Blackjack Tricks

Read more about the
Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

Black Jack – also referred to as ‘21′ and ‘pontoon’ – is a game that is generally seen in a betting house with people attempting their fortune on acquiring the elusive ‘21′. It’s commonly presumed that the game originated in France amid the 1600’s. However, as with most other gambling games the exact evolution of the game remains a mystery.

Chemin de fer was introduced to the US following the French Revolution, but the game did not become favored in the betting houses until the casino provided bonus payouts. This was the only method that seemed to get players wagering on black jack. One variant on the reward pay out was for a gambler to acquire ‘twenty one’ with the blackjack card (given a value of ten points) and an ace (given a value of eleven points). With the expanding appeal of the game the payouts were phased out but the name ‘twenty-one’ remained.

Chemin de fer is not simply about achieving an immediate ‘twenty-one’, but the main challenge is to beat the croupier without going ‘bust’. The betting house obviously has an edge over the gambling players over the long term, but with pontoon the player retains an element of choice.

Since 1931 when America first approved wagering, chemin de fer has become a classic casino game. Furthermore, it’s the joining of both skill and math employed in twenty-one that has caused the game to be hugely popular. Blackjack gives an alluring adventure to any scientist, mathematician or betting player looking to examine the strategy of the game.