However You Call It, It's Still Blackjack
Have you ever got in a situation where you are one of the many who claim to be the sole winner of a great amount of cash? What did you do about it? That's how rumbled and unsure is the history of blackjack. Still, they have something in common.
There are three major countries who say that they invented the game. Spain says the game is an adaptation of their One and Thirty. The French say they call it Vingt-Un, which is the first name of blackjack. Italy, however, insists that it is a modified form of Baccarat and Seven and a Half.
History records also show that this has been the more popular game over poker for the soldiers of the two World Wars. However, the WW1 soldiers didn't risk as much money as those of WW2. In fact, reportedly a WW2 soldier even won an estimated amount of $137, 500 in a game of Blackjack.
The name Vingt-Un originated in the United States in 1875, but around 30 years later, it was renamed to Vingt-en-Un. In Australia, it was even called Pontoon. Whatever it was called, the 21-number limit still remained. In Blackjack's distant past, the game was a private affair, meaning, there was no money involved. The concept of banking, or money involved, was introduced and developed at around 1915.
As mentioned, blackjack, baccarat and seven and a half have something in common. In blackjack, you have to reach a maximum amount of 21. In baccarat, it's 9. Lastly, as the name suggests, you have to reach seven and a half in the game with the same name to win. In these three games, if one exceeds the limit number, the player busts. Another similar game can be found in London, where players even have to hide their faces with masks in order not to show their emotions. The reason might be faces can show emotions; whether they have good cards or not.
To make things short, there are countries who insist that they started the game. However, if you look at how they reason out, they're similar in some ways. Maybe someday there will be a definitive book published where the real origin will be accounted for and verified.
However, for gamblers, they are happy to know that in some part if its history, the concept of banking was introduced to blackjack. Because bottom line, the risk of losing a big amount or winning twice as big are the things that makes blackjack fun and one of the most popular modern day gambling card games.
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