No one knows exactly who invented the game of Blackjack, which has become the most popular casino card game in the world. Most historians believe the game originated in France in the early 18th century and was known by the more colloquial term, ‘vingt-et-un’ (twenty one).
Other versions of the early game have appeared in various texts from around this period. An early Spanish form was called ‘One and Thirty’, in which players had to reach 31after initially being dealt three cards rather than two. Some have even posited the theory that the Romans invented a game that now resembles our beloved Blackjack, but unfortunately there is no evidence for this, other than the fact that the Romans loved to gamble!
The game really hit the big time in 1931 when the US state of Nevada made gambling legal. As a means of luring punters into the casinos, this rather brilliant special bet was introduced; a hand which contained either the jack of spades or the jack of clubs – the ‘black jacks’ – plus the ace of spades paid out odds of ten to one. A gambler’s dream! Unfortunately casinos today do not offer the same special bet, although the name stuck and Black jack was born.
The simple rules of Black jack and the basic, easy-to-learn strategy of the game are the main reasons why it has been such a popular game through the centuries, and continues to be to this day.
A player places a bet in the box in front of him or her, receives two cards face up, the dealer receives one card face up, and then the sole aim of the game is to beat the dealer, or house, in achieving a score as close to 21 as possible.
A player can hit or stick, depending on what cards are dealt in front of him or her, and with the dealer’s single card playing an important role in this decision. If you are dealt a four and a three for example, you are going to want to get a little closer to 21! If the dealer shows a picture card, then it is quite likely that he or she will make a strong hand.
There are variations of Black jack around the globe, but generally you will encounter the dealer having to hit on anything up to 16, and having to stick on 17 or above. For example, if the dealer has a jack and a six, he must hit. If he has a jack and a seven he sticks.
If you are dealt two of the same cards you have the option to ‘split’ your cards. This means you will be doubling your initial bet as you have to match your bet in order to be able to put money in front of your newly created second hand. Bear in mind that splitting aces is usually not allowed.
If you hit Black jack you can expect a payout of 3:2 although sometimes casinos will only pay out 6:5. Always make sure you know what rules the casino/site you are in/on is adopting.
