Loadstar 128 #27/q27.d81/t.baccarat

Text File | 1991-01-01 | 3.7 KB | 85 lines

                              B A C C A R A T

                              by Bob Markland

      Ladies in evening gowns and gentlemen in formal attire quietly
surround the baize covered table. Crystal chandeliers cast a soft light
which belies the tension in the air.  Fortunes are won and lost on the turn
of a card.  "The name is Bond-- James Bond."

     Most Americans have only vicariously experienced Baccarat, although
it's the principal gambling card game in France and much of Europe.
Baccarat is played in just a handful of casinos in the United States;
perhaps because it's too sedate for the fast-paced carnival atmosphere of
the Las Vegas strip.

     Variations of Baccarat include Chemin de fer, Punto Banco, and others;
each with slightly different rules of play.  The game played at Calhoon's
Casino is a hybrid, but retains the original flavor and spirit.  When you
have become familiar with the game you may want to play with French
dialogue instead of English, for greater authenticity.

     Betting is simple--you may wager any amount not exceeding your total
bankroll, at even odds, on each hand. Each new player begins with 100,000
dollars or 100,000 francs, depending upon the selected mode of play.
Individual bankrolls are saved to disk when you select "Quit."  Keep in
mind, though; while you are away the casino is able to recoup its losses
and you face a $/FR 1,000,000 bank each time you return.

 RULES OF PLAY
 -------------

     Four standard 52-card decks are shuffled and placed in a device called
a "shoe", from which cards slide one by one.  The decks are reshuffled at
the completion of any hand when 8 or fewer cards remain in the shoe.

     In principal Baccarat is similar to Blackjack or 21.  The object of
the game is to hold two or three cards which count 9, or nearer to nine
than the opponent.  The card values are: Face cards and tens, 0; Aces, 1;
all other cards, their pip count.  Units of ten are discarded, i.e. a
player dealt a 6 and an 8 has a count of 4, not fourteen.

     A player whose first two cards total 8 or 9 has a "natural" and turns
the cards up immediately.  In the event that the opponent also has a
natural, a natural 9 is superior to a natural 8.  Two naturals of equal
value result in a stand-off and a new hand is dealt.

     If neither hand is a natural the bank will, if necessary, deal the
player one additional card, face up, based on the following formula: Player
MUST stand if his first two cards total 6 or 7.  Player MUST take a card if
his total is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4. Player has the option to take a card or
stand on 5.

     The banker, too, is bound to draw or stand as follows:

 BANK MUST DRAW ON  - 0, 1, or 2

 BANK MUST STAND ON - 7

If the bank has from 3 to 6, the following rules apply:

  BANK         BANK DRAWS IF             BANK HAS OPTION IF
  POINT        PLAYER'S POINT IS         PLAYER'S HAND IS
  ---------------------------------------------------------
   3           0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7            9
   4           2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
   5           5, 6, 7                           4
   6           6, 7

In all other cases, the Bank stands, except that if Player does not draw,
Bank stands on 6, and draws on 3, 4, and 5.

     When both Player and Banker have received two or three cards, as
required, the hand is decided.  If the totals are the same, the hand is a
stand-off and all bets are "off."

     Following each hand you have the opportunity to play again or quit.
Exit the program using Quit to save your bankroll for future play.

     There are as many different strategies and systems as there are
players, but nerves of steel are a must.  With a little luck you might even
break the bank.

 RM