[ English ]

Blackjack – also referred to as ‘twenty-one’ and ‘pontoon’ – is a card game that is often seen in a betting house with people attempting their fortune on acquiring the elusive ‘twenty-one’. It’s widely believed that the game started in France during the 17th century. However, as with many other betting games the exact development of the game is still a mystery.

Twenty-one was introduced to the United States following the French Revolution, but the game didn’t become popular in the gambling dens until the casino provided payouts as a bonus. This was the only method that appeared to get players gambling on chemin de fer. One variant on the reward payout was for a player to acquire ‘21′ with the blackjack card (given a value of 10 points) and an ace (given a value of eleven points). With the increasing appeal of the game the bonus pay outs were canceled but the name of the game ‘pontoon’ lasted.

Black jack is not just about acquiring a straight ‘twenty-one’, but the primary adventure is to beat the croupier without busting. The betting house certainly has a house edge over the gambling players in the long term, but with black jack the player retains a bit of choice.

Since 1931 when America initial legitimized wagering, chemin de fer has developed into a traditional betting house card game. Furthermore, it’s the joining of both ability and math employed in pontoon that has made the game hugely loved. Pontoon gives an alluring proposition to any scientist, math guy or betting player wanting to analyze the tactic of the game.