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Welcome to Casinos UK

History of Baccarat - Casinos UK

Baccarat (pronounced bac-car-ah) is one of the oldest and most popular games found in a Casino or gaming environment. The Baccarat table is often viewed as an exclusive area which can be found in a quiet corner of the room with an elite clientele playing the game. The origins of the game have been well documented although various sources trace the beginning of the game back in the Middle Ages.

The game may have been played using tarot cards back in the middle ages under a name of “Tarrochi”. Alternatively, it is believed that the game may have originated in Italy around 1490 where it was called “Baccara” which is the Italian word for zero due to the value of the face cards and the ten cards.

After gaining popularity in Italy, the game quickly spread to France where it became popular with the French Aristocracy. There, it was generally known as “Chemin De Fer”, however as more people played the game, the name was quickly shortened to “Chemmy or “Shimmy”. At this time the game was still being played where the rules meant that the players had to bet against themselves. French people are known for their chic taste in dressing and as with lots of things, it was seen as fashionable to be a part of new era of card games. By the 1900’s the French Riviera was a glamorous destination and Baccarat was picked up as a fashionable game to be involved in.

“Chemin De Fer” as the game was still known as in France then moved across the sea to Argentina in South America. Argentina was seeing an increase in casinos in the Mar Del Plata area and they soon became a hit for wealthy South Americans with money to burn. The game moved around South America, Cuba in particular was the next destination to see the game become a well respected card game and was known as “Punto Banco” there. This point is probably one of the most important in the history of Baccarat as it was here that the game underwent rule changes that meant it would now be known as American Baccarat. These particular rule changes meant that the players would be playing against the house rather than betting against other players. This meant big business for casino owners and one man in particular, Francis “Tommy” Renzoni paid a lot of attention to the game and how it was played in casinos.

Renzoni believed that he could develop the game further and felt that America should be the next place to respect the game of Baccarat. He went to the state of Nevada believing that he could open a Baccarat pit in the Sands Hotel. The owners of the hotel agreed to this, however, the game wasn’t a success as Renzoni hoped it would be. Many Americans didn’t seem to like the allure of the Baccarat pit especially as it was situated away from the main casino tables.

Baccarat is a well established and respected game in many casinos throughout the world. As with many things, technology has brought the game forward, it has enabled people to play the game for the comfort of their own home. This is all due to the online gaming companies through the internet. Many players find the baccarat pit a daunting experience within the casino setting, however, playing online reduces this element of self doubt and players can go onto enjoy the experience online.