The ancestor of the game of blackjack was simply called 21, and was widespread in medieval Europe. One of the earliest written references to the game is found in a book by the Spaniard Miguel Cervantes, best known as the author of the novel Don Quixote. The story of two hustlers from Seville was written between 1601-1602.
Some years later, when 21 was introduced to the United States, many gambling dens offered various forms of bonus payouts to entice players. One such bonus bet was known as blackjack, and paid out the money 10 to 1 if one’s hand consisted of a spades and a blackjack.
This bonus payout made the game so famous among players that the name blackjack stuck around, even though the extraordinarily advantageous 10 to 1 payout was eventually dropped and replaced with the current 3: 2 payout.
It was not until 1959 that an optimal gaming strategy was published in a recognized magazine for statistics. This publication came to form the basis of all future blackjack strategies, including the one you will find on the page here.
Variants of Blackjack
There is one thing in particular that is important to be aware of when finding a blackjack table, and that is whether the dealer is standing or hitting at 17.
In addition, you must also be aware of whether the dealer is standing or hitting on a soft 17, ie. on a hand consisting of an ace and a 6’er.
It is absolutely crucial for proper strategy that you know what the rules of the table are. There is also a difference in the payout percentages for the game, although in the vast majority of cases this will be over 99%.
The most attractive set of rules for blackjack is where the dealer stands on a soft 17, draws hands result in pushes, and it is allowed to double bets after a split.
It is possible to surrender, and one can split aces several times. Blackjack with this set of rules will have an average payback percentage of 99.75%, which is the highest for any casino game at all.
