Tag Archives: twenty-one
Playing Blackjack – Don't Be Deceived by its Seeming Simplicity
Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games in the world, simply because it seems so simple. After all, what could be easier than hitting twenty-one on a hand of the game? However, this seeming simplicity is deceptive, and has led to many a player losing their shirt at the blackjack tables.
In blackjack, players are initially dealt two cards. If one player’s cards add up to twenty-one or a value close to twenty-one such nineteen or twenty, then he wins. If not then the players may ask for additional cards until a player reaches twenty-one or close to it or exceeds twenty-one (in which case the player is ‘busted’ and is out of the round).
In casino play, the players play against the dealer. They first place their bets in the betting box and then receive their first two cards. A player wins if he gets a higher total than the dealer but without exceeding twenty-one. The king, queen and jack cards are worth ten; the ace may be either one or eleven, depending on the player’s choice. A player may ask to receive additional cards or stay with his hand; then, the dealer plays his hand. If a player busts, he is out; if the dealer busts, he loses to the players still in the game. If no one busts, then the winner is the player with the highest card count. If a player’s card count ties with that of the dealer, his hand is considered a ‘push’ and his bet is returned.
There are four moves a player can make in a round: he can ask to be hit, meaning be dealt another card; stand or stay, meaning he will take no more cards and stay with his hand; double-down, in which a player, after receiving his first two cards, can double his initial bet but can receive only one more card from the dealer; and split a pair, in which a player with two cards of the same value can split them into two separate bets. The dealer then deals two more cards to make two hands. Some casinos may also allow a player to surrender, in which a player may give up half his bet and not play his hand.
The basic strategy for playing blackjack is a bit complicated, since the player decides his next move based on his current hand, the dealer’s face up card (during play, one of the dealer’s two cards is face up). For example, if you have a hand of 16 and the dealer’s face up card is between 2 to 6, then you should stand. If the dealer’s face card is higher, then you should hit or surrender, if the casino offers that option. You can download such strategy tables online and study them carefully before you play. They do not guarantee 100% success but they will certainly help improve your odds of winning.
The History of Blackjack
Blackjack is one of the most popular card games in modern times but have you ever wondered where this gambling game originated? The history of the blackjack game is certainly a long and interesting one.
The game of blackjack can be traced back to 17th century France where a popular card game was played known as Vingt et Un. Vingt et Un means twenty-one in French. The game of Vingt et Un had very similar rules to modern day casino blackjack rules but did differ slightly. For instance, in Vingt et Un only the dealer could double and, additionally, players had to bet after each round of the game.
After the French Revolution the game was introduced to North America where it was known simply as Twenty-One. The game of Twenty-One took awhile to catch on, however. It was not until casinos started to offer huge payouts for the game that it became popular and people actually began to play blackjack. In order to draw gamblers to the game betting rooms offered mega-payouts on specific hands including the Blackjack hand which was a 2-card, 21-point hand made up of the Ace of Spades and a Black Jack. The Blackjack hand had a 10:1 payout and brought a huge amount of popularity to the game and people started referring to the game of Twenty-One by its modern day name of Blackjack.
Then, in the beginning of the 19th century, something happened that could have destroyed the game of 21 blackjack. The United States banned gambling and all of the casinos and gambling rooms were shut down. However, the game of blackjack gambling and other gambling games wouldnt be stopped that easily. Blackjack betting went underground where it continued to be played in the backrooms of saloons and in private homes. Then, in 1931 Nevada decided to legalize gambling and blackjack was returned to the public in Las Vegas casinos.
As blackjack has grown so has the knowledge of blackjack strategy. Players have studied blackjack odds and learned how to maximize their chances of winning making the game even more popular.
In the last few years the game of blackjack has become even more popular since it was made available for Internet play. Online casino blackjack gives players all over the world the ability to play blackjack for money, even if they dont live near a live casino. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week you can get online to play blackjack alongside millions of other players from all across the globe. Online blackjack also offers free blackjack games for players that enjoy playing the game of blackjack for fun or as a means to practice, work on blackjack strategy techniques and improve at the game of blackjack.
As you can see, the game of blackjack has been through a lot and come a long way from the 17th century French game of Vingt et Un. Playing blackjack is like holding a little piece of history in your hands.