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Blackjack History has Early European Roots
Blackjack which is also known as Pontoon or Twenty One, made its way across the Atlantic to America in the 1800's. Prior to that, different variations of the game were played all across Europe. In Italy a game called seven and half was played in which the 7,8 and 9 value cards were all given the value of one and the face cards had a value of half. The King of Diamonds acted like a joker and could be used as any card. The aim of the game was to get as close to or exactly seven and a half without going over that value. This game was very similar to the Spanish game of 31 where the players had to reach 31 with the cards at their face value and not go the value of 31.
Vingt Et Un
The game of Vingt et Un which was popular amongst the French Aristocrats during the 1700's is most similar to modern day Blackjack where the aim is to hold a hand as close to or equaling 21 as possible. If the first two cards drawn are an Ace and a Face card, it is a natural Blackjack which in those days was called "le naturel". The differences between the French Vingt et Un and modern day Blackjack are very slight; only the dealer is allowed to double and players must bet after each round. The game of Vingt et Un was played across the Channel in England and adopted the name of Pontoon which is still played today.
Blackjack is All in the Name
Vingt et Un or Twenty- one as it was known in the 1800's made its way across the Atlantic and although it was adopted as a simple and easy card game to play, it was not that popular. Casino houses introduced a bonus scheme at that time whereby if the player achieved a Black Jack, Spades or Clubs and an Ace in his first hand, he was automatically paid out odds of 10:1. Not only did this make the game of Vingt et Un more popular but it also gave it its modern day name of Blackjack which still holds today even though the bonus payout of 10:1 is long gone.
Winning Blackjack Teams
Even with all of the gambling restrictions in the US, the game of Blackjack became an increasingly popular card game and in 1919 the first purpose built Blackjack table was introduce to casinos with its plush green felt and marked areas to place bets, cards and for the dealer's cards. It was just after this that frequent gamblers realized the enormous potential for winning at Blackjack via card counting and team play. Today, these players who managed to beat the Blackjack tables have been idolized forever in the Blackjack Hall of Fame, whose first members were elected in 2002.
From French Vingt Et Un to Online Blackjack
From a game played by the French Aristocrats to modern Blackjack tournaments online and of course the famous winning MIT Blackjack team, Blackjack has had a rich history and development. Today Blackjack can not only be played at the traditional land based casinos but it is also readily available at online casinos and even mobile casinos where you can play on your Mobile phone or Hand Held device wherever you are in the world. The "natural" or 21 is still the most important hand and Blackjack remains the only casino game where your moves and strategy can really make a difference to the outcome of the game.
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