Black Jack Pirate

In Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Jack Rackham is a side character and minor antagonist who betrays Captain Edward Kenway after they capture a slave ship. Jack Rackham is one of the major characters in the 2014 Starz television series Black Sails, portrayed by Toby Schmitz. Ruthless, murderous and cruel yet charismatic and passionate, Black Jack Anderson ruled the islands and waters off WA's Recherche Archipelago in the early 1800s. He is Australia's only known pirate, yet the story of his life and crimes is little known outside of Esperance, the south coast town closest to Anderson's hunting ground.

1. Black Jack Pirate Time Period
2. Black Jack Pirate

John 'Black Jack' Anderson (d 1842?) was an African-Americansealer and pirate active in the Recherche Archipelago off the south coast of Western Australia.^[1][2][3][4]

Arrival in Australia[edit]

Anderson arrived in the fledgling King George Sound colony (modern day Albany) aboard the American whaling vessel Vigilant in 1826. While the crew were drinking ashore, a fight broke out and a man was killed. Accused of murder, Anderson and several crewmates fled in a small vessel and hid out in the Recherche Archipelago, approximately 400 kilometres to the east.^[5]

Piracy[edit]

Anderson and his fellows established an encampment on Middle Island in Western Australia, as it was one of the few islands with a source of fresh water. The archipelago was heavily populated by Australian sea lions and New Zealand fur seals, and Anderson's band soon enriched themselves by trading furs to settlements along the coast; they are noted as visiting Kangaroo Island and the Althorpe Islands in South Australia. They supplemented their sealing income by robbing vessels travelling between Western Australia and the east coast colonies. They are also said to have murdered Indigenous Kaurna men and abducted women to take as sex slaves. The Recherche Archipelago was treacherous and uncharted, making it an ideal hideout for the pirates.^[6][7]

In September 1834 Anderson and another black man, John Bathurst, arrived at Kangaroo Island from Long Island and clashed with whalers and Aboriginals.^[8][9]

According to an 1842 report complaining about the lawlessness of sealers:

One of the most daring of these people was a man of color of the name of Anderson, and lawless as these men were, they looked up to him with a sort of dread. Anderson usually carried a brace of pistols about him, knowing that he held his life by a very precarious tenure. By persevering exertions he had amassed a considerable sum of money, and usually kept one or two black women to attend on him and minister to his wants, when not engaged in sealing.^[10]

Death[edit]

Anderson was eventually murdered by his fellow pirates, and is thought to be buried somewhere on Middle Island.^[1] According to a contemporary report:

They got quite disgusted with Anderson's harshness, and determined to remove him, but were puzzled how to accomplish it, as he was a stout, powerful man, and being armed was always on his guard. At last, one day when he was asleep in the tent, one of them entered and, taking deliberate aim, blew his brains out. The corpse was thrown into a hole, and covered over with earth, they thenshared the booty, and killed the native wowan [he was with] in case she should afterwards tell the tale.^[10]

The reputation of the island as a lawless place continued for some time; in 1848 The Inquirer called it 'the resort of a set of lawless desperadoes, composed of runaway convicts, sealers, etc.'^[4][7]

In fiction[edit]

Black Jack Pirate Time Period

• Skins, by Sarah Hay - winner of the 2001 The Australian/Vogel Literary Award
• Black Jack Anderson: Australia's Most Notorious Pirate, by Elaine Forrestal
• A 1929 story 'Black Anderson' by 'Polygon' at The West Australian

