Blackjack History

Blackjack history dates back to the seventeenth century when French aristocrats invented the game to be included among the entertainment in their casinos. The French people have historically had much to do with the growth of culture in the world as we know it today. The French have taught us lessons over the years on such matters as human rights and oppression, art and architecture and, most importantly to dessert connoisseurs from all over the world, how to produce pastry to perfection.


Blackjack History - European Culture Adds Finishing Touches
The French also contributed greatly to some of our most favoured recreational activities, and that includes gambling. The French people back in the 1600s had a predilection for cards and they made huge contributions in this field. It was around this time that French aristocrats, with too much time on their hands, laid the groundwork for two of the most popular card games in the world today: Blackjack and Baccarat.

Blackjack history can be traced back to European heritage with France claiming top honours. However, there was considerable English influence as the game evolved over the centuries. While it was the French that ordained the numerical value of “21” as the highest total in the game, and the “natural” that would produce a victory, it was the English who put the finishing touches on the rules of the game. It was the English who awarded a special recognition and payout for an Ace coupled with a Jack of Spades. Thus, the term “Blackjack” was born, and has remained in Blackjack history as the main moniker for the game for these many years.


Blackjack History - Coming to America
The game of Blackjack was on the move shortly after Marie Antoinette had her piece of cake during the period of the French revolution. French explorers came to America in search of riches, and they brought with them the game of Blackjack. Blackjack flourished in America’s old Wild West, where there were no laws regulating gambling. The laws were only implemented when the U.S. federal Government deemed that gambling had a pervasive influence on its citizenry. Blackjack in America went underground until it emerged with the birthplace of the “Mecca of Gambling,” Las Vegas, in the middle of the 20th Century.

Blackjack history is also marked by three outstanding books on the game written in the second half of the twentieth century. The writings of Roger Baldwin (on Blackjack strategy), Edward Thorpe (on Blackjack counting cards), and Julius Braun (on Blackjack technology strategies) elevated the game of Blackjack in the public’s vision to its present position as the most popular card game in the world.

Now that you’ve graduated from Blackjack History 101, if you are not familiar with the rules and common strategies of Blackjack, I suggest you visit www.onlineplayersassociation.co.uk/ and click onto to the section that explains the game of Blackjack in depth.