What is Baccarat? A James Bond Favorite.

If ever you've read the James Bond novels you're sure to have come across a curious card game called baccarat. One novel actually revolves around the game. Baccarat has a great reputation for being a real high-class game (perhaps the reason why James Bond loves to play it). Let's take a look at what this game is all about.

Baccarat is a card game that traces its origins in Europe. The name comes from the Latin word, baccara. This game seems to have originated from the game Chemin de Fer, though it has similarities to Faro and Basset.

The inventor of the game is said to be Felix Falguierein, from Italy. In the 15th century it was said that the game had been brought and introduced into France during the reign of Charles VIII. It made its way to America in the late 60's.

The rules of baccarat are not really that complicated. To win in this game a player is to get a hand of at least two cards (at times 3 cards) with the points or values as close to 9 as a total. There are different versions of this game. Each version of Baccarat would have its own unique set of rules or perhaps a variation of a few rules.

Baccarat is a bit comparable to blackjack where players play against the banker/dealer. The objective of the player's in the game of Baccarat is to draw a hand (consisting of two or three cards) and make sure that the total of his hand is closer to 9 than the banker's hand. Kind of akin to blackjack though there are differences - for instance in blackjack the total should be 21 or at least closer to that.

The face cards Jack, Queen, and King count as 0 points in Baccarat. All the Aces have a value of 1. The number cards from 2 to 9 would have points equal to their face value (e.g. a 5 will have five points, a 3 will be equal to three points; and if you have both you have a hand totaling 8 points). Among the face cards only a 10 would have a value of 10.

When the cards have been dealt a player gets to add up the value of his hand. If ever the total of a player's hand goes over 10 points, one has to drop the tens value and retain the ones. For example you've been dealt a 9 and a 5 that totals 14, you then drop the ten and you're left with 4. Your hand has a value of four. Comparing the game with blackjack, you don't bust in Baccarat. The rules are pretty simple, aren't they?

The game's simplicity and the high-class feel that it brings to players make Baccarat a very appealing game. So grab your suit and let's head on to a table and play!