Back to the Origins

Blackjack came to the United Sates following the French revolution and quickly became a very popular game in casinos as players quickly realized that through gambling they could play the odds and manipulate blackjack hands.

Originally called "21", the Blackjack can be traced to France, where it was known as "Chemin de fer" or "Ferme française" and "Vingt-et-un" which translates into English as 21. In the 19th Century it was introduced to the USA and the object is simply to beat the Dealer by drawing cards totaling up to and including 21. So no wonder that Blackjack has also been called 21, pontoon and California aces, however in the original French version a player could win by drawing a jack of spades followed by an ace of spades and this is how the term blackjack was created to describe this card game. Today the game of blackjack is very popular in Russian, Canadian, and American casinos as well, in fact Blackjack is one the most popular games played in casinos worldwide.

Midi Baccarat is a faster version of Baccarat with a few minor differences. The game is played on a Blackjack size table or a slightly larger table seating nine and unlike Baccarat, in which the show passes around the table from player to player, the “shoe” remains with the croupier. It is a fun game and one of the simplest of all to play: all you have to do is decide whether “Bankers”, “Players” or “Tie” is the next winning hand from the “Shoe” and place your bets.

Many people say that it was invented in Italy by the player Felix Falguiere. It was introduced in France by 1490, and became the most important entertainment of the aristocracy.

And last but not least, the origin of Poker remains a mystery. One of the most reliable stories say it was born in antique China, 900 years before Christ, as a new version of the traditional Domino game. The picks, Diamond, Clubs and Hearts appeared at the beginning of the 19th century, in New Orleans, then, the structure of the game consisted in a bluff and system of bets, something quite similar to nowadays Poker.