Who Named Blackjack?

Blackjack, also known as twenty-one, is a comparing card game between usually several players and a dealer, where each player in turn competes against the dealer, but players do not play against each other. It is played with one or more decks of 52 cards, and is the most widely played casino banking game in the world.

The objective of the game is to beat the dealer in one of the following ways:

Get 21 points on the player’s first two cards (called a “blackjack” or “natural”), without a dealer blackjack;
Reach a final score higher than the dealer without exceeding 21; or
Let the dealer draw additional cards until his or her hand exceeds 21 (“busted”).

Blackjack has many rule variations. Since the 1960s, blackjack has been a high-profile Target of advantage players, particularly card counters, who track the profile of cards that have been dealt and adapt their wagers and playing strategies accordingly.

Blackjack has inspired other casino games, including Spanish 21 and pontoon.

There are numerous stories and urban legends surrounding the game of blackjack, and almost everyone seems to have their own theory on who actually invented such a popular game. While the origins of blackjack are still relatively unknown, there are some interesting theories on who may have named this exciting casino game.

One popular theory is that blackjack got its name from a famous French card player named Francois Blanc. Blanc was known for offering special bets that paid 10-to-1 odds if the player was dealt a hand consisting of an Ace of Spades and either a Jack or Club.

These particular bets were called “blancs”, which is French for “whites”. It’s possible that when American casinos started offering these same bets, they simply used the name “blackjack” as a way to distinguish it from other games being offered at the time.

Another theory suggests that blackjack may have originally been called “switch”, due to the fact that players were allowed to trade in unwanted cards for new ones. This particular rule was eventually dropped, but it’s possible that switch could have been shortened to “blackjack” over time.

A third possibility is that blackjack got its name from an old English card game called “Blacke Jacks”. This game was similar to modern day blackjack, except that instead of using money, players would bet with pieces of coal.

It’s possible that as blackjack became more popular in American casinos, people started referring to it as “black jack” in order to distinguish it from the British game.

No matter who actually came up with the name blackjack, there’s no doubt that it’s one of the most popular casino games in existence today. So next time you’re at the table, take a moment to think about the fascinating history behind this classic game.