On June 18, 2007, if you are an avid follower of the Game Show Network (GSN) and happen to watch the World Series of Blackjack (WSOBJ) tournament at 11:00 pm., chances are you've seen Joe Fisher.
Fisher is an enjoyable player to watch as he has a lot of techniques in the game. Fisher, a resident of Flushing, said that he considers himself a spontaneous player and reacts naturally to whatever will happen next. If he is having difficulty and things do not swing his way, Fisher does something he calls the "whammy".
A whammy is when Fisher puts his hands together and wiggles his fingers on his cards. The card gods seem to favor Fisher nowadays. He is one of the 3 Michigan residents that participated in the Blackjack tournament held in Las Vegas Hilton last January.
The winner will take home a total of $500,000. The blackjack tournament will air for 13 weeks on GSN. The 2 other participants in the match are Lon Johnson from Lansing and Arthur (Don) Rebentisch from Coral, near Grand Rapids.
Players can qualify for the World Series of Blackjack IV from officially recognized casinos across the US as well as the super satellite tournaments at the Las Vegas Hilton.
Some of the players in the tournament are LA Dodgers Pitcher Orel Hershiser, Magician/Comedian Penn Jillette, Actress Shannon Elizabeth and Comedian/Host Caroline Rhea. Rhea won the "Celebrity Blackjack" event on GSN.
Players will compete in 8 preliminary matches with the wild card, semi-finals and the final table of the event. A 57 year-old machine repairman at GM Power Train Flint North, Fisher said that playing blackjack has been his hobby for over 27 years.
Wednesday, August 01 , 2007
Victor Sanchez