Origin of the Baccarat Card Game
Baccarat is card game of Italian origin as most game historians have noted. Even though the exact origin of this fancy card game is still subject to debate, most researches have traced the origin of baccarat to a middle age game of Tarrochi. This is, by far, the one of the earliest references to baccarat and was played using a deck of tarot cards.
In 1490 A.D., during the reign of the French King Charles VIII, baccarat was introduced from Italy. The card game quickly found its way in the homes of the French noble class, and became exclusive among the country's upper aristocratic class. This made baccarat highly-associated with sophistication and elegance that still persists even up to these days.
Several years later, baccarat was allowed to be played by the general public starting with the establishment of French casinos. People from every level of the French social class were able to enjoy baccarat even in the streets of France or local cafes and diners. Baccarats huge popularity in France paved the way for the vast amount of influence of the French version of baccarat in the other versions of modern baccarat.
Accordingly, the most renowned French version of baccarat, the "chemin de fer", has reached several countries including England. The game became very popular among the English people that they altered some of the rules to make their own version of baccarat. This English version was later known as the "European Baccarat" and spread first in South America, then in the United States of America.
The American version of baccarat has its roots also from the "chemin de fer". But its rules were largely derived from the European Baccarat coming from England. The current version played in the casinos of the United States today, originally came from the infamous Capri Casino in Havana Cuba.
The popularity of baccarat also reached other continents other than the Americas. Major Las Vegas casinos have noted that majority of the Asian population that came to visit their establishments were often seen in baccarat rooms. And in Macau, a former colony of Portuguese, baccarat is amazingly played without a system often used in most American casinos. The banker computes and keeps track of then multiple bets in his mind.
Baccarat has indeed come a long way in casino gaming history. And sure enough, baccarat will remain as one of the most favorite card games ever played in the gaming world.
