Tunica. Hope you are able to make it. Thanks for all you and Ken and all the rest of you do for us by providing such good info here and a forum to visit with other blackjack fanatics to share our experiences. I have my first ever trip to Vegas planned in August. I will be staying at the Golden Nugget and look forward to seeing the sites and playing a little blackjack.

 

When in August?

Something going on at Gold Nugget in August?

Here are few major BJ tournaments be held in August.

Stardust 16-18
New Frontier 19-20
Fitzgeralds 21-22 (maybe)
Las Vegas Hilton 26-28

If your not set on dates you may want to schedule around these tournaments.

 

I forgot

Peral River Finals are on the 18th right?

You could still came out for the other tournaments.

 

Congratulations, Jack!

Nice job, Jack- I've got a few questions for you:

How many decks are used in the tournament?
Any rule variations from their regular game?
Are spectators allowed to call out the chip leaders from other tables?
With some early rounds cancelled and the semi-finals left underpopulated, could we see some wild cards coming into play?

Also, does anyone know what the gift/prize is that PRR gives on Tuesday nights for having a 10 of Hearts in your hand?

Good luck on that birthday party!

Sentry

 

Thanks Sentry

The tourney is being played as a double-deck, pitch format with standard casino rules.

Nothing was specified in the reading of the rules that would prevent spectators from assisting in the chip count. During the session I played there were several spectators roaming from table to table. It might be hard to coordinate effectively though.

I kinda expect the Golden Moon to tighten up on some the rules regarding the tourney as they go along. They seemed a little unorganized and unprepared especially given the amount of prize money available in the finals.

Nothing was mentioned as far as possible wildcard drawings for the finals so I wouldn't be surprised one way or the other depending on how the remaining sessions are attended.

I'm not sure what the prize was on their Tuesday night promotion but it was probably the insulated cup they gave away when you registered for the BJ tourney.

Thanks for the birthday wish!!!

 

I won the second round of the July 7th

I am new to the list.Just wanted to post that I had won the 2nd round of the Pearl River BJ tournament. HATED the format! Hopefully they will have the regular format with table winners advancing in the semi's.I have won several small tournaments (under 1200 for first place) and placed in the money in several. I much prefer competing against the table.

Joey

 

Thanks Ken

Thanks for the welcome. Looks like we are neighbors. I am in Meridian.Enjoyed seeing your play on GSN. I got a chance to play at Mohegan Sun this spring (took wife to dog show in Massachusetts) (let me clarify that took DOG to the show along with wife ) ) Until then I thought the Golden Moon was something special. Amazing place although I saw no sign of Tiki.

And for everyones information Yes, the crappy yellow mug is your "tournament gift" from the Golden Moon

Joey