World Series of Blackjack

The World Series of Blackjack is a televised blackjack tournament created and produced by the cable network GSN. It is a closed tournament; players are either invited to play or attempt to win a spot via a satellite tournament. Rounds are edited into 1-hour episodes and broadcast on GSN. Matt Vasgersian and Max Rubin provided commentary for the first two seasons. Tiki Arsenault was the dealer for Season 1 as Deanna Bacon was the dealer for Seasons 2 and 3 while Jessica Knight was the dealer for Season 4.

Season 1 premiered weekly from March 15, 2004 to April 26, 2004 with a co-host, Melana Scantlin.

Season 2 premiered weekly from January 21, 2005 to April 22, 2005 with a new co-host, Megan Riordan.

Season 3 premiered weekly from June 5, 2006 to September 4, 2006 as part of GSN's Casino Night (retooled, with High Stakes Poker, as Vegas Night) programming block, with new hosts John Fugelsang and Ben Mezrich.

Season 4 premiered on GSN from June 4, 2007 to August 27, 2007. A field of 40 players, including Celebrity Blackjack champion Caroline Rhea, baseball star Orel Hershiser and magician Penn Jillette competed for a $1 million prize pool. Vasgersian returned as a commentator.

Rules

The rules (as of season 4) are as follows:

  • Each player begins with $100,000 in chips ($10,000 in chips in Season 1).
  • The initial minimum bet is $1,000, the maximum bet is $50,000 (minimum bet is $100, the max bet is $5,000 in Season 1).
  • There are six decks.
  • Each player gets one "Burger King Power Chip" per round, which allows a player to switch one card with the next card in the shoe. If used on a double-down hand, the player may look at the double-down card and replace it if desired. The power chip was added as of season three.
  • There are two "knockout cards" in the shoe. Once a knockout card is drawn, the player with the lowest amount of chips after the next hand is eliminated. After the first knockout card, the minimum bet increases to $2,500, after the second, the bet increases to $5,000. The deck is shuffled after each knockout card. If there are only four players when the first is drawn and three when the second is drawn, no players are eliminated, but the minimum bet still increases. The knockout cards also appeared first in season three.
  • Players can split, double-down, and insure for less than their bet.
  • Players can double-down on anything.
  • Surrendering the hand is legal, which allows players to give up half their bet and concede the hand.
  • If a player can't make the minimum bet, they are eliminated.
  • Blackjack pays 3 to 2, dealer must stand on all 17s and higher (including soft hands).
  • After 30 hands in Season 1, the player with the most chips wins.
  • After 25 hands in Season 2-4, the player with the most chips wins.

Season 1 results

The World Series of Blackjack Tournament was held at Mohegan Sun Casino & Resort in Connecticut. First place will win $10,000 and move on to the Final table while Second place will win $5,000 and move on to the Wild Card table. The winner of the Wild Card table will move on to the final table. First place at the final table will win $100,000 USD grand prize.

Round Winner Runner-Up Other Players
Round 1 Regina Guzior Michael Konik
Round 2 "MIT Mike" Aponte "Hollywood" Dave Stann
  • Ken Einiger
  • Joanna "Queen of Spades" W.
  • Susan Pikor
Round 3 Micky Rosa Bobby J.
  • Bradley Peterson
  • Cathy Hulbert
  • Ashwin Patel
Round 4 Jimmy Pine Previn Mankodi
Round 5 Ken Smith Richard Munchkin
  • Jane Gamble
  • Franky DeRocco
  • Skip Samad
Wild Card Round "Hollywood" Dave Stann Bobby J.
  • Michael Konik
  • Previn Mankodi
  • Richard Munchkin
Finals "MIT Mike" Aponte "Hollywood" Dave Stann
  • Jimmy Pine
  • Micky Rosa
  • Regina Guzior
  • Ken Smith

Mike Aponte, a former member of the MIT Blackjack Team, won the Season 1 championship and $100,000.

Season 2 results

The World Series of Blackjack Tournament was held at Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The first place will move on to the Semi-Final table while the Second place will move on to the Wild Card table. The winner of the Wild Card table will move on to the Semi-Final table. The top two finishers in the Semi-Final table will move on to the final table for a chance at winning a $250,000 USD grand prize. First place at the final table will win a $250,000 USD grand prize.

Round Winner Runner-Up Other Players
Round 1 Kevin Blackwood "Hollywood" Dave Stann
Round 2 Leann Moell Charlene Ono
Round 3 Stanford Wong Robert Blechman
  • Regina Guzior
  • Richard Taraska
  • Nicki Vermeulen
Round 4 Kami Lis Nancy Kubasek
Wild Card Round 1 Charlene Ono
  • "Hollywood" Dave Stann
  • Nancy Kubasek
  • Robert Blechman
Round 6 Anthony Curtis Erica Schoenberg
  • Tyrone Washington
  • Rick Swogger
  • David Page
Round 7 Rick Jensen Ken Einiger
Round 8 Viktor Nacht Micky Rosa
  • Chuck Gorson
  • Joe Maloof
  • Lorna Fox
Round 9 Jason Geraci Michelle Richards
Wild Card Round 2 Ken Einiger
  • Micky Rosa
  • Erica Schoenberg
  • Michelle Richards
Semi-Final Rick Jensen Ken Einiger
  • Anthony Curtis
  • Viktor Nacht
Semi-Final Stanford Wong Kami Lis
  • Kevin Blackwood
  • Leann Moell
Finals Ken Einiger Kami Lis
  • Stanford Wong
  • Rick Jensen

Ken Einiger claimed the Season 2 championship, winning $250,000.

