Black Jack – also referred to as ‘Chemin de Fer’ and ‘pontoon’ – is a card game that nowadays is commonly found in a casino with players attempting their fortune on achieving the elusive ‘twenty one’. It is widely presumed that the game came into existence in France amid the 1600’s. However, as with many other gambling games the precise evolution of the game is a mystery.
Blackjack was brought to the States following the French Revolution, but the game didn’t become popular in the betting houses until the casino provided bonus payouts. This was the only way that appeared to get players wagering on chemin de fer. One variation on the bonus payout was for a player to acquire ‘twenty one’ with the black jack card (valued at ten points) and an ace (worth eleven points). With the growing popularity of the game the payouts were phased out but the name of the game ‘black jack’ lasted.
Blackjack is not simply about getting an outright ‘21′, but the main challenge is to beat the dealer without going ‘bust’. The betting house clearly has an edge over the gambling players in the long term, but with twenty-one the player retains a bit of choice.
Since nineteen thirty one when America initial approved betting, black jack has become a traditional gambling den card game. Furthermore, it is the fusion of both ability and math utilized in pontoon that has made the game hugely popular. Blackjack affords an alluring proposition to any scientist, math guy or betting player looking to analyze the scheme of the game.
