Blackjack's Elusive
History
20 January 2006
By Mark Pilarski
Dear Mark,
How did Blackjack come into being and arrive at
the number 21? Why not 18 or 33? Also, where did
the 3 to 2 payoff come from? Nick B.
Just about every card game has a unique history,
but unfortunately historians cannot always
uncover the full trace of a game. Blackjack is
one such shadowy customer. It confounds some
researchers even today.
Many scholars believe that blackjack was derived
from French games such as "French Ferme." and "Chemin
de fer." When a game resembling blackjack first
appeared in French casinos around the early
1700's, it was called "vingt-et-un," meaning
twenty-and-one, and most likely, Nick, the
genesis of the number 21.
The word Blackjack got its name from one of its
winning hands, a Jack an Ace, both of Spades. If
a player was dealt these two cards, they not
only won the hand, but also got an additional
bonus.
When Blackjack was first introduced in America,
it wasn’t very popular, so in order to attract
players, gambling houses of ill repute tried
gimmick bonuses and payouts. One such reward was
a 10-to-1 payoff if the player held the Ace of
spades and any black Jack, hence the name
Blackjack, American style. The name "Blackjack"
stuck, even though the bonus payoffs were
eventually eliminated.
Yet Blackjack was still not as popular as either
Craps or Roulette, so to stimulate interest,
casino operators offered a 3 to 2 payoff for any
two-card count of 21, and a 10-to-1 payout if
the 21 consisted of the ace of spades and either
the Jack of spades or Jack of clubs. Eventually
the 10-to-1 payout was once again eliminated but
the 3 to 2 payoff and the term" 21" remained as
an alternative name for the game.
In 1919, tables manufactured in Chicago with the
"Blackjack Pays Odds of 3 to 2" motto began
appearing in illegal gambling joints throughout
America. Then once gambling was legalized in
Nevada in 1931, the popularity of Blackjack grew
to its number one table-game-status that it
still holds today.
Dear Mark,
For a home game of poker, should "cards speak"
or should the player call his or her hand? We’ve
always played that a player must call his hand,
but in casinos "cards speak" seems to rule.
Please comment. David T.
Played almost exclusively at home, in gamblese
you’re playing what’s called a "declare game",
where a player calls the value of his or her
hand to claim the pot. In most poker rooms,
"cards speak," meaning, that the value of your
hand is determined solely by your cards. You do
not have to declare your hand to claim the part
of the pot you win.
Personally, I believe "cards speak" is a fairer
rule, even at a kitchen table setting, because
the player with the best hand should win the
pot. It’s easy enough, David, to pilfer the
billfolds of newbie players, so I’m for cutting
novices some slack when they overlook a
potentially better winning hand. Even on my last
outing, a 20-year battle-scarred veteran caught
and declared a losing straight on the river that
he completely overlooked his more powerful
winning Jack-high straight flush. The
gentlemanly thing to do was to give him the pot
anyway.
Gambling Wisdom of the Week: "Some players
prefer to rely on hunches and superstition.
That's okay, but it's expensive. -- Basil
Nestor, "Casino Player"
|
