Blackjack
The game known as
twenty-one and pontoon in British English is called as
Blackjack. It is one of the most popular casino card
games in the world. Most of blackjack's famous
popularity is due to the mix of chance with elements of
skill and decision making it also includes the publicity
that surrounds the practice of card counting, a skill
with which players can turn the odds of the game in
their favor by making betting decisions based on the
values of the cards known to remain in the deck.
Blackjack's predecessor was vingt-et-un, i.e.,
twenty-one, which originated in French casinos around
1700, and did not offer the 3:2 bonus for a two-card 21.
Blackjack was not very
popular in the United States when it was first
introduced, so gambling and houses tried offering
various bonus payouts to get the players to the tables.
One of the popular bonuses was a 10-to-1 payout if the
player's hand consisted of the ace of spades and a black
Jack, either the Jack of clubs or the Jack of spades.
Now this hand was termed blackjack and the name stuck
even though the bonus payout was soon abolished.
How to play blackjack
The play blackjack is
played as follows. When the dealer has blackjack and the
player doesn't, the player automatically loses, when the
player has blackjack and the dealer doesn't, the player
automatically wins, if both the player and dealer have
blackjack then it's a push, when neither side has
blackjack, then each player plays out his hand, one at a
time, after all the players have finished the dealer
plays his hand. The options before the player for
playing his or her hand are as explained. Hit: take
another card, Stand: take no more cards, Double down:
double the wager, take exactly one more card, and then
stand, Split: double the wager and have each card be the
first card in a new hand. When both cards have the same
value then only this option is available. Surrender:
forfeit half the bet and give up the hand. This was
common during the early- and mid-20th century, but is no
longer offered at most casinos. Some common rules in
blackjack variables are shown. One card split aces: one
card is dealt on each ace, player's turn is over, early
surrender: player has the option to surrender before
dealer checks for
Blackjack, late surrender: player has the option to
surrender after dealer checks for Blackjack, double-down
restrictions: double-down allowed only on certain
combinations, dealer hits a soft seventeen.
Copyright © 2000-2007
GamblingWiz.com All rights
reserved. |
