There is something in common between all card games played at casinos, they are all really old.
Despite these games’ massive popularity, there are a few aspects of them which are still unknown, like for example, when they have been played for the first time, and how they were born.
Most of the card games we play today you can napsauta ja yritä kolikkopelit. Blackjack, for example, was born in the seventeenth century, but the exact year is still uncertain though.
Old versions of Blackjack
Some theories hypothesize that it is the heir of the popular 21, played in France by the end of the 16th century.
A few other theories, which are less quoted though, want the BJ as the nephew of the old-fashioned 31, played in Spain in the 18th century. This game main goal was to reach a score of 31 making use of only three cards.
There is also another version, which was born in Italy called “sette e mezzo”, seven and a half, which has probably influenced the modern version of the game. It is still very popular and played among players.
The main goal is based on the same concept, trying to reach a certain score without overpassing it.
During the entire 17th century the game 21, Vingt-et-Un in French increased its popularity, so much that in less than a century it became famous in North America.
One of the reasons which indicate that Vingt-at-Un is the ancestor of the BJ, besides the number 21, is the popularity it reached in such a short period.
The blackjack as we know it today was probably a bit different at its origin. The rules, as well as the cards used to play it, were slightly different.
Why its name
Almost all the casinos have set the rule to pay 3:2 the wins made playing BJ. Although this is the most common formula, it is not the only one. There are some casinos which offer different payouts. Most of the time in favour of the casino. At the beginning of the twenty centuries, a particular event has changed the fortune of the BJ.
A casino in Nevada wanted to spice up the game. Considering this version not appealing enough, this casino decided to change a simple rule and offer to those who managed to hit the number 21 thanks to a Black Jack and the Ace of Spade ten times the stake.
Although this rule isn’t valid anymore, since that period it has been identified with the appellation of Blackjack.
Modern 21 online blackjack
After a long period while the BJ was played like any other game in the casino, during the 60s a book changed the way of playing it in the modern age.
This book called Beat the Dealer, written by Edward Thorp, has given the start to the new age. A lot of mathematical studies were conducted to understand the game and draw the guidelines for the modern strategy used, even today, to succeed in blackjack.
