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Origins of Blackjack

March 22nd, 2012
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Blackjack is the biggest of all of the Casino card games for a number of reasons. It’s a game that suits gambling due to its large elements of chance and its quick pace. Whereas a game like Poker might get bogged down in complex strategies and alternate variations, Blackjack is a beneficiary of its own inherent simplicity.

Blackjack is an obvious close relative of games like Pontoon and Twenty-One; in fact many people still refer to it as Twenty-One which highlights its basic characteristics. The player will be dealt two cards by the dealer and will then stick with their lot or twist and accept another card until they get as near the twenty one mark as they dare without going bust: exceeding the twenty one points.

Because of Blackjack’s simplicity, its origins are hotly debated and can be traced back as early as Roman times. The Roman’s were keen gamblers, and played a similar counting game with numbered rocks.

Like many card games, Blackjack really began to emerge as the game we know today in the 18th century. Countries like France and Spain often pioneered simple card betting games. ‘French Ferme’, ‘Chemin de Fer’ and ‘Vingt et Un’ were all popularised at around this time.

The game would travel to America along with the early colonialists, still under the guise of ‘Twenty One’. It would remain as Twenty One up until the 30s, notably when Nevada legalised gambling and the early Casinos were built. Casino house rules would state that a hand with either of the ‘Black Jacks’ and the Ace of Spades would win a one off prize at odds of ten to one. The name Blackjack was born and entered our common vocabulary.

Blackjack is now a huge favourite in the online Casino, which seems to emphasise its adaptability from its somewhat ancient heritage.

About blackjack

Winning at Blackjack: are your chances greater in land-based or online casinos?

April 7th, 2009

Blackjack is the most popular of all casino games. It is therefore interesting to note that your optimal strategy is radically different when you play in online casinos as opposed to land-based ones.

Land-based casinos have been around a lot longer, and they frequently provide perks and advantages that online casinos cannot offer because of the virtue of being online.

Many of the perks are not related to your chances of winning – I am talking about free accommodation, food, drinks and live entertainment. These advantages are very relevant for high-flying high-stake punters, but if you happen to be a recreational Blackjack player it is unlikely that you’ll have access to them.

While being wined and dined for free may enhance you overall experience, it does nothing to improve your chances of winning. The main strategy to improve the odds against land-based casinos has been, and is likely to continue to be, card-counting.

However, even when you become proficient and experienced in card counting, you need to take into consideration factors controlled by casinos, which are influencing the house advantage. In addition, many would-be card-counters spending days to learn the skill often forget that it is only a part of the equation: if casinos even suspect you of card counting thay can and will react either by banning you, or more likely by restricting the size of your bets and your ability to double the stakes. Either way, casions actively supress any advantage you may get from card counting, which means that you probably need to take acting classes as well if you’re to thwart the multitude of cameras watching your every move.

What about online casinos – is card counting going to give you any advantages?

The simple answer is NO. Online casinos shuffle cards electronically after every round, making card counting completely useless.

With high-quality software, imagery and sounds, online casinos can provide entertainment, but cannot offer free food or drinks, and card counting is of no use… why would anyone want to play in an online casino?

Well, as it happens, to compete with land-based casinos, the online ones offer some significant advantages:

  • Welcome bonus
    Try walking into a land-based casino and asking for a welcome bonus of $100 – they’ll laugh in your face. However, most online casinos offer bonuses for new players, with some casinos going to the extreme – like Rushmore, which offers an incredible new-account bonus of $888.
     
  • On-going loyalty bonuses
    Good online casinos go an extra mile to satisfy you with their service. For example, Rushmore gives you extra as-you-play bonus points (to be exchanged for chips or gifts), and InterCasino and VIP Casino have monthly cash-backs.

Unlike free food and drinks, these bonuses are directly related to your winning chances, and if you’ve read the article How to win at Blackjack, you know that by taking the bonuses into account you often end up with a mathematical advantage against the casino – provided that you learn the basic strategy.

So, to answer our main question, the online casinos give you MUCH better chances of winning at Blackjack.

Personally, I also appreciate the facts that I can relax at home, free of noise and distractions, enjoy a game of Blackjack AND have a statistical edge over the casino.

For playing Blackjack online I’d go for Rushmore because of its big new-player and on-going bonuses, and if you prefer competing against other players I’d go for Canbet Blackjack tornaments…

…and before you start playing, remember to develop your gambling strategy first.

 

About blackjack

Blackjack Strategy

December 18th, 2008

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Morgan]Elizabeth Morgan

Blackjack, also commonly known as twenty-one, is undoubtedly one of the most popular casino card games in the world. Much of blackjack’s popularity and reputation is due to the blend of chance with elements of skill, and the publicity that surrounds card counting. Card counting refers to the act of keeping track of all the cards, which have been played since the previous shuffle.

When blackjack was introduced for the first time in the United States the enthusiasm with which it was received was extremely bleak. As such, gambling houses experimented by offering various bonus payouts to get the players to the tables. One such bonus was a 10-to-1 disbursement if the player’s hand consisted of the ace of spades and a black Jack. This hand was labeled a “blackjack” and the name stuck even though the bonus payout was soon eradicated.

Professional and experienced black jack players will agree that there does not exist any one best blackjack strategy. The best strategy available varies from person to person. People searching for the same can consult a number a number of card counting books and blackjack strategies. It is often seen that ultimately the best strategy depends on the person’s skill, amount of effort the person wishes to expend and the circumstances for play.

The basic strategy plays a very important role in the game of blackjack. This strategy ascertains when to hit and when to stand, and also agrees on when doubling down or splitting is the correct action. Apart from the basic strategy there also exists a simple variation of Blackjack, called Blackjack Switch. The blackjack switch when played correctly tends to yield a perfect strategy that can give a person an excellent edge in the game.

A suitable blackjack strategy can be obtained online through a number of websites offering information on the same. Tricks and strategies can also be obtained from other experienced players. People should make adequate use of these resources in order to frame the best possible strategy that suits them the most. [http://www.WetPluto.com/Business-Strategy.html]Strategy provides detailed information on Strategy, Business Strategy, Strategy Games, Marketing Strategy and more. Strategy is affiliated with [http://www.WetPluto.com/Non-Profit-Strategic-Planning.html]Strategic Planning Info.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Morgan http://EzineArticles.com/?Blackjack-Strategy&id=428766

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