The History of Blackjack
July 29th, 2010 | Published in Inrodution
It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact time and location a card game was invented. Although there are varying theories, some general ideas are commonly agreed upon based on written accounts in various texts. Blackjack is one of many games with a murky past.
In the Beginning…
It’s commonly agreed upon that Blackjack was invented sometime in 17th century France under the name Vingt et Un or 21. The name Blackjack originated from the black suit of spades of ace and jack. The game has evolved since Vingt et Un as there are some minor differences. In Vingt et Un, the player bets after each round and the dealer is permitted to double down. The objective of both games is to have a total equaling 21.
Migration to North America
Following the French Revolution, Blackjack migrated to the United States due to the lack of gambling laws. France had many gaming laws during that time period. This made it easy for players to hop on a ship and gamble. During the 19th century, betting games like Blackjack were completely outlawed in the United States as a method of decreasing crime.
Blackjack Prohibition
During this time, Blackjack was played in secret underground clubs away from the watchful eye of the law. Throughout the 1920’s, the punishment and enforcement of the gaming laws become more stringent. In 1931 Las Vegas opened its legal casinos with droves of gamblers flocking to the city.
Development of Strategy
As this game progressed, numerous individuals studied the game to further develop strategies and tips. In 1953 Roger Baldwin and several associates began to test different theories and tactics. Three years later they published a strategy manual based on their findings to help limit the house edge.
Although this manual helped many players, they lacked the technology to further investigate. Building on these strategies, Edward Thorp developed an improved statistical model (now known as the card counting theory) which was published in 1962. This proved to be the most defining moment in Blackjack history and made the New York Times best seller list.
Casinos dispelled players from their property if found to be utilizing this theory. It also resulted in many changes including the method of shuffling. Luckily for the casino operators, the book was difficult to read due to the mathematics and statistical theories that the common player isn’t aware of.
The most profitable strategy gurus were Ken Ulston and the MIT Blackjack Group. Ulston took over $300,000 from Nevada casinos by placing a mini-computer in his shoe to calculate various odds. The MIT Blackjack Group won several million dollars in the 1990’s and were later banned from Las Vegas in 1997. Blackjack has a long and rocky history with players using questionable strategies like card counting.