Black Jack – also referred to as ‘21′ and ‘pontoon’ – is a game that nowadays is commonly seen in a betting house with people trying their fortune on achieving the elusive ‘twenty one’. It is widely believed that the game started in France amid the 17th century. However, as with most other casino games the precise development of the game remains a mystery.
Twenty-one was introduced to the U.S. after the French Revolution, but the game did not become popular in the gambling dens until the casino provided bonus payouts. This was the only method that seemed to get players wagering on blackjack. One variant on the reward payment was for a player to make ‘twenty-one’ with the black jack card (worth ten points) and an ace (valued at eleven points). With the growing popularity of the game the payouts were canceled but the name of the game ‘chemin de fer’ lasted.
Twenty-one is not simply about getting a straight ‘21′, but the main challenge is to beat the croupier without going ‘bust’. The betting house certainly has an edge over the gambling players over the long term, but with chemin de fer the player holds on to an element of choice.
Since nineteen thirty one when the U.S. initial legitimized wagering, black jack has become a quintessential gambling den card game. Furthermore, it’s the blending of both ability and math employed in black jack that has caused the game to be massively popular. Blackjack provides an attractive proposition to any scientist, mathematician or wagering player wanting to analyze the tactic of the game.
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