The Magic of 21: Blackjack Throughout the Centuries (Track This Article)

In early 2008, the movie “21” was released around the world solidifying the blackjack game as one of the most popular casino card games of all time. Millions of viewers around the globe got a chance to see Hollywood’s interpretation of how five MIT students were able to beat the system, even if it was short-lived. The recent movie may sensationalize the game as a new phenomenon, but blackjack gambling has a rich and interesting history filled with drama, winners and losers.

Scholars believe that casino blackjack as we know it today, was born during the 18th century in French casinos as “Vingt et Un.” This is translated from French as “Twenty and One” which is essentially the equivalent of “twenty-one” in English. The rules from France vary slightly from the 21 blackjack that is played today, but the basic strategy to beat the dealer to a best hand of 21 is consistent with modern play. It is interesting to mention that the name “blackjack” was introduced after the game made its way to the United States in the 1800’s. Gambling houses wanted to give incentive for patrons to play blackjack providing a generous 10-1 payout when the player was dealt a natural 21 with a black jack (either a jack of spades or a jack of clubs) and an ace of spades. The typical payout for this combination today is 3-2.

The game of blackjack moved underground in the United States during the early 1920’s. Of course, it wasn’t just blackjack that had to duck for cover, but all forms of gambling and alcohol was banned. It was a decade later that casinos in Nevada began to open and basic blackjack began to compete with other games such as poker and craps. With casinos opening in Nevada, more people became interested in the game, including some of the nation’s finest mathematicians.

During the two decades after WWII, there were several books published on blackjack strategy that were aimed at reducing the house advantage. Mathematical models were used to calculate when the player should hit or stand. Other information was published which gave an inside view on how to count cards, a strategy which entails keeping track of high cards, and adjusting the bet when conditions are favourable. It wasn’t long after that blackjack software provided the user a chance to learn these rules before sitting down at a game.

When a discussion about beating the house at blackjack ensues, it goes without saying that Ken Uston needs to be given credit for what he accomplished. During the 70’s and 80’s, Ken used his knowledge on how to play blackjack and combined it with a professional, team approach to winning at blackjack. His team were successful at winning consistently and have written several books on the topic. The team from MIT replicated this method in the 90’s and were the inspiration for the movie “21”.

With the advent of the World Wide Web, Internet blackjack literally took the world by storm with users getting the chance to play for free, or with real money from the comfort of home. The accessibility of blackjack on the Internet will ensure a healthy existent on real and virtual tables into the future.

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Internet blackjack professional Gene Marshall is commissioned by a few renowned online blackjack web sites. The author concentrates on articles about free blackjack games and blackjack online. Extra commentaries written by Gene Marshall about blackjack are available on the web.

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