The actual origin of baccarat is lost in history, however some historians claim that there is no reliable record of the game before the middle of the nineteenth century, and the game originated in Italy. The game is thought to be a spin-off of the French game vingt-et-un (twenty-one), the game we know as blackjack. It is similar in that the goal is to get as close as possible to a set number without exceeding it. Baccarat differs from blackjack in several ways:

1. The total aimed at is nine rather than twenty one.
2. If the total is exceeded the player doesn't automatically lose. Rather, the total cycles around a base of 10, so that if the total is greater than 9, 10 is subtracted from the total to obtain a number between 0 and 9. For example if the hand contains an 8 and a 5 the total of 13 has 10 subtracted from it and it is treated as a 3.
3. The 10, Jack, Queen, and King have a value of 0 (10 minus 10 = 0)
4. The ace has only one value; 1.
5. The decision to pull another card is determined by a fixed set of rules, and is not left to the players judgment (in most versions)

1. Chemin de fer : This game is played in some European casinos, but is not played in the U.K. and North America. The goal is the same (to get as close to 9 as possible) but the rules allow a few conditions where drawing a card is optional. The casino doesn't play the role of banker, the players bet against each other, the players take turns being the banker-dealer (the option may be declined, and it then passes to the next player to the right) the house takes a standard cut out of the player banker's winning coup.
2. Baccarat : This game is the only game played in the U.K. and North America. The goal is the same (to get as close to 9 as possible) however the game is strictly mechanical with formal rules dictating every aspect of play. The house banks the game, thus the bets can be much larger than when another player is acting as the bank, also with the house assuming the role of banker the game can be played with as few as one player (in chemin de fer you have to wait for additional players before the game can start)
3. Mini-baccarat : A new version of the game. The game is played at a blackjack sized table with up to seven players. The rules are the same as for the full version of baccarat, however to speed up the game the players don't touch the cards they are dealt by the casino dealer. The stakes are much lower for this game than the full version, this plus the less formal atmosphere make this version appeal to many players.

Gambling can be fun and frustrating; sometimes, it can be both at the same time. So, just what is this activity that has fascinated us for thousands of years? Here's one definition of casino gambling: speculation on an event that is uncertain and that involves placing at risk a possession in the hope of achieving more of a better possession. People have gambled for thousands of years, and today people gamble more than ever before. It's fun and exciting to pick your favorite numbers and imagine what you would do with a $10 million win! It's a good feeling when you first look at your cards and see a blackjack. Winning at casino brings a thrill like no other. On the other hand, losing can drive you into a deep hole in many ways. It simply boils down to one of our favorite sayings, "Winning is a skill and losing is bad luck. "Our goal in creating these online guides is to show you what games are available, how to play them, and, most importantly, how to play them skillfully. We believe there is no such thing as a bad player, only untrained ones. All games have built-in advantages for the house. This house advantage, or edge, along with a never-ending source of house funds, makes gambling a very tough sport for any player. On the other hand, players can and do win. You too can win, and win often, when you play correctly in a casino . We'll not only show you how to play correctly, but also tell you where you can play. Just remember there are some good games and some not-so-good games. By not-so-good games we mean those with odds that are much too high and should be avoided. There are other games in an online casino with bets that give the house a less than 1% advantage, and you should know and play these.

