Winstar Blackjack show

I am so happy that Winstar is offering us (the players) this great overlay tournament. It is also great that they are filming the events for TV.

However after see the first show I was disappointed in the production. They had very confusing graphics and the announcers made several incorrect comments.

On the first hand they incorrectly stated Carly had a soft 16 and hit a 2 for soft 18 vs. the dealers face card and then waved it off. They said he should have hit again (which would have been the correct play), but when the next player hit a 7, they made the comment Carly would have busted by catching the next card, a 7 that wouldn't bust him, but given him a hard 15.

They also made several comments about what size bets the players should make (which were incorrect). On the last hand when the difference between BR1 and BR4 was only $225, they made several incorrect betting comments.

I suggest that Winstar gets someone with tournament experience to help edit the play-by-play commentary before the shows air.

The graphics could have been a lot better as well. I would have like to seen the hands better and been able to see the totals as well as each of their bets on each hand.

Their Blackjack Pro, "Scottsdale Joe" is a nice guy, but he announced on TV that it was a better play to stand on 16 vs. a dealer’s face card. I think he may catch some flack over that comment.

Talking to the Winstar management I know they have a lot invested in these tournaments and the production of the shows, (around $10,000,000). I wish them the best and hope the rest of the shows are better.

I hate the fact that I wasn't crazy about the show; I enjoyed see lots of friends and seeing blackjack on TV again. I just wanted it to be more enjoyable to the average viewers and not just to us tournament junkies. I know if we expect anymore-big events like this from Winstar, the show "The Split" is going to have to be successful.

 

Hmmmmmm - interesting comments about the show (although, of course, I haven't seen it). If the announcing is that far off base, I have an idea, and I know it'll be unpopular with a few BJT.com folks.

It might behoove them to talk with Dave Stann about sitting "in the booth" and helping with the announcing chores. I know, he comes off as a complete a**hole when he's playing in a game on TV, but you have to remember that he's an actor and that's merely his adopted persona. No one can argue that he knows the game cold and that he also knows TV from the inside. He would also bring the validation of being a nationally known TBJ (not just blackjack) professional to the team. I'm not suggesting that he be a replacement for Scottsdale Joe, but an addition to the team. Just an idle thought.....

Agreed wholeheartedly that this show must succeed with the viewers for this tournament series to be a viable enterprise in the future - something that all of us would love to see!

 

the show

I DID NOT SEE THE SHOW ON TV BUT IF ASKED
I WOULD LOVE HAVE MAX RUBIN BEING THE HOST
IT IS BECAUSE OF HIS HOSTING THE WORLD SERIES OF BLACKJACK THAT MADE ME WANT TO PLAY TOURNAMENTS
I WOULD BE OK WITH BOTH HOLLYWOOD DAVE AND MAX RUBIN AS COMMENTATORS AND WHY NOT OUR LEADER KEN SMITH
JUST MY 2 CENTS WORTH I HOPE WINSTAR DOES OK IN THIS ADVENTURE AND THEY WILL HAVE MORE TOURNAMENTS

CONGRATS TO BJ BEAUTY FOR HER 2ND PLACE WIN:2nd::cheers:

 

Yes, I didn't mean to slight our own Administrator as I believe that he'd be an excellent choice as well.

Max might be a different story. Although he did an admirable job hosting the UBT and WSOB shows, I heard from multiple sources that he was going through the Barona casino just before their "Barona Million" event last fall, armed with a copy of the All-In Top 20 list, and tossing players who were on it. Granted, he serves at the pleasure of the tribe who owns the joint and was just doing his job, but that was still somewhat unforgivable in my book.

 

wtg Tami

I'm glad to hear that you finished 2nd at "Winstar". You're a great player and great person. Good luck in August!


Tom & Jan

I wish I knew when and where I can watch the shows. Any info would be appreciated.

 

Tgun, the shows locally were listed under Winstar Blackjack and Winstar Poker. I suggest you just check the local listings in your area to see when they will be shown.

 

tv show

Rick,
Thanks for the reply but I have Dish network I can only get shows playing in the next couple of hours. Lou said he thought that the show was airing at 3pm on ESPN. I'll have to just wait and see. I thought it was airing on ABC.

tgun

 

It was ABC

The Winstar shows, both Poker and Blackjack were on ABC or one of their affilate stations. I'm not sure if ESPN is owned by ABC or not, but I do know they work with each other on differant events, so Lou maybe correct.

Please don't get me wrong about the show last night, I loved seeing everyone and watching the final table. I just wish the production had of been a little better.

I really want the show to go over big. It is already starting off in a late night time slot, which is going to hurt us. And anyone that plays or knows blackjack should catch the mistakes the anouncers were making, which will hurt the crediblity of the show as well.

I am hoping the reality portion (will be shown next week) of the show picks up the gaming side shown last night.

