Baccarat is a card game with an intriguing history involving a royal scandal, James Bond and plenty of glamour. Here is a quick look at where and when Baccarat originates from, how it evolved into the game we know today and why it become prevalent across the globe.
James Bond Baccarat chemin-de-fer is the favoured game of James Bond, the fictional secret agent created by Ian Fleming. 29 Bond plays the game in numerous novels, most notably his 1953 debut, Casino Royale, in which the entire plot revolves around a game between Bond and SMERSH operative Le Chiffre; the unabridged version of the novel. James Bond has had a long association with the game of Baccarat. For fans of the recent Bond films this may come as a surprise, as in the modern films the game of Baccarat was replaced with Texas Hold'em as at the time of the movies' release, Texas Hold'em had a massive surge in popularity. Play Online Baccarat as in the James Bond Films. David Christopher Lee June 26, 2020. By definition, baccarat is the exclusive card game of the casino.
Origins and Felix Falguiere
Peter Sellers as Evelyn Tremble / James Bond: A baccarat master recruited by Vesper Lynd to challenge Le Chiffre at Casino Royale. Ursula Andress as Vesper Lynd / James Bond: A retired British secret agent forced back into service in exchange for writing off her tax arrears. In the 21st James Bond film Casino Royale Baccarat is replaced by no-limit Texas Hold'em poker. The rules of Baccarat. Baccarat is a card game that is dealt from a shoe that holds 6 or 8 decks of cards. Two hands are dealt by the house dealer, the 'banker' hand and the 'player' hand.
While the common conception is that Baccarat originated in France, some historians have suggested that the game's roots can be traced back to ancient China and Rome. Pai Gow (‘make nine' in English) was a popular game in the former that utilised tiles to denote numbers, potentially indicating a link to Baccarat, in which nine is the maximum score that can be achieved.
Falguiere named the game Baccara (Italian for zero) as the majority of cards are worth zero.
Meanwhile, it is claimed that in ancient Rome various games were played that involved rolling a nine-sided dice, with those who rolled an eight or nine receiving prizes. This has led some to suggest that the significance of eight or nine (a ‘natural' in Baccarat) supplying the best outcome might have had a formative influence on the rules of the game.
The first official set of rules for the modern version of Baccarat were devised by a man named Felix Falguiere in 15th century Italy. It is believed that Falguiere was primarily influenced by games including Macao, today known as a Baccarat variant, and Le Her. Le Her was a game in which players would draw a card from the deck and the person with the highest rank (King being highest) would win.
Falguiere named the game Baccara (Italian for zero) due to the fact that the majority of cards are worth zero. When the game became popular in France, the French spelling Baccarat was predominantly adopted worldwide.
A royal scandal and James Bond
Baccarat was first brought to France by soldiers returning to the country from conflicts with Italy towards the end of the 15th century. The game quickly became favoured with the French nobility, who developed their own version called Baccarat banque, which also became known as Á deux tableaux, and is considered another Baccarat variant today.
Over time, Baccarat also become popular at casinos and other gambling establishments throughout the country. When these were outlawed by Louis Phillipe I in 1837, another variant was conceived named Chemin de fer (railway in English). Later shortened to chemmy, it is believed that this was also devised by the nobility in the late 1830s, who were amongst the first people to ride and use trains in France and played the game as a means to pass time on it.
Baccarat's popularity was boosted by the release of the debut James Bond novel Casino Royale.
For the remainder of the century, Baccarat garnered slow but steady appeal across the rest of Europe. It received particular attention in the UK when it was involved in a royal scandal in 1891, started by Sir William Gordon-Cumming filing a writ for slander after being accused of cheating during a game hosted by Arthur Wilson.
Not only was this controversial as Baccarat had been declared illegal in 1886, the other players in the game were called as witnesses for the subsequent trial. They included the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII, marking the first time the heir to the throne had been compelled to appear in court since 1411. The nationwide interest in the trial prompted newspapers to publish rules and information about Baccarat, enabling mass public knowledge of it for the first time.
Elsewhere, the game reached North America. The first written reference of Baccarat being played in the US was in an 1871 article by the New York Times that described a gambling clubhouse in Long Branch, New Jersey, mentioning 'the faro spread, the roulette table and the Baccarat board'.
