Baccarat Varieties
The game of baccarat is among the premiere attractions in prestigious casinos worldwide. Its atmosphere of elegance and classiness never ceased to attract "high rollers" throughout the years since it was first played in Europe.
One of the first baccarat games to be played is the French "chemin de fer". Nobles and top-rank officials of this country made this game exclusive to their class before it became available to the general public.
The object of the game is the same as every baccarat variety in the world. The hand with a total closest to nine wins the game. Here, the casino does not fund the game. The players play against each other with one player acting as the bank. This role rotates around the table in a counterclockwise manner.
European baccarat is a variety of the game made famous by England. It spread in South America and eventually became the basis for the baccarat game played in the United States of America. Unlike in "chemin de fer", the casino is involved in the game as it provides the funds for the hand of the banker. It also sets the betting limit for each round of the game. If the banker sets a betting limit, the total bet amount of all players must not exceed the amount set by the banker. Otherwise, no other player can bet in that particular round.
Another variety of baccarat popular in Europe is the "Baccarat en Banque". The game is somewhat similar to "chemin de fer" but differs in the way the role of the bank rotates among the players. A player will remain the banker unless he is beaten by another player. Usually, there are three decks of cards involved in the game. Three hands are also dealt with two hands for the player and the other one for the banker. The players can only deal in the hands of the player. Drawing of the third card is similar to the rules in "chemin de fer".
Lastly, American Baccarat is one of the most widely played baccarat variety. Here, the casino finances the game. The players do not compete with each other but instead play against the casino. Bets are placed either on the banker or the player's hand. An option to bet on stand-off is also available in many casinos. A smaller version of this variety of baccarat has also been developed. This game is called mini-baccarat and played on a smaller table and betting minimum.