Baccarat

Baccarat is a gambling card game. It is supposed to have been introduced into France from Italy during the reign of Charles VIII of France (ruled 1483-1498), and it is similar to Faro and to Basset. There are three accepted variants of the game: baccarat chemin de fer (railway), baccarat banque (or a deux tableaux), and punto banco (or North American baccarat).

Baccarat (pronounced Back-a-rah) is a simple game with only three possible results - 'Player', 'Banker' and 'Tie'. The term 'Player' does not refer to the customer and the term 'Banker' does not refer to the house. They are just options on which the customer can bet.

Baccarat is an unusual game in that any score of 10 is worth 0 (or 'Baccarat'). The highest score that can be achieved is 9. Two picture cards would have a score of 0. A 9 and a 6 would not equal 15 but 5. (Minus the first digit) An ace counts as 1 and the rest of the cards retain their face value.

Punto Banco (North American Baccarat) In the United States, Australia and Canada, a variation of baccarat is played in which the casino banks the game at all times. Punters may bet on either the player or the banker, which are merely designations for the two hands dealt in each game. The cards are dealt, one to the 'Player' first then to the 'Banker', 'Player' then 'Banker' again. Each has two cards. This is the initial deal. Both cards in each hand are added together and the croupier calls the total. (e.g. five to the 'Player', three to the 'Banker') From this position the 'Tableau' or table of play is used to determine if further cards need to be drawn. A maximum of three cards per hand may be drawn to achieve a winning hand. Therefore the object of the game is to bet on the hand with the highest total.

Baccarat Banque In Baccarat Chemin de Fer, it will have been noticed that a given bank only continues so long as the banker wins. So soon as he loses, it passes to another player. In Baccarat Banque the position of banker is much more permanent. Three packs of cards are shuffled together. (The number is not absolute, sometimes four packs, sometimes two only, being used; but three is the more usual number.) The banker (unless he retires either of his own free will or by reason of the exhaustion of his finances) holds office until all these cards have been dealt.

The bank is at the outset put up to auction, i.e. belongs to the player who will undertake to risk the largest amount. In some circles, the person who has first set down his name on the list of players has the right to hold the first bank, risking such amount as he may think proper.