Blackjack

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Black Jack – also known as ‘Chemin de Fer’ and ‘pontoon’ – is a game that is normally seen in a betting house with players attempting their luck on achieving the elusive ‘21′. It is commonly believed that the game started in France around the 17th century. However, as with many other betting games the exact development of the game is still a mystery.

Pontoon was brought to the States following the French Revolution, but the game did not become popular in the gambling dens until the house offered payouts as a bonus. This was the only method that appeared to get gamblers wagering on chemin de fer. One variant on the reward payment was for a gambler to make ‘twenty one’ with the blackjack card (worth ten points) and an ace (given a value of 11 points). With the expanding popularity of the game the payouts were phased out but the name of the game ‘blackjack’ remained.

Chemin de fer is not just about getting an immediate ‘twenty-one’, but the primary adventure is to defeat the dealer without going ‘bust’. The betting house obviously has an edge over the blackjack players in the long term, but with black jack the gambler holds on to an element of choice.

Since nineteen thirty one when America initial legalized gambling, black jack has developed into a traditional gambling den game. Furthermore, it is the blending of both skill and mathematics employed in blackjack that has caused the game to be hugely loved. Black jack provides an appealing proposition to any scientist, math guy or gambling player wanting to analyze the tactic of the game.