Even those who might mistake a club for a spade. (Gasp.) Only slots beats Black Jack for popularity.
21. It is a game that finds itself featured in major films, that conjures up images of James Bond in a tuxedo that fits him, well not like a glove but like whatever fits a man like a glove fits a woman. The idea being that he looks smashing.
It is an old game, lore has it that it was played in France in the 1700s. Indeed our not-friend Napoleon was said to revel in the pleasure of the game, when he wasn’t wreaking unspeakable havoc. Our Italian friends have tried to lay claim to the invention of the game, though most historians give the nod to the French. Oh, and Black Jack used to be forbidden in American - in the early part of the twentieth century. 21 is a game of allure, of history. Intrigued?
If you are thinking about taking up 21, you should know a few things before you sidle up to a Black Jack table – or just over to your laptop. First, you do not need to wear anything vaguely resembling a tuxedo. Or look like Sean Connery. Or even like Daniel Craig. Or be male. Now that that’s out of the way, what do you need to know?
Black Jack is a game of cards. You’ve probably seen Black Jack tables in the aforementioned movies or in a real world casino. A bow-tied or just tied dealer stands behind a table that is covered in a felt-like material. If you want to get in on a game, you approach the table and stand next to the other players, or by yourself if no one is there.
The goal of Black Jack is to beat the dealer’s hand - without going bust. Going bust means that you have more than 21 points in your hand and are outta there. All the cards have values and the idea is to get as close to 21 as possible without going over that magic number. 21 is the best hand and 20 is the second best.
If you want to learn more about how to play this stellar game - like what happens after you sidle over to said table or whether it is easy or tricky to collect coinage playing this crowd pleaser of a game, we invite you to read our articles that get into the game in more detail.
Oh, one more thing. If a Black Jack dealer calls you George, it is not because you remind him of George Costanza of Seinfeld fame. (Not that there is anything wrong with that.) No, it is her way of giving out a subtle shout-out as a generous tipper. Hey, we told you it is a cool game.