Baccarat is a casino card game. There
are three accepted variants of the game: baccarat chemin de fer,
baccarat banque (or à deux tableaux), and punto banco (or North American
baccarat). Punto banco is strictly a game of chance, with no skill or
strategy involved; each player's moves are forced by the cards the
player is dealt. In baccarat chemin de fer and baccarat banque, by
contrast, both players can make choices, which allows skill to play a
part.
Baccarat is a simple game with only three possible results - 'Player',
'Banker' and 'Tie'. The term 'Player' does not refer to the customer and
the term 'Banker' does not refer to the house. They are just options on
which the customer can bet.
In Baccarat, cards 2-9 are worth face value, 10s and face cards (J, Q,
K) are worth zero, and Aces are worth 1 point. Players calculate their
score by taking the sum of all cards modulo 10, meaning that after
adding the value of the cards the tens digit is ignored.
Six full packs of cards of the same pattern are used, shuffled together.
The players seat themselves around the table. In the center is a basket
for the reception of the used cards. If there is any question as to the
relative positions of the players, it is decided by lot. The person who
draws the first place seats himself next on the right hand of the
croupier, and the rest follow in succession.
The croupier shuffles the cards, and then passes them on, each player
having the right to shuffle in turn. When they have made the circuit of
the table, the croupier again shuffles, and, having done so, offers the
cards to the player on his left, who cuts. The croupier places the cards
before him, and, taking a manageable quantity from the top, hands it to
the player on his right, who for the time being is dealer, or "banker".
The other players are punters. He banker proceeds to deal four cards face
downwards: the first, for the punters, to the right; the second to
himself; the third for the punters, the fourth to himself. The player
who has the highest stake represents the punters. If two punters are
equal in this respect, the player first in rotation has the preference.
Each then looks at his cards. If he finds that they make either nine,
the highest point at Baccarat, or eight, the next highest, he turns them
up, announcing the number aloud, and the hand is at an end.
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