Baccarat is a game of chance, but with a bit more strategy than many other casino games. It is played with a large table and eight 52-card packs, which are dealt by the dealer from a shoe that releases one card at a time.
The Game
Players place bets on the Player hand or Banker hand and then wait to see what cards are dealt. The odds are determined by the number of points that each hand has. The winning hand is the one with the highest total of nine points.
Betting Rules
The goal of the game is to guess which hand will be the closest to a nine-point hand. Unlike most casino games, you are not betting on the outcome of the cards; rather, you are betting on your guess of how close to nine each hand will come.
A player is not allowed to draw a second card when their hand has a score of 8 or 9 (known as a “natural”). If the player draws, the banker also draws and stays on a total of 5 or less. The banker’s third card is not revealed until the player draws or stands.
Baccarat Glassware
The glassware used in Baccarat has an engraved pattern on the surface. This can be achieved with a stone or copper grindstone, or by acid engraving.
There is a long tradition of fine glass production in France, and the earliest references to this art form are from the 18th century. It is not surprising, then, that the best-known Baccarat glass factory, the Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat, was established in 1764 by King Louis XV of France in the town of Baccarat in the Lorraine region of Eastern France.
History
The Compagnie des Cristalleries was the first French firm to use lead crystal as its main material, and a significant part of its success stemmed from this. The firm was a major attraction at the Great Exhibitions of the 19th century, and its glassware became popular with visitors from all over the world.
Glass is made by melting raw materials in a furnace at high temperatures. These can be up to 1500 degrees Celsius.
A lot of money is invested in a single piece of glass, and so it is essential to produce pieces that are both beautiful and durable. A good glassmaker will produce a range of different shapes, and then decorate them with a variety of techniques.
Often the design will be gilded, or covered in gold powder that is fused onto the glass’s surface. The resulting surface is often a very smooth and glossy finish.
In addition, the crystalline structure of lead crystal makes it strong enough to stand up to wear and tear from use. This means that Baccarat glasses are often used as vases and decorative objects.
How to Play
The first step in playing Baccarat is to learn the rules of the game. The rules are very simple, and you can find them in most casinos. Once you’ve understood them, it is easy to learn how to play.