Season 3 results

The World Series of Blackjack Tournament was held at Hilton Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The first place will move on to the Semi-Final table while the Second place will move on to the Wild Card table. The winner of the Wild Card table will move on to the Semi-Final table. The top two finishers in the Semi-Final table will move on to the Final Table for a chance at winning a $500,000 USD grand prize. First place at the final table will win a $500,000 USD grand prize.

Round Winner Runner-Up Other Players
Round 1 Paul Haas Tommy Dyer
  • John Grannis
  • Sheila Taylor
  • Ken Einiger
Round 2 Charlie Montoya Kami Lis
  • Anthony Lu
  • Steve Bortle
  • Darrell Arnold
Round 3 Jeff Bernstein Angie "Moneytaker" Hardy
  • Jamie Root
  • David Weston
  • Mano Fuentes
Round 4 Henry Tran Randy Driggers
  • Jennifer Ortega
  • Ted Coustenis
  • Tommy Connor
Round 5 Tony Duong John Payne
  • Shawn Crowder
  • Vicki Reed
  • "Hollywood" Dave Stann
Round 6 Dominick Haven Ken Smith
  • Paul Eckstein
  • Val Hunter
  • Elie Karam
Round 7 Pat Nicholas Henry Fletcher
Round 8 "Razor" Rob Boisvert Erica Schoenberg
  • Marshall E. Lafferty
  • Scottie Black
  • Randy Joyce
Wild Card Round 1 Kami Lis
  • Randy Driggers
  • Ken Smith
  • Tommy Dyer
  • Tommy Connor1
Wild Card Round 2 John Payne
  • Jamie Root1
  • Erica Schoenberg
  • Angie Hardy
  • Henry Fletcher
Semi-Final 1 Jeff Bernstein John Payne
  • Henry Tran
  • Paul Haas
  • Pat Nicholas
Semi-Final 2 Kami Lis Charlie Montoya
  • Tony Duong
  • Dominick Haven
  • Rob Boisvert
Finals Jeff Bernstein Tony Duong2
  • John Payne
  • Kami Lis
  • Charlie Montoya

Dr. Jeff Bernstein claimed the Season 3 championship, winning the $500,000 grand prize.

1Qualified for Wild Card Round through random drawing among all 3rd-5th place preliminary finishers.
2Qualified for Final Table through random drawing among all 3rd-5th place semi-final finishers.

Season 4 results

The World Series of Blackjack Tournament was held at Hilton Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The first place will move on to the Semi-Final table while the Second place will move on to the Wild Card table. The winner of the Wild Card table will move on to the Semi-Final table. The top two finishers in the Semi-Final table will move on to the final table for a chance at winning a $500,000 USD grand prize. First place at the final table will win a $500,000 USD grand prize.

Round Winner Runner-Up Other Players
Round 1 George Mandilaras Phil Dunaway
Round 2 Jeff Swenson Kami Lis
  • Lon Johnson
  • Juan Cloud
  • Joe Malc
Round 3 Alice Walker Norm Sheridan
  • Joe Fisher
  • Kacie Bergeron
  • "Hollywood" Dave Stann
Round 4 Salomon Cohen-Botbol Rick Jensen
Round 5 Jarek Markowiak Darrell Arnold
Round 6 T. J. Boros Marlin Horseman
Round 7 Kristine Johnson Rick Fortin
  • Ken Einiger
  • Don Rebentisch
  • Joe Reitman
Round 8 Marvin Ornstein Dannye Long
Wild Card Round 1 Rick Fortin
  • Darrell Arnold
  • Henry Tran1
  • Dannye Long
  • Kami Lis
Wild Card Round 2 Marlin Horseman
  • Christianne Hogenbirk1
  • Rick Jensen
  • Norm Sheridan
  • Phil Dunaway
Semi-Final 1 Rick Fortin Kristine Johnson
  • Marvin Ornstein
  • T. J. Boros
  • Salomon Cohen-Botbol
Semi-Final 2 Alice Walker Marlin Horseman
  • Jarek Markowiak
  • George Mandilaras
  • Jeff Swenson
Finals Alice Walker Marlin Horseman
  • Rick Fortin
  • Kristine Johnson
  • T. J. Boros2

Alice Walker (who had previously won GSN's million-dollar Three card poker championship) took first place and $500,000.
1Qualified for Wild Card Round through random drawing among all 3rd-5th place preliminary finishers.
2Qualified for final table through random drawing among all 3rd-5th places semi-final finishers

See also

References

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