BlackJacks origins.

[nutforslots]

BlackJack seems to have been around for a very long time. Again like all card games it has its origins in Europe.

There are many games that are similar to blackjack. The French game ‘Vingt-Un’ (21). Also the Spanish ‘One and Thirty’, Italian ‘Baccara’ and ‘Seven and a half’.

When gambling was legalized in Nevada in 1934, Blackjack screamed into popularity and was most commonly played with one or two decks of cards. Roger Baldwin published a paper in 1956 which explained hot to reduce the house advantage based on probability and statistics which was quite confusing for those who were not mathematicians.

In 1962, Dr. Edward O. Thorp used an IBM 704 computer to refine the mathematical strategy in Baldwin’s paper and also developed the first card counting techniques. Dr. Thorp wrote a book called “Beat the Dealer” which outlined card counting techniques and the strategies for reducing the house advantage.

I believe this is where some have gotten the ideas for the books and movies we all have seen or read. Blackjack is a fun game and will forever be a favorite of mine.