In Baccarat Chemin de Fer, it will have been noticed that a given bank only
continues so long as the banker wins. So soon as he loses, it passes to
another player. In Baccarat Banque the position of banker is much more
permanent. _Three_ packs of cards,[5] shuffled together, are in this case
used, and the banker (unless he retires either of his own free will, or by
reason of the exhaustion of his finances) {9} holds office until the whole
of such cards have been dealt.
The bank is at the outset put up to auction, _i.e._ belongs to the player
who will undertake to risk the largest amount. In some circles, the person
who has first set down his name on the list of players has the right to
hold the first bank, risking such amount as he may think proper.
The right to begin having been ascertained, the banker takes his place
midway down one of the sides of an oval table, the croupier facing him,
with the waste-basket between. On either side the banker are the punters,
ten such constituting a full table. Any other persons desiring to take part
remain standing, and can only play in the event of the amount in the bank
for the time being not being covered by the seated players.
The croupier, having shuffled the cards, hands them for the same purpose to
the players to the right and left of him, the banker being entitled to
shuffle them last, and to select the person by whom they shall be cut. Each
punter having made his stake, the banker deals three cards, the first to
the player on his right, the second to the player on his left, and the
third to himself; then three more in like manner. The five punters on the
right (and any bystanders staking with them) win or lose by the cards dealt
to that side; the five others by the cards dealt to the left side. The
rules as to turning up with eight or nine, offering and accepting cards,
and so on, are the same as at Baccarat Chemin de Fer.
Each punter continues to hold the cards for his side so long as he wins. If
he lose, the next {10} hand is dealt to the player next following him in
rotation.
Any player may "go bank," the first claim to do so belonging to the punter
immediately on the right of the banker; the next to the player on his left,
and so on alternatively in regular order. If two players on opposite sides
desire to "go bank," they go half shares.
A player going bank may either do so on a single hand, in the ordinary
course, or _a cheval_, _i.e._ on two hands separately, one-half of the
stake being played upon each hand. A player going bank and losing, may
again go bank; and if he again loses, may go bank a third time, but not
further.
A player undertaking to hold the bank must play out one hand, but may
retire at any time afterwards. On retiring, he is bound to state the amount
with which he retires. It is then open to any other player (in order of
rotation) to continue the bank, starting with the same amount, and dealing
from the remainder of the pack used by his predecessor. The outgoing banker
takes the place previously occupied by his successor.
The breaking of the bank does not deprive the banker of the right to
continue, provided that he has funds wherewith to replenish it, up to the
agreed _minimum_.
Should the stakes of the punters exceed the amount for the time being in
the bank, the banker is not responsible for the amount of such excess. In
the event of his losing, the croupier pays the punters in order of
rotation, so far as the funds in the bank will extend; beyond this, they
have no claim. The banker, may, however, in such a case, instead of {11}
resting on his right, declare the stakes accepted, forthwith putting up the
needful funds to meet them. In such event the bank thenceforth becomes
unlimited, and the banker must hold all stakes (to whatever amount) offered
on any subsequent hand, or give up the bank.[6]
* * * * *
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