Twenty One is an Exohuman card game of chance widely played on VOI 700 D, originating from the French card game Vingt-Un, which gained popularity during the reign of King Louis XV. The game also shares similarities with the American casino game Blackjack.

Since the Great War, Twenty One has become a staple of underground gambling culture on the Dark Side, especially in Firetown’s bars. Its illegal gambling variant is officially banned by the Federal Confederation, yet it thrives as players wager using the old currency, Kourou — a currency abolished in the Gamma Age but still widely circulated on the black market.

The game of Twenty One was introduced to the settlers of VOI 700 D as a traditional card game brought from Earth. During the Beta Age, it was a popular pastime among miners, soldiers of fortune, and settlers seeking entertainment in saloons and recreational venues.

Following the Great War, the Peace Treaty reforms outlawed gambling, making Twenty One an underground game. Despite the prohibition, it remains prevalent in Firetown and beyond, serving as a symbol of resistance to the Communardist restrictions. The Jane Mendoza Gang plays a significant role in sustaining the game’s underground economy.

Twenty One is played with a “Skat hand” of 32 hands of French cards. The object of the game is to get closer to the score of 21 with your cards than your opponent without exceeding the value of 21 points.

The counting values of the cards:

• Ace = 11 points
• King = 4 points
• Queen = 3 points
• Jack = 2 points
• Number cards = according to their printed values

• Initial Draw: Each player draws two cards from a standard Skat deck of 32 cards.

• Turn Order: Starting with the oldest player, participants decide whether to draw an additional card or stay. Play proceeds clockwise.

• Comparison Phase: Once all players are ready, they reveal their cards. Players exceeding 21 points are eliminated. The player closest to 21 points wins.

In the illegal gambling variant, the basic gameplay is similar. However, at the beginning of the game each player must place a Kourou as a “base bet” and there is an additional “bidding phase”.

The bidding phase starts after the players have drawn their first two cards at the beginning. After examining his cards in his hand, the oldest player at the table informs his teammates whether he is “folding” or “bidding”. If he bids, he names his bet. Now it is the player to his left's turn to decide whether to “fold” or “bid”. This continues until all players from left to right have folded or continue bidding.

Then the oldest player asks if any of the remaining players who continue to bid would like to double their stake. If such a player is found, all other players at the table must also double their bet or fold. In that case, they lose their previous bet.

Once this is settled, the phase in which players decide whether or not to draw a third card begins.

At the end of the game, the player whose cards are closest to 21 points without exceeding the number 21 receives the entire bet.

The human culture in the Gamma Age