BACCARAT, a gambling card-game (origin of name un known), supposed to have been introduced into France from Italy during the reign of Charles VIII. (c. 149o). There are two varieties of the game : baccarat banque and baccarat chemin de fer. The most usual form at the present time is chemin de f er which is played a great deal in France, not only in clubs and pri vate houses, but also at casinos all over the country. It is also played at the casino at Monte Carlo. Six full packs of cards are used. They are shuffled by the croupier and by any of the players who may wish to do so. Any number of people may play, but the ordinary chemin de fer table has 12 seats, one for the croupier in the middle and the others numbered from I to I After the cards are shuffled, the croupier puts them into a "shoe" which is a special sort of box from which the cards can easily be drawn one at a time. The shoe is then passed to the player on the right of the croupier, that is, in No. I seat, who becomes banker for the time being. The other players are called punters. The banker places on the table in front of him the sum which he wishes to stake, and the player on his right has the first chance of calling Banco, which means that he plays for the entire stake. If the next player does not wish to go Banco anyone else at the table can do so in their regular turn. When the banker wins, his stake becomes doubled and again anybody at the table can call Banco, but the player who lost the last coup has the first right, which he claims by saying suivi. If nobody calls Banco, which happens sometimes, especially when the banker has won several coups, any of the punters at the table can stake what they like up to the amount that is in the bank. The banker con tinues, if he wishes to, until he loses a coup, when the deal passes automatically to the player on his right, but a banker can retire and take in his winnings at any time, before he has dealt a card, on saying la banque passe.
The banker deals one card to the punter and one to himself, then a second one to his opponent and another to himself, all face downwards. The object is to get as near to nine as possible, but not over it. Court cards and tens count nothing, other cards count their face value. The punter looks at his two cards and, if they count eight or nine he puts them on the table face upwards. A seven and a two would be nine, or a king and a nine, as court cards do not count; a five and a three, making eight, would also be a natural and must be shown at once. If he has not got a natur al the punter can ask for another card, which the banker is bound to give unless he has a natural himself. The banker does not look at his own hand until the punter either asks for another card by saying Carte, or refuses by saying Non. The banker then ex poses his two cards on the table. If he has a natural he wins the coup, if not, he deals another card to the punter, face upwards, and can then decide whether to take another card himself or not. The rules about taking a card are clearly defined. If a player holds either six or seven he does not draw; if he hold five it is a volonte, he can do as he pleases ; if he holds less than five he al ways takes a card. This is where the banker gets his advantage. He can decide about taking a card after he has seen the card given to his opponent. For instance, if he has given a court card, counting nothing, he will stand on a four. If he has given a seven he will draw on a six in the faint hope of getting a two or a three. Ties neither win nor lose and fresh cards are dealt. When a banker passes his bank and takes his profit, the bank is offered round the table by the croupier, and anyone at the table can take it and carry it on by putting up the same amount that was in the bank. If anybody is willing to take it, the bank is put up to auction by the croupier and the highest bidder takes it.
Baccarat Banque is rarely played nowadays except when there is very high gambling at Deauville or at Monte Carlo. Three packs of cards, thoroughly shuffled, are used. One player holds the bank against all the others. He puts in a certain named sum or sometimes declares Banque Ouverte, which means that anyone can stake whatever he likes. There are two tableaux, the right and the left. The banker deals one card to the right, one to the left and one to himself, then another to the right, another to the left and another to himself, all face downwards. He then looks at his cards, and if he has not a natural, that is eight or nine, he says Ten donne, and offers a card to the tableau on his right, and then to the one on his left. The duty of accepting or refusing the card devolves upon each player at the table in turn, provided that he has a stake in front of him. When he loses a coup, it passes to the player next to him. Baccarat in any form is illegal in England, but it is very popular in France.
See Badoureau, Etude mathematique sur le jeu de Baccarat (i881) ; L. Billard, Breviarie de Baccara Experimental (1883) ; Rules for Baccarat by J. S. Bond (1882) ; Baccara and Chemin-de- f er by Peter (1923). (W. DA.)