Rules of Blackjack
Blackjack is played at a table with one dealer and up to 7 players. In front of each player spot is a betting square for bets to be placed. The number of players is irrelevant, because each player is playing ONLY against the dealer. Bets are in the form of colored chips. Each color means a different denomination and vary from casino to casino. All bets are to be made BEFORE each hand is dealt and once the first card is dealt bets cannot be removed. If you do not place a bet the dealer will not deal you any cards. Bets are to be stacked in a single pile, with highest denomination chips on the bottom of the stack. At each table there is a sign clearly stating the minimum and maximum bets allowed at that table. On the same sign, you will find any special instructions for the game, (ie. this is where you will be able to note whether Surrender is an active play) Find a table that suits your pocketbook, (in other words, don't bet more than you can afford to lose) Because there are many table games, it is important to make sure the table you are at is a BLACKJACK table. On the table surface you will see the phrase: "Blackjack pays 3 to 2" underneath you will find the dealer instructions concerning draws and Insurance payment. Now that you are at the correct table, it is necessary to find out what KIND of game you are playing. The choices are Multi-Deck and Single-Deck . Multi-Deck vs. Single-Deck For a beginner, it has been suggested to start with the Multi-Deck game which consists of 6 or 8 decks and are dealt from a Shoe , (a box for holding the cards) The cards are dealt "face up", so all the cards in play are showing. The reason for this is to get you, the new player, comfortable with the game and the casino enviroment. Also when selecting a table for "getting comfortable", choose one that has the lowest minimum bet in the casino. The more decks being used, the more of an advantage the casino has. Once you play for awhile and get the hang of the game, you may want to switch to the Single-Deck game, where the cards are dealt face down and the dealer only has one card showing face up. Values for the Cards Each player is given two cards, either face up or face down, and the dealer gets one card face down and one face up. The value of the hand is the sum of the cards. If anyone is dealt a "ten" and Ace as their two dealt cards, they have twenty one and are paid back at a ratio of 3 to 2. The suits are ignored, they don't count in the game at all. The cards with two to nine showing are taken at face value. Tens, Jacks, Queens and Kings are valued at "ten". Aces can be counted as One or Eleven. Mission of the Game The player's mission of the game is to get a score higher than the dealer and as close to "twenty-one" as possible. If the player or dealer exceed a score of "twenty-one, this is called a bust and that person loses the hand. If the dealer and player have the same score, it is called a push and nobody wins the hand. As explained before, the players DO NOT play against each other. The player must play first, if the players hand exceeds "21", (busts), the player loses their bet, even if the dealer busts on his hand. Soft and Hard Hands Because Aces are capable of having two values, when they are first dealt, the value is indistinguishable. For example, if you are dealt an A and 6, the value of the hand can be viewed as 7 or 17. This is called a SOFT hand because it doesn't exceed twenty one. If the player asks for another card and gets an 8, it is now considered a HARD hand because the value of the cards, (A+6+8, if the A is counted as eleven), is more than 21.

The game-play of roulette is rather uncomplicated, but one must be a bit familiar with roulette rules before placing any sophisticated bets. In addition to roulette rules, this page addresses proper etiquette around the table, and gives a walkthrough so you know exactly what to do. The first thing you should know is how the table minimum works. If you are playing at a table with a $5 minimum, you are required to place $5 on each of your outside bets, and/or a total of at least $5 on your inside bets (inside and outside bets are explained in a second) So if you play black/red, odd/even or high/low, you must place the table minimum for each and every bet. On the other hand, you could place 5 $1 bets on 5 completely different inside bets (specific numbers or combinations of numbers) Before you get confused, standard North American roulette rules have the table use different chips than other table games at the casino. Each player is assigned a different color of chip, letting the dealer differentiate bets and match them to the right players. These chips are worthless at the other tables in the casino, so don't bother trying to stack them up under your blackjack chips or anything silly like that. The roulette dealer will exchange your game chips for regular chips when you are finished playing. You usually have to give some indication to the dealer as to what value of chip denomination you want to be provided with. For a $5 minimum table, you will usually have a minimum value of $1 on roulette chips. Judge this based on your average bet and whether or not you like to split things up a lot. Again, so you don't get confused, when you get your roulette chips they will not be marked with a denomination, you choose it, and all of the chips will reflect that worth (the dealer keeps track of this by associating the amount and color with a 'lammer') Roulette doesn't move at a quick pace, it's for a more relaxed crowd than you're likely to find at the craps table. Roulette rules kind of necessitate this sluggishness, as making all of the bets is what slows things down. When you're at the point that you want to place your bet, don't be concerned about someone else having already taken your bet, chips can share bets thanks to the colors. Roulette rules give you lots of time to set your bet, and can even keep doing so after the wheel has been spun, just don't try it after the dealer waves his hands over the table (if there are any new players the dealer will most likely say 'no more bets' out-loud too) Once the ball has found its pocket, the dealer will call out the winning number and place a clear marker on that number's spot on the table layout. The dealer then sweeps the table clean and the winner is paid. Wait until the dealer says 'place your bets' before putting any chips down for the next spin.