Ultimate Blackjack Tour Crowns Its First Champion

Kansas City Amateur Topples Blackjack and Poker Elite to Take Home Big Money And a Shot at Superstardom on CBS

LOS ANGELES — Life is about to change for 29 year old Aaron Tribble, who emerged victorious at Ultimate Blackjack Tour™ Aruba Classic, the first official tour stop for UBT’s new worldwide tour that’s bringing its patented Elimination Blackjack™ to the masses. Tribble was reigned in today a UBT champion at the Aruba Radisson Resort and Casino after taking out a treacherous final table and some of the world’s best pro players along the way.

Even more remarkable is that the Tour’s first winner won his seat in a free roll tournament online, then steamrolled blackjack’s biggest names in his first-ever tournament blackjack outing. Quickly adjusting to the elimination format, the unknown amateur, a Kansas City, MO native, left blackjack icons Anthony Curtis and Ken Smith in his wake. In addition to walking away with $77,900 in tournament prize money and UBT’s coveted solid gold champion’s necklace, Tribble also scored a seat at an upcoming PlayUBT.com tour stop at Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino in San Diego. The world will witness Tribble’s dominating performance during a future episode of Ultimate Blackjack Tour™, which just launched nationwide on CBS.

Besides getting the right cards, my biggest asset was understanding the chip count and making the smart bets, an excited Tribble said. “I stayed focused on every hand and luckily came out on top.”

“It feels amazing. I’m pumped”, he added. “Playing against the guys I see winning on TV was the best part. Well, next to winning that is.” Tribble qualified through a free roll at UltimateBet.net, UBT’s Aruba Classic sponsor.

After being eliminated by Tribble, Anthony Curtis, arguably one of the world’s best blackjack players, said, “Once we both advanced from the previous table, I knew he was going to be tough. He has really great card sense and he made the right bets.”

According to Curtis, “The learning curve in Elimination Blackjack™ is short, so someone who has basic talent can come in, play against pros, and win.”

Curtis is a member of Team UBT, the Tour’s fourteen player all-star squad of the most dangerous card pros in the world, which includes Poker champs Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke, Freddy Deeb, Jennifer Tilly, Robert Williamson III, Antonio Esfandiari and David “Devilfish” Ulliott, as well as blackjack masters “Hollywood” Dave Stann and World Blackjack Champion Kenny Einiger. Most of the Team UBT players participated in the Aruba Classic, and will follow the PlayUBT.com tour to every location.

The tournament was the first of several stops along Ultimate Blackjack Tour™ inaugural world tour, which brings Elimination Blackjack™ to major casinos in Las Vegas, California, Paris, Reno, Atlantic City and other locations with internationally known gaming venues. UBT’s next stop will take place at the Marriot Resort & the Royal Beach Casino in St. Kitts.

The ten-episode first season of Ultimate Blackjack Tour™, currently airing nationwide on CBS with record-breaking numbers, features the world’s top poker and blackjack pros in cut-throat action against the dealer, and one another. Chock full of forced eliminations, secret bets and smash mouth trash talking, the season also includes two special episodes: The Ladies of Blackjack, which showcases top female gamblers the likes of Annie Duke, Jennifer Tilly, Monica Reeves and Erica Schoenburg, and The Legends of Blackjack, which puts blackjack whizzes Stanford Wong, Anthony Curtis, Kenny Einiger and others in exciting, head-to-head competition.

Additionally, through its web site, PlayUBT.com, Ultimate Blackjack Tour™ is doing something never been done before. UBT is currently holding free online tournaments where winners earn seats to the UBT season two final tables to be televised on CBS in 2007. The site also provides Elimination Blackjack™ playing tips, tour information, and in-depth analysis of the televised events.

Information on tour schedule and how to enter can be found at www.PlayUBT.com.