Baccarat is a card game that influences major casino revenues worldwide. It originated in Italy in the 1400s and spread to France, England, and the rest of Europe over 500 years. There are different versions including Classic/Punto Banco, Chemin de Fer, and Nevada Baccarat. The objective is to get a hand as close to 9 as possible by betting on the banker or player hand. Rules vary on drawing additional cards and house advantages depend on the version played.

1. How Casinos
Betting on Baccarat

2. What is the name of the game:
 That influences the annual turnover of major
casinos across the globe
 That is the favourite of the ‘high rollers’ or the
casino’s crème de la crème
 That was once a penchant for the French royalty
 That has been shown in most of the Bond movies
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it is Baccarat.

3. Baccarat takes its name from the French word
‘Baccara’, meaning zero.
The significance of the name is attributed to the
value assigned to all tens, jacks, queens and kings,
which is zero.

4.  Baccarat is the world’s oldest card game.
 Its history spans more than 6 centuries.
 It dates all the way back to the early 1400s.

5. One of the stories for its origins states that it was
invented by an Italian called Felix Falguierein.
Falguierein used tarot cards, and the game was based on
an old Etruscan ritual during which 9 Gods prayed to a
blonde virgin waiting for her to throw a nine-sided die.
Her fate was decided by the result of the roll of the die.
If she threw an 8 or a 9, she would
become the priestess.
If the die showed a 6 or 7, she would
be banned from any religious activities.
If the result was any number less than
6, she would walk into the sea.

6. It is said to have travelled to France via Italy, thereon to England and the rest
of Europe. It took 500 years to establish itself as one of the most
successful card games in European casinos. From there it crossed the
Atlantic and reached American shores.
This fascinating game started as Baccara in Italy, from where it was
introduced to the French in 1490 during the reign of King Charles VIII. It
was the French version of the game or ‘Chemin de Fer’ that became
popular in England.
An alternate version called Punto Banco came into existence when the game
was introduced in South America in the 1950s.
In 1959, Punto Banco was started in Las
Vegas, with the Chemin de Fer already
having reached there a few years earlier.
The casinos eventually developed their
own version, called Nevada Baccarat.

7. The objective of the game is to get a winning hand as close to 9 as possible.
The full version is played on a table for 14 players, with three dealers. Numbers
on the table denote the position of each player or bettor, in front of which is a
demarcated area to play banker bets or player bets. In front of each dealer are
numbers corresponding to each player.
The bettor holding the shoe (having 8 decks of cards) deals his/her cards, and
then the head dealer or the call man turns the cards face up. The call man calls
out the point totals of each hand and announces whether each hand will get
another card based on the stand rules.
The other two dealers pay off losing wagers and collect winning bets.
Every time a bettor wins a banker bet, the dealer
places a marker in the number box for that
bettor. All wagers need tracking, as bettors pay
a 5% commission on each wining banker bet.

8.  Classic or Punto Banco Baccarat
 Chemin de Fer (European Version)
 En Banque
 Nevada Baccarat (American Version)
 No Commission Baccarat

9. The Classic or Punto Banco Baccarat is played with six standard
52 card decks. Winning depends on the hand you bet on and
not the hand that you are playing. The objective is to predict
whether the banker’s (Banco) or player’s (Punto) hand will
win. Your bet will be returned if you do not bet on a tie and
the hand gets tied.

10. Chemin de Fer, or the European version, is the same as Nevada
Baccarat except for the fact that the bettor can either bet on
player or banker, the dealer does not play the role of banker. If
the role of a banker is refused, the shoe can be passed to the
player to the right, going around the table (hence the name,
which means ‘railroad’). The dealer or ‘Croupier’ is only
responsible for strict adherence to the rules. Also, there are
flexible rules for drawing the third card.
In European Baccarat, the casino finances the banker hand, which
decides the betting limit. Once the betting limit is reached, no
new players are allowed to bet. If a player bets the entire
amount, he/she calls out ‘Banco’ and the other players cease
betting. The dealer controls the banker, and he/she has an
option of drawing a third card.

11. The ‘en banque’ version is played in some of the European
casinos. One bank hand and two player hands are dealt, with
the bettors having a choice to bet on one or both player
hands, but never the banker hand. Drawing rules are
completely optional. In this case the casino may charge lesser
than 5% of the winning bet.

12. The American ‘Nevada’ version allows for only two hands to be
dealt, regardless of the number of bettors. One either bets on
a player, a banker or a tie. Players alternate to play bankers
and the shoe goes counter-clockwise around the table. The
‘en banque’ version is played in some of the European
casinos. One bank hand and two player hands are dealt, with
the bettors having a choice to bet on one or both player
hands, but never the banker hand.
Drawing rules are completely optional. In this case, the casino
may charge less than 5% of the
winning bet.

13.  No Commission Baccarat is a game that eliminates all
commission on banker bets! Obviously this gives a HUGE
advantage to players.
 To know more about the rules and techniques of No
Commission Baccarat, visit:
http://wadhwarakesh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/No-
Commission-Baccarat.pdf

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