Blackjack: Learning Its Antiquity
Blackjack: Learning Its Antiquity
Blackjack: Learning Its Antiquity
The origin of the game blackjack is still creating a debate among researchers. Some say that blackjack's origin is from China where Chinese merchants tried to use it as an item for exchanging goods. But most of them agreed that the roots of blackjack appeared during the 17th century in France where it is called "Vingt-et-Un", which when translated means twenty one. Most believe that it was derived from the French card game "Chemin de Fer" now known as baccarat and "French Ferme", which were in vogue at that time. Another version was prevalent in Spain, which was called 'One and Thirty'.
A theory that's also doing the rounds is that Blackjack was an invention by the Romans. It is believed that Romans used to play this game with wooden blocks of different numerical values. This theory holds some weight as Romans loved gambling, but it isn't confirmed yet.
After the French revolution the game gradually spread to North America, thanks to French colonists. At first, it was not popular, so gambling houses tried to offer bonus payouts to get the players to the tables. Ten-to-one payout is one of the examples of the bonus the gambling houses offered. The payout would be given if the players hands consisted of the ace of spades and a black jack. And soon after it was played throughout the continent and the game gained popularity since no laws prohibit card games during that time.
But then again professional gamblers realized the potentials that lays dormant and soon developed strategies for improving their winning odds. The game had started to gain popularity in the beginning of the 19th century, but the government of the US had banned and outlawed gambling activities. The US government believed that gambling corrupted society and encouraged organized crime.
And so, with numerous laws against it and Federal Marshals on its tail, blackjack became an underground game. It became even more popular as government's restriction tightened around it during the 20's, and eventually Nevada decided to legalize gambling in 1931, the first State to make gambling legal, and Las Vegas was born. The game attracted more and more interest as the years passed, until science had decided to investigate it as well.
Remember the bonus the American gambling house offers to entice the player, the ten-to-one payout? This hand was called a "blackjack" and the name stuck to the game, even though the bonus payout was soon abolished. In the modern game, a "natural" or "blackjack" is simply an ace plus a ten-value card.
The game garnered its now-common name of "blackjack", because when a player received a Jack of Spades and an Ace of Spades as the first two cards that were dealt to them, they would win an additional amount of money.
Another information is that in 1953, the first attempt to study blackjack was made by Roger Baldwin and his associates. They used statistics theory and calculating methods in order to reduce blackjack's house edge.
But the tools Baldwin and his associates used were not as sophisticated as needed in order to fully investigate blackjack's statistics. The next step in this road is to understand blackjack via math and science and was made by Professor Edward O. Thorp. He polished their findings and used new calculating systems and machines. During the 60's, 70's and 80's blackjack was the rising star of card games among the casinos.
Julian Braun, an IBM employee, used his computer skills and studied blackjack with a simulator. Then, came Ken Uston and his colleagues. Together, they used computers that were inserted to their shoes, and by using them they made thousands of dollars every month while playing blackjack at Nevada casinos.
Ken Uston wasn't the last to use such methods. In fact, during the 90's, another group of players hit the casino halls using card counting techniques, the MIT Blackjack Team. The members of this team made millions of dollars until late 90's, 1997 to be specific, when they were banned from the casinos after they were detected by the Griffin Investigation, a private detectives company that identify card counters and secure casinos around the world from gamblers that cheat.
Today blackjack is a classic game played in the US, Canada, Australia, Europe and many other places on the globe.
What You Need To Pass The CCNA Certification Exam Graduations And Proms Are Just Around The Corner - Do You Have Your Limo Reserved Yet? 4 days to IBSAT 2010: A re-look at the pattern of the exam "i Didn't Get Into A College, But I Think Should Have" Best Way To Make Money In College - College Money Maker College Student Work - The Right Choice? College Students And Money - The College Money Scarcity Ways To Save Money In College - The Only Thing You Need To Know Common Podiatry Ultrasound Exams Of The Foot And Ankle Choosing The College: Consider College Types Available Student Life In College: What Is Interesting Except Studies? Student Life In College: What If A College Is Overseas? Peculiarities In Terms Of Dos And Donts Of College Life