Baccarat is the most popular casino game among the wealthy and elite of the world, yet it's also one of the most simple games in terms of outcome. I think the game could be considered for our casinos.

In terms of coding, this casino game might possibly be the easiest to code:

There are only three (3) possibilities: Player, Banker, and Tie. Gamblers bet on any of the three and the cards determine the outcome (there is no playing against the house like Blackjack).

Player and Banker both pay 2:1 and Tie pays 8:1.

That's it! (I'm referring to the American version)

Baccarat (though a French name) was invented by the Italians and, in terms of RP, It was introduced to the US in the late 19th century (along with blackjack), though was much more popular with the rich.

I think the game is great for MR because it suits those of us who like all-or-nothing bets or like to toy with probability. For example, if Banker wins 3 times in a row (1/2*1/2*1/2 = 1/8th chance), then people might start betting Player because the chances of another Banker coming out is essentially 1/16th. Is that confusing?

It's not like blackjack where, even if you place a massive all-or-nothing bet, you still have to play the hand (and deal with deciding whether to hit that stupid 16 or not).

Instead, it's a game that mirrors a coin flip and players in the real world place anywhere from $25 to MILLIONS per bet just to sit back see what fate decides for them.

I have to say that I do not understand what you mean here. If you could explain the game a bit clearer, than I could give my opinion.

If you can point me in the direction of some good documentation on this game, I will look into it and come back with a better opinion on it.

Anubis: by documentation, do you mean more insight as to how the game works or do you mean the relevance of it to the mafia in the 30s?

All of the above would be nice. Specifically I need to learn about game mechanics and rules, but learning if it was actually used in the '30s would be paramount to making a decision on it's implementation into the casinos.

I haven't spent any time looking into the RP side of the game, is it fitting for the era etc, but having just had a brief look at the gameplay side of things... I'd worry that many/most casino owners might ignore the option due to the very small house edge involved.

Despite its simplicity (or perhaps because of it), the punto banco version of baccarat offers some of the lowest house advantage available in a casino. The player bet has a house advantage of 1.24%, and the banker bet (despite the 5% commission) has an advantage of 1.06%.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baccarat

A house edge of 1.24% max (or 1% if the player chooses to reduce the house edge by playing on the more attractive side of the bet), not something I'd personally have any interest in forking out for in my casino. If casino's have ongoing operating costs, having a game which is nothing short of a coin flip isn't an attractive proposition.

Hi Deimne, I think you might have misunderstood the definition of a house edge.

So if the casino takes only 5% profit on roulette, why do most players lose 100%? It's because the house edge applies to the amount you bet, not the amount you take to the casino. Let's say you sit down at a roulette table with $100, and bet $5 a spin. You're betting about $150/hr., even though you brought only $100 with you. That's because you win some rounds as you play, and you're betting from your winnings. After 13 hours of play (if you last that long), you've bet $1950. And 5% of $1950 is $97.50, almost your full $100.

According to the same site, here's the house edge for the following games:

Blackjack: 0.5%

Craps: 0.8%

Baccarat: 1.06%

Roulette: 5.5%

Source: http://vegasclick.com/gambling/houseedge.html

So technically, Baccarat has bigger odds for the casino than Blackjack and Craps! I can attest to that since I've personally seen people lose thousands playing this game. But hey, it's fun.

And Anubis, to further expand on the game, I'll try my best to explain:

The object of Baccarat is to place a bet on Player or Banker: winner is whoever has a point total closest to 9. The point total for a hand is calculated using these values:

 

* 10s and Face cards are valued as 0

* Aces are valued as 1

* 2 through 9 are valued at their face value

 

Any hand with a value greater than 9 has the first digit dropped leaving the second digit as the value. (ex: 13 becomes 3, 17 becomes 7, 21 becomes 1, etc)

The Baccarat dealer deals 4 cards, 2 cards to the player and 2 cards to the banker. If either hand is an 8 or a 9, no other cards are dealt and the winner is automatic, unless there's a tie.

Things get tricky when neither hand is an 8 or 9. In this case a third card can be dealt to resolve the hand. Player is always dealt first!

 

If the player's hand is 6 or more then they can't recieve an additional card.

If the banker's hand is 7 or more then they can't receive an additional card.

 

Rules: these only apply if both totals are under 7

 

0, 1, and 2 always hit a third card no matter what.

If banker is a 3, banker will ALWAYS hit unless player draws the card 8, and only an 8.

If banker is a 4, banker will hit if player draws cards 2 thru 7

If banker is a 5, banker will hit if player draws cards 4 thru 7

If banker is a 6, banker will hit if player draws cards 6 thru 7

 

I apologize if this is really confusing, but I assure you, it's NOT as complicated as it sounds. As far as most players are concerned, they won't need to know nor care about the specific card rules, but rather just enjoy the fact that both sides have about an equal chance of winning.

Now that I understand a little bit better, I beleive that this may be an addition of a very decent quality and hope to see it added.

Thanks M_Stracci, I appreciate it. Let's just hope the developers feel the same way. :)

Hi Deimne, I think you might have misunderstood the definition of a house edge.

I'll happily confirm that I don't misunderstand house edge and that I'm fully aware of the definition and the impact of it on gameplay.

I think you might have understood the stated 'house edge' for each game. Given that the house edge for BJ is 100% dependant on the house rules, the fact that BJ can have a house edge of 0.5% doesn't mean that the MR casinos only offer a house edge of 0.5%. Given the house rules on MR, I believe the edge is somewhere in the region of 2.5%. It can be even higher than this if other changes are/were made (e.g. BJ only pays 1:1 etc etc) which can accumulate to approach nearly 4% house edge. In a similiar manner, the house edge for Craps can be modified with house rules. If I remember correctly, the house edge for Craps given the MR house rules is in approx. 1.5% (I might be slightly off there, been a while since I looked at it).

So technically, Baccarat has bigger odds for the casino than Blackjack and Craps!

Again, incorrect. The house rules on Baccarat can't be modified, as they can with BJ or Craps. So the house edge which is/would be offered is far lower than that on offer from BJ. Combine this with that fact that the stated house edge for BJ is based on perfect basic strategy, which the vast majority of users won't employ, BJ offers an effective house edge that is far higher than the theoritical one. With Baccarat, it is purely a game of chance. So there is no chance from casino owners to benefit from 'poor play' (a major benefit of the MR casinos). Craps provides better returns (in theory) than Baccarat, yet I (and plenty of others) have chosen not to purchase it for my (our) casino(s). The payback time (terrible [if any] ROI) and large swings that result from such a low edge game just aren't worth it, so taking the time required to code this into the game when I see major issues with users actually purchasing it so it can be used doesn't make sense to me.

Now... if users want it, logic doesn't always apply when it comes to gambling. Other casino owners may be willing to purchase it and users may be keen to play it. I'm not debating that. I'm saying I wouldn't purchase it, I'm concerned others might not so I'm not sure it's worth the effort. But, if you're suggesting that it offers better edge, that's simply wrong.

Just to clear up any missunderstandings, I've always been quite open about the MR Casino House Edge:

SLOTS: 26%

ROULETTE: 16%

BLACKJACK: 4%

CRAPS: 0%

Note that all of these are rounded, so the craps house edge is slightly higher then zero, but is less then .5%