However, for several decades Baccarat struggled for attention in the US against the likes of Blackjack and Craps, to the extent that it was not mentioned in the Assembly Bill which legalised gambling in 1931.
The game's popularity was somewhat boosted by the release of the debut James Bond novel Casino Royale by Ian Fleming in 1953. An instant bestseller, the plot predominantly focused on a game of Chemin de fer between Bond and suspected Soviet spy Le Chiffre, and included instructions for the game for readers.
Somewhat inspired to capitalise on this newfound interest, the Sands in Las Vegas became the first major US casino to offer Baccarat when they opened a Chemin de fer table in 1958.
The birth of punto banco
Throughout the 1950s, a further version of Baccarat was developed, originating in casinos in Havana, Cuba. This was called punto banco (literally ‘player' and ‘banker' in English), the rules of which are explained in our guide to Baccarat.
The Sands opened a punto banco table in 1959 which famously lost $250,000 on its opening night.
Unlike chemin de fer and baccarat banque where players could simply play amongst themselves, punto banco could directly pit players and a representative of the house against each other for a series of bets in every round. As a result, it rapidly established itself as the preferred Baccarat format amongst casinos in South America.
Tommy Renzoni, who later published several books about Baccarat, discovered punto banco during a visit to the Mar del Plata casino in Argentina and quickly alerted casinos in Vegas. The Sands opened a punto banco table in 1959 which famously lost $250,000 on its opening night (equivalent to $2.2 million in 2020), although they persisted with the game to eventually start generating a profit.
However, by the 1970s there were still only 15 Baccarat tables on the entire Vegas strip. As a result, it became marketed as a glamorous game almost exclusive to the rich and famous. Casinos would often have Baccarat tables in private rooms hidden from the public by velvet curtains, and run them with extortionately high minimum bets and players sat in expensive leather chairs.
Baccarat today
Baccarat has experienced a further considerable rise in popularity during the last few decades, largely courtesy of the prevalence of online gambling and casinos.
Macau is now considered the Baccarat hotspot of the world.
The ability to play an extensive range of Baccarat games any time, any place on websites such as Pinnacle Casino has shredded its image as prohibited to a wealthy elite, and it is now enjoyed by thousands (if not more) of players across the globe on a daily basis.
However, casinos still enjoy a large physical footfall on Baccarat, particularly in Asia. Macau is now considered the Baccarat hotspot of the world, and in 2017 the city's casinos made 88% of their $33.2 billion profit from the game, outdoing Las Vegas.
There are also now several high-profile Baccarat tournaments with large prizes that regularly garner mass attention. These include the Baccarat Tournament of Champions, which paid out $440,395 to 2019 winner Ole Schemion, the Golden, Ruby and Royal Dragon Tournaments, and the World Series of Baccarat, which famously rewarded 2015 champion Lin Haisan with $12.9 million.
Learn more about Baccarat
If you're looking for general advice on how to play Baccarat, check out our guide to Baccarat. If you're interested in alternative ways to play Baccarat, check out our guide to Baccarat variants and Baccarat side bets.
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It wasn't the game that the hit film franchise made famous. It was the game that somehow established him as THE Baccarat player.
Golden era slot. Ian Fleming, the creator of the renowned secret agent series, fell in love with Baccarat in the real world that he created the world's most famous Baccarat player, James Bond. And when Mr. Bond came out to the screens, the world was left with nothing to do but love him.
Baccarat is one of the oldest yet popular card games still existing. One reason can be its honest and simple gameplay or the low House Edge. But, the thing that remains clear is that Baccarat prides itself as a very intriguing game of chance.
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Game Mechanics
The Player, Banker or a Draw
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Unlike other card games such as Blackjack and Poker, a punter does not personally deal with the hands in Baccarat. All one needs to do is to bet on what the results will be. The casino will do all the work for you.
The two representatives of the house will be competing on who gets to have a total card value equal or closer to nine.
Baccarat comes from the Italian word ‘baccara' meaning zero. This is because face cards along with tens are counted as zeros. Baccarat follows a specific pointing system.
