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Black Jack – also known as ‘Chemin de Fer’ and ‘pontoon’ – is a card game that is commonly found in a betting house with players trying their fortune on acquiring the elusive ‘twenty-one’. It is commonly believed that the game came into existence in France during the 17th century. However, as with most other casino games the precise development of the game is still a mystery.

Chemin de fer was brought to the United States after the French Revolution, but the game didn’t become favored in the gambling dens until the casino offered bonus payouts. This was the only method that appeared to get gamblers wagering on blackjack. One variant on the bonus pay out was for a player to acquire ‘twenty-one’ with the blackjack card (given a value of 10 points) and an ace (worth eleven points). With the growing popularity of the game the payouts were canceled but the name of the game ‘pontoon’ stayed.

Blackjack is not just about getting a straight ‘twenty-one’, but the primary adventure is to beat the croupier without going ‘bust’. The casino certainly has an advantage over the gambling players in the long term, but with chemin de fer the gambler holds on to a bit of choice.

Since 1931 when the U.S. first approved wagering, chemin de fer has become a quintessential gambling den card game. Furthermore, it is the blending of both skill and mathematics utilized in blackjack that has caused the game to be hugely liked. Pontoon provides an appealing proposition to any academic, mathematician or betting player wanting to research the tactic of the game.