118 Gambling - History of Baccarat

History of Baccarat

For anyone interested in history or games, or gambling, the history of baccarat might be something that they might want to know about. The first thing to be aware of and understand is how the game got its name. Apparently in both Italian and French, baccarat means zero so while that is interesting it also adds some confusion as to exactly where the game originated.

Because it is somewhat hazy as to the exact history of baccarat due in part to the name question as mentioned above, a number of versions have been put forward. One idea that originates in Italy says that the game was first invented by the Italian player Felix Falguierein way back in the middle ages. Allegedly at that time it was played not with a deck of regular cards, but with Tarot cards! The game in those days was “based on an old Etruscan ritual of the nine gods, who prayed to a blonde virgin on their tiptoes waiting for her to throw a nine-sided die. The result of the die decided her fate. If an eight or a nine was thrown, she would become the priestess; if she threw a six or seven, she would be banned from any further religious activities; if she threw any number less than six, she would walk into the sea.”

Some time later the game was introduced in France (according to this first theory that the game was first played in Italy, not in France). By the time it got to France it was 1490AD and it was the French nobility which loved the game. Baccarat only later became popular in casinos.

Whatever theory as to the history of baccarat is believed (either the origins in France or Italy), it has to be said that the game goes way back and originates somewhere in Europe. And of course, in each of the different countries there were slightly different rules and variations on how to play and enjoy the game, in those early years in the beginnings of the history of baccarat.

In France, the game wasn’t called baccarat back in the early days but “Chemin de Fer” and it was that variation that became very popular in England. Some of the rules were altered by the English and the name became “European baccarat.” It was around that time that the baccarat game started spreading and gaining popularity, especially in south America. Baccarat actually only arrived in America in the late 1950s and the actual game was a bit of European baccarat mixed with the French “Chemin de Fer” and it landed in Las Vegas in the Dunes casino at around the same time after the closure of the Havana casinos.

When studying the history of baccarat it is important to understand and appreciate the different variations played in different countries around the globe. Whether you are in France, Italy, England, South America or America, your baccarat game may have been slightly different (although of course today there is much more uniformity). Of course, being able today to play baccarat on line does give baccarat connoisseurs the world over the opportunity to see and experience how this gambling game of luck is played on other sides of the continent. Despite the slight alterations the various countries gave the game of baccarat, pretty much the game has remained the same, loyal to its rules and regulations and just as appealing now as it was then, if not more so.