On this website, you can learn about the origins and evolution of this globally popular game over the centuries. A full account of the historical facts — from the first European experiments to the American years and the introduction of online and live table games — through rule changes, national bans and mathematical strategies to defeat casinos.
A discussion of genesis, as always.
It is difficult to say exactly when, where and how blackjack was invented. In fact, the first documentation of the game appears in Miguel de Cervantes’ collection of short stories «Exemplary Novels», written in 1601. In one of the stories in the collection, the famous Spanish writer mentions a game called «Ventiuna». The rules of the game are not described.
According to other sources, the origin of blackjack dates back to ancient Roman times. According to this theory, the game is played with wooden dice of different values instead of cards. However, in the absence of credible sources, this hypothesis is rarely mentioned.
The theory most widely accepted by experts.
All reasonable assumptions and extant written records aside, there is almost unanimous agreement that the ultimate invention must be attributed to the French. Indeed, the game most similar to today’s blackjack was introduced to casinos across the Alps in the 18th century as a variant of the very popular Chemin de Fer and Baccarat themes, and was immediately dubbed ‘vingt- et-un’ (more precisely, ‘Vingt-et-un’), xxi).
However, the rules were initially much different than they are today. Based on the stakes of all the players at the table, the game is played in a series of successive rounds until one player reaches 21 points. At that point, the lucky person can take all the existing bets in the pot.
Landing in the United States.
Trade routes and the constant cross-continental travel of Europeans brought the sport from the aristocratic halls of France to North America. Blackjack became popular across the Atlantic in the early 19th century, eventually earning the name we know today. The latter actually refers to a special card consisting of the jack and the ace of spades, which at the time could be bet on at odds of up to 10:1.
The name blackjack derives from a trick of the rules that rewarded very rare card combinations with the highest odds. By introducing such high bonuses in blackjack and the ace of spades, casinos are able to attract more and more players and fans, thus increasing their revenues.
The Prohibition era.
But the history of American blackjack has not always been all roses and flowers. Gambling was banned during Prohibition, and the state banned it for a long time. This created an underground density that limited access to tables to just a few people.
Fortunately, the gambling veto was lifted in 1931 when the state of Nevada decided to legalise gambling and introduce casinos in Las Vegas to improve the economic conditions of a previously largely barren and uninhabitable area. The city soon became a frequent destination for all green carpet enthusiasts from neighbouring parts of the United States.
The modern history of blackjack.
The long inaction due to government vetoes, however, did not diminish blackjack’s popularity, probably because its logical-arithmetic component made it suitable for the study of winning strategies. Over the decades, various scholars and enthusiasts have made their mark on the game’s history, developing systems and strategies that have enabled many to make mind-boggling amounts of money.
Green Carpet Strategist.
From the 1950s onwards began what insiders call the «golden age» of mathematical blackjack research. If we had to go back in history to find the pioneers of strategy, we could only start with the figure of Roger Baldwin, author of a popular guide for gambling enthusiasts.
Another important figure is Professor Edward Thorpe, whose fame stems from his book Beating the Dealer, published in the 1960s. His manual helped refine later arithmetic research on gambling and led to the development of various card counting techniques.
Closer to home, the incredible story of a group of students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is worthy of mention. From the 1970s to the 1990s, the so-called «MIT Blackjack Team» became the subject of legendary exploits, successfully blowing up numerous casinos and amassing millions of dollars in winnings.
Blackjack now.
The historical vicissitudes described in the preceding paragraphs are a mirage of the past for today’s players. Today, all you have to do is log on to the Internet and visit the best online casino website to place your bets. The portfolio of legal operators is full of original blackjack tables, but also offers interesting variations such as Surrender, Boardwalk, Vegas Strip or Double Exposure.
From RNG to live streaming and mobile gaming.
Technological developments in recent years have led to the introduction of live casino websites and the development of casino apps for smartphones and tablets. As a result, today’s offering is no longer limited to RNG games, but has expanded by leaps and bounds, offering players and fans unlimited game alternatives and variations beyond blackjack, such as online poker and roulette.