These are shuffled by a croupier
and then by any of the players who wish to do so. From three to eleven
persons may play. Counters are generally used and are sold by the banker
who afterwards redeems them. The croupier takes a number of cards from the
top of the pack and passes them to the player on his right (sometimes left)
who becomes banker, a position which he holds until he loses, when the deal
passes to the player next in order. The other players are called _punters_.
The banker places before him the sum he wishes to stake and the punters do
likewise, unless a punter desires to _go bank_, signifying his intention by
saying, _Banco!_ In this case he plays against the entire stake of the
banker. After the stakes have been made the dealer deals a card to his
right for the punters, then one to himself, then a third to his left for
the punters and, finally, another to himself, all face downwards. Court
cards and tens count nothing; all others the number of their pips. Each
punter looks at his cards, and any one having 8 or 9 turns his card up and
announces it, the hand then being at an end. The player having the highest
stake plays for both punters, and if the card turned is better than that of
the banker, the latter pays each punter the amount of his stake. If not,
the banker wins all stakes and the game proceeds as before. If no
announcement is made, meaning that neither player holds 8 or 9, the banker
deals another card to the player on his right, who, if his first card is 6
or 7, will refuse it, fearing to overrun. The second card is turned face
upwards on the table. If his card is 5 he may, or may not, accept the
second card, according to his judgment. In case of his refusal the card is
offered to the second punter. If the first card is _baccarat_ (_i.e._
amounts to 0) or 1, 2, 3 or 4, a punter always accepts the second card. The
banker then decides whether he will draw another card himself or expose his
original ones, and when he has made his play pays or receives according as
he wins or loses. Ties neither win nor lose but go over to the next deal. A
player who has lost on _going bank_ may go bank again, but no player may go
bank more than twice in succession. In the variation _baccarat banque_ (or
_a deux tableaux_), three packs of cards are used and the banker is
permanent; the player who offers to risk the largest amount occupying the
position. A line is drawn across the table and any one wishing to do so may