OnlineBaccarat.org - Chemin de Fer

This form of Baccarat is not very easy to find in North America (as Nevada Baccarat is the game of choice) however it is very common in Europe, especially in the casinos of France.

As in the American version, Chemin de Fer maintains the same rules to determine the hand values and the basic object of the game is consistent, to achieve a hand with a value as close to 9 as possible.

The main difference in this version is the role of the banker. In the American version, the banker is the house or the casino where the players are make wagers against them. The house provides all the funds to the bank throughout the game. In Chemin de Fer Baccarat the casino is not the banker. This role rotates among the players in the game. In this version the players cannot simply bet on bank or player and they may have to wager on themselves. The role of banker rotates clockwise from player to player however, if a player does not wish to take on the role, he/she may refuse it and it will pass on to the next player, it is optional.

The only role that the actual casino or house plays in this version is to provide the location of the game as well as all the equipment needed; the Baccarat table, the cards and a dealer or croupier to make sure all rules are followed. For their services the casino takes a 5% cut of the profits from winning bets.

Another small differentiation between the two versions is the third card drawing rules. In Chemin de Fer the draws are much more flexible. For example, in the American version, players must draw on a total of five or less. In Chemin de Fer, the players have the option of standing or drawing on a five.