 

It's cool I was able to watch the first final table on Sat at the neighbors house. I think Michelle did outstanding and will be looking forward to the reality part. I am looking forward to Aug finals and more Winstar Annual BJ series. I was hoping to see the show on ABC Also the ending of the first episode was abruptly cut off.

 

High lights of next week show

After the end of the final table the players walked off stage just before commercial, but when the show came back it was just high lights of next weeks show (the reality portion of the show). It was a little confusing the way they did it. I had several players contact me to see if they had missed something.

 

I did not get a chane to see the show but will look to watch it on a re-run. But from what I have been reading the voice overs are lacking in knowledge of the game of tournament blackjack.

Hollywood Dave is a good suggestion to fix the problem and adding (Joep) Joe Pane into the booth would for sure fix any problem in regards to knowledge of the game. Dave and Joe would be an awesome team. Plus if anyone has seen Dave and Joe verbal spars between them, that in itself would add to the shows appeal.

 

To all the mathmaticians?

I am not able to catch the show in Tulsa. I have friends that have directv, but I am not going to be able to see the actual show until I return from Miami on June 29th. However, when Cerese and I arrived at Winstar on Friday, we were literally dragged into the back room of the split stadium to be shown a 7 minute trailer of the show. Much to my disappointment, they put in the wrong disk and showed us the first episode of the show. Oops! Anyway, they did not end up having a copy of the trailer with them so I have not been able to see it.

As I was watching the first episode, I really wanted to watch the play (betting sizes, etc.) to see how accurate they were (in particular, my own betting sizes).

The problem that I am having is that when I read this post, no one has made any comments on how stupid some of the bet sizes were, including possibly my own. I was unable to pay perfect attention to the show on the laptop due to many factors surrounding me at the time (the production crew running around, the "ring girls" getting dressed and doing each others make up and hair, etc.) Well, any of you guys that know me at all, know that unless I am sitting at the table, I can't pay attention when half naked hotties are running around!

Long story short, without being able to analyze the final table yet, I would like to get some feedback on how it was played? I will know why I did what I did at the time as soon as I can analyze the show, but in the meantime, I am interested in what "all you" mathmaticians opinions are regarding the play?

You guys know who you are: Rick, Leftnut, Ken, Monkeysystem, and whoever else I have forgotten I apologize but you opinion I would still like to hear!

Thank you and just remember one thing, hindsight is 20/20 and its only the right play if it works! Sometimes there is no right play:flame:!

The Landlord

 

Gosh, Landlord, I'd love to be able to see your bets, and would love to be able to critique the play, but first I would love to see the show at all!

Joe Pane in the booth? Well, after he got done, I'd likely become the same to BJT's as PeeWee Herman is to movie theaters. :laugh:

 

In the previews of Episode 2, the whole reality tv show part of the competition seems odd. They have to vote someone out? Like on Survivor?

Is the whole point to create alliances for the Finals in August and make great tv?

Also, I thought it was really interesting that the guy that won is from Wichita Falls and I have never seen him in local blackjack tournaments. Was he just walking by and entered a big blackjack tournament?

 

Did anyone call the number they put up and asked the question, "How would you play this hand?" I think it was about the overly tan Tuscon guy saying stand on 16.

 

Reality portion of the "Split"

I saw the second half of the "Split" show last night. The show was better, but no blackjack until the last ten minutes or so and that was just the low card draw playoff.

The play wasn't the best I've ever seen, but the announcers once again were HORRIBLE. They made several comments about how certain hands should have been played that were incorrect. They even annouced the wrong player as winner of the two player playoff. They were shocked after the TD (Dan) counted out the chips of both players to show the other play actually won the playoff.

If they had the stats posted this might not have happened. They did at least point out that SHOULD the player betting last and was in the lead only had to match the first player's bet and would cover a win/win or lose/lose situation.

What screwed the annoucers up was perhaps the WORST play I have ever seen in a blackjack tournament. The leader simple under bet and allowed BR2 to win, not only a seat in the August finals, but a $40,000 Chrysler 3000 (amount they mentioned) as well. That little betting error costed him at least $50,000 as the dealer ended up busting and both players won the final hand.

Over all I'm trying to enjoy the show (as I try with most blackjack shows), but knowing the game and listening to the announcers making bad calls has me watching out for their screw ups more then watching the actual game.

I'm hoping the average TV viewers watch and enjoy the show, so it is a successs and they will offer this event again, but I am concerned with the time slot the show has. The midnight and 1:00 a.m. slots are a little late for most of us to stay up and view. I tivo the shows so I can watch them the next day and can also rewind if nessasary.

As bad as my posts about the show have been, I still give Winstar two thumbs up for offering this GREAT overlay event open to all players and hope they continue to offer this and other such tournaments in the future.