Origins Of Baccarat

Baccarat is known as the card game of the rich and famous. Baccarat was so enigmatically linked with the wealthy upper classes and rich and famous and as a result many people shunned the game its triumphant emergence online.

Baccarat is one of the easiest of casino games to learn and play and can really generate some excitement when played at an online casino. There is no skill involved in the game as the rules determine each hands action. The only variable involved is the betting. In short, Baccarat is a game of chance.

Baccarat is thought to have originated in either France or Italy during the middle Ages. The word baccarat is a derivative of the Italian word for zero. In the middle ages the game was played using Tarot cards as opposed to the modern day card used today.

As Baccarats popularity increased across Europe, as with most of the other forms of gambling in those days there was some rigorous opposition from the Church. The Church viewed Baccarat as the game of the devil and those who played it were carrying out the devil’s work.

Tarot cards were first used in a game of Baccarat by Felix Galguiere. The Etruscan nine gods are said to be the basis for Galguiere’s version of the game. In this early edition of Baccarat, dice were rolled to determine the fate of a woman since the nine gods required the sacrifice of a blond virgin.

A roll of either an eight or nine made her a priestess; a six or seven and she was banned from religious activities; a number less than six and she walked into the sea and disappeared.

This early Baccarat variant became the game of choice for the upper classes and aristocracy and eventually evolved into ‘Chemin de Fer’ and European Baccarat it is thought that this took place at approximately 1500. The game, even though extremely popular, was illegal at first, as any form of gambling was. Eventually, the government made it legal and placed taxes on it. This made the game even more popular because people could rationalize that they were doing something for the good of the poor when they played baccarat thanks to the tax involved. The game began to lose its popularity during Napoleon’s reign when it was again outlawed. It remained illegal until the early 1900’s. At around this time many of the grand casinos were established along the French Riviera.

This version is the one that eventually made it way over to America but was a different version of the game that came from England. Baccarat was legal in England during the period that it was illegal across the rest of the Continent.

The English version of Baccarat reached the shores of Argentina in early 1950, where it was called ‘Punto y Banca’. When the game eventually reached Havana, the aim of the game had differed somewhat as now the player played against the house. It is this version, American Baccarat that was played in the casinos in Havana.

The Capri Casino version is the Baccarat variant that migrated to Las Vegas in the mid 1950s via Francis Renzoni, after a Las Vegas casino opened a baccarat pit. The game began it new life in America as an unpopular addition to the casino game selection. Las Vegas adapted the game and made the banker the UK casino or house position. This made it possible to bet for or against the house with the banker position. This is the Baccarat variant that is now so popular in the United States, England and Australia.

Before the game of baccarat had reached Las Vegas, it was already being played in New York and Florida. The game was played at the Saratoga race track and at the Palm Beach resort in 1910, forty years before it was played in Las Vegas.

Since its origins in the Europe during the Middle Ages, Baccarat has steadily made it’s way across each continent eventually becoming one of the most famous and respected casino games in the world.

There are variations in play depending on the location at which you are playing, so it is always best to check the house rules. And, as so may other forms of gambling, baccarat has made its way onto the internet. Most online casinos offer baccarat games with some variation in house rules; the biggest I have found is that there are only two hands: the banker and one player. Again, it’s advised to check the house rules before you play. Some online casinos also play the game with a single deck of cards, which is unusual in a land-based casino.

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Baccarat Basics

Baccarat is one of the most popular card game which is found in casinos worldwide, with its own playing area in the casinos. Baccarat as an online casino game is also still popular at most online casino websites. The game is played similarly both on online and brick and mortar casinos. It is usually played by two persons, and casino customers can bet on three options: the "Banker", the "Player", and the "Tie", which is checked by a croupier.


Baccarat Objective

The winner of a single deal is determined by the values of the two players' hands. In order to win, the hand value must be as close to 9 as possible. If you have a value of 9, then the only option is either to win or tie.

A hand value can be obtained by adding the values of all the cards in hand modulo 10 (the commonly used operator for modulo is %). This means that after adding the values, the result is divided by 10 and then the remainder will be the result. For example, 8 + 6 = 14, and 14 % 10 = 4 (if we divide 14 by 10, the answer is 1 with a remainder of 4). This also means that the tens digit is dropped, leaving only the ones digit. Therefore, the highest value which can be obtained is 9, and the lowest is zero which is termed as "baccarat". Oddly enough, the game is named after the worst value of a hand.


How to Play Baccarat

Here is the most common way on how to play the game. Cards 2 to 9 have values according to their numbers. Cards 10 and the face cards (J, Q, K) are all worth zero, while an Ace card is equivalent to 1. A hand can only have two or three cards. For example, a hand consisting of 6 and an Ace is equivalent to 7 (6 + 1 = 7). A hand with 3, 9, and 5 has a value of 7 (3 + 9 + 5 = 17, 17 % 10 = 7). These two hands have similar values.

