Origin of Blackjack

When it comes to the origins of blackjack, there are different theories as to when and how the game started. One widely accepted theory is that the game started in the 18th century in France. The game which was popular in the courts of Louis XV was called Vingt-et-Un or Vingt-Un, which translates to 21. There were some differences to the modern game, such as only the dealer being allowed to double down, and bets being placed with every card that was dealt, but it had the same basic objective of getting as close to 21 as possible without busting.

Blackjack came from games in France and Spain. The version that eventually swept across Europe was called “Vingt-un” or “Vingt-et-un” (meaning “21”), but it was very likely predated by other games such as the French “Quinze” (meaning “Fifteen”) and the Italian game of “Sette e Mezzo” (“Seven and a Half”). The oldest forefather of blackjack, based on the research of blackjack historians like Roger Baldwin and Arnold Snyder, seems to have been the Spanish game “Trente-un” (“Thirty-one”). A priest referenced the game in 1440, and the author Miguel de Cervantes mentioned Trente-un in a 1570 text. These stand as some of the oldest references to what eventually became the game of 21. Cervantes was the guy who eventually wrote the great feat of literature Don Quixote. I wonder if Cervantes might have likened his character who wildly charged at windmills to modern day card counters taking on casinos?

The first time that the game of “twenty-one” was referenced in literature was in the early 1600s in a book written by Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote, called Ronconete y Cortadillo, about gambling cheaters in Seville. The book mentions a game called “Veintiuna”, which is Spanish for twenty-one. The game, according to Cervantes, is played without tens like present-day Spanish 21, and Aces are worth either 1 point or 11 points.

 Besides the various versions of Vingt-et-Un, the popularity of the card games expanded through North America. The card game has made it to the American shore in the 18th century with the help of French colonists. The game couldn’t spread and develop in France in the 19th century. However, during this time the game evolved and gained popularity in America. The game would be seen in New Orleans in 1820 at the legalized gambling halls. Interesting enough, during this time the rules were different than the contemporary Blackjack we now know. For instance in the earlier form of Blackjack only the dealer was allowed to double. 바카라사이트

Another of its version was prevalent in Spain, which was called 'One and Thirty'. The basic rule of the Spanish version was to reach 31 with a minimum of three cards.

A theory that’s also doing the rounds is that Blackjack was an invention by the Romans. It is believed that Romans used to play this game with wooden blocks of different numerical values. This theory holds some weight as Romans loved gambling, but that by no means confirms the theory.