Blackjack Online New Zealand 2023

Blackjack is a globally recognized game played in casinos, most famously in Las Vegas where it tops the charts as the favorite among gamblers. But where did this captivating card game originate? That's a tricky question. The truth is, its precise beginnings are shrouded in mystery. As Richard Epstein, a renowned American mathematician, notes in his comprehensive text, 'The Theory of Gambling and Statistical Logic', the origins of blackjack are not definitively known.
To rephrase, the true beginnings of blackjack are not clearly defined, but we can make educated guesses based on historical insights.
To understand where blackjack comes from, we need to delve into the history of playing cards, the tools of the trade for this game. The earliest playing cards date back to 9th century China, where the 'leaf game' enjoyed popularity within the imperial court. These cards likely differed greatly from the modern suits of hearts, diamonds, spades, and clubs, possibly resembling sheets with designs resembling dominoes. Over time, through regions like the Middle East and Egypt, playing cards made their way to Europe by the 14th century. However, it wasn't until the invention of the printing press in the 15th century that card games became widely accessible. Prior to this innovation, cards were manually crafted, artistically painted, and inscribed, making them prohibitively expensive for the average person to own. Although present in courts and some monasteries for educational purposes rather than gambling, card games didn't become mainstream until printing advanced. Hence, blackjack as a card game could not have existed before the 15th century. Some historians, however, propose that the Romans had an ancient version of blackjack using wooden blocks, yet such a theory faces practical issues due to the significant historical gap between Roman times and when playing cards emerged in Europe.

The oldest Cards Game

Many historians link the origins of blackjack to the writings of Miguel Cervantes, a celebrated Spanish author known for 'Don Quixote'. In his narrative 'Rinconete y Cortadillo', written in 1612, Cervantes makes a fleeting reference to a game known as 'veintiuna'. This term correlates with the French game 'vingt-et-un', played at the French court between the 1600s and the 1700s. Notably, the renowned card game flourished under the reign of the French King Louis XIV, famed for his lavish court life at Versailles. In blackjack, reaching the total of 21 is crucial — the highest score possible, ensuring victory, but exceeding it results in loss, which is likely why blackjack was historically referred to as 'twenty-one'. By 2015, most historians agree that the modern game of blackjack evolved from its French predecessor, 'vingt-et-un', which translates as 'twenty-one'.

One-and-twenty

Stemming from the splendor of the French courts, the game soon found its place in French casinos, harmonizing with the rise of casinos in 17th-century Europe. But it's intriguing why Cervantes, instead of a French writer, documented the game first. Although unclear, a possible explanation lies in Cervantes' dual role as a writer and merchant, a position that facilitated his travel across Europe, where he mingled with elite societies. It's reasonable to speculate that Cervantes may have encountered the card game 'veintiuna' during his travels. 'Rinconete y Cortadillo' belongs to his novel collection 'Novelas Ejemplares', which signifies 'The Exemplary Novels'. Proudly pioneering the novella in Spain, Cervantes might have aimed to portray contemporary themes, including the burgeoning card game that was destined to become blackjack.

Blackjack in the first casinos

In the esteemed French casinos, 'vingt-et-un' appealed to gamblers due to the increased agency it offered players compared to games like roulette. The allure of this early form of blackjack radiated across borders, acquiring the moniker 'Van John' in England, a phonetic distortion of 'vingt-et-un', while in Germany it became 'Ein-und-Zwanzig'. As for the genesis of the term 'blackjack', it unequivocally originated in the United States, with its debut in 1912 gambling venues in Evansville, Indiana, under the name 'Twenty-One'. Following a brief surge, local authorities clamped down on gambling, but the advent of legalized gambling in Nevada in 1931 ushered 'Twenty-One' into the legal casinos of Reno and Las Vegas. To attract players unfamiliar with the game, casinos devised a special offer: a payout of 10 to 1 for specific combinations of two spades or a mixture of a black jack and a spade.
Over time, the necessity for this enticing bonus dwindled, as the card game's popularity soared, and 'blackjack' came to signify any ace plus a ten-point card, rewarding players with a payout of one and a half times their stake. The introduction of 'insurance', a pivotal blackjack component allowing bets against the dealer having blackjack, emerged in the late 1950s. Although insurance signage was absent from 1950s photos, by the 1960s it was a fixture in the game. Presently, while each casino or table might enforce slight rule variations, the game's core remains unchanged.

Voilà: blackjack

Yet recent developments have sparked controversy, particularly an unwelcome change in Las Vegas. Increasingly, casinos on the Strip now offer a reduced payout for blackjack victories, paying just 1.2 times the wager instead of the traditional one and a half. This adjustment nearly doubles the casino's edge. Gamblers visiting Vegas or similar destinations should remain vigilant and avoid tables with the 'blackjack pays 6 to 5' notification. The less this version is played, the sooner it may vanish.

‘Blackjack pays 6 to 5’

Casinos warmly welcome novices for their profitability, but mastering blackjack is key to succeeding. With the highest payoff potential of many casino games when played skillfully, blackjack requires knowledge of rules, strategies, and self-discipline. It boils down to these three core steps:

Learn Blackjack

One must grasp the card values to excel at blackjack, acknowledging that each hand deals two cards whose values must be understood. Understanding the values is crucial before deciding whether to request additional cards. A card deck has 52 cards split into four suits: clubs, spades, hearts, and diamonds. Each suit holds 13 cards, including face cards (Ace, King, Queen, Jack) and numbered cards from 2 to 10. While the suit typically doesn't affect value in blackjack unless a side bet is involved, the first step is identifying card values, each contributing to the crucial sum not exceeding 21 points.

