Pontoon, formerly called Vingt-Un, is a card game of the banking family for three to ten players and the "British domestic version of Twenty-One," a game first recorded in 17th-century Spain, but which spread to France, Germany and Britain in the late 18th century, and America during the early 19th century.

In Britain, it first became known as Pontoon during the First World War, the name apparently being a soldier's corruption of its former French name.

[1] It is a popular family game, but also widely played by children, students, and members of the armed forces.

[2] In 1981, Pontoon was the third most popular card game in Britain after Rummy and Whist.

It is recorded as such in 1917 by an American soldier who served with the British during the First World War, where he describes Pontoon as one of the pastimes played by "Tommy" when off duty and equates it to the American "Black Jack or Twenty-One", adding that "the banker is the only winner.

[1] It is very much an informal family game, but is also popular with children, students, workers and members of the armed forces.

[7] The following rules give a brief illustration of the development of Pontoon from its progenitor Vingt-Un as it was played around 1800, to the more elaborated rules developed during the 19th century and finally to Pontoon as it is typically played today.

If the two cards dealt to a player (excluding any subsequently drawn) are an Ace and a court card or an Ace and a Ten, they score 21 exactly and the combination is called a natural or a natural vingt-un.

[8][4][9] The following is a summary of the earliest known rules for Vingt-Un, published in the 1800 edition of Hoyle's Games.

If 21 is exceeded, the player immediately throws the cards up and pays the stake laid to the dealer.

The dealer may also draw additional cards and, on taking Vingt-un, receives double stakes from all who stand, except those who also have 21, with whom it is a drawn game.

By 1850, the rules had been elaborated as follows:[11] The deal rotates clockwise every time a natural vingt-un occurs.

The custom that the player holding the natural vingt-un takes over the deal is an "old mode of play" that many still adhered to.

If the natural vingt-un occurs in the first round, the dealer is allowed a misericorde (reprieve) and retains the deal.

After the dealer has dealt the first card each, face down, each player places a stake on it; it may be as low as a single counter.

If by drawing, exactly 21 is scored, the dealer receives double stakes, excepting any ties and those who have already thrown up.

If a player or the dealer turns up a pair, e.g. two Kings, that person may 'go on both' and play them as separate hands.

Pairs may be played as two separate hands by announcing "split", but the brulet is not known.

Players place stakes of any value between the agreed lower and upper limits after looking at their first card.

Players who have busted, lose their stake and pass their cards to the banker who places them face down under the pack.

A player who beats the banker with a pontoon, may take over the deal if desired.