Ultimate Blackjack Tour

As a result of a great popularity of televised versions of card games tournaments such as the World Poker Tour or the World Series of Poker a special blackjack event was organized to spark the interest in blackjack games. The first season of the Ultimate Blackjack Tour (UBT) was first shown on September 16, 2006 over CBS network. In fact it was the series of Elimination Blackjack tournaments the winner of which took part at the final tournament where the champions were chosen.

To draw attention to the even the organizers of the Ultimate Blackjack Tour invited not only the famous blackjack players and Internet qualifiers but also the best poker players who have never been known for playing blackjack professionally. It was done first of all to attract poker elements to the new format of blackjack.

Among the players that took part in the Ultimate Blackjack Tour are the professional blackjack players Ken Einiger, Anthony Curtis, Monica Reeves and "Hollywood" Dave Stann as well as the members of poker Team UBT Johnny Chan, Robert Williamson III, and Phil Laak.

The Season 1 consisted of 10 qualifying tournaments the winners of which competed for $1 million prize at the final Tournament of Champions. Two tournaments "Ladies' Night" and the "UBT Legends Tournament” that were included into the Tour were not qualifiers for the major event.

The first season of the Tour was hosted by Max Rubin and Mati Moralejo. Nikki Ziering and Shandi Finnessey served as the sideline reporters for the first and second seasons.