Black Jack – also referred to as ‘21′ and ‘pontoon’ – is a game that nowadays is commonly found in a betting house with people trying their fortune on acquiring the elusive ‘twenty one’. It is widely presumed that the game started in France amid the 17th century. However, as with most other casino games the exact development of the game is a mystery.
Black jack was introduced to the States following the French Revolution, but the game did not become popular in the casinos until the casino provided payouts as a bonus. This was the only way that appeared to get people gambling on chemin de fer. One variation on the reward payout was for a player to acquire ‘twenty one’ with the blackjack card (worth 10 points) and an ace (valued at 11 points). With the expanding appeal of the game the pay outs were phased out but the name of the game ‘black jack’ remained.
Twenty-one isn’t simply about acquiring an immediate ‘21′, but the main challenge is to beat the croupier without busting. The betting house certainly has a house edge over the chemin de fer players over the long run, but with chemin de fer the gambler holds on to a bit of choice.
Since 1931 when America initial legitimized gambling, pontoon has become a quintessential betting house game. Furthermore, it is the combination of both skill and mathematics used in black jack that has caused the game to be massively popular. Chemin de fer provides an alluring adventure to any scientist, math guy or wagering player wanting to analyze the tactic of the game.