UBT (Ultimate Blackjack Tour) Phil wins something this week

Saturday night at 8:00 pm EST I entered the $200 buy-in "$25,000 guaranteed" EBT (Elimination Blackjack Tournament) at Ultimatebet.com (go to UB, click "Elimination Blackjack," then click "Tournaments"). I came in on a bit of a roll, having just two weeks ago finished first and second in two Elimination Blackjack tournaments in the same day (that was the last time I played). Not too mention my run at the Tour Championships this week. So why not enter the biggest EBT of the week?

It was stated that you had to win three rounds to advance to the final table (six). In round I, two of us (out of 6) advanced. In round II, four of us (out of 7) advanced. And in round III two of us (out of 7) advanced. Somehow I made it all the way to the final table. I admit that I was very lucky. I seemed to make a lot of hands when I needed to. I was curious about the prize pool, but I chose not to look. I would "Play to Win!" Part of playing to win, to me, is hanging in there. Three of the final six seemed reckless and paid the price (although they could have had the chip lead rather than go broke). When were three handed I was the short stack. That's when I made a couple of catch up bets, and got lucky, once making a blackjack. Pretty soon, "JoePane" (a EBT specialist) was forced to move all-in, and he lost. Now I was heads up. One hand 23, I bet enough to take the lead (if we both won), and I took it. On hand 24, he took the lead back from me, and now I had $138,000 in chips to his $146,000. He made a secret bet, and I decided to use my secret bet and I bet the table max $100,000. I made blackjack!! So I thought that it was over. Then I realized that if he bet 1/2 of his stack, he could split his K-Q (the dealer had a 4 showing), and still beat me. He split, and made two "20's." I still wasn't out of the woods. I would have $150,000 (blackjack pays three-to-two) plus $38,000 or $188,000. He could still have $192,000 [$146,000 times 2]: if the dealer didn't make 20 or 21. The dealer went bust, and his secret bet was revealed. He bet $67,000, which meant that I had won the tournament by about $10,000 or so!! My secret bet was revealed, I won! I now was paid $8,000, and I never did find out what second place was paid…

My wife and I are now heading to the game, Go Warriors!