World Series of Blackjack III, Week One

Paul Haas Supporter...

Even though it appears that Paul Haas annoyed most of you, I am still on his side. He irritates you so bad that you want to see him win and you have to admit that he adds a little excitement.
I was there when he won at Mystic Lake and he is obnoxious, but he beat out over 1000 other players and it came down to the last hand...where Paul split aces and doubled down. Had the dealer not busted, he wouldn't be in the WSOBJ. He deserves to be there, but he definitely has luck on his side.

 

I think series normally like to choose what they consider to be their best show to be the first on they air. With Kenny being the former champ, and the energy created by Kenny and by Paul, I'm guessing this one was what the WSOBJ people thought was the best of the preliminary round shows.

While some purists here may call it "WWF", I'm not sure what plays in Peoria. That high-energy, high-animosity, and over-the-top-ness, might work for generating public interest in the show. That's what's really important, IMO.

A few comments about what I saw...

I thought Paul made some awful bets. At one point he had $25,000. They come back from the break and he has $50,000 so I figured he doubled up on one hand. NOPE. The commentator said he bet $15,000 and then $10,000 to get back to that spot. Betting $15,000 when you only have $25,000... bad bet. I think Paul also bet $30,000 at some point when he only had $50,000. Not great.

Tom made a bet late against Paul, after Paul had made his bet, where he left it win-win or lose-lose for Paul. He should have bet more to have a chance to take the lead.

I also disagreed with one bet Kenny made (but only one!). I can't remember what it was though. Kenny losing with the A,A,8 was beyond brutal though.

Of course, I'm opening myself up to criticism when my WSOBJ and UBT play is public. (Maybe I should just say everyone played great! LOL)

The show was in many ways the Paul Haas show. Not just because he won, but from the start, he established himself as the lead "character." His crazy antics, wild bets, and bizarre behavior. If you listened, often the commentators were talking about Paul's first card each time. "Oh he's got a 2 for his first card, that's not a good start for Paul." I think this was a function of two things actually: his "presence", and the fact that he was 3rd base and received his cards last of all the players.

I found that the commentators provided helpful information for following the story, although had a couple minor strategy confusions. I was impressed at how the voiceovers allowed people to understand what was happening and what the potential was for the hand.

On the first elimination, there's a voiceover before the dealer turns up her cards, saying if the dealer makes a hand, then Sheila is out, but if the dealer busts, then Tommy is out. When the dealer made 17, we knew who was out.

There was another voiceover that I thought went well, where Mezrich said that Paul would correlate. Then Tommy bet $25,000 and then Paul bet $26,000 and Fugelsang said something like, "As you said, Paul is correlating with Tommy's bet." I felt that even if people didn't know the word correlate before, that the way the voiceover went, it would make sense to them.

Overall, I thought it was well produced, and came across well over the airwaves. I think there's a lot of excitement to the structure. I'm guessing this will be the most successful WSOBJ yet.

David

 

Splitting Aces

I've never heard of a bj game that allows splitting aces, then doubling.

 

One question LRJ?

Players up at Mystic Lake were allowed to DD on split Aces?

WOW!

Paul needed 3 bets to win on the last hand? He was lucky to catch a split hand on the last hand and than even luckier that Aces were allowed to be DD on after a split up there.

Just goes to show you can't beat luck!

 

No, Mystic Lake doesn't allow DD on split aces:laugh:

I wasn't there for the final, but in the qualifying round they didn't allow it. I don't know why they would've for the finals. I know they didn't allow me to double once when I split 10's and caught an Ace on the first one.

 

Thanks mrbill

Thanks for correcting LRJ's comments about the DD after spliting Aces, that didn't seem right to me, I figured if I posted about it someone would comment on it.

Now back to your split 10's, you caught and Ace and you were not allowed to DD on it as an 11? WOW! I would have been going nuts up there if I needed the extra bet.

Did they have a posted rule about no DD's after a split? If so I could understand not allowing you, but so few places have that rule except for single deck games.

 

I've never seen the full rules posted anywhere but they include
1) Hit S17
2) Double down any 2 cards except split A or a total of 21. Website says DOUBLE DOWN ON ANY FIRST TWO CARDS
(except when dealt Blackjack)
3) Spit any pair up to 3 times including A.

I'll have to ask the next time I'm there if they have anything with the full rules.

 

thanks again mrbill

Yep, they covered themselves by having the rule no hitting 21.

I don't like no DD on a BJ either. I don't care much for either of those rules, but if they are there, then they are there for all the players.

I don't understand why a player can't DD on a soft hand 21 or a BJ if they need to make up ground.

I file that under "POOR MANAGEMENT"! If the tournament director knew what they were doing those rules would be changed.

 

The trend is your friend

I hate to make my first impressions here, after reading these boards for many months and finally posting, as a rousing force. But. If you pros let the tournament game go the avenue of a carnival letting gimmicks control the game you are going to be placed in the game, a carnival game. Just like the emotions run over 6:5 yours should feel the same over a top tournament player getting knocked out on a KO card on tenth hand or whatever. That my friends was a disgrace. It is conducive to luck and no skill gaming.

The World Series of Blackjack was vastly improved over last year according to aesthetics, at the very risk of making the game a carnival. KO card, Burger King thing. Bad trend. Bad friend.

IMHO

Barney

 

General Public's Opinion

Its interesting to see what the general public thought of the show .There is a message board under Buzz on the GSN web site .

Just go to GSN Originals and there is a thread for the WSOB 111


www.gsn.com


Joep2

 

UBT Final

You wouldn't feel sorry, if it were you.

 

Give and take...

Barney I understand where you are coming from my friend, but finally we are getting exposer on TV for the tournament game we all love to play and with it big prize money.

