History of Twenty-one
Black Jack – also known as ‘Chemin de Fer’ and ‘pontoon’ – is a card game that nowadays is normally found in a betting house with players trying their luck on acquiring the elusive ‘twenty one’. It’s commonly presumed that the game originated in France through the 17th century. However, as with most other casino games the precise evolution of the game remains a mystery.
Pontoon was brought to the US following the French Revolution, but the game didn’t become popular in the betting houses until the casino offered bonus payouts. This was the only way that seemed to get players gambling on blackjack. One variation on the reward pay out was for a gambler to acquire ‘twenty one’ with the black jack card (given a value of 10 points) and an ace (valued at eleven points). With the expanding appeal of the game the bonus pay outs were canceled but the name ‘twenty-one’ remained.
Blackjack isn’t simply about acquiring an outright ‘twenty one’, but the primary challenge is to beat the dealer without going ‘bust’. The casino certainly has a house edge over the gambling players in the long run, but with blackjack the gambler retains a bit of choice.
Since nineteen thirty one when the U.S. initial approved wagering, pontoon has developed into a traditional gambling den card game. Furthermore, it is the blending of both skill and math utilized in black jack that has caused the game to be massively loved. Pontoon gives an attractive adventure to any academic, mathematician or betting player looking to analyze the scheme of the game.