The History of Blackjack

Cards, we use them in Blackjack Tournaments and other games; here’s a brief review of their beginnings and also, a brief review of the Blackjack history.  Cards have been used with different purposes; as a form of currency, mystical power, social entertainment and even as markers simulating battle maneuvers.  Some scholars say that the cards that we currently use in Blackjack Tournaments are a derivation of chess, coming from India.

Some other says that cards are from China, derived from paper money and from the game of dominoes.  As a curious note, in China the term for playing cards is paper tickets.  Before getting to North America, cards were introduced into the Middle East and Europe.  This process took centuries.  In Europe, the earliest known examples were hand-painted paper; this is back in the 13th-14th century.  Because of its high cost it was restricted to the upper classes.

However, in 1397, an announcement was declared in Paris, working people was not allowed to play cards on workdays.  This proves that the working class had access to the cards too, probably by wood-block printing.  Wood-block cards were made in Germany and exported during the 15th century.

Back to the Blackjack history, most people say that its origins go back to 1700 in French Casinos.  Its name was Vingt-et-Un (Twenty-one), derived from the games Chemin de Fer and French Ferme, games that were a mode in that time.  The Blackjack was introduced in North America in 1800 or so.  The 52 cards deck that we know was called “The French Pack”, then it became as Blackjack.

How the Blackjack became a serious gambling game?  Gambling appeared in China around 2300 B.C. and it has been known since then.  Gambling was popular in Greece too, but, it was illegal.  During almost 60 years, gambling was legal in western United States (1850-1910), ironically Nevada considered gambling as lawbreaking.  But then, in 1931 Nevada made legal casino gambling, and one of the main games offered to the people was the Blackjack.

Other games like Craps and Poker were the preferred ones during the early days of western gambling.  Twenty-One was not that popular.  Some gambling halls started to offer a 10-1 payout for players that got a special hand, like ace of spades and a black jack, a jack of clubs or jack of spades.  In consequence, Twenty-One became Blackjack.  Nowadays the 3-2 payout or 150 percent is standard in the majority of the casinos, despite which face card come along with the ace.

Gambling was legalized in Atlantic City, New Jersey in the year of 1978.  Only two states had legalized casino gambling and since 1989 a lot of casinos were created in the Internet and offshore.  Some states opened independent and small casinos in places like Black Hawk and Cripple Creek, Colorado, as well in River Boats on the Mississippi.

Other casinos are located all around the world in places like France, England, Canada, Central and South America, Monaco (Monte Carlo) and some islands in the Caribbean.  Usually, players can find Blackjack tables in these locations.