Origin Of Term Blackjack Average ratng: 4,8/5 8172 votes
- The following is a glossary of terms used in the card game blackjack.This is not intended to be a formal dictionary; precise usage details and multiple closely related senses are omitted here in favor of concise treatment of the basics.
- ‘The aim of blackjack is to draw cards totalling as close to 21 but not exceeding 21.’ ‘The ban on house-banked blackjack does not apply to player-banked blackjack.’ ‘It generates revenues by hosting online backgammon, gin rummy and blackjack, as well as staging golf, darts and pool games.’.
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In all likelihood, the game of Blackjack originated from Spain in the 17th century.
The origin of the game of blackjack is hotly debated. To this day, historians aren’t sure exactly where the game came from. However, there are several likely culprits. Similar games throughout history had been played in different areas of the globe, and all of these are likely to have influenced each other and led to the creation of the game of blackjack as we know it today.
The first time that the game of “twenty-one” was referenced in literature was in the early 1600s in a book written by Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote, called Ronconete y Cortadillo, about gambling cheaters in Seville. The book mentions a game called “Veintiuna”, which is Spanish for twenty-one. The game, according to Cervantes, is played without tens like present-day Spanish 21, and Aces are worth either 1 point or 11 points.
A similar game is known to have been popular in France. “Vingt-et-Un”, which is French for twenty-one, originated in French casinos in the early 1700s. In Spain, a similar game known as “One and Thirty” was in vogue. In this game, the objective was to reach a total of 31 using three or more cards.
There is also one school of thought that suggests a game similar to present day blackjack was being played as early as the Roman Empire. The Romans were great fans of gambling, and many believe that they played a game like twenty-one using wooden blocks with numbers on them. Although, there are no concrete evidence to support this to date.
Wherever the game originated, it is known that it finally spread to North America with French colonists in the early 1900s. The rules were slightly different from present day blackjack. For instance, there were more betting rounds throughout each hand and only the blackjack dealer was allowed to double.
The game of twenty-one spread throughout the North American continent. However, it wasn’t especially popular as North American gamblers found it to be boring and didn’t think the payouts were worthwhile. Therefore, Nevada casinos began offering a special bet to draw more players in 1931. This bet offered a 10 to 1 payout for any player that achieved a 21-point hand made up of a Black Jack and the Ace of Spades. Although the 10 to 1 payout is no longer given (in most modern-day casinos, blackjack pays 3:2), the name stuck and the game is known as Blackjack to this day.
A Brief History
The early days of Blackjack are still a bit cloudy and pinpointing its true origin is still up for debate. Various versions of the game have been traced back to France, Spain, and some even believe that the ancient Romans were the initial inventors; however, the most popular researcher-led opinion shows us that blackjack most likely came about in France during the turn of the 17th century. The French were already keen card players and there was a game known as Vingt-en-Un, which translates to twenty-one, that gives us a strong indication that blackjack was born in France. It did not take long for card games to become an everyday activity in the social lives of Europeans and eventually, French colonists took these gaming ideas and Vingt-en-Un to North America in the 18th century.
Digging Deeper
Vingt-en-Un Breaks Into America
New Orleans soon became the hub of this new and exciting card game with the opening of legalized gambling halls documented in 1820. The popularity of the game exploded across America and there is even an old Blackjack fable that speaks of a lady who moved to America from France, who went by the name of Eleanor Dumont – who was also known as “Madame Mustache” due to a strip of hair above her top lip! A talented dealer with a love for card games, it was believed that Eleanor opened up her own high-end gambling hall in Nevada City by the name of Vingt-et-Un. Rich men were said to have traveled from all over America to play against Eleanor. Her business, some are led to believe, sowed the seeds for the legendary Vegas gambling experience that we all know today!
The Casino Revolution
The 20th century gave birth to the casino revolution and it is here that we see the name ‘Blackjack’ take hold from its previously known ‘21’ and ‘Vingt-en-Un’ monikers. The game quickly became a firm favorite with casino gamblers around the world. Huge numbers traveled to Nevada and to many of the casinos springing up in and around Europe. It was fair to say that blackjack was firmly on the map when the Nevada Gaming Commission documented the game with its full set of rules which are, in fact, still in use today. Fast forward to the 1950’s and we find the first instances of the infamous card counting strategy coming into play. Funnily enough, card counting wasn’t something that bothered the casinos at first and dealers were even known to suggest the ‘best play’ to paying punters; however, its popularity and the number of people using the strategy continued to grow, with a large helping hand from the various Hollywood movies based on the game. The likes of Rain Man and, in particular, 21 managed to mislead the public into thinking that card counting was a ‘get rich quick scheme’ that anyone could take advantage of. This is certainly not the case and there is a lot more to it than what these movies depict, however, the casinos decided to wage war against the card counters and many known culprits, teams and individuals, were banned from casinos across the land.
Online Gaming & The Future For Blackjack
A new century and another new chapter for blackjack is currently being written. The birth of the internet and online gaming took blackjack to even higher levels of popularity than ever before. The fact that anyone can open up a casino on their mobile phone and play a whole range of games has put the likes of blackjack into the hands and homes of billions of people. There are now countless versions of online blackjack that you can play and enjoy such as Super 7’s, Multi Hand VIP, and of course the good old Classic Blackjack. The online environment is full of innovation and potential and there are plenty more new designs to come in the future with the exciting VR technology just around the corner. There is no denying that Blackjack has become one of the most famous of all the casino games, so much so that even Hollywood could not resist its charm. It still manages to catch the hearts and imagination of gamblers and the public in general, from those early days in 17th century France to the online iGaming environment today. Blackjack still reigns king of the casino!
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Snyder, Arnold. Big Book of Blackjack. Cardoza, 2006.
The featured image in this article, a photograph by BuickCenturyDriver of a Blackjack hand, an Ace of clubs and a 10 of diamonds, has been released into the public domainworldwide by the copyright holder of this work.
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