History of Baccarat
Being a game of the old world, Baccarat has always been associated with elegance and finesse. The origins of this hard to access gambling game often characterized for the high stakes it reaches, date back four centuries ago. Although highly debated, it is believed that Baccarat was first invented in Italy. The term itself is derived from the Italian baccara, which means “zero”, corresponding to the rules of the game, according to which the point value of all face cards and 10’s is zero.
Cards from a Tarot deck were used to play the original variant of Baccarat and the first official game is attributed to an Italian gambler by the name of Felix Falguierein. Shortly after its invention, the game was brought in France, becoming very popular among the French Nobility. As the aristocracy’s interest and fascination of the game grew, Baccarat acquired a new look by undergoing through certain changes in the rules and became to be know as Chemin de Fer. This is the most probable reason for the French to claim the game as an invention of their own. A distinguishing feature of Chemin de Fer is that the bank is controlled by the players themselves, each one taking a turn as the banker. In this version of the game, the players actually play against themselves and the casino is left with a percentage of the winnings.
As the popularity of Baccarat in French casinos increased, the game made a long voyage around the globe after the First World War. From the British Isles to the Americas, and even China, Baccarat has always been adopted as a favorite form of entertainment for the rich and wealthy. With each of its journeys the rules of the game have been slightly remodeled. The new name that was given to the game, as it reached England, was European Baccarat. What was changed from the original Chemin de Fer was that this variant included a sponsored by the casino dealer.
The game didn’t make any remarkable impression as it reached the United States in the early 20th century. As it continued to travel in the 1950’s, Baccarat landed on the grounds of Mar del Plata casinos in Argentina and was very well appreciated by the South American elite. In Cuba, the game was played by the name Punto Banco, from which derived what is known today as American Baccarat. This type of Baccarat differs from the Chemin de Fer by the fact that the bank is actually controlled by the house.
By watching the gamblers play Punto Banco, the executive of the Capri Hotel Casino in Havana Tommy Renzoni managed to persuade the owners of the Dune Casino to introduce Baccarat to Las Vegas, and took credit for bringing the game back to the United States.
As up today, Baccarat has gone through quite a few changes, but the one thing remaining constant is its popularity among the rich. Its exclusiveness and sophistication continue to attract millionaires, “whales” and high-rollers to the sectioned-off baccarat tables with plush surroundings, where fortunes are won or lost.
To learn more about the history and rules of Baccarat please consider the following links: how to play baccarat, online baccarat & baccarat strategy.
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