I've given it up (quit while I was ahead) but for several years, I was a demon Blackjack player and I'm not sure I can explain why. In 50+ trips to Las Vegas plus a couple to Reno or Laughlin, I have never played Craps, Roulette, Keno or just about any other game besides Blackjack and the occasional stint at Video Poker. I've learned and played them on my computer but while strolling through casinos, I never had the slightest thought of placing a wager. In truth, gambling doesn't interest me but mastering the science and skill of Blackjack did for a time. When it became boring to me, I quit without withdrawal symptoms. Still, for maybe five years of my life, I enjoyed the challenge…and I still play routinely on my computer where, oddly enough, I generally do much worse than I did in real casinos with real money.
And I've recently gotten interested in a TV competition, The World Series of Blackjack on GSN, the station formerly known as Game Show Network. This is a contest taped a few months ago at Connecticut's Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort and aired as seven one-hour shows. All seven have aired and reruns have started with Show #1 airing again this week. The contestants are famous Blackjack players and most are colorful enough that you'll find someone to cheer for…perhaps Stanford Wong, who authored the best books on how to play the game, or Regina Guzior, a champion player who is legally blind. Like all good "reality shows," there are a couple of obnoxious contestants to root against…and I won't ruin things for you by even hinting which kind of person ultimately wins.
Tournament Blackjack play is slightly different from when you're playing one-on-one against the dealer. Everyone at the table plays against the dealer but they also play against each other and adjust bets accordingly. There are also strategies you or I would never employ in a casino. In Tournment play, it is sometimes advisable to hit a hard 18 or double-down on a Blackjack. If you tune in, don't let that kind of thing throw you…and for God's sake, don't say, "Hey, let's try splitting tens next time we go to Harrah's!" Most of the play is pretty standard, though.
GSN airs the show twice on Monday nights, and I think Show #1 is on tomorrow night. One person wins on each of the first five shows, then Show #6 is a "wild card" game where the second-place finishers compete. The winner of that show plus the winners of the first five compete on Show #7 for a $100,000 grand prize. The shows are slickly produced, complete with informative play-by-play and color commentary, and I got swept up in the excitement. A celebrity version is reportedly being taped this month for airing in July.