TXtourplayer
Executive Member
The first time I ever went to the Tulsa Cherokee casino was last Dec. for the WSOB qualifiers. It is a very nice casnio, nice clean rooms, and very friendly people running it, but....
Their blackjack tournaments (for the WSOB qualifiers) were nice, but nothing I would make a speical trip for.
Each player started with $1,000 in "No Cash Value" chips, you had a $10 min. and $1,000 max betting limits, no re-buys, 7 players per table, only 18 hands per round, and no surrender.
Well after talking to the tournament director, Eric Woods (who I have since become friends with). I told him what most players want and are willing to travel for in a blackjack tournament.
So I was pleasantly surprize to hear that now Tulsa offer's the following rules:
1. $500 in "NCV" chips.
2. $10 min. - $200 max. betting limits.
3. 24 hands per round.
4. 6 players per table.
5. 2 advance from each table.
6. Re-buys, (but not on their monthly tournaments).
7. Surrender.
(Basicly my cruise format, except I offer $5 min. bet).
It is very nice (and rare) when you find a casino manager or tournament director that listens to the players and actually trys to improve their tournament for the players, (which actually improves the tournaments for the casinos).
Thumbs up Eric for being in that upper class of casino management with the likes of Jimmy Wike (Ceasars LV), Les Thacker (LV Hilton), and Adoff Lepre (Gold Strike, Tunica).
Even better news (I hope), I suggested to Eric (tonight) that their monthly blackjack tournaments change their entry format. Currently they offer free entry into their monthly BJ tournament to any players with over 10 hours logged in the prior month.
This is great for locals, but hard for most of us from out of state to try and get away just to play and get 10 hours just to be able and come back again the following month.
My suggestion was to still allow the 10 hour comp-ed entry, but also offer a $300 buy-in entry to those who can't make it up each month for the 10 hours of regular table play and offer re-buys, even to the players who were comp-ed. Then all that extra money could go into the prize pool as well.
I believe once he runs it by the state police (their gaming control) I think they will start running the monthly tournaments this way.
It makes sense, the casino will pull in more players and add more money to the prize pool. At this time Cherokee is hosting a GUARANTEED: $70,000 monthly tournament, with GUARANTEED $30,000 1st prize money.
Just think by opening up their tournaments they could pull in an extra $30,000 easy, making it a monthly $100,000 tournament with $50,000 for 1st prize or even better, pay down to 18th position so they would have more winners.
Their blackjack tournaments (for the WSOB qualifiers) were nice, but nothing I would make a speical trip for.
Each player started with $1,000 in "No Cash Value" chips, you had a $10 min. and $1,000 max betting limits, no re-buys, 7 players per table, only 18 hands per round, and no surrender.
Well after talking to the tournament director, Eric Woods (who I have since become friends with). I told him what most players want and are willing to travel for in a blackjack tournament.
So I was pleasantly surprize to hear that now Tulsa offer's the following rules:
1. $500 in "NCV" chips.
2. $10 min. - $200 max. betting limits.
3. 24 hands per round.
4. 6 players per table.
5. 2 advance from each table.
6. Re-buys, (but not on their monthly tournaments).
7. Surrender.
(Basicly my cruise format, except I offer $5 min. bet).
It is very nice (and rare) when you find a casino manager or tournament director that listens to the players and actually trys to improve their tournament for the players, (which actually improves the tournaments for the casinos).
Thumbs up Eric for being in that upper class of casino management with the likes of Jimmy Wike (Ceasars LV), Les Thacker (LV Hilton), and Adoff Lepre (Gold Strike, Tunica).
Even better news (I hope), I suggested to Eric (tonight) that their monthly blackjack tournaments change their entry format. Currently they offer free entry into their monthly BJ tournament to any players with over 10 hours logged in the prior month.
This is great for locals, but hard for most of us from out of state to try and get away just to play and get 10 hours just to be able and come back again the following month.
My suggestion was to still allow the 10 hour comp-ed entry, but also offer a $300 buy-in entry to those who can't make it up each month for the 10 hours of regular table play and offer re-buys, even to the players who were comp-ed. Then all that extra money could go into the prize pool as well.
I believe once he runs it by the state police (their gaming control) I think they will start running the monthly tournaments this way.
It makes sense, the casino will pull in more players and add more money to the prize pool. At this time Cherokee is hosting a GUARANTEED: $70,000 monthly tournament, with GUARANTEED $30,000 1st prize money.
Just think by opening up their tournaments they could pull in an extra $30,000 easy, making it a monthly $100,000 tournament with $50,000 for 1st prize or even better, pay down to 18th position so they would have more winners.