This is for the newbee’s; I played in a weekly BJ tournament at Hollywood casino Shreveport, LA, last night. It is just a $20 entry with up to seven sessions in the first round, $500 to start with and $10 mim. and no limit max. 20 hands, five tables, seven per table only one advances. It fills up every week due to the fact most of the players reenter at least five times, that’s okay it gets the prize money up to $2,450 for first place. I figured my wife and I needed a night out so we drove down (2 1/2 hour drive for me) to spend the night, have a nice meal, catch a show, and of course play in the tournament. The first session I had to bet in front of the table leader on the last hand, I split my chips in half knowing I would or should have to double down or split to catch him. I caught a 20 (two pictures), he was seating on a 19, and the dealer had an 8 up. Just as I had thought he bet enough to cover my bet so I had to split my 20. It was the right move; I caught two more pictures and won the table. Now as I mentioned above they play five tables so in the semifinals four of them advance one player and one two players. Table assignments are by luck of the draw; I was the first to draw and got the table that two advance on. So far everything was going great, we were on the 12th hand I was currently in 3rd less then $100 behind the leader. I had been betting the min. $10 every hand up to that point and watching the two leaders going up and down betting $100's at a time. The smart play was to just keep to my game plan and bet $10, but this round my wife was watching and I guess I wanted to show off, so I bet $170 (I only had $440). I got an Ace and a 5, the dealer turned over a 4. Betting 17 times higher then I had been the smart play was to just hit my hand and try to pick up or pass the leaders, but I got greedy and doubled down. I catch a 7 the dealer flips a 6 and hits an 8 for 18. Dumb, dumb, dumb, play and to make it worst the dealer even asked me what the hell I did that for after the hand (I have won the tournament several times and tip the dealers well so they like it when I win). I still had $100 left with 7 hands to go, I ran it up to $300, but fell by the 17 hand. The table was won with $200 and second only had $130. My little stunt cost me $65 to $2,450 in prize money. My point is we all make mistakes and my bet was wrong on the 12th hand, but the biggest mistake was doubling down. I had already increase my bet 17 times higher then I had been playing, had I not got greedy trying to show off to my wife I could have been playing in the finals. Think about where you’re at (chip total) don’t get blinded by what could be. Very few times do you see someone blowing other players away? It great to have the lead, but very rarely will anyone has a lead that you can’t catch in an any limit game.
