Blackjack is also known as “twenty-one.”
The game has its roots in France and is believed to have originated from the common French card games like Chemin de Fer and French Ferme.Some people believe that it originated from the game that was popular in France in the 17th century known as “vingt-et-un” (twenty-and-one). Others claim that Blackjack took its roots from the Italian casino game known as “Seven and a Half.” It is also believed that Blackjack could have developed from the game “One and Thirty” the Spanish casino game where players had to reach 31 with a minimum of three cards. Even though this game was quite different from Blackjack, it still carried some fundamental parallels.
After French colonists reached North America the game spread around the entire continent. Initially the rules were quite different to modern-day Blackjack, but this changed as the game developed.
In 1931 Blackjack became particularly popular in the state of Nevada, when the government passed laws to legalize gambling. The Blackjack game is constantly be revolutionized and rules are being altered all the time.
During the 1950s, Blackjack became a game observed by theorists and mathematicians. People such as Roger Baldwin and James McDermott were some of the first pioneers to interpret Blackjack from a mathematical angle.
Finally came the most prominent figure in Blackjack theory, Edward Thorp. Thorp is known as the father of card counting – a common strategy used by professional Blackjack players.
Nowadays the game is found throughout the world at most casinos.