History of Baccarat
With many countries vying for the honor of calling it their game, the origin of Baccarat is steeped in mystery. The Italian, French and the English meaning of the word Baccarat is the same - zero. In a popularly accepted version, it is claimed that it was first invented by an Italian gambler called Felix Falguierein more than five centuries ago and was played with a deck of Tarot cards. It was later introduced in France around 1490 A.D. and remained a game exclusively for the French nobility before it turned into a casino game.
By virtue of it being one of the oldest games and having traveled through many countries, it has evolved greatly and has many variations to its name. In the beginning, the French variation of baccarat "Chemin de fer" become popular in England, where they changed the rules and name of the game to "European baccarat". It then spread to South America. Finally, Tommy Renzoni brought it to the United States in the late 1950s as a combination of European baccarat and "Chemin de fer". It was introduced into Las Vegas in the infamous Dunes casino in the late 1950s after the Cuban government closed the Havana casinos.
Having traveled all over the world, some of the rules have changed to adapt different situations and countries and here you can learn baccarat in details. However, the underlying style has remained unchanged. It has retained it exclusivity and elegance and it a serious game played by high rollers even now.
One very popular version of the game is the Mini Baccarat. It is similar to its American version, but with lower table limits and simpler procedures. It appeals to the average player with a limited bankroll as well. Online Baccarat is also gaining popularity and can be played under the classic rules on the mini baccarat table.