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The Origins of Baccarat
The word "baccarat" is the French word for the Italian word "baccara," meaning "zero." This term refers to the value of all tens and face cards in the game, which is zero. Due to the French and Italian origins of the word, there is some contention over where the game originated. It is most commonly believed that the game was invented in Italy by gambler, Felix Falguierein during the middle ages. It is thought that the game of baccarat may have originated from an old Estruscan ritual to the nine gods where a virgin rolls a nine-sided dice. It was then played with a pack of tarot cards. Baccarat was introduced to France in the 1490s when it was thought to be brought to the country by the soldiers of King Charles VIII who were fighting the Franco-Italian War. At that stage it was a game that was exclusive to the French nobility, but it did become popular with other classes and then became one of the popular casino games. There is some thought that baccarat evolved from blackjack due to the structural similarity between the games.
The Evolution of Baccarat
The French variation of baccarat, known as "Chemin de fer," spread first to Europe where the rules were changed and it became known as "European baccarat." From there, this new variation of baccarat spread to South America. Baccarat made its first appearance in the United States in about 1911, when it was played in illegal casinos in New York. The game did not last long as the structurally similar game of blackjack was far more popular. In the late 1950s baccarat made its second appearance in the US when Tommy Renzoni brought a variation of baccarat to the United States that was a combination of European baccarat and Chemin de fer. It was first introduced to the Dunes Casino in Las Vegas. The spread from South America to the United States is thought to have begun after the Cuban government closed the Havana casinos and Renzoni who was running a baccarat table in Havana moved with the game to Nevada. Today, baccarat is a popular casino game across the globe and while the rules vary slightly from country to country, it remains recognizable for its elegance and popularity. In France and Spain, baccarat remains known as Chemin de fer. European baccarat is known as Baccarat en Banque and American Baccarat is known as Punto Banco.
Modern Variations of Baccarat
Baccarat is a game that has traditionally attracted the high roller casino gamblers. More recently, mini baccarat was invented. It has essentially the same rules as American baccarat, but it has simplified procedures and lower table limits which makes it popular with players with an average bankroll. The dealer, not the players, deals the cards and as the name suggests, the game is played on smaller blackjack-sized tables, as opposed to the larger baccarat tables. Online baccarat has also had the effect of making baccarat accessible to those with a lower bankroll. Online baccarat uses the same rules as mini baccarat.
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