Most historians believe that the first game similar to black jack had been played in the 17th century in France which was then called vingt en un which means twenty one in French. This is believed to be the first ancestor of black jack.
Vingt en Un
The game was very similar to internet black jack though there were a few minor differences. Only the dealer was allowed to double and there had been different methods for betting. In vingt en un, the players were allowed to bet after each round unlike modern blackjack. However, the goal of the game had been the same, to reach as close to 21 as possible without busting. There had been also been a special bonus for a hand of Jack of Spades and Ace of Spades which is why the name black jack had been chosen.
Seven and Half Points
In Italy too around the same time there had been a game known as Seven and Half points which had been played. In this game, the face cards were used along with 7, 8 and 9 of all suits. The goal of the game had been to reach the target of 7 and a half points. All the cards were valued at one while the face cards were given the value of half a point. The King of Diamonds was like a joker and could substitute any card. The term “bust” had been derived from this particular game.
Blackjack in America
In the history of blackjack an important point had been when blackjack came to America after the French Revolution. The game gained much success since at that point there had been no restrictions or laws governing it. The professional gamblers realized that there was much potential in the game and very soon they started developing strategies which could help them improve their odds. During the 19th Century, gambling was declared illegal in the US since it was believed that it corrupted the society and encouraged organized crime.
Even though there it was banned, players continued to play blackjack underground and in fact it became even more popular then. As the laws of the government became tighter in the 1920s, the game managed to become all the more popular with the players. Later on in the year 1931, the Nevada Government made gambling legal again and it was then that the casinos in Las Vegas were born. Over the years, blackjack continued to gain popularity and attracted more people. Soon enough, everyone was trying to analyze blackjack themselves.
The first ever attempt to be ever made to study the game had been by Roger Baldwin along with some of his associates in the year 1953. This had been an important point in the history of blackjack. Various statistical theories and calculating methods had been used in order to gain advantage at the game. The findings of the study was published in 1956 and since then dozens of other strategy guides on blackjack have been published.