chemin de fer
We’ve covered Punto Banco — it’s as basic as Baccarat gets, and the only real input that you have is whether to bet on Player, Banker, or Tie.
In Baccarat chemin de fer, however, you have a much more complex and social game — a true parlour game, though it uses the same basic rules for scoring and gameplay. In my mind (though others have disagreed), Punto Banco is like blackjack (among other things, you can find it at any decent online casino USA), while chemin de fer is more like Texas Hold’em in many ways…
- Using six decks, everybody at the table shuffles — one by one, of course, in counter-clockwise order.
- One person begins as the Banker, while everyone else is a ‘punter’ (all of the punters put together make up the Player that you saw in the Punto Banco version)
- The Banker sets the betting amount, and the punters in turn decide whether they want to bet normally or “go bank” (i.e., one person may bet the full amount of the current bank, or simply contribute individually until the betting amount matches the bank)
- The Banker deals a pair of face-down cards to himself and the Player, represented by the highest wagering punter next in line.
- Banker and Player look at their own pair of cards; as in Punto Banco, an 8 or 9 finishes the round immediately (all cards face up).
- The Player gets the option to draw a third card (face up) or stand.
- The Banker gets the option to draw a third card (face up) or stand.
- All cards are turned face up and totaled, determining the winner.
- If the PLAYER wins, the punters get their wagers back times two (i.e., if you bet $5, you get $10 from the bank). The next person in line becomes the Banker for the next round.
- If the BANKER wins, all the money goes into the pot, I mean bank, and the same person gets to be the Banker for the next round.
- If both sets of cards TIE, then each wager and the Banker stay the same for the next round.
There’s an odd little equation that goes into being a Banker. The Banker must be willing to wager as much as is in the bank at the time; if not, the chance passes to the next person in line until somebody is ready to accept the terms.
If nobody does, that same ‘next person in line’ becomes the banker, and the bank total drops to whatever that person wants as the betting amount. Online slots! Rinse and repeat!
Also if no one accepts the terms it might be time to move! Oasis Moving and Storage move people like you all the time.