The Evolution of Card Counting in the History of Blackjack

Blackjack, also known as 21 is widely played in casinos worldwide. It is one of the oldest and high reputed casino games ever. In fact, a plethora of gamble houses are dedicated to the game of Blackjack only, such is the influence of this game in the gambling industry. The rules of the game are quite simple leading to a whopping growth in the number of players. 

The gameplay is quite interesting as is the history of Blackjack. In this game, a player goes against a dealer, unlike the other games where players compete with each other. Over the years, the world has seen dozens of different variants of Blackjack coming through. Outside the casinos, the game also influenced a popular lifestyle. Let’s learn more about the history of Blackjack.

The Beginning

The first notable story about the game comes from the pages of a book written by Miguel de Cervantes, a Spanish gambler and writer. This book dates back to 1601. The story introduced two characters named Rinconete and Novelas. The two of them were portrayed as notable and efficient “cheaters” in the game of Blackjack.  

The story and theme of this book are set in the Spanish city of Seville. Therefore, it is believed that 21 was originated in Spain sometime during the late 16th century. As we dig further into the history of blackjack, there is evidence of the practice of this game in many areas of France, Spain, and neighbours Catalonia. 

History of Blackjack

• • The 18th Century – the Early Era of Gambling

The game is thought to be practised since the 16th century. But it was not until the late 17th century that Blackjack attracted notable attention globally. Later in the 18th century, French colonies really tuned into the game. And by the late 18th century, the game finally made its way to the hub of gambling – America.

• • The Development of the Game

During the 19th century, there were many notable changes and impressions carved in the pages of the history of Blackjack. During these years, the game started to take modern shape but kept its classic charm safe. It was about this time when 21 really hit all over the Americas before breaking as a global hot favourite casino game.

• • The Inception of Gamble Houses

The 20th century marked a revolution in the gambling industry by introducing the famous gamble houses or casinos to the world. These were legal places to enjoy gambling activities which increased the outreach of Blackjack by a great deal. There were new rules to make the game more interesting and casino-friendly. For example, an exciting 10x win payout was awarded every time a player scored a perfect 21.

• • The Emergence of Card Counting in the History of Blackjack

Edward O.Thorp is popularly known as the father of card counting. Card counting was a strategy introduced back in the 1960s in the game of Blackjack. It was aimed to reduce the house edge and therefore increase the chances of a win for a player. Card counting involves a process of keeping a note of all the highs and low cards used in the previous rounds of a game of 21. 

In 1962, Beat the Dealer, a book written by Edward Thorp gathered mass attention. This book introduced the world to advance tactics of card counting which can be used to reduce the house edge. As a response, the casinos themselves started providing basic strategy tables to the players that guided them to figure out the best possible move.

• The Modern Mark in the History of Blackjack – Online Casinos

The introduction of the internet totally reshaped the casino industry. In fact, at present, there is a comparatively high presence of players at online casinos than in brick and mortar gamble houses. Pretty much every online casino keeps Blackjack in its sleeves. Nowadays, there are over a hundred different variants of the game available online.