The banker will deal one face-down card to the player, then one to himself, then another one to the player, and then another one to himself, resulting to both of them having two cards each. Depending on the value of their hands, each of them can either draw an additional card or stand pat. Basically, the player can draw an additional card if his initial hand value is 5 or less. If the initial value is 6 or 7, then he makes a stand. If either one or both of them have a hand value of 8 or 9 on the initial deal, then no further cards are drawn. This situation is called "natural".


Baccarat Betting Options

Players other than the ones playing as "banker" and "player" can also place their bets. The options are "Banker", "Player", and "Tie".

The term "banker" does not refer to the one who deals the cards nor the house. It is the situation in which the one who deals the cards wins. Even payout, or 1:1 is applied if this situation wins. However, there is a 5% deduction for the house commision.

The term "player" is not the player who plays against the dealer but the situation in which he wins against the dealer. Even payout is also applied for those who win this bet.

The term "tie", as it suggest, is a situation when both have the same amount of card value at the end of the deal. If this situation wins, then the bettors are paid at 8:1 ratio.


Baccarat Banker Strategy

Playing Baccarat mostly requires luck. When you are at the player position, you should definitely draw a card if your hand has an initial value of 5 or lower. If it is 6 or 7, then make a stand. However, this doesn't guarantee your win though. But when you are playing as the banker, then strategy is required in order to win. Here are some pointers depending on the situation of the opposing player:
-- The player did not draw a card - stand if his hand value is 6 or 7, or draw if it is 5 or lower
-- The player drew a 2 or 3 - stand if his hand value is 5 to 7, or draw if it is 4 or lower
-- The player drew a 4 or 5 - stand if his hand value is 6 or 7, or draw if it is 5 or lower
-- The player drew a 6 or 7 - stand if his hand value is 7, or draw if it is 6 or lower
-- The player drew an 8 - stand if his hand value is from 3 to 7, and draw if it is 2 or lower
-- The player drew an ace, 9, 10, or any face-card - stand if his hand value is from 4 to 7, or draw if it is 3 or lower


Baccarat Variations

* The one discussed above applies to the Punto Banco, or the North American Baccarat variation. Punto refers to the Player and Banco refers to the Banker. Bettors will declare "Punto" if they are betting on the player, and will declare "Banco" if they are betting on the banker. The term applied for a tie is "Egalatie". This is also termed as the "regular" baccarat. Most online casino baccarat applies this variation.

* Mini Baccarat is a variation which is played on a smaller table, the size of a Blackjack table. Up to seven players can play against a croupier who also acts as the banker. Regular baccarat tables has three dealers who take the bets to ensure that the rules are followed. The betting limits are lower in this variation.

* Chemin-de-fer is a French version. Its rules are almost the same as the regular baccarat, except when the player acting as the Banker loses a hand, the next player will become the banker. This continues on and the state of the "Banker" travels around the table, similar to a train running on a railroad, which suggest the name of the variation. Chemin-de-fer means "railroad" in French.

* Baccarat en Banque is another French variation. Unlike in the regular variation, a player is dealt with two hands, and the bettors are allowed to choose from the two hands on where to place their bet. However, they can't place their bet on the banker. Another difference is that only the casino can handle the position of the banker.

* Private Baccarat is a variation in which the banker has the option to deal the player with either one or two hands. The player will decide whether he will be dealt with one hand, like in regular baccarat, or he can play two hands. If the player chooses two hands, this is termed as a cheval, and he must win both hands in order to win the deal. If he can only win one of the two, then it is a tie.

* Super Pan Nine is a variation in which all the cards with values of 7, 8, 9, and 10 are removed from the deck. Both the banker and the player are dealt with 3 cards each. Either of them can make a choice whether to draw an additional 4th card or to stand with just the 3 cards. It is common that they will draw a 4th card if the initial hand value is 4 or lower.


Baccarat is used on so many popular culture. Did you know that the first version of the James Bond movie Casino Royale in 1967 features the game Baccarat? It is only replaced by Texas Hold'em poker in the recent 2006 movie version because of the currently great popularity of Texas Hold'em at the time of filming. In the film Rush Hour 3, Detective James Carter (portrayed by Chris Tucker) attempts to play baccarat in a casino in Paris, but he mistook the card game to be a Blackjack game. The dealer warns him that the game is Baccarat when he asks for a third card. Later on Carter got a hand with three Kings and he cheers happily because he again mistook the rules to be of poker. The value of his hand only evaluates to zero, which causes him to lose.

Baccarat is a very exciting game, and the rules are simple and easy to remember. You must be lucky enough to obtain the lucky 9 and win the deal.

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