The History and Development of Blackjack

The history of blackjack has not been fully traced up to this day by scholars as to its true origin. But there is a certain game in the casinos of France in the 17th century called Vingt En Un, which scholars agree as it's ancestor.

The term Vingt En Un is a French word for the number 21. This game may not be the game's first ancestor but it is very clear that the game was born from Vingt En Un. Even though the two games have different rules they have the same goal, that is to reach the total sum of 21 or a natural basing on the hand ranking system of the game.

The name of the game was derived from the ideal hand of Vingt En Un which is called Black Jack. It is composed of a Jack and an Ace of Spades, a hand that has a special payout in Vingt En Un. The term "busted" was believed to have come from a popular game in Italy at that time called Seven and a Half.

A big turning point of the game's history happened after the French Revolution. The game was able to migrate to the Northern Americas where it became famous because there was no laws present that prohibit any card games in the United States at that time. There were professional gamblers who were able to develop a basic strategy of the game that will improve their odds of winning.

As the game continued to gain popularity, the US government prohibited any gambling activities in the 19th century. But the prohibition became an instrument for the game to became more popular than ever, which led to a decision to legalize gambling in Nevada in the year 1931 where the birth of Las Vegas occurred.

There are a number of individuals that decided to study and investigate some strategies and tactics of the game in the 20th century. Roger Baldwin together with his associates studied the game in 1953 where they used calculating methods and statistics to be able to decrease the game's house edge. They released their findings in 1956 entitled "Optimum Strategy in Blackjack".

Then, Professor Edward O. Thorp used science and math in his study with an aid of new calculating systems and machines. His study was published in 1962 in a book called "Beat the Dealer". This is the first time that a card counting system for the game was introduced.

There are still other individuals that contributed to its popularity. These are Julian Braun, Lawrence Revere, Ken Uston, and the MIT Blackjack Team. These individuals used their knowledge and talents in studying this peculiar card game and the card counting system; and they have proven to the gambling world that we can make money out of playing it.

Today, the game is now a popular in casinos and other gambling stations around the world where some people make their living out of playing cards.

Posted in