Small cash prizes are usually awarded to the top finisher and runner-up at each table. Multi-table Blackjack tournaments usually involve a number of elimination rounds, with the chip leaders at each table moving on to the next round, and the rest of the players eliminated.

Time-limited tournaments are also organized, with the chip leader after an hour or other specified period of play declared the winner. Alternatively, the tournament may limit play to a fixed number of deals, often no more than 25~32, with the chip leader declared the winner after the last hand. Eventually, only one player remains-the winner. In a single-table knockout tournament, the player with the lowest chip total after a certain number of deals must leave the table. In single-table tournaments, players can also be eliminated by periodically increasing the minimum/maximum table stakes or by the use of a “knockout” format. In all Blackjack tournaments, any player who runs out of chips or cannot wager the minimum bet is eliminated from play. Single-table tournaments can also be set up at home, among friends, with the prize pool divided among the top two or three winners. The players are usually seated by invitation only or by qualifying in satellite tournaments. The objective, therefore, is not simply to beat the dealer and finish with more chips than were issued initially, but also to amass more chips than anyone else at the table.īecause most Blackjack tables are laid out for 5~7 players plus the dealer, the number of persons who can participate in a single-table tournament is quite limited. In most single-table tournaments, there is just one round of play, and the player with most chips at the end claims the entire prize pool. Players receive a fixed number of non-redeemable tournament chips, worth anywhere from $500 to $100,000 in non-negotiable value.

Rather than purchase chips, players usually pay an entry fee to participate, and the fees that are collected determine the prize pool for the entire tournament. All Blackjack tournaments can be classified into one of two broad categories: single table or multi table.

Vegas blackjack tournaments