The sophisticated card game of online baccarat has several claims to fame. One of the older casino games, it is a game of luck and luck alone, with simple rules and straightforward betting choices. It’s also a traditional favorite of high rollers in casino rooms, where roped-off tables give online baccarat’s fashionable players some privacy. And let’s not forget, of course, that online baccarat rates as the card game of choice for Ian Fleming’s creation, special agent James Bond. No surprise there, considering online baccarat’s reputation as one of the classier casino games, black tie required. But even if you do not exactly consider yourself a high roller, don’t be intimidated—anyone can play online baccarat, especially online. The object of online baccarat is straightforward: bet on which of two hands, the Player or the Banker, will have a score closest to 9. It’s important to understand that while multiple players may take a seat at the table, only these two hands are dealt. And while you may be a player, you do not have to bet on the Player’s hand. You can bet on either the Player or Banker’s hand, or you can bet on a tie. Your score is calculated by adding the card values in your hand. If you have a two-digit score, only the last digit counts. What makes online baccarat particularly unusual is that the face cards and Tens—high value cards in most games—count as zero in online baccarat. In fact, online baccarat, which originated in Italy in the Middle Ages, takes its name from the Italian word “Baccara,” meaning zero. Online baccarat offers players good odds at winning, and once a player decides whether he’s going to bet on the Player, Banker, or Tie, his decision-making is done. He must wait for the dealer to deal, let the cards fall as they many, and see what his luck brings. There are actually several variations of online baccarat currently played around the world, including European online baccarat, American online baccarat (sometimes called Punto Banco online baccarat), online baccarat banque (à deux tableaux), and Chemin de Fer (railway). Today, online baccarat is a favorite game of high rollers and famous gamers around the world, but it has also grown to boast a large online fan base. One quick final note on online baccarat’s place in pop culture history: James Bond doesn’t just indulge in online baccarat — he’s an expert player. Bond engages in online baccarat games in a number of 007 books, as well as movies, and the Bond novel Casino Royale famously features online baccarat as a plot device. It should be noted, though, that the 2006 movie version of Casino Royale starring Daniel Craig changes online baccarat to poker, in deference to the current popularity of the latter. |
