Biography of Black Jack
Posted in Blackjack on 03/04/2010 11:21 pm by Cristina
Blackjack – also referred to as ‘twenty one’ and ‘pontoon’ – is a game that is generally found in a casino with people attempting their luck on acquiring the elusive ‘twenty one’. It’s widely believed that the game came into existence in France amid the 17th century. However, as with many other gambling games the exact evolution of the game is a mystery.
Chemin de fer was brought to the States after the French Revolution, but the game did not become favored in the betting houses until the house offered payouts as a bonus. This was the only way that seemed to get players wagering on chemin de fer. One variant on the bonus payment was for a player to acquire ‘twenty one’ with the blackjack card (worth 10 points) and an ace (given a value of eleven points). With the growing popularity of the game the pay outs were phased out but the name ‘chemin de fer’ lasted.
Pontoon isn’t just about achieving a straight ‘twenty-one’, but the main challenge is to defeat the croupier without busting. The betting house certainly has an edge over the black jack players over the long term, but with twenty-one the player retains an element of choice.
Since 1931 when the U.S. initial legalized betting, blackjack has grown into a quintessential betting house card game. Furthermore, it is the combination of both skill and mathematics employed in twenty-one that has made the game massively loved. Black jack affords an attractive adventure to any scientist, math guy or wagering player looking to examine the tactic of the game.