[ English ]

Blackjack – also known as ‘twenty-one’ and ‘pontoon’ – is a game that is usually seen in a casino with players trying their fortune on achieving the elusive ‘twenty one’. It is widely believed that the game came into existence in France amid the 17th century. However, as with most other betting games the exact evolution of the game is a mystery.

Chemin de fer was brought to the U.S. after the French Revolution, but the game did not become favored in the gambling dens until the house provided payouts as a bonus. This was the only way that appeared to get people wagering on black jack. One variant on the bonus payment was for a player to make ‘twenty one’ with the black jack card (valued at 10 points) and an ace (given a value of 11 points). With the expanding popularity of the game the pay outs were canceled but the name ‘blackjack’ lasted.

Blackjack is not just about achieving a straight ‘21′, but the primary challenge is to defeat the dealer without going ‘bust’. The betting house obviously has an advantage over the twenty-one players over the long term, but with twenty-one the player holds on to an element of choice.

Since 1931 when the U.S. first legalized wagering, pontoon has developed into a classic betting house game. Furthermore, it’s the joining of both ability and mathematics utilized in black jack that has made the game massively loved. Blackjack gives an alluring proposition to any academic, mathematician or wagering player looking to examine the tactic of the game.