Global Player semifinal hand

Here's the final I was involved in during Global Player's Wednesday tournament today.

One advances to the final. The dealer has a 3 showing. In button order:

Code:

Tony408.....$3900.00.....$500......K 4 Dbl 2   ($1000 working)
Blackwood...$3427.50.....$500......BJ   (stood, wins $750)
Sidekick....$2567.50.....$500......6 J / 6 4 Dbl J  ($1500 working)
Ken21.......$2215.00.....$500......T 4 / T 4 / T T / T 9  ($2000 working)

The dealer made 3 T 8 for 21, and Blackwood advanced. A bust would have given the victory to Tony408.

During the play of the hand, I saw Tony's double stiff, and I worried less about him as a result. By the time it got to me, I had figured Blackwood's blackjack and Sidekick's result, and I totally forgot that Tony408 still had the high if the dealer busted. As a result, I played the hand in a way that locked me out of contention.

There are some interesting questions about how I should have played though, namely whether I should hit or double my initial hard 14.

It's important to know that Global deals a second card to each split immediately after you split. So, I've split TT, and I see T4/TT. How do I play the hard 14? Double, or hit to make a hand and hope I get another ten after I split hand two?

With all the other hands we've been working through, I'm not sure I'm interested enough to pursue this one. But, I posted it anyway.

 

Just to clarify... If I do not double the 14, I'm still guaranteed to be able to get all 4 bets I need down. I'll split hand two, and plan on resplitting if I get another ten. If no ten comes, I'll have to pick one of the two hands to double on.

When I look at it that way, I think just hitting hand one to a total of 18 or better is the best play. Then, I have to make 2 or 3 more hands of 18 or better, and they all must beat the dealer. Yikes, not much of a shot.

 

I'd have to agree with that one Joe! I kept getting swung by the whole table. I'd fight back into contention and then wham! back to the starting blocks. I think I had three large bet swings against me in the last 6 or 7 hands.

Of course, the real thing that I find problematic is that I played the last hand in a way that gave me 0% chance of advancing, when there was a choice that would have given me a very small but non-zero chance instead.