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abPownall, Angela (26 March 2012). 'In search of pirate Black Jack'. The West Australian. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
2. ^Georgatas, G., 'An 18,000-year old history uncovered on WA island', National Indigenous Times, 20 June 2012, p. 14.
3. ^'In search of pirate Black Jack'. Australian Traveller. 9 December 2013. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
4. ^ ^abPaterson, Alistair (16–25 April 2006). 'Report on Historical Archaeological Expedition to Middle and Boxer Islands, Recherche Archipelago, Western Australia, 16-25 April 2006'(PDF). Department of Maritime Archaeology, Western Australian Museum. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
5. ^'Black Jack Anderson'. ABC Esperance. 14 October 2011. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
6. ^Hosking, Rick (June 2003). A Critical Edition of William Cawthorne's The Islanders (Thesis). University of Adelaide.
7. ^ ^abClark, William Nairne (8 October 1842). 'Remarks Respecting the Islands on the Coast of S.W. Australia'. The Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal. p. 3. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
8. ^'TWO ENGLISH LADS'. The Perth Gazette And Western Australian Journal. III (144). Western Australia. 3 October 1835. p. 575. Retrieved 12 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
9. ^'EARLY DAYS OF EYRE PENINSULA'. Port Lincoln Times. VII (393). South Australia. 22 March 1935. p. 3. Retrieved 12 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
10. ^ ^ab'REMARKS RESPECTING THE IS LANDS ON THE COAST OF S. W. AUSTRALIA'. The Perth Gazette And Western Australian Journal. X (505). Western Australia. 8 October 1842. p. 3. Retrieved 12 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.

Black Jack Pirate

Before the days of internet casinos, blackjack came in just a few basic forms. The rules differed a bit from table to table. Single- and double-deck games were common. Side bets were a rare find.

With the emergence of online gambling came the introduction of myriad rule sets and a plethora of side bets, including one unique blackjack game known as Pirate 21.

This blackjack variant isn’t exactly new, but it’s not exactly common either. According to my research, it first appeared over a decade ago when a now-extinct software company by the name of Diamond Games introduced it in 2004.

More recently, it was re-introduced as an online blackjack game by leading games developer Betsoft and Nucleus Gaming.

Difference In Rules and House Edge

I can’t say whether the rules of Pirate 21 blackjack are identical between the two brands, since I never played the original. It is remarkably similar to a more common variation known as Spanish 21.

Especially when comparing the multifarious ways to win a hand, and that’s before the optional side bet even comes into play.

Don’t get me wrong – Pirate 21 isn’t going to give you a distinct advantage over the house. It is a casino game after all. Every casino game comes with a house edge, but if you’re looking for something a bit different, Pirate 21 is definitely up your alley.

In this case, with a premium strategy, the house edge is approximately 0.76%.

Where Can You Play Pirate 21 Blackjack?

Check out and start playing at any of these top blackjack sites that offer Pirate 21:

How To Play Pirate 21 Blackjack

The object of the game is no different than your standard variety of blackjack. The goal for every player is to achieve a hand total of 21, or as close to it as possible without busting. If the player’s hand is higher than the dealer’s, without exceeding 21, the player wins. However, achieving any hand total of 21 automatically wins.

Pirate 21 is a multi-hand blackjack game, meaning a player can participate in up to 3 hands per game. You can find sites with a minimum and maximum table limits set at $1 to $1000 per hand.

Unlike the traditional game, Pirate 21 blackjack uses something called a ‘Pirate’ deck, or what’s more commonly referred to as a ‘Spanish’ deck.

This means there are no 10’s in the shoe.

Generally, that’s bad for players, meaning less natural blackjacks will be dealt, but in this blackjack game, any total of 21 automatically wins, whether it consists of 2 cards or more.

Pirate 21 Blackjack Game Rules

The following rules apply:

• Player 21 always wins
• Player blackjack beats dealer blackjack
• Player may Double on any number of cards
• Double after split
• Re-split Aces
• Double after splitting Aces
• Late surrender
• Double down rescue (surrender after double)
• Dealer hits Soft 17

Pirate 21 Blackjack – Base Game Pay Table

Pirate 21 ‘Match the Dealer’ Side Bet

This optional side bet pays if either of the player’s first two cards match the up-card of the dealer. If the matching card is of a different suit, the side bet pays 4:1; if suited, 9:1.

Note that if both cards match the dealer’s up-card, only the highest paying match will be paid.