- Jack, Queen, King, Tens – 0
- Valued Cards – face value (2-9)
- Aces – 1
The best hand in Baccarat is one that falls exactly at 9. When a player surpasses 9, the sum of his cards will be counted by its last digit. For example, getting 2 and 5 of any card symbol will total 7. While having 6 and 7 of any will get you a 3 from its sum 13.
Both sides will be given two cards. After this, the banker and player will decide whether to hit or stand. Hit will imply getting a third card while standing means keeping the cards.
The drawing is automatically done for you at Bitcasino, but here is an overview of what the system follows.
- If the player or banker has a total of 8 or 9, they will stand.
- If the player hand has a score of 5 or less, they get to draw a card.
- In contrast, if the player's hand is strong enough to stand with two cards (i.e. 7), the bank must hit on a score of 5 or less.
On the third card, these conditions will extend to the gameplay.
- If the player draws a 2 or 3, the bank can take a new card if their score is between 0 and 4. However, the bank must stand if they have a score between 5 and 7.
- If the player draws a 4 or 5, the bank can take a new card if their score is between 0 and 5. However, the bank must stand if they have a score of 5 or 7.
- If the player draws a 6 or 7, the bank can take a new card if their score is between 0 and 6. However, the bank must stand if they have a score of 7.
- If the player draws an 8, the bank can take a new card if their score is between 0 and 2. However, the bank must stand if they have a score between 3 and 7.
- If the player draws an Ace, 9, 10 or face card, the bank can take a new card if their score is between 0 and 3. However, the bank must stand if they have a score between 4 and 7.
While the cards are literally unfolding before you, your betting options will only be three — player, banker or a tie. As follows is the standard odds for the three.
| The Player | A tie | The Banker |
| With odds at 1:1, bets on this side will result in an even payout of your stakes. | With odds at a booming 1:8, a draw will result in a big prize for a punter. | With odds at 1:0.95, bets will give a 5% for the house edge thus, a lesser payout. |
An even payout means that you'll have your previous stake back along with a cash prize equal to it. This means that betting 100 on the player and banker will get you 200 and 195 respectively. Winning on a tie with the same stakes can give you 900 and in some higher odd games (1:9), 1000.
It is highly unlikely that a match will end up in a draw amongst the two teams. That is why there is a very tempting pot prize to those who would wager on this option.
With the house edge at 5%, the odds of the player's hand winning is a little lower than the banker's hands. If you count out the probability that a tie will occur, the banker may win 51% of the time.
When in doubt of where to place those bets, betting on the banker will be the safest choice and betting on a tie will be the least practical.
Variations of Baccarat
The traditional game of Baccarat since its earlier years is quite the same to what we offer in our Bitcasino experience. In the late 1800s, Baccarat punters can bid on who will be the banker. The banker will stay until the decks are given out or when he goes bankrupt.
A head-to-head game or the usual player-banker system can occur. During a head-to-head game, a player who challenges the banker by saying ‘banco' engages in a direct deal for the stakes.
In the regular play, the non-bankers are separated into two groups with a representative each. This creates two head-to-head games against the banker per each play. When he or she loses, the title of the player is passed to another in the group.
In this setup, the non-banking groups group their own stakes together to equal that of the banker. When a banker loses to a player, he pays all the stakes on their side of the table.
Baccarat has travelled from across the globe and got passed from culture to culture. The variations of Baccarat today relies heavily on where Baccarat is played.
Mini baccarat
Played mostly in America, this quick version of the game is played in a table for seven (7) instead of eight (8) players. One croupier acts as both banker and player.
This is also widely preferred because of its low bet rates in both physical and online casinos. With an average house edge of 5%, Baccarat tables contribute to a lot (almost 20%) of some casinos' total income.
The mini Baccarat table can also be played in the open unlike other card tables. Should i go to the casino.
Chemin de Fer
As the French version of the game, this game is unlike what we have earlier discussed. As it is, this variation is highly participative for all players. Although still existing, this is not played much in casino tables.
Chemin de Fer uses six decks of cards shuffled by the Croupier. That is his sole function. The banker is the one who distributes the cards. Instead of dealing face up, the cards are laid out on the table face down.
However, every bettor gets to be the banker in turns. The punter who bets the biggest shall become the player. He decides whether to draw a third card or not.
