Background of Chemin de Fer

Black Jack – also referred to as ‘twenty one’ and ‘pontoon’ – is a game that is generally found in a betting house with people trying their luck on achieving the elusive ‘twenty-one’. It is commonly presumed that the game started in France amid the 17th century. However, as with many other casino games the exact development of the game remains a mystery.

Black jack was brought to the US following the French Revolution, but the game did not become popular in the betting houses until the casino offered payouts as a bonus. This was the only way that seemed to get gamblers wagering on twenty-one. One variant on the bonus pay out was for a gambler to acquire ‘twenty-one’ with the black jack card (valued at ten points) and an ace (valued at 11 points). With the increasing popularity of the game the bonus pay outs were phased out but the name ‘black jack’ lasted.

Blackjack isn’t simply about acquiring an immediate ‘twenty-one’, but the main challenge is to defeat the dealer without going ‘bust’. The casino certainly has an advantage over the gambling players over the long term, but with black jack the gambler retains an element of choice.

Since nineteen thirty one when America first legitimized gambling, blackjack has grown into a quintessential gambling den card game. Furthermore, it is the fusion of both ability and math employed in twenty-one that has caused the game to be hugely liked. Pontoon affords an attractive adventure to any scientist, mathematician or gambling player looking to analyze the strategy of the game.

  1. No comments yet.

  1. No trackbacks yet.

You must be logged in to post a comment.