Blackjack remains one of the major staples of casinos, but how much do you know about this classic card game?
There are a lot of interesting things to know about Blackjack, from the actual origin of its name to its many variants and predecessors and the rise of online Blackjack. So, read on to find out seven of the most interesting facts about the game of Blackjack.
1. Blackjack’s many predecessors
You’ve probably heard that Blackjack descends from a French game by the name of Vingt-et-Un. This popular French card game is mostly identical to the modern form in terms of its basic game concept and the goal of reaching a hand value of 21.
But Vingt-et-Un wasn’t the first game of its kind. There were actually a few similar card games to be found across Europe during the 17th century and even before. The Spanish Veintiuna was just one of these – famously appearing in a collection of short stories by Miguel Cervantes in 1613.
An even earlier precursor was known as Thirty-One, which may even have claim to the title of one of the oldest card games of all.
2. The origins of Blackjack’s name
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here is a surprising amount of disinformation about how Blackjack came to be known by its current name. But the real story revolves around miners who took part in the Klondike Gold Rush in Canada.
Miners brought the game of Vingt-et-Un with them before deciding to rename it to something a little less French. They took inspiration from one of the minerals commonly found near gold or silver deposits – zincblende – which was commonly referred to as blackjack.
The nickname was first applied to the highest hand value of 21 before becoming shorthand for the entire game.
3. Blackjack has one of the lowest house edges
The house edge – otherwise known as the casino advantage – refers to the odds in favour of the casino in any of their games. A game with a higher house edge is expected to pay out less compared to one with a lower edge, as the player has better odds on the latter.
Blackjack actually offers one of the lowest house edges among casino games, although this does slightly depend on player decisions made during the game. At its best, the house edge in Blackjack can fall as low as 0.5%, far lower than you’ll find in games like Roulette.
4. The Four Horsemen of Blackjack
In the 1950s a group of four US Army engineers were responsible for creating the foundations of modern Blackjack strategy and the first Blackjack charts.
Roger Baldwin, Wilbert Cantey, Herbert Maisel and James McDermott used mechanical calculators to create a basic strategy for minimising the house edge using probability and statistical analysis.
5. Modern Blackjack variations
Like many casino games, Blackjack has seen the creation of many variations that take its core concept and put a spin on it. If you count variations based on individual rulesets, unique side bet options and payout structures, then there are potentially hundreds of different varieties of Blackjack out there.
6. The Blackjack Hall of Fame
Did you know that there’s a Blackjack Hall of Fame? Well, now you do!
The Barona Casino in San Diego is host to the Hall of Fame, which launched in 2002, when seven initial members were inducted from a selection of experts, authors and professional players after a public vote.
7. The odds of a natural Blackjack
Sometimes, a player will get dealt a 21 in their first two cards – known as a natural Blackjack. This is the strongest opening hand in the game, but the odds of being dealt it are just 4.8%.
And that’s only scratching the surface of the depths of Blackjack, its storied history and ongoing evolution.
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I prefer baccarat.