Last Wednesday night I entered the weekly Toucan 21 tournament at Treasure Island Casino in Red Wing MN. I bowl Wednesday's so hadn't been able to enter since last August. Each round is 20 hands with a $500 bankroll. $5 min, $300 Max. In the 6PM qualifying round I bet fairly agressively but didn't get the cards. Through 13, I won 2 hands - both $5. I ended up busting after 13 hands. I was able to get in the 7PM qualifying round. Through 15 hands, I only bet over $5 once. That was $100 on hand 9. On 16 I was betting last and about 200 behind. So, I bet $300, got a 9-2 with a dealer 7 showing. So, I doubled for less since I only had $280 left. Got a 7, giving me 18. I was also last to play so I started chanting 10, 10, 10 rather quietly. Dealer turned over a 10 for 17. Now I am solidly in the lead. On 17, everyone bet big except me with $5. Don't remember what anyone had, except the dealer had a 10 up. As she was checking the down card, I chanted Ace, Ace, Ace and sure enough she turned over an Ace. I stood up and said to her "Thank You!" Hand 18 everyone was all in except the guy to my left had $75 left. I bet $5 again. Don't remember the hands, I just know the dealer had a 20 and wiped out all my competition. I won with 2 hands left. In the semi round at 9, I used the same strategy. $5 except when I was last bet. Got my only 2 Blackjacks of the tournament on $5 bets. On hand 13 I was betting last and bet $300 again. Got a pair of 7's. Dealer had a 3. It was the same mistake I made at 7PM. Didn't keep enough to split. At 7PM I got away with it. This time I didn't. If I would've split I would've had 2 21's. Dealer ended up making a hand and beating me. On hand 14 I was all in and lost. Luckily I got drawn for the wildcard in the finals. I ended up busting out on 14 again for $208. Don't really remember the hands, just remember I didn't get anything to play with the whole round. So, even though I lost, I learned a few things. Most memorable for me was, Unless you really need a max bet keep enough to split. In my case it was early enough I didn't really need a max bet and could've gotten by with $275 and still be able to split.
