The latest technology gives us access to numerous games with just a few clicks, but often we forget what the game really was. This also applies to traditional dice, card and board games, the basic idea of ​​which is a sociable evening. So you shouldn't forget that many classics are a lot of fun, especially at the gaming table.


Retro gaming is all the rage. Even Gamescom, the world's largest trade fair for computer and video games, likes to indulge in nostalgia. It's not surprising that people like to think back to the old days, because it is above all classic games that awaken memories and inspire emotions: One of these classics is Black Jack, a game that is definitely one of the most exciting card games in the world.

The Brief History of Black Jack

How playing cards got from Asia to the European continent can hardly be proven due to a lack of evidence. Only in the 14th century did the evidence of card playing in Europe accumulate. It was only at this time that information on different card games sprang up like mushrooms. Three centuries later, other games appeared that are now considered to be the forerunners of blackjack. The first reliable evidence for these games can be found in the novella Rinconete & Cartadillo of the Spanish Writer Miguel de Cervantes, which was published in 1613 as part of his collection of short stories. One of the ancestors of the game was that Vingt et Un, which enjoyed great popularity in the French court.

The "short" history of blackjack has a "long" tradition.
Blackjack's "short" history has a "long" tradition.

This game established itself in US casinos in the 20th century. From there, today's internationally uniform rules for blackjack spread, which set 21 points as the maximum possible number, with the aim of trumping the dealer. As you can see, it was a long way before blackjack got its current form. Much has changed over the years. But what is still true: Black Jack is a card game that promises a lot of excitement.

How is blackjack played?

Blackjack has many variations. The game is played on a semicircular table with up to seven players against a dealer who distributes the cards. All cards have certain point values. The general logic of the game is to ask the dealer for cards in turn until you reach 21 points, although you are not allowed to exceed this value. Classic blackjack is played with eight French decks of 52 cards each, the mixed together before each round .

The dealer does not receive any cards in play, but must draw a card if the value is 16 or less. The dealer still has the right to draw a card on a "soft 17", which corresponds to a hand with an ace and a value of 7 or 17. A player wins immediately if he catches three of a kind with the number 7. The dealer's card does not matter.

Blackjack combines successful basic principles of card games: simple rules and a steep tension curve.
Blackjack combines successful basic principles of card games: simple rules and a steep tension curve.

Other advantageous combinations are possible with aces, tens and face cards. In addition, Black Jack offers the players the options, the so-called Split and Double Down carried out. Split means that the player can split his hand if the numerical value of the first two cards is the same. The original stake is doubled. Double down on the other hand, means that the player can increase his stake after receiving two cards. The value of the cards is not important for this. After that, the player only receives one card from the dealer. Both are additional tension factors at the gaming table.

This shows that Black Jack, a classic among card games, has deep historical roots and a long tradition in the western world. Many changes in the regulations were finally standardized internationally in the US casinos. The classic from is played with a dealer, while the value 21 is accepted as the upper limit of the game. Nowadays, like other classic games, Blackjack is available in digital form. But you shouldn't forget that the tense atmosphere at the gaming table is an important fun factor in Black Jack.