The origin of Black Jack (much like the origin of the other popular casino game – poker) is a subject of constant debate. The French claim that blackjack is a native derivative of the French Chemin de Fer game. The Italians, with their passionate nature, argue that blackjack is a simplified version of a less sophisticated Italian game called ‘Seven and a half’. Americans believe that blackjack was perfected in the USA and emerged there according to the scientific theory of this game.
Even Canadian scholars have recently presented evidence of the game’s appearance in Canada. Linguists believe that there is a French influence in the development of the game. In an American Handbook published in 1875, the game is listed under the name ‘Vingt-et-Un’, which means ‘twenty-one’ in French. Nowadays, some people familiarly refer to it as Van John or Pontoon.
Rules of Black Jack
At the beginning of the game, the player receives two cards; the dealer distributes each card one by one. Based on the total value of the initial two cards, the player decides whether to draw additional cards to reach a total of 21 points or to skip the opportunity. If you exceed 21 points or have a lower total than the dealer, you lose.
If a player decides to stand with their current total and skip drawing more cards, the dealer then forms their own hand. If the total points of the dealer’s hand exceed the player’s total, then the dealer wins. If both the player and the dealer have the same total points, the game ends in a tie. The value of each card determines the number of points it contributes. A blackjack hand consists of an Ace and a 10-point card; this combination wins unless the dealer also has a blackjack (in which case, the game ends in a tie).
