Baccarat is one of the most popular and well-loved casino games in the world. It is a game of chance and there is no skill involved in playing it. The winner is the player with the closest total to nine cards. It is also a very slow-paced and entertaining game that is great for those who like to bet big.
The history of Baccarat
The game of baccarat is thought to have been invented in Italy around the 1400s and it quickly spread to France where the game became known as Chemin de Fer. From here it spread to England where it was imortalised in James Bond movies.
Originally the game was played with two hands of cards and the players were not allowed to see their own. It has since been changed to a game where both the Player and Banker have their hands shown.
There are many different variations of the game, but all of them share the same basic rules. The objective of the game is to decide whether a Banker or a Player has the highest card hand.
The dealer or a croupier deals the cards in a six-or eight-deck shoe. The first two cards are dealt to each of the Banker and Player boxes and the third is dealt to either or both hands if no totals of 8 or 9 appear on the first two cards.
In addition to the standard bets on the Banker and Player, most casinos offer the option of a Tie bet. This is a wager that both the Player and Banker will have the same value, and offers odds of 8 to 1.
Another option is a Dragon bet. This is a bet that the Banker has a higher card than the Player and pays out 30 to 1.
During the 19th Century, Baccarat’s display at the various major exhibitions would impress visitors from all over the world and earn it considerable admirers. At the 1867 Paris Exposition Universelle, it won a bronze medal for its monumental crystal fountain; in 1878 it displayed a glass ‘Temple of Mercury’ which contained a large Roman god statue.
Baccarat is still widely played at online casinos and is a very exciting game to play. It can be a very frustrating game to win, however, so it is important to take your time and make sure you understand the rules of the game before betting on it.
The Baccarat Table
Depending on the version of the game being played, there may be seven to fourteen seats for players. These will all be seated in the same area as the Banker, and each area has a table where they can place their bets.
The betting areas for the Banker and the Player are separate, with each having their own area to place bets on. They are placed before the cards are drawn, and there is a time limit for placing your bets.
The rules for drawing a third card are clear, with the player having to draw a card if the total is 0-5 and the banker not. Usually the third card is a 2 or 3, but sometimes a Queen or King can be drawn. It is important to remember that the value of a ten is zero in baccarat, but the value of picture cards and Aces are worth points.