After seeing the decline of tournament BJ over the passed two decades I for one am willing to sacrifice a little (allowing some gimmicks for TV ratings) if that is what it takes to get BJ tournaments popular again.

The first two years WSOB were just selected players and this year it was qualifiers and about 35 - 40% selected players for the contestants. By next year it maybe 100% qualifying to win a seat for the show.

So as far as opening up TV tournaments to all players that is getting better. UBT is going to offer online satellites and land based qualifiers this year for all the players. Now as far as the gimmicks, here is my take on them.

I can live with the "Power Chip", Action Bets, and Secret Bets; at least they are fair for everybody. What I am not crazy about is the early elimination hands. This is what really takes away from tournament play.

A perfect example was my first round in last years WSOB ll, I won hand one and lost the next 11 hands, yet I came back and won the table. Now if I had playing the new WSOB (or even UBT) format I would have been the first player eliminated. Matter of fact I bet every tournament player on this site has had a similar round, or had it done to them.

By having early elimination your screwed if you start out with bad cards, no skill or strategy in the world can over come that, but in a regular elimination format a season tournament player can overcome early failure and come back to win.

But, it is not what we like (were already hooked on tournament BJ) it is what will draw in new players and the early elimination format is the new gimmick for TV, like it or not. The WSOB started it last night and the UBT will be using it on CBS this fall.

Maybe if both shows catch on and we can start getting interest in blackjack tournaments and then we can go back to the true format of blackjack tournaments.

Until then I'm willing to play whatever format is offered to us. Believe me if we stop playing they will just find someone else who willing to play for all that money.

 

Noman, your right...LOL

But I would damn sure have a good pair of ear plugs...LOL.

 

Marketing A+

Tex, where does this leave me? I believe can become the best blackjack player in the world. Babe Ruth no Henry Aaron actually Pete Rose. Now must swing at curveballs with a blindfold. Oh! No! KO card strike three. My first opponent drew a Burger King I lose... How am I ever going to make it to the top when lady luck stands in my way every day? I can out wit my opponent or the dealer, but I can ever outwit lady luck? I learned thru this board I played against some great players at the Pioneer. I held my own IMO, but how long will it be until I can pay it back? Out wit, out play, or out luck....? I have Ken E. on tivo and his face will tell you, out lucked. I come from a country family and was rooting for the cowboy, but the defeat handed to Ken was a disgrace. Bad cards thats not a disgrace. Bad rules? Bad trend. I not only feel defeated because I bet the minimum with a 55% chance of advancing to play with Mr. Vaughn and company at my first major tournament, but I feel defeated because my abilities have been diminished by carnival actions being established. Im sorry and sad, and thats the truth. Sorry for the venting.

Barney

 

Wsob Iii

Barney:

I feel your pain. But don't be a Helmuth. Luck is involved no matter what you do. You play the best numbers game you can and hope.

As far as the added aspects: How best can you use them. There's always an angle someone else hasn't thought of yet.

 

Barney

You ask me about how you can play against luck? Well every time you or any of us play in a tournament (or even the regular tables) we are playing either with or against luck. Skill, knowledge, and strategy only help the more season player get luckier.

You bring up the "Power Chip" as a gimmick by which a lesser player may beat a "Pro" as you call them. Let me ask you this, if you were playing at the same table wouldn't you too have a "Power Chip" and if so why couldn't you use it to best a lesser player?

As long as the playing field is fair and all players are playing by the same rules there is nothing that really matters with gimmicks. Now like I said earlier I don't care for them myself, but I'll damn sure use them to my advantage if we are given them.

The biggest problem I saw with WSOB last night was the "Knockout Card"; it just isn't blackjack with early elimination. I believe you should let the players play and if someone starts out slow, give them the chance to make a come back.

Hell if the NBA cut the games to 2 quarters instead of 4, the Phox. Suns would have beaten the Dallas Mavericks the other day. Thank goodness they allowed them to play the entire game so Dallas was able to come back in the second half.

I just don't like the formats were someone gets down early so you just write them off. Plus it just gives anyone that is lucky enough to start off strong a bigger advantage by eliminating one of the players chasing the leader.

I think that early elimination is designed to be more exciting for TV, but I really don't think it is as exciting or entertaining as the regular format.

I think watching a player make a come back is better TV than kicking them off. Hell if they don't catch the cards they will be off soon enough...LOL.

 

Mystic Lake actually made this a non-issue for their tournament. They normally play BJ 3-2 but for the tournament they were paying 2-1 for BJ. No need to DD when you already are getting double.

 

OK Y'all Im done Complaining

Thanks for the replies, I dont want to come off as a Phil Hellmouth would like to be a Ted Forrest. Looks to me players will need to be extra aggressive during early hands to fight of the KO card. But, if Ken Smith gets KOed because of a Burger King I might get sparked back up!

Have a good day,

Barney

 

This is what this forum is for

Thanks again mrbill for the 2-1 BJ payoff at Mystic Lake, your right that does eliminate the need for DD on a BJ...LOL.
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Barney, you’re not coming across bad at all, you're simple saying the way you feel and asking questions. This is what BJT.com is about. Ken made this site for season tournament players and newbie's a like. It is a place where questions can be asked and answered and to be keeping informed on current gaming events and up coming tournaments.

As far as good players getting KO'ed it happens all the time in BJ tournaments so don't let that get you to up set. You said that your coming over from poker I believe? So let me use this comparison:
Kenny E.'s bad beat the other night on WSOB is equivalent to a dead money player in poker drawing out against Doyle Brunson on the river in poker, it happens, that is just part of the game.

 

Gmorris

Sorry I Missed It When Will It Be On Tv Again And What Time And Station