The name which means railway refers to the game's faster approach than the traditional baccarat gameplay.
Punto Banco
This game refers to the player as the ‘Punto' and the bank as the ‘Bunco' as such the name. This game originated from Cuba and Argentina.
Having the largest players of up to 14, six (6)or eight (8) decks of cards can be used in each game. The dealer does everything from shuffling, distributing and even, the announcement of winners.
Unlike the French variation, players do not get to decide whether to hit or stand. Third cards are dealt according to the tableau (French for Board) or a set of fixed drawing rules.
When égalité (meaning tie bets win) is announced, the player and banker bets are kept for the next round.
Baccarat Banque
Unlike Chemin de Fer, only one player gets to play the role of the dealer for the whole duration of this European variation. This is unless he retires or his finances go bust.
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Only three decks of cards are used in this game. Any player can ‘go bank' or serve as the bank, the bank remains as the one who would bet the largest. He can do so until his funds can replenish the stakes in each game.
Quite contrary to the American version, the allure of this game to its gamers is the high bets that can be placed in this game.
Live Casino Lobby
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The Live Game Lobby holds all the Baccarat tables and other table games for easy navigation. It also contains all the live games and the Bombay Club Exclusive Live Games that are available for play so you could easily switch deal after deal.
Other information that can be seen in the lobby include:
- The Game Category and Available Tables for each Game
- Game Information and Basics
- Players Allowed to Play in a Table
- Punters already in Play
- Betting Minimum and Maximum Limits
- Table Information and Time Slot (if there is)
The Live Casino Lobby has these Baccarat Tables.
01Classic Baccarat
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These tables conduct a series of fast-paced Baccarat matches. This follows earlier set rules. Classic Baccarat tables have a minimum of 0.10 mBTC bets and a maximum of 650.
02No Commission Baccarat
As the name suggests, all bets in this variant is given in a 1:1 ratio. But there is a good plus! When a banker wins with a card total of an exact 8, you win on a 1:2 odds!
The No Commission Baccarat tables have a minimum of 0.10 mBTC bets and a maximum of 1250.
03Dragon Tiger
Here is a much simpler variant of Baccarat as only a single card is given to both sides. Bet on whether the dragon or tiger gets the higher card.
Losing on a tied game will halve your stakes. However, betting on a suited tie in this Baccarat game has an odds of 50:1! The Dragon Tiger Baccarat tables have a minimum of 0.10 mBTC bets and a maximum of 3000.
Speed Baccarat
For people who want to bet in a much faster pace, Speed Baccarat is the one for you. Double the amount of bets you give and the winnings you can get as each round lasts only 27 seconds on average!
The standard Speed Baccarat tables have a minimum of 0.20 mBTC bets and a maximum of 1250. The Bombay Club table for this card game has a minimum and maximum of 0.10 mBTC and 4000 mBTC respectively.
05Squeeze Baccarat
Add to the tension as the hosts squeeze cards with the highest bets on this game! Although following the same game, this moderately speedy game is sure to give you a thrill.
The standard Squeeze Baccarat tables have a minimum of 0.20 mBTC bets and a maximum of 1250. The Bombay Club table for this card game has a minimum and maximum of 0.10 mBTC and 5000 mBTC respectively.
06Salon Prive Baccarat
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Enjoy round after round of Baccarat at this table reserved only for you. Feel free to take your time in placing those bets or having a conversation with our host.
The standard Salon Prive Baccarat tables have a minimum of 0.20 mBTC bets and a maximum of 5000. The Bombay Club table for this card game has a minimum and maximum of 0.10 mBTC and 6500 mBTC respectively.
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Back to Baccarat History
The first notable pieces of history on Baccarat can be dated to Medieval Italy. However, it is unsure where the game really originated from.
Ancient China
Some may say that there is a connection between Pai Gow (Chinese for make nine) and Baccarat. Instead of playing cards, however, the Chinese game deals with ceramic or wooden tiles. The nearest similarity of the two is the goal to create a total value of nine. This, however, cannot be backed up by other documentation.
Ancient Rome
Another mythological assumption made famous in Baccarat history is that the game may find its roots in Ancient Rome.
