Archive for May, 2008
If anyone doubts whether blackjack is a game of skill, here is the proof. Not some scientific controlled research result, but a real life proof.
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In 2004, BBC aired a documentary from a Horizon series about counting cards in casinos. The episode, Making Millions the Easy Way, was inspired by the same events as the book "Bringing down Vegas" and latest flick "21". Typically for Horizon, filmmakers dug deeper and showed various techniques used by card counters over the years, as well as shown casinos, sometime heavy handed response.
BBC provides a transcript of that episode, and thanks to YouTube we can watch it, too.
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May 12, 2008 | history
Blackjack is one of the most popular casino card games, also known as Twenty One, or Pontoon, and originated in French casinos in the beginning of 18th Century.
In America the game didn't find popularity and gambling houses tried offering various bonus payouts to get the players to the tables. One of them was a 10-to-1 payout if the player's hand consisted of the ace of spades and a black Jack (either the Jack of clubs or the Jack of spades). This hand was called "blackjack" and it stuck to the game since.
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Casinos were always good topic for film. Dreamlike life of big money, beautiful women , expensive cars, drinks and never ending nightlife are ideal scenery for escapism created by cinema. This year there are two gambling movies to watch - "21", based on a real story that inspired Ben Mezrich's book "Bringing Down the House", and "Deal" with Burt Reynolds, a story of set in World Poker Tour.
Both films are unique in a sense, as the story evolves around one game, and especially "21" will do a lot to educate and promote blackjack among wider audience. Regardless of the rather bad reviews "21" received.
And it's about time blackjack, a classic casino game, receives similar status as poker.
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