Today, many versions of blackjack exist. Over the centuries, blackjack has been called different names in various countries and may have evolved from a game known as Twenty-One. Historians speculate this game went back as far as Roman times when wooden blocks denoted the numbers. There has been no definite confirmation of this.
American blackjack
It was during the Klondike gold rush that playing ‘Twenty One’ became very popular in gambling houses and saloons in America. It became known as blackjack when casinos began offering a bonus for a hand including an ace and a jack. Today, a player can play the game at a brick-and-mortar or online casino using a gambling app in America. In the American blackjack version, players get two cards and must decide whether to hit or stand with the goal of getting a hand higher than the dealer but not higher than 21.
European blackjack
In European blackjack, the dealer first receives one card face-up and the second card after the other players finish their turns. In American blackjack, the dealer is dealt two cards at once, with one card face up and the other face down. The face-down card is called the hole card. American blackjack allows players to split a hand up to three times and into any pair. In European blackjack, a player can only split cards once.
Historical names for blackjack
Pontoon
In the 19th century, a version of blackjack called Pontoon was played in Britain. One hypothesis for the origin of the name is that during World War I, soldiers may have mispronounced ‘Vingt-et-un’ as Pontoon.
Soldiers would play the game when they were off duty. It was an informal game without rules.
Twenty-One
This game was first played in Spain in the 17th century. The first written reference to this game is found in a book by Miguel de Cervantes, a Spanish author. It was popular in France where it was called ‘Vingt et Un’. During King Louis XVs reign, Vingt-et-Un was played on a regular basis at the French Royal Court. Other versions of the game started emerging in countries across Europe such as Sette e Mezzo in Italy.
Spanish 21
In Europe and Asia, Spanish 21 was a popular version of blackjack. It used a single-card deck but without the eight 10 cards. This lowered the odds of a blackjack, but players won if they got a 21.
Switch
Switch is what blackjack is called in Australia. It is also called ‘Switch 21 Blackjack.’ Players can switch cards between hands. They can exchange cards if they get an 18 or higher when they receive their first two cards. This makes play more dynamic and requires players to level up their gaming skills.
Types of online blackjack
Blackjack Surrender
It is a variation of classic blackjack. Players have the option of surrendering a hand which can help to decrease their losses. If they feel their hand isn’t strong enough to beat the dealer’s hand, they can choose to surrender it.
When they do so, it means they will only lose half of their initial bet. This added layer of strategy can improve their chances of success.
Super 7 Blackjack
In this game, players can make side bets. They can place bets on whether the first card they receive will be a seven. If it is a seven, they can make it a lucky day and win up to 5,000x their initial bet.
Double exposure blackjack
In this game, both cards the dealer receives are face-up. This gives players more information about the dealer’s hand. In this game, they can’t buy insurance or surrender their hand. The house edge in this game is higher than in traditional blackjack. Double-exposure blackjack has other names. The Germans call it ‘Zwei Kartenspieler,’ and it is also called ‘Face-Up 21.’
Super Fun 21
In traditional blackjack, a player’s blackjack usually pays 3 to 2. However, in Super Fun 21, a player’s blackjack pays even money i.e. 1 to 1. There is an exception though when there are two diamonds. In this scenario, the payout is increased to 2 to 1.