Priestesses of the Goddess Vesta would commemorate a ritual that would decide their fate. These priestesses who were tasked with keeping the eternal fire lit were highly regarded in Ancient Rome. That is why they have a huge responsibility and holiness to prove to the Roman empire.
Rolling a dice carrying nine or eight would mean that she was fit to be a high priestess. Rolling a 6 or 7 would result in being stripped off of her title. Any lower than this, the virgin would be made to walk to drown in the sea.
Medieval Italy
The invention of the printing press came a long time before card games. That is why previous cards were not made on paper. They needed to be drawn or etched manually or block printed.
Block Printing was a technique that Marco Polo brought to the West in the late 1290s from his expeditions in the Orient. They were initially known as The Devil's Picture Books. Tarrochi, a card game in Italy in the early 1300s, is said to be the origin of all modern card games.
The nearest time stamp in the history of Baccarat is when Felix Falguire invented Baccarat using Tarot Cards. He is the same person to have referenced to the game as ‘baccara' meaning zero.
Other games such as Macao and Le Her are also linked to the creation of Baccarat. The games also function by reaching a total of nine and reaching the highest score respectively. Le Her also possesses a drawing system if anything less than a King is drawn.
Some Italian literature linked Vingt-et-un (21) or the modern-day Blackjack to the history of Baccarat. The game referred to in the 19th-century book of Hoyle is Baccarat en Banque. In another variation in 1911, Baccarat en Banque and Chemin de Fer are referred to as entirely different games.
Medieval France
The French took the Baccarat game deep into their culture in the closing of 1400s. When the soldiers returned from Italy, two games Baccarat en Banque and Chemin de Fer became famous in the country. Like every gambling sensation, this led to the banning of betting from the country.
As Chemin de Fer literally means ‘iron way' or ‘railway', this means that the fast pace of the game was most likely compared to the trains, the most recent of transportation advancement of that time. It is said to have become famous immediately after the first railroad in France was opened.
Reaching America
Some may say that Baccarat came into America in the early 1900s. However, previous news articles in the 1800s note that the game had already crossed the American Border as early as 1871. In these articles, the news referred to a Baccarat Board side by side the Roulette Table.
Although many can say that it had officially debuted with the Chemin de Fer version in the 1911, Baccarat's popularity in the United States faltered unlike any other card game in the era. Upon the introduction of the Punto Banco version to the Las Vegas Casino Strip, it only became a major game in the States in 1959.
Baccarat initially created a rough night for the Las Vegas Sands when it was launched. Losing a quarter of a million dollars, the management still decided to keep it running. Now the Baccarat table has become a staple for casinos.
British Pop Culture
James Bond Playing Baccarat
Ian Fleming, the creator of the infamous James Bond, took inspiration from a real-life Baccarat game experience that he saw when he was still in the British Secret Service. He says that he had once crossed paths with a double agent, Dusko Popov, at a casino in Estoril.
James Bond Baccarat
Popov had been mesmerizing to Fleming as he bet all the money on him in a Baccarat table to complete his mission. The vision had taunted Fleming already living as a journalist and his previous dreams of writing a Spy novel. Thus, his mind bore James Bond, a Secret Spy who was a very good Baccarat player.
Before the game was replaced by Poker in recent film adaptations, the film Casino Royale first featured James Bond winning an iconic round of Baccarat game against the casino during one of his missions. https://torrent-vo.mystrikingly.com/blog/caesars-slots-777-free-download.
Present Day
The Baccarat game is now one of the highest-earning games of casinos worldwide both online and physical.
Paradise 8 casino. Asians are also said to patronize the game as it is more a game of chance rather than other card games. This is since cards are not dealt with personally and are just simply wagered on. The removal or ‘burning' of some cards is unlucky to some as it breaks the natural flow of luck in the game.
As the first licensed Bitcoin casino and a platform for both classic and modern games, Bitcasino stands at the corner of innovation and tradition as it leads the industry of crypto gaming. Thus, we are sure to preserve the Baccarat history by having our tables ready for your classic and new variations of the Baccarat game.
When you shoot your shot at a Baccarat game, be sure to place that bet on the Bitcasino Baccarat table. Who knows! You just might become the next famous and rich Baccarat player!
