History of Online Casino Blackjack

Blackjack is the most popular table game in land-based casinos in North America and also a very popular online game. The reason for its long-lasting popularity is quite clear. It is an easy-to-learn game that provides players with the opportunity to go head-to-head with the house and employ both simple and complex strategies and tactics. Novice players can quickly pick up the rules (if they don't already know them), learn some basic strategies, and give themselves a chance to walk away from the table with a profit. We will start from scratch and assume that many readers are new to playing blackjack at wagering websites. More experienced players may want to skim the "Basics" content, as they may learn something new about the history and development of the game.

Blackjack online

Origin of the game

For many years, gambling historians accepted that the origin of blackjack was a variation of the French game Chemin de Fer that had been Americanized. Chemin de Fer, inaccurately translated as "railway" or "railroad," was considered an original variation of the game of baccarat. While casino historians have never identified its exact origin, we now know it as blackjack.

Now, no one is really sure. The latest hypothesis is that it originated in Spain around 500 years ago. The earliest known reference to what might have developed into the game of blackjack was in a short story by Miguel de Cervantes, best known for his work Don Quixote. In the short story "Rinconete y Cortadillo," from a collection called Novelas Ejemplares, Cervantes tells the story of a pair of very skilled swindlers in a gambling den.

Because Cervantes himself was a professional gambler, there are many references to gambling in his works. However, in this particular story, he describes how the main characters are particularly adept at cheating at a game called Ventiuna. Ventiuna is the feminine version of Ventiuno, which means "twenty-one" in Spanish. Cervantes goes on to explain the objective of the game—to achieve 21 points without going over. He also notes that the cards for "El Corbacho" game value at either 1 or 11. According to Cervantes' description, the game was played with a Baraja deck of Spanish cards similar to the familiar deck with the exception of not having 8s, 9s, and 10s. While there are references to this time period in other French documents and later in English documents, none of them provide as much detail about the game as Cervantes does.

Blackjack online

Blackjack in the modern world

As the commercial casino industry developed in the United States, first in Nevada, then in New Jersey and other states, "21" or "blackjack" became a major game among table games. Its popularity remained fairly consistent throughout most of the 20th century. During this time, casino floors provided a near-even split between real-money slot machines and table games. Casinos favored slot machines - they offered more bookmaker advantage and required less labor to operate - but players still craved table games, with blackjack being the most popular.

Blackjack exploded in popularity during the 1980s. The boom is attributed to one man, Ken Uston, who became a media superstar for his gambling prowess. It must be said that Uston was a very interesting character. Trained at Yale and Harvard, he worked for an American company before joining the Pacific Stock Exchange in San Francisco. Eventually, he became a vice president and was attracted to the role of computers in finance and investing at a time when most people considered it a pipe dream.

With plenty of money in the bank and a penchant for a more extravagant lifestyle, Uston began to spend time on his outside hobbies. He was a highly successful musician and occasionally played jazz piano in nightclubs in San Francisco. At one point, he was considered the best player in the world at the video game "Pac-Man." However, in the late 1970s, he turned his attention to blackjack. After writing the book "Million Dollar Blackjack" and appearing on "60 Minutes," he became a rock star and blackjack became the most popular game in the casinos.

Uston popularized card counting, which put the casinos in a difficult position. On the one hand, they wanted to capitalize on the increasing demand for blackjack games. On the other hand, they were afraid that a wave of card counters opening up shop would affect their finances. They needn't have worried; for every seasoned card counter, there were dozens, if not hundreds, of novices. Casinos are never comfortable with legal card counters, but they have no problem meeting the demands of participating members of the public.

At the time of Uston's unfortunate death in 1987, the popularity of blackjack began to decline and it gradually returned to its role as just another casino game. Despite the explosion of video poker and digital slot machines, blackjack still maintains a strong position in both land-based and online casinos. However, finding blackjack games that offer favorable rules for players has become increasingly difficult. Interestingly, the hardest place to find a player-friendly blackjack game is in Las Vegas. For land-based casinos, you should head to remote outposts like the border town of Wendover, Nevada. Better yet, take advantage of player-friendly rules offered by top-rated real-money casinos.

Conclusion

Online blackjack has become a popular trend among many gamers due to its convenience and excitement. Experienced players know the importance of stopping at the right time to avoid unnecessary risks and losses. To increase your chances of winning, it's crucial to select a reputable online casino that meets all necessary standards, such as Fb88, which offers reliable gameplay, user-friendly interfaces, and attractive promotions.

Further reference: How to calculate Baccarat cards and cards that players need to know