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 can 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 on weekly on March 15, 2004 with a co-host, Melana Scantlin.
Season 2 premiered on weekly on January 21, 2005 with a new co-host, Megan Riordan.
Season 3 premiered on weekly on June 5, 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 on June 4, 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 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 & 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 |
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| Round 2 | "MIT Mike" Aponte | "Hollywood" Dave Stann |
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| Round 3 | Micky Rosa | Bobby J. |
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| Round 4 | Jimmy Pine | Previn Mankodi |
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| Round 5 | Ken Smith | Richard Munchkin |
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| Wild Card Round | "Hollywood" Dave Stann | Bobby J. |
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| Finals | Mike Aponte | "Hollywood" Dave Stann |
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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. First place will move on to the Semi-Final table while 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 chance at winning $250,000 USD grand prize. First place at the Final table will win $250,000 USD grand prize.
| Round | Winner | Runner-Up | Other Players |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Kevin Blackwood | "Hollywood" Dave Stann |
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| Round 2 | Leann Moell | Charlene Ono |
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| Round 3 | Stanford Wong | Robert Blechman |
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| Round 4 | Kami Lis | Nancy Kubasek |
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| Wild Card Round 1 | Charlene Ono |
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| Round 6 | Anthony Curtis | Erica Schoenberg |
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| Round 7 | Rick Jensen | Ken Einiger |
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| Round 8 | Viktor Nacht | Micky Rosa |
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| Round 9 | Jason Geraci | Michelle Richards |
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| Wild Card Round 2 | Ken Einiger |
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| Semi-Final | Rick Jensen | Ken Einiger |
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| Semi-Final | Stanford Wong | Kami Lis |
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| Finals | Ken Einiger | Kami Lis |
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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. First place will move on to the Semi-Final table while 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 chance at winning $500,000 USD grand prize. First place at the Final table will win $500,000 USD grand prize.
| Round | Winner | Runner-Up | Other Players |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Paul Haas | Tommy Dyer |
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| Round 2 | Charlie Montoya | Kami Lis |
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| Round 3 | Jeff Bernstein | Angie "Moneytaker" Hardy |
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| Round 4 | Henry Tran | Randy Driggers |
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| Round 5 | Tony Duong | John Payne |
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| Round 6 | Dominick Haven | Ken Smith |
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| Round 7 | Pat Nicholas | Henry Fletcher |
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| Round 8 | "Razor" Rob Boisvert | Erica Schoenberg |
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| Wild Card Round 1 | Kami Lis |
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| Wild Card Round 2 | John Payne |
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| Semi-Final 1 | Jeff Bernstein | John Payne |
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| Semi-Final 2 | Kami Lis | Charlie Montoya |
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| Finals | Jeff Bernstein | Tony Duong2 |
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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. First place will move on to the Semi-Final table while 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 chance at winning $500,000 USD grand prize. First place at the Final table will win $500,000 USD grand prize.
| Round | Winner | Runner-Up | Other Players |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | George Mandilaras | Phil Dunaway |
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| Round 2 | Jeff Swenson | Kami Lis |
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| Round 3 | Alice Walker | Norm Sheridan |
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| Round 4 | Salomon Cohen-Botbol | Rick Jensen |
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| Round 5 | Jarek Markowiak | Darrell Arnold |
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| Round 6 | T. J. Boros | Marlin Horseman |
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| Round 7 | Kristine Johnson | Rick Fortin |
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| Round 8 | Marvin Ornstein | Dannye Long |
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| Wild Card Round 1 | Rick Fortin |
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| Wild Card Round 2 | Marlin Horseman |
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| Semi-Final 1 | Rick Fortin | Kristine Johnson |
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| Semi-Final 2 | Alice Walker | Marlin Horseman |
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| Finals | Alice Walker | Marlin Horseman |
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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