The game of Blackjack as we know it today has a rich history that spans several hundred years. It must be known from the outset that the game’s origins are shrouded in mystery and it is this mystique that provides a great deal of enchantment about Blackjack – even till this day. Having said that, it is however the French who are generally accepted as the creators of this card game since its inception in the 17th century. Some notable gambling aficionados have said that Blackjack is a variant of both ‘Chemin De Fer’ and ‘French Ferme.’
A history filled with mystique
To add ever more mystery to dilemma of Blackjack’s origins, are the competing claims of the Spanish. According to them, another variant of the game was being played in Spain at around the same time – it was called ‘One and Thirty.’ But the game’s rules required players to hit 31 with three cards in hand. And yet other history buffs also claim that it was perhaps the Romans who had a hand in creating the game. According to this school of thought, the Romans enjoyed a Blackjack type of game by using wooden blocks of different number values. However there has been no confirmation of this theory either.
Blackjack arrived on the shores of the USA in the 18th century. The French called the game ‘Vingt-et-Un’ the meaning of which translates into 20 and Ace. But the name Blackjack was coined almost serendipitously because card players would win extra cash for holding a hand containing both a Jack and an Ace of Spades. Hence the name Blackjack arrived, and its popularity has grown immeasurably ever since. While Poker fans may beg to differ, it is generally accepted that Blackjack is the most popular table game in casinos.
Influential Blackjack personalities
In the early 50s a book entitled ‘The Optimum Strategy in Blackjack’ was published. Its author, a Mr. R. Baldwin, was instrumental in applying complex statistical and mathematical theories to uncovering the game’s functionality. Soon thereafter, a Professor Thorp chipped in with his contribution which basically restated the strategy of Blackjack in his book ‘Beat the Dealer.’
The phenomenal success of this book resulted in casinos altering Blackjack rules to outsmart players, with multiple decks and card-shuffling machines.
While many people have added their insights into the game’s inner workings, it was a group of students who claimed the top honours. Their story is already well-known but it’s worth rehashing. The team was comprised of several Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) whiz kids. These tech students were so phenomenally gifted that they were able to count cards in casinos and win vast sums of money. Incidentally these characters were immortalized in the Hollywood blockbuster film ’21.’
