Baccarat Basics Explained
Introduction to Baccarat
The Game of Nines
Baccarat is one of the most elegant and straightforward card games you'll find in a casino. Despite its sophisticated reputation, often associated with high rollers in tuxedos, the game itself is surprisingly simple. At its heart, Baccarat is a game of guessing.
Two hands are dealt: one for the "Player" and one for the "Banker." You don't play a hand yourself; instead, you bet on which of these two hands will have a total value closest to nine. You can also bet that the hands will tie. That's the entire objective. The values of the cards are a little different than in other games. Aces are worth one, cards 2 through 9 are worth their face value, and 10s, Jacks, Queens, and Kings are worth zero.
The game’s history is as rich as its reputation. Baccarat traces its roots back to 15th-century Italy, created by a gambler named Felix Falguiere. He called the game “baccara,” which is Italian for “zero,” because all the tens and face cards were worth zero.
From Italy, the game traveled to France, where it became a favorite of the French nobility and was known as Chemin de Fer. It eventually crossed the English Channel and then the Atlantic, evolving along the way into the modern versions played in casinos around the globe.
Three Ways to Play
While the goal of getting closest to nine is universal, there are three main versions of Baccarat, each with a slightly different flavor.
Punto Banco This is the version you're most likely to encounter, especially in North American, British, and Australian casinos. It's a game of pure chance. The dealer handles everything, and the drawing of cards is dictated by a strict set of rules. The player's only decision is where to place their bet: on the Player (Punto), the Banker (Banco), or a Tie.
Chemin de Fer Meaning "railway" or "railroad" in French, this was the original version that became popular in France. Unlike Punto Banco, players bet against each other. The role of the Banker rotates among the players, and the person acting as Banker sets aside a stake they are willing to risk. Players, in turn, can decide to match that stake. Crucially, the player with the highest individual bet gets to decide whether to draw a third card, introducing a small element of skill.
Baccarat Banque This version is very similar to Chemin de Fer, with players betting against a Banker chosen from among them. The main difference is that the Banker role is more permanent. One player will remain the Banker for an entire shoe of cards, or until they decide to retire or run out of money.
| Variant | Key Feature | Player Choice |
|---|---|---|
| Punto Banco | House banks the game | None; rules are fixed |
| Chemin de Fer | Players bank against each other | Option to draw a third card |
| Baccarat Banque | One player acts as long-term banker | Option to draw a third card |
For our purposes, we'll be focusing on Punto Banco. It's the most common and accessible version of the game, relying entirely on luck rather than complex strategy.
Ready to test your knowledge?
What is the primary objective in a game of Baccarat?
In Baccarat, what is the point value of a King, Queen, or Jack?
Now that you understand the objective and the main variations, you're ready to learn the specific rules of play.