History of Baccarat
Baccarat has become a popular alternative to the other card games that can be found online, but it is also one the oldest casino games around, having originated in Italy at the end of the 15th century (the name Baccarat derived from the Italian word ‘Baccara’ meaning zero). It is closely related to the other Italian card games Faro and Bassett, sharing similar rules and gameplay. One Felix Falguirein is said to be the inventor of the game and played the very first hand of Baccarat using a deck of tarot cards.
But in contradiction to this story, there is a far more intriguing theory that goes all the way back to the Etruscan period. Many comparisons have been made between the rules of Baccarat and an ancient Etruscan ritual that involved a virgin throwing a nine-sided dice. If the throw added to 8 or 9 she would be made a priestess; a 6 or 7 would mean that she could lead a normal life; but any lower amount and she would have to drown herself in the ocean. The rules for Baccarat are strikingly similar, although there is no convincing evidence that this was the inspiration for the game.
And as much as Baccarat is regarded as an Italian card game, it was the French who gave it its full title and developed the game that we still play today. When King Charles of France started the Franco-Italian war in 1494, French soldiers in Naples discovered the game and took it back to their home country. The most widely played version of Baccarat was known as ‘Chemin de Fer’, which literary translates to ‘railroad’. It had received this name as the cards were placed in an iron box which was passed around to each player.
‘Baccarat Banque’ is another variant that was developed around this time, with the main difference being that the casino would fill the role of banker (normally assigned to one of the players in a game of Chemin de Fer).
However, by far the most popular version of Baccarat today is ‘Punto Banco’which originated in North America at the start of the 20th century. Punto Banco first appeared in New York’s illegal casino dens around 1912, but was soon ousted in favor of Blackjack. It wasn’t until the late 1950s that Punto Banco would re-emerge in Las Vegas and it’s fast pace made it a more popular game then its European counterparts. Tommy Renzoni, author of 1974’s “Renzoni on Baccarat” and a well-known gambling celebrity, is credited for bringing the game back to life in the Las Vegas casinos. Renzoni said he discovered Punto Banco while working in the Capri Casino in Havana, Cuba.
Punto Banco has also produced a more recent version of Baccarat, known simply as ‘Mini Baccarat’. Both these versions of the game require no skill, but the traditional Chemin de Fer and Baccarat Banque need a much more strategic approach.
