Baccarat Basics: History, Rules, and American Baccarat Casinos
The American and European versions of baccarat and the French Chemin de Fer are, in essence, each an evolution from the Italian baccara, meaning a "zero" in Italian. The origins are traced back to an ancient Etruscan myth. The story states that a virgin blonde had to cast a nine-sided die to determine her fate. If the die showed eight or nine, her path foresaw her carrying out the priestess role. If six or seven showed up, she was to refrain from the religious performance. If any other number showed up, the virgin was instructed to drown herself in the sea.
This Italian game is baccara and had been a favoured pastime of the French nobility towards the close of the 15th century. By then, baccara had developed into its European version, the baccarat still played in many of the European casinos today, as well as in the French form of baccarat known as Chemin de Fer, mainly played in the casinos of France. The American version of baccarat was introduced to the Nevada casinos through Francis Tommy Renzoni, who had imported the game from Havana in the 1950s. Today, American baccarat casinos have their own set of rules, and they remain a big attraction in the city of Las Vegas where the game is a huge popularity.
While playing Baccarat, the goal is to bet on one of the two hands you think will come closer to nine. Nine is the highest score. Face cards or 10s thus are zero points. An Ace is valued at one-point. If the card values of any one hand add up to more than nine, only the second digit is important.
Example: 10=0 17=7 20=0 23=3.
The shoe holds eight decks of cards and passes from player to player, counterclockwise, each time the player wins the hand. Thus, everyone is given an opportunity to play an active role in dealing the game. The bets for the hand get placed on whichever side the player thinks will win-Croupier versus the Player-before cards are dealt from the shoe. The player with the shoe will deal four cards in alternating fashion-two for the player and two for the banker. The dealer will announce the total of each hand and, if the rules allow, will call for a possible third card for either side. The side that wins is announced, losing bets are collected, and winning bets are paid out at even money.
All winning bets from the player's side will be subject to a 5% commission. The dealer will keep track of the commission in a running tally, which will be settled at the end of the shoe or the end of the game. You may pay your commission anytime in the course of the game.
These bets are other types of bets if you so choose, called "pairs" and "tie." The players can either bet against the Banker having a pair or against the Player having a pair on the first two cards drawn for each hand. If they are, this type of bet pays off at odds of 12-to-1. Whereas, in a Tie betting, the bets revolve around both Player and Banker going for a tie, and this type of bet pays off at 9-to-1 odds. The next proposition is a bet called Lucky 6. This type of bet pays 13 to 1 for a two-card Banker hand totaling 6, 21 to 1 for any three-card Banker hand totaling 6.
We would like to invite you to relax at some of the finest Baccarat tables in Las Vegas, where our dealers would be all too happy to show you the game and answer any further questions you may have.
No Commission Baccarat
This exciting variation of Baccarat charges no commission on a winning bank hand. However, on 6, the payoff on a winning Banker hand is 0.5 times the original wager.
Basic Rules To Remember
- If banker and/or player hand has a total of eight or nine on first two cards, no further cards are drawn.
- Player hand having zero to five must draw one card. Player hand having six or seven must stand.
- Banker hand stands or draws one card as directed by the chart.
Mini-Baccarat provides as much excitement and enjoyment as its elder sibling, Baccarat. The same rules apply that are common to Baccarat. The crupier is the only person allowed to touch or deal cards in Mini-Baccarat.
Baccarat is played with three dealers and up to 12 or 14 players. The game is typically played using eight decks of standard playing cards. Aces count as one; face cards and tens value is zero, while all other cards are valued according to their face values. The suit has no relevance. The aim of the game is very simple: get as close to 9 as possible.The dealer begins the game by allowing the players to bet on a player, a banker, or on a tie. Here the banker is always the one who bets. The banker will be either the house dealer or one of the players. Unlike other games, the dealer will give two cards to every player and to the banker only after everybody has placed their bets. The score of each hand is obtained by adding the values of the two cards and discarding the digit at the left.The decision whether to draw a third card or not is determined by a set or rules and should not be made at the player's discretion or that of the dealer.9 or 8-the player wins.9 or 8-the banker wins-tie.7 or 6-the player can draw-so called "stand."5 or less-the player must draw, called "total."If a player gets a third card, and the score of the dealers hand is 2, 1, or 0, he must draw another card.If the banker scores 3 and the player's third card is any value but an 8, he must continue with the drawing.4If the banker scores 4 and the player's third card value is between 2 and 7, the banker must draw a third card.If the banker scores 5 and the player's third card value is between 4 and 7, he must draw another card.6If the banker scores 6, the banker must draw another card if the player's third card value is a 6 or a 7.7The banker can not draw a third card if the banker scores 7.
Stadium Baccarat
With this new exciting format, there is a captivating spin to a classic baccarat format, throwing great expectation and thrills with a table minimum of just $5. If you are a lover of baccarat, then you must consider Stadium Baccarat as a new one to try out.
Very similar to a game being played on a Baccarat table as opposed to online; the dealer would deal the game in front of you, and you would be allowed to view the live dealing of cards from a display screen on the betting terminal. Players are to place their wagers simply by touching the betting area on their terminal, and they are offered an opportunity to play up to four games simultaneously.
