Baccarat
or BACCARA, a game played with the ordinary playing cards.
Any number of players may participate, and as many packs of cards may be used as necessary, the number being increased to correspond with the number of players. One member of the party is selected to act as banker. He deals out the cards from a box, after they have been shuffled. The face cards each count 10, and the others according to the numbers of their spots. After the bets have been made, the banker deals two cards to each of the players, including himself, but the other players must receive their cards before the banker is served. The aim of the players is to make the numbers 9, 19, 29, or as nearly those as possible, as 8, 18, and 28. Any player is at liberty either to "stand" or to be "content" with the two cards at first dealt, or to call for more, at the risk of exceeding 29, when his stake is forfeited to the dealer. If, after the first distribution two cards to each, any player has a "natural" i e., a sum making 9, or next in value, 19-he declares it wins, and the banker pays all who hold superior hands to his own, and claims from those holding inferior hands. The players stake their money separately, there being, in fact, as many separate games in progress as there are players, and the spectators may wager their money on any one of them, all of which must be accepted by the banker. Prior to the banker's making a start, he states the amount of the bank. Anyone sitting down at the table has the right to call the whole of the bank, selecting the left or the right on of BACCIFEROUS which to pick up the cards. When the banker's and a player's hand are tied, all the bets on that side of the table go over to the next deal. Before the banker deals, two croupiers count up the stakes deposited on either side and then make up the bank. Thus the banker knows the exact amount of his liabilities.