A beaming Akatsu Maasaki received his giant ceremonial check and trophy during the awarding immediately after the final round where he beat six other players with his final chip count of 11,025. He declined to be interviewed.
Second place winner Muranishi Yoshiko received $25,000, while third placer Mabuchi Jun won $13,000.
The fourth to seventh placers who won $1,000 each were Hiraide Isamu, Park Yoo Shik, Okuyawa Koji, and Endo Masaru.
Tension was etched on the faces of the final round players and the spectators as the dealer dealt the last hand.
Yoshiko, the lone female player who made it to the final round, maintained the lead during the last five hands, but Maasaki emerged from his second place perch to beat Yoshiko’s 5,575 final chip count.
A total of 112 players registered and played early on Saturday evening, 14 of whom were females. Entry fee was $1,000.
On Sunday afternoon, the number of players was narrowed and only seven players at each of the seven tables made it to the semi-finals.
“We would like to thank all the participants for the successful first blackjack championship tournament for 2010,”
Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino marketing and promotions coordinator Chell L. Funtanar said. The next blackjack championship will be held on Dec. 11-12.
Tinian Dynasty tournament director and casino pit manager Nimfa S. Alarde said the blackjack championship brought back a lot of familiar faces.
“Most of our players are regulars who come here during tournaments,” she added.
Three Bacarrat Challenge tournaments are scheduled this year — on July 10-11, Sept. 11-12, and Oct. 16-17.
