Have you ever wondered who invented blackjack? This card game has been popular for generations and continues to be one of the most played casino card games around the world due to its simplicity.
In this guide, we will briefly reveal who invented blackjack and other interesting facts about this popular card game.
Where did Blackjack come from?
There are still different ideas about where Blackjack came from, but the most common one is that it started in French casinos around the year 1700 because it is mentioned in the book Don Quixote, a book that was written in the early 1700s.
Back in those days, the game was called “Vingt-et-un,” which in old English means “21.” Some people think that the Romans played this game or one similar to it as well, but no proof has been found regarding this theory.
In the early 1700s, when the blackjack card game became more popular, many casinos and other gambling houses were offering “special bets” to get more people to play.
Having a Black-colored Jack (the Jack of Spades or clubs) combined with an Ace was a special bet that stands out and could win you a bonus of 10x your bet, potentially making you win a lot more money.
This is where the name “Blackjack” we use now came from. The name “Blackjack” stuck around for centuries even though casinos slowly got rid of these special bonuses and kept the original standard game that is available to play at their tables.
How to play Blackjack
To begin playing, simply place your bet in the designated area – whether it’s at a physical table or the blackjack gameplay at Bovada blackjack online, which is accompanied with a human live dealer directing the game. Once you start, the dealer distributes two face-up cards to each player, while dealing themselves one face-up card and one face-down card. Your goal is to get a hand value as close to 21 as possible without going over. The ideal starting hand, known as a ‘blackjack’ or ‘natural’, consists of an Ace and a 10-value card (10, Jack, Queen, or King).
Choose whether you want to “draw” or “stay” if they have a different lead. You can keep drawing cards until you are satisfied with your hand. The goal is to get as close to the total number of 21 as possible without going over it. If you go over that number, you lose.
When to split and when to double down?
When you play blackjack, you should split 10s when there is an ace or a 3, 9s when there is another 9 or 8, 7s when there is another 8 or 7, and 6s when there is another 6. People are told not to split 2s because it might not be helpful.
In the same way, if you are handed a pair of aces in blackjack, your hand value could be 2 or 12. It is best to split them and hope to draw 7s, 8s, 9s, or 10s.
If the dealer shows a five and you have a pair of fives, you should let it ride because you could get a good hand. Seeing the 5s is better than seeing the 10s, 9s, or 8s if there are none to be seen.
If the dealer’s up card is a 9, 10, or ace, you should double down on a 10 or 11.
It is better to double down with soft hands like aces and 6–8 than with hard hands like 2–8. If you double down, you should do so when your hand totals 13 to 16, the dealer’s up card is not a 10, and your first card is not a low-value card.
If you are not sure how good you are at counting cards, you should double down on 13–16 when the dealer’s up card is 4-6.
Why Blackjack is by far the most popular casino game of all times
Unlike poker, blackjack is super easy to play and quite easy to learn. Which makes it a fun game for family get-togethers, corporate events, birthdays, and more.
If you are new to the game, many people recommend that you watch some YouTube videos to understand the blackjack basics and also to grasp the most common strategies to increase your odds of winning.
After educating yourself using YouTube and Google, start by playing some virtual blackjack games with virtual money for at least 1 week and see if you can win consistently.
You can start playing at a low-minimum table like $10, and as you get more confident move up to higher stakes tables like $20, $50, or even more if you want more thrills.