Stamp the card values in your head

The Ace card holds a value of either 11 or 1, flexibly adapting based on the hand's total points.

Pictures: the value is 10
The Ace is distinctive as players can elect a value of 11 or 1, favoring 1 if opting for 11 causes the total to exceed 21. So-called 'soft hands' incorporate an Ace since it can alternate values. An Ace with a 6 yields a soft 17, unable to bust with the next card. Conversely, incorporating a 10 transforms it to a 'hard' 17, counting Ace as 1 to avoid surpassing 21 points.
2 to 9: these cards have a value of 2 to 9

Consider when an Ace pairs with a 9: valuing the Ace as 1 results in an unimpressive 10, but opting for 11 enhances it to a compelling 20, a likely winning hand against the dealer, with scant chances of defeat.

Example:

Card values offer varied success risks, particularly for hands with a 'hard' 11 or higher, prompting bust likelihoods.

On your turn, options include standing (no additional cards) or hitting (requesting more cards), until the hand exceeds 21. Depending on your hand, additional choices arise:

Insurance becomes an option with the dealer's revealed Ace.

11: 0%
12: 31%
13: 39%
14: 56%
15: 58%
16: 62%
17: 69%
18: 77%
19: 85%
20: 92%
21: 100%

Know the choices

Doubling entails doubling your bet for just one more card, notably available with point counts from 8 to 11.

Splitting forms two separate hands from a pair of identical value cards.
Sometimes surrendering the hand for half the stake is possible.
Begin your winning journey upon mastering blackjack.
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Blackjack, a classic card game, can be found in casinos worldwide and enjoys immense popularity in Las Vegas. However, its exact origins remain a mystery. Richard Epstein, an American mathematician and card game enthusiast, mentions this enigma in his authoritative book, 'The Theory of Gambling and Statistical Logic'.

He states that the game's beginnings are shrouded in mystery.

Special Blackjack Terms

Double

To put it simply, the root of the blackjack game is unclear. But we can make educated guesses.

Split

If we're to understand where blackjack came from, we should start with the history of playing cards themselves. The earliest forms of playing cards appeared in the 9th century in China as the 'leaf game', popular at the imperial court. Unlike today's familiar deck, these early cards resembled paper dominoes. Playing cards journeyed through the Middle East and Egypt before reaching Europe by the 14th century. Still, they remained a luxury until the invention of the printing press in the 15th century brought down the cost of production. Before that, cards were too pricey for most people as they were handmade and elaborately designed. While some courts and monasteries had cards, they were mainly used for educational purposes. Hence, blackjack likely emerged not earlier than the 15th century. But a few historians speculate that the Romans might've had a similar game, employing wooden blocks instead of cards, making a connection between that and modern blackjack improbable.

Blackjack

For a more credible link, some historians refer to the Spanish author Miguel Cervantes, best known for 'Don Quixote'. In his tale 'Rinconete y Cortadillo' from 1612, a game named 'veintiuna' is mentioned. This is thought to refer to 'vingt-et-un', a card game played at the French court around the 1600s to 1700s, especially during King Louis XIV's reign. In blackjack, the number '21' is significant: it's the best score achievable without losing your wager by exceeding that number. Known colloquially as '21', historians in 2015 primarily agree that blackjack derived from the French game 'vingt-et-un', which translates to 'twenty-one'.

To insure

Originating at the royal French court, the game likely found its way into French casinos. The concept of casinos emerged in Europe in the 17th century, fitting the timeline of blackjack's spread. But why did a Spanish writer first document the game instead of a French one? Although speculative, we know that Cervantes, besides being a literary figure, was also a merchant who traveled extensively and mingled with the elite. Thus, he might have encountered 'vingt-et-un' during such travels. This tale appears in his 'Novelas Ejemplares', which means 'The Sample Novels'. Cervantes took pride in pioneering the modern novella genre in Spain, and in his pursuit of novelty, he possibly wanted to write about the contemporary card game sensation, which we now know as blackjack.

How does the dealer play?

The game, initially adopted by French casinos, quickly rose in popularity attributed to its player agency compared to games like roulette. 'Vingt-et-un', also known nationally as 'Van John' in England or 'Ein-und-Zwanzig' in Germany, evolved and spread across countries. The term 'blackjack' unmistakably originated from America. The game debuted in US gambling venues in 1912 under the name 'Twenty-One', but all gambling activities were shortly banned by local authorities. Legal gambling resumed in Nevada in 1931, where casinos in Reno and Las Vegas reintroduced 'Twenty-One'. However, unfamiliar with the game, Americans were skeptical. To increase its appeal, some casinos added a bonus: receiving two specific cards, a spade and a club jack, paid 10 to 1.

Payouts

Over time, the game's tactics advanced; the once-necessary 10-to-1 bonus was phased out because of its growing popularity. Aces paired with a card totaling 10 points became known as a blackjack, yielding a payout of one and a half times your wager. By the late 1950s, a notable feature was introduced: insurance. Though barely noticeable on 1950s tables, stating 'Insurance pays 2 to 1', it became commonplace in the 1960s. Not much has changed in the game's overall format since, albeit specific rules may differ at various casinos or tables.

Conclusion

Despite these conventions, a new Las Vegas trend emerged that some, like Mr. Casino, decry. Increasingly, particularly on the Strip, blackjack pays only 1.2 times instead of the traditional 1.5 times on a winning bet. Betting $10 now yields a mere $12 win instead of $15. Though it may appear minor, this adjustment significantly increases the casino's edge. If you find yourself in Las Vegas or any US casino, keep an eye out for tables displaying 'blackjack pays 6 to 5'. Avoid them, and perhaps, with dwindling players, this unpopular version might gradually vanish.