WINNER: Ken Smith

Over the last decade Ken Smith has netted over 30 first-place finishes all over the world. Tonight he did it again.
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PLAYERS:

The players are Michael Castellana, “Hollywood” Dave Stann, Ken Smith, Michael Postle, “Big” Chuck Gorsen, Alex Brenes, and “Miami” John Cernuto.

This is a stellar group, led by All In magazine’s #1-ranked tournament-blackjack player Ken Smith and the #7-ranked Hollywood Dave. Michael Castellana and Chuck Gorsen are also accomplished blackjack-tournament players, while Alex Brenes and Miami John are poker-tournament champions. Michael Postle was this show’s wild card, having won his way to the final here on PlayUBT.com.

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ELIMINATION:
Hand 8: Big Chuck is first to go on the first Elimination Hand (EH), the victim of a terrible bad beat when his 20 is beaten by the dealer’s 21. He has a 92% chance of advancing with one card left to draw.

Hand 9: Alex Brenes follows quickly after being crippled on the preceding hand (see Strategy Notes).

Hand 16: Having a 62% chance of advancing over Hollywood Dave with only his double-down card left to be exposed, Michael Postle flips a deuce and is sent home, while Hollywood dodges a bullet and plays on.

Hand 23: All in with a $70,000 bet, Miami John is breathing easy with a dealt 20 until the dealer checks under her ten and flips an ace for a blackjack. Another brutal beat.

Hand 25: Michael Castellana underbets and it costs him on the third EH, leaving Hollywood and Ken to compete for the title.

Last Hand: Heads-up play comes down to two of the best tournament players in the world, and they wage a classic battle that culminates in one of the most dramatic final hands ever. But first Ken Smith uses his Secret Bet on hand 29 to bait Hollywood into betting big and losing (see Strategy Notes).

Going into hand 30, Hollywood has $131,000 and is betting first, while Ken has $142,000. Since Hollywood had already used his SB, his bet in front of Ken has to be made in the open. Hollywood bets $65,000 and Ken bets the same, so Hollywood must win while Ken loses, or win a bigger bet by doubling or splitting to win the match. Both are dealt 16s and Hollywood doubles. Ken doubles behind him and the dealer turns over a made 17. So it comes down to the double-down cards. Hollywood has to beat the dealer to have a chance, which means he has to turn up a 2, 3, 4, or 5. Incredibly, he gets a deuce. Ken looks crushed, knowing he’s now an underdog, needing to also make a 2, 3, 4, or 5. With only a 31% chance of making his hand, he pops a 5 to rock Hollywood Dave and claim the first-ever UBT championship.

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SEASON ONE RECAP:
Episode 1: The final table is a powerhouse, featuring great play, a classic good-versus-evil scenario...

Episode 2: This is an emotion-packed contest, with tempers flaring (between Matthews and Pine) in later rounds...

Episode 3: If anything, this episode demonstrates that you're not out till you're out. Tyrone Jackson is down to just $15,000 on hand 9...

Episode 4: This is a strategy-packed match that provides plenty of fodder, as you'll see, for Strategy Notes...

Episode 5: The match is a roller-coaster ride of ups and downs, featuring a couple of excellent strategic plays and the first playoff of the UBT series...

Episode 6: It's a shootout. At hand 25, the three remaining players—Monica, Jennifer, and Angie—have nearly $1 million among them...

Episode 7: As has been the case earlier in this season, the repeat players, Gary Debernardi and John Cernuto, fair much better the second time around...

Episode 8: Dave gets battered mid-match and has to climb back from a significant deficit to get to heads-up play with Erica Schoenberg...

Episode 9: All of the players obviously have tournament chops. Ken Smith is the consensus favorite, but David Matthews, Adriana Jade, and Hollywood Dave are all considered prominent...

Episode 10: With huge bragging rights on the line (not to mention the prize money), the players are dialed in for this one and there are loads of high-end...

SEASON TWO RECAP:
Episode 1: This wasn't a timid table, but the eliminations came slowly and there were three players all the way to the 30th hand...

Episode 2: As it often does, it came down to cards in the end—but rather than it being about who got them, it was more about who didn't...

Episode 3: With two seasoned blackjack-tournament pros (Anthony and Blair) and one poker-tournament superstar...

Episode 4: This match will go down as one of the strangest and best in UBT history...

Episode 5: The blackjack players excelled on this day, with Ken Einiger and Adriana Jade steadily pulling away from the field...

Episode 6: Chips flew early in this match and three players, including Ken Smith, were already gone by the end of hand 8...

Episode 7: The final table of the UBT's first Poker vs. Blackjack Superstar Showdown features an interesting mix of poker and blackjack luminaries...

Episode 8: The three "favorites" mentioned above go out before the third Elimination Hand and the All-Stars contest comes down to the unlikely trio...