History of Chemin de Fer
Black Jack – also referred to as ‘21′ and ‘pontoon’ – is a game that is often seen in a casino with players attempting their fortune on acquiring the elusive ‘twenty-one’. It’s widely presumed that the game started in France amid the 1600’s. However, as with most other betting games the exact development of the game is a mystery.
Blackjack was brought to the US following the French Revolution, but the game didn’t become popular in the gambling dens until the casino offered bonus payouts. This was the only method that seemed to get gamblers betting on black jack. One variant on the reward pay out was for a player to acquire ‘twenty one’ with the black jack card (given a value of ten points) and an ace (valued at 11 points). With the increasing popularity of the game the bonus pay outs were phased out but the name ‘pontoon’ remained.
Blackjack is not simply about getting an outright ‘twenty-one’, but the main adventure is to defeat the croupier without going ‘bust’. The betting house certainly has an edge over the black jack players over the long run, but with black jack the player holds on to an element of choice.
Since nineteen thirty one when the U.S. first legalized gambling, blackjack has developed into a quintessential betting house card game. Furthermore, it is the fusion of both ability and mathematics employed in pontoon that has made the game hugely popular. Black jack gives an attractive adventure to any academic, mathematician or wagering player looking to analyze the scheme of the game.
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