The steps were taken towards giving the world the game of Baccarat can be traced back 500 years to medieval Italy. This card game developed from play slots games that were mostly played by the aristocracy. However, one man has actually been credited with the creation of the game and his name is Felix Falguierein. He was thought to have invented the game in the 1400s. Back then the game was called baccara which means zero in Italian.
The original Baccarat format was different to what is played today. The game in the 1400s involved four dealers and each of the players had an opportunity to be the banker. Players could bet against other players and against the house as well. This is in total contrast to how Baccarat is played today at land-based and online casinos. The modern game only has one dealer and bets are placed against the house and not against each other. Furthermore, the house also acts as the primary banker.
The Development of Baccarat
The Italian version of the game crossed into France where it was known as Chemin de Fer or Chemmy for short. King Charles VII and his noblemen were particular fans of the game and this boosted its popularity further, especially amongst the aristocracy.
Eventually, the game crossed the globe and was known as Punto Banco in some places. The changes already mentioned to the rules of Baccarat led to the new format being called American Baccarat.
Unfortunately, Baccarat today plays second fiddle to slots and other games like Roulette in today’s gambling environment, but this has meant that Baccarat has something of an exclusive feel to it and because of this, some real high staking is Baccarat rooms are permitted.
Playing the Game
Baccarat is a simple game to play and it can be enjoyed at land-based and online casinos. Playing online in the comfort of your own home has become the most popular way of enjoying this game. It can be simulated or you can play the game courtesy of the live casino lobby at virtual online gambling sites.
To begin, all bets must be laid before any hand is dealt. Once all the bets are in, then two cards are dealt to the two hands and these are known as the Player hand and the Bank hand. The aim of the game here is to bet on the hands that will get closest to 9. You have 3 betting opportunities here and they are as follows, you can bet on the Bank hand Player hand or a tie round. All tens and face cards have a value of zero, an ace has a value of one point, whilst the rest of the cards keep their face value. Winning bets have to pay a 5% commission to the house in some forms of the game.
Final Thoughts
Like most card games Baccarat has moved to online venues and here you can play in the comfort of your own home. Online casinos offer the classic versions of this game such as Punto Banco, but other versions such as Mini Baccarat have been developed especially for the online market.
