Hello all, I have been playing in a local weekly tournament in Minnesota. I have tried to incorporate Wong's strategies into my game but... The table max bet is $150 with a starting bank roll of $500. so… if I fall behind, Wong’s progression betting does not work because after a few well placed bets/wins early in the game 1/3 of my bankroll is larger then the table max. There have been times when even 1/7 of my bank roll is lager then the max bet. Does anybody have any other Money management/Betting strategies that would work in a low max bet game? So far my catch-up strategy has been to hope for good splitting or doubling hands and out of the last 6 games I have been BR2 5 times and busted out 1 time never progressing to the semi finals Hoping for a win sometime soon….Thanks Craig A Saint Paul, MN
In tournaments where the max bet is low compared to the total bankroll, it seems like the conservative players are always chasing. Indeed, I usually find myself more than a max bet behind the leader in these events. Even so, I still think a conservative start is still advantageous. On those occasions where the dealer is hot, you can end up leading the table without ever risking your bankroll. Unfortunately, much more often, at least one aggressive player at the table will stack up some chips. At least you can take solace in the knowledge that it's just as likely that you'll catch him or her as it was for them to take that lead in the first place. Don't worry too much about Wong's 1/7, 1/3, all-in idea. I'm not a fan of that approach in any event, but especially here it is all but meaningless. Here are a few benchmarks that might be useful instead... If you're between a 1.0 and 1.5 max bets behind the leaders, consider making a bet large enough so a blackjack will catch up. Example, if you are 1.2 max bets behind, bet at least 0.8 of the max. If you're more than 1.5 max bet and less than 2.0 max bets behind, consider betting half the deficit, so a double or split gets you there. If you are more than 2 max bets behind, you should make a max bet, and double or split more aggressively than usual. The fewer hands left, the more aggressively you should double.
2:1 Blackjacks Craig, it sounds like you're playing at Hinckley, where in the tourneys blackjacks pay 2:1 (at least that was the case a year ago). If that's the case you'll want to make the appropriate adjustment to the strategy Ken posted below. It's always dangerous to get much more than a max bet behind, which happens very quickly in a game like the one you're playing.
Yes it is Hinkley, and falling behind does happen quickly! Thanks for the advice, I have been practicing the new math and it does seem to be paying off. I'm playing there next weekend and will post my results. Craig A.
Tournament Results Well... I won the Qualifing round and the Quarter final round using conservitive betting strategys. But... In the semi final a guy split a Max Bet ($150) pair of tens into five hands one of them a blackjack againt the dealer 4. She busted and he took a huge lead and bet small the rest of the game. Nobody even got close to him. Oh well I was very happy to win 2 out of three considering it was the first time I have been the table leader. Thanks for the betting advice I used that strategy in all to the games. CA
Good Job It's not often someone can get five bets on the table and win them all. But that's blackjack! Keep it up and you'll win eventually and have lots of fun doing it.
Strange Rules in Minnesota? All the BJ games I've played in only allow you to split to 4 hands?! Also a Blackjack is only when you get a ten plus ace on your first two cards and anything else is just a 21 and pays only 1:1. Congratulations though on your getting through the initial rounds! Dan
Re-state the game changing hand Dan, It was only four hands that got split but.. one of the hands he doubled down on to make five $150 bets and also one of the hands was a 21/11 (I noted that because of the physlologicall effect a 10/A has when it shows up) that did only pay 1:1 Even though I stated the hand composition incorrectly the outcome of the hand did not change CA
Something you can't cover Craig, when it comes to someone catching a multiple split and DD's there is nothing you can do to cover that unless you have such a big lead. Normal situation is you would try (if you have the lead) to cover a DD or split and BJ. Anything more then 2 beats is just bad luck. Remember don't give away your low trying to cover either. That is worst beat then getting swung. Exception is if they offer surrender then you can bet to cover and just hope the dealer doesn't catch a BJ.
