Blackjack is played in all casinos in the world. This card game attracts with the simplicity of the rules, quick ending and elementary calculation of results.
History of the game
Blackjack's closest ancestor was Vingt-Un, the English version of 21. Blackjack's pedigree probably originates in Spain, in any case, the first written mention of this game is found in the book of the writer and gambler Miguel de Cervantes (Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra). The heroes of his book "Rinconete and Cortadillo" (Rinconete y Cortadillo) are Seville cheaters, the novel was written at the very beginning of the 17th century. In the second half of this century, a game with similar rules was in use in France and England, and later in the United States. Vingt-Un rules were fixed in the UK. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Americans reissued the English rules of the game.
In 1899, "21" got a new name - blackjack. The name has an interesting history: American gambling houses stimulated players with bonuses. The ten-to-one payout was due to the player holding the ace of spades and the jack of clubs or jack of spades. The name "blackjack" (black hand) remained, although the bonus was later abandoned.
Another version was suggested by the historian of card games Thierry Depaulis. The Frenchman believed that the name appeared in the Klondike (Canada) during the years of the gold rush (1896-1899). Prospectors associated blackjack with deposits of precious metals and the honey-yellow mineral sphalerite, which is not amenable to jewelry.
The first mathematically based blackjack strategy was published in 1956 by Roger Baldwin, Wilbert Cantey, Herbert Maisel, and James McDermott.
Interesting facts
- Napoleon Bonaparte loved the game of blackjack. The emperor knew the rules of the game perfectly and made up his own winning tactics. Napoleon spent a lot of time at the gaming table, ordinary soldiers could be his rivals.
- Modern names for blackjack outside the casino are "Point" or "Twenty-one".
- At the beginning of the 20th century, blackjack was banned in the United States, but this only spurred interest in the game - tournaments were held in underground clubs. Blackjack was legalized in 1939 in Nevada.
- In the casino, blackjack is considered the easiest and most profitable game of chance for participants. Customers initially have an advantage over the casino, which is not available in any other game.
- FedEx founder Frederick Wallace Smith won seed money in blackjack. The future businessman came to the casino with $5,000, after a few hands Smith turned his last money into $27,000 and was able to start a thriving business.
- In 1997, lucky Australian Kerry Packer won $30 million in blackjack in one night. That evening, one of the waitresses received a million dollars as a tip from a sudden millionaire.
There is nothing easier than mastering blackjack. If you are not familiar with this game yet, the tutorial will take a few minutes. The rest is a matter of luck and passion. We wish you victory and may good luck not sleep behind your shoulder!
