Baccarat

The Game

baccarat_en

Baccarat is played with 6 French decks of cards (52 cards each), totaling 312 cards. The cards have the same back cover, with 3 decks being pink and 3 decks blue.

The goal of the game is to reach 9 points with 2 or 3 cars, or come as closer to it then the opponent.
The valuation of the cards is as followed: the Ace counts one point. The numbers 2 to 9 are counted at their face value.

All face cards and tens are worth zero points. If a player reaches more than 9 point with his cards, then only the second digit numbers are counted. For example should a player have 10 points, he’ll get zero points, namely baccarat, should he have 12 points he’ll get 2 points.

Variations

There are two main variations, which are played in casinos. "Baccara chemin de fer" and "Baccara banque". "Chemin der fer" is the more popular version, and should be familiar to you as it has appeared numerous times in movies such as James Bond – 007.

Chemin der fer Rules
The dealer shuffles the cards before each game starts and the player to his left has to cut the deck. The shuffling and cutting follows a very elaborate pattern. After this “ceremony” the cards are placed in the shoe. The player to the right of the dealer acts as the bank and is responsible for making the first bet, continuing anticlockwise the rest of the players place their bets.
After betting has concluded the cards are dealt in a specific way with the player who made the highest bet (ponte) being dealt the first card. The second card goes to the player functioning as the bank and the following cards are dealt to the remaining players.

Rules

There are additional rules with the Chemin der fe version at the “banco”, a player needs to wager the total amount of the bank. In most cases the game is then played between the player and the bank.

At most two players are allowed to play against the bank. The bank may also be played by two people in the "Banco-Double" version in which the second banker may increase the total betting amount. With "Suivi" the banker can ask for “revenge” after a lost round of a banco game.

A Baccara game can be concluded after each Coup (round), but usually it ends once the cards need to be reshuffled. The amount that is in the shoe after the end of the game belongs to the player acting as the bank minus 5%, which go to the casino.

Ponte

There are several rules and strategies for the ponte, which depend on the number of points of the first two cards.

With zero to four points the ponte should ask for a third card ("Carte, s'il vous plait"). The cards are lying face down next to each other.
At fife points her can choose if he wants an additional card or not.
With six point he places both cards on top of each other, and should not ask for another card ("Reste" or "Non, Monsieur").
With eight or even nine points the player has to flip his cards and says eight ("Huit") or nine ("Neuf"). Alternatively you can also say "Le Grande" or "Le Petite". Afterwards there are no more 3rd draws, and the banker needs to disclose his hand.

Banker (Banquier)

After the ponte has concluded his moves, it is the turn of the banker to uncover his cards. The same principles of drawing apply. Should the banker have eight or nine points he stands and the winner is determined.
Should he have less than 8 points he may ask for another card.

The strategy of the banker holding cards with less than eight points depends on the sum of the cards:

If he holds seven points he should not take another card
If he has six points he should take another card, if he deals the ponte a fife, six or seven
He should behave the same way with fife points. Should the ponte pass on another card, the banker has the choice should a four be dealt, but he should pass should if any other card has been dealt.
With four points he should get another card, as long als the ponte does not have an ace, eight or higher
With three points he should not draw another card if the opponent has an eight
With less than three points, the banker should always draw another card

Determining the Winner

Once all parties are done drawing cards, the one closes to nine wins the game. Should both player have the same amount of points the “coup” is deemed void. If the banker wins he gets 95% of the win (Suite), however should he also play the next coup he may not yet withdraw any of the winnings.Should the pontes win, then their bet is doubled.

History

As legend has it, the card game Baccara was invented in the 16th century in Naples, Italy. The name can be traced back to the Neapolitan dialect, where Baccara means “zero”. Other research suggests that Baccara was invented much later, in the 19th century.