Baccarat (pronounced bah-cah-rah) is an elegant, sophisticated and high-limit game that is a favorite of tuxedo-clad card players at casinos throughout the world. It is a popular gambling game with a low house edge, and can be played by anyone who knows the basics of poker.
In Baccarat, the goal is to make a hand that is closer to nine than the opposite hand. This is achieved by subtracting the first digit of each card in your hand. The cards are numbered from 2 to 9, with the twos through aces having a numerical value equal to their face values.
The game is played with eight 52-card decks that are dealt from a dealing shoe, or box, which releases one card at a time, face down. The croupier deals the cards, then players place bets on the player or banker’s hands.
A large table is covered with green felt, and the numbered areas on it indicate where bets can be placed. The croupier (dealer) sits in front of the table and deals cards. The players are seated around the table and may place bets on the player or banker’s hand, or they can place a bet on a combination of the player or banker’s hands.
The table’s layout shows where the player and banker’s bets should be placed, as well as the number of chips that each player can wager. The player is the active player and may call a ’carte’ or a ’non’ depending on his hand’s total. If the active player has a total of 6 or 7, he draws a third card and stays on the same hand.
Unlike many casino games, the rules of baccarat are fairly simple to understand and can be learned in a short amount of time. The game is a great way to practice your strategy without risking too much money, and can be played anywhere there are eight cards.
Baccarat’s history dates back to the 16th century, when it was a popular card game in Italy. The game was later known as Chemin de Fer, which eventually evolved into the modern version we know today.
Although it never caught on among the general public, it was a favorite of the French aristocracy. King Charles VIII was a huge fan of the game, and it was a big draw at royal events such as the Exposition Universelle in 1855.
Original 19th-Century Baccarat glassware is prized by collectors worldwide, and many of the most iconic designs can be seen at the Baccarat Museum in Paris or on display in the Plaza Hotel in New York City. The company also made opulent lighting fixtures for royal and exhibition use, including the famous candelabras of Tsar Nicholas II.
Its opulence and craftsmanship were so impressive that it was awarded multiple medals at the various fairs it attended in the 19th Century, earning it admirers across Europe as well as throughout Asia, the Ottoman Empire, Portugal, Japan and India. It even provided the furnishings for Dolmbahce Palace, home to the Ottoman Sultan in Istanbul.
