Baccarat History: A Walk Through Its Origins and Evolution

Baccarat is a popular casino classic enjoyed by millions of casino players worldwide. The game’s popularity can be attributed to its easy-to-understand rules and the sheer entertainment it offers.

As with many other casino classics, the game of Baccarat shares a rich and long history. Here’s an article that takes a look at Baccarat history and explains how it evolved to take the form of Lightning Baccarat and other popular Baccarat variations.

The origins of Baccarat

The exact origins of Baccarat are unknown, though several theories surround the origins of the game. While some people believe that Baccarat was first introduced in France, others think it was Italy where the game was developed.

We’ll go with the Italian theory, as many historians say it’s the most accurate one. According to the Italian narration, Felix Falguiere created the first Baccarat variation in the 15th century.

He named the game “Baccara,” which translates to zero in English. The game was named that way because all the ten picture cards in that version were counted as zero. The name “Baccarat” was adopted when the game became popular in France (more on this later).

It’s thought that the old Etruscan legend of a virgin is what inspired Felix to create Baccara. For those who don’t know, the Etruscan story goes like a young woman who needs to roll a nine-sided die. And the outcome of the dice would determine her fate.

If the result of the dice roll were a nine or an eight, she would become a priestess. If the outcome of the dice roll was a six or seven, on the other hand, she’d stay alive but wouldn’t be able to participate in religious events. And if the result were lower than six, the young woman would be drowned in the sea. While the legend may not be something you’d want to happen in real life, it inspired the initial rules of Baccarat.

The rise of Chemin de Fer

Regarding Blackjack books for enthusiastic players, “The Theory of Blackjack” tops the list. Peter A. Griffin is the author of this book. He is a reputed author, mathematician, and one of the seven members of the Blackjack Hall of Fame. During the 1970s, Peter A. Griffin developed an interest in the game of Blackjack. He lost a lot of money in the game. However, he was determined to conduct in-depth research and enhance his overall gameplay.

As you can guess from the book’s name, it helps you learn the basic strategies of Blackjack. The book tries to cover everything, from identifying the right time to split or double down to measuring your play on the basis of the upcard of the dealer. You will also learn about card counting and how to determine the accuracy of the card counting systems. The book also covers strategies for analysing the playing and betting strategies for different systems.

The origin of Punto Banco

In the 1950s, gambling venues in Havana experienced the development of a new Baccarat variation. This version of Baccarat was named Punto Banco, translating to ‘player’ and ‘banker’ in English.

Players could only play amongst themselves in the Chemin de Fer version of Baccarat. But in the Punto Banco variation, the players and the casino representative could directly compete against each other for several wagers in each round. As such, Punto Banco became the go-to choice for many Baccarat players in the Caribbean and South America.

This was also when Baccarat players started using betting strategies to play the game. Martingale, Fibonacci, Paroli, and Labouchere are some popular betting systems that many players use in Baccarat games. 

While the exact working of all these wagering systems is different, the basic premise is to increase or decrease your stake size as you continue playing. Another commonly used Baccarat playing strategy is the Baccarat Streak-Swing system.

Baccarat today

Millions of worldwide casino players now enjoy the game of Baccarat, all thanks to the increased prevalence of online and live casino gambling platforms.

When playing at any good casino online like ours, Baccarat players can enjoy Baccarat gaming action from the comfort of their homes. Also, online Baccarat players can choose from several exciting Baccarat variations, including European Baccarat, Mini Baccarat, and Baccarat Banque.

Then there are the live Baccarat games for players who want to enjoy the thrills of land-based Baccarat without traveling anywhere. The live Baccarat games are streamed from top-notch gaming studios and offer the option to view the gaming action from multiple angles. Then there’s the live chat option to allows you to interact with the dealer and other Baccarat players at the table.

Furthermore, you don’t have to limit yourself to your desktop and laptop PC to enjoy Baccarat gaming action. With mobile casinos, you can play your favourite Baccarat games whenever and wherever you want. 

With the option to choose from several different Baccarat betting types, eligible mobile Baccarat players can take advantage of numerous exciting bonuses and promotional rewards. All in all, Baccarat has become more accessible and entertaining than ever before.