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Background of Blackjack
Blackjack – also referred to as ‘twenty-one’ and ‘pontoon’ – is a card game that nowadays is usually found in a betting house with players attempting their luck on acquiring the elusive ‘21′. It is commonly believed that the game originated in France around the 17th century. However, as with many other betting games the exact development of the game is still a mystery.
Chemin de fer was brought to the United States after the French Revolution, but the game did not become favored in the betting houses until the casino offered bonus payouts. This was the only way that appeared to get people gambling on pontoon. One variant on the bonus pay out was for a gambler to acquire ‘21′ with the black jack card (worth 10 points) and an ace (worth eleven points). With the growing popularity of the game the payouts were canceled but the name ‘chemin de fer’ remained.
Twenty-one is not just about getting an immediate ‘twenty-one’, but the main challenge is to beat the croupier without going ‘bust’. The betting house certainly has an advantage over the gambling players over the long run, but with black jack the player retains an element of choice.
Since 1931 when the U.S. initial legitimized wagering, blackjack has become a traditional casino card game. Furthermore, it is the combination of both skill and mathematics employed in chemin de fer that has caused the game to be hugely liked. Chemin de fer affords an appealing adventure to any scientist, math guy or gambling player wanting to examine the strategy of the game.