1. Know Basic Blackjack Strategy
Winning starts with understanding the basic blackjack strategy. This is even better if you have experience playing normal blackjack in a non-tournament setting. However, this doesn't mean you can't make it if you haven't played before. Luck matters too.
2. Don't Copy Your Opponents' Style
Playing a similar style as your opponents makes the game predictable and denies you the winning edge. For instance, if you are all playing similarly and the dealer gets a blackjack, this means you will all lose. If everybody at the table is timid and conservative, go in aggressive, but if they are aggressive scale back with smaller wagers.
3. Adopt a Hybrid Strategy
In typical blackjack tournaments, you're likely to find yourself in a table adopting either an aggressive approach or a conservative one. However, you stand a better chance if you incorporate the two strategies. Timing is all that matters; know when to bet big and when to wager smaller bets. The best time to decide on whether to go up or down is when you are on the button. You can see what your opponents are wagering.
4. Table Position
Your table position is also critical to winning a blackjack tournament. In the early position, it is imperative to minimize the risks since you cannot make out how others are wagering. As the game advances, you can use your later position to assess the game on account of your opponents’ bets to decide whether to be aggressive or conservative. This is possible since you can see how they are wagering.
5. Tournament Stage
No matter the type of blackjack tournament you are participating in, leader board or elimination, you need to be aware of every stage you are in. This comes in handy to help you make the right decisions, when to bet big and when to scale back.