Baccarat: A Simple Fun Game

17 December 2016

By John Marchel

An early account of baccarat claims that it was based on an old Etruscan ritual of the nine gods, who prayed to a blonde virgin on their tiptoes waiting for her to throw a nine-sided die. The result of the die decided her fate. If an eight or a nine was thrown, she would become the priestess; if she threw a six or seven, she would be banned from any further religious activities; if she threw any number less than six, she would walk into the sea.”

Casino boss Tommy Renzoni claimed he was the one who brought baccarat to Las Vegas from Cuba in 1959. He was running a baccarat table at Capri Casino in Havana when Castro overthrew the Batista government and ended gambling in that country. Renzoni moved to Las Vegas to work as a casino executive in Sands Hotel where he was present on the opening night of baccarat (November 20, 1959), when the house was alleged to have lost $250,000. The game rules of American baccarat were changed the next day.

Baccarat is a simple comparing card game played between two hands, the "player" and the "banker".

Each baccarat hand has three possible outcomes: "player", "banker", and "tie". A player can bet on any of the three positions. The game has a set of rules for drawing cards. In blackjack you are trying for 21. In baccarat you are trying for 8 or 9. All the 10s, Js, Qs and Ks have no point value, they are all worth zero.

It is especially popular among high-rollers and Asian gamblers. Most casinos will have their 12 to 14 position, high roller table in a special roped off area. However, many casinos now offer mini-baccarat. Small blackjack size tables, with only seven betting positions. That game has become popular and can be found right along with blackjack, craps and roulette tables in the main casino area. It has the same rules are big table baccarat.

In addition, in most American casinos you will find other standing players placing their bets beside the seated player. It can be a very popular, load, and exciting game with a low house advantage of less then 2 percent.


BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW

• According to one theory in baccarat history, in Abruzzo, a region in Italy, 50 miles due east of Rome, an Italian money lender, Lino Bussoli, in the mid-15th century, is said to have been the creator of the game.

• When baccarat was first played in Italy in the mid-1400s, it was played with tarot cards, and was considered to be the game of noble and rich gentlemen only.

• The game baccarat was introduced into France during the reign of Louis XIV (1643-1716). It was the French version of the Italian card game Baccara. The name “Baccara” means zero, which refers to the face cards as 10’s, all of which are valued as zero in the game.

• It was in 1837 that France outlawed the card game baccarat. The game will not be legalized again in that country until 1907.

• The history of baccarat shows how evolving and changing over the years, today there are 4 contemporary variations of Baccarat: American, Chemin de Fer, European, and Baccarat en Banque.

• In many Western World casinos the number 13 position at baccarat will not be listed. It is considered unlucky; therefore it will skip from 12 to 14.

• When baccarat was first introduced to Las Vegas in 1959, at the Sands casino, real cash only was used and there was a $20 minimum at the table.