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Luminous readers
I put this one in mainly because it shows how little trust you or anyone should put in gambling supply house catalog copy. Some of the gimmicks they list, which the amateur cheat buys because he knows no better, are strictly sucker items. When the would-be cheat orders a deck of luminous readers at $12.50 to $18 per deck, he receives by express (these boys avoid using the mails) a red-¬backed deck of cards whose backs bear large numerals lightly marked in with green pencil. You also get a cheap pair of glasses with red-tinted lenses or a red-tinted, transparent eyeshade. When the card is viewed in red light the red back design fades out and the green markings turn dark and become visible for you alone. If you suspect this gimmick, simply ask to borrow the glasses or eyeshade for a moment.
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Casino Baccarat
About the Baccarat
In a secluded area generally separated from the main floor by a fence or rope, there is a fairly large area of the casino with long tables, dealers usually in tuxedos, high chairs, and a mystique that is very hard to break. This is the Baccarat pit. The lushness of the surroundings gives the impression that here is an area that is reserved for the high rollers ... kings and queens ... James Bond! What new player would not be intimidated by all of this? Yet Baccarat (pronounced bah-kah-rah) is a very easy game to play. It is very similar to Blackjack in that the decision goes to the hand that comes closest to 9 (as opposed to 21) whether it be the banker or player. One need not know how to add, nor even know the rules, in order to play. The dealers handle most everything involved on the table. As a matter of fact, the casino will even have house people playing at the table just to make the game look busy. These people are known as shills. They in no way affect the outcome of the game. Their only purpose is to stimulate interest in what might otherwise be a very quiet area.
The Basic Game
The game itself is extremely easy to play. The entire object is to bet on the hand that will come closest to 9 in two or three cards. There is a definite set of rules (which will be reviewed later in the text), which determine the drawing of cards. are dealt to only two hands. One for the banker, and one for the player. The shoe moves around the table and every player gets an opportunity to deal. Betting may be done in any of three different ways. One may bet on the player's hand (in the area of the layout that is closest to the player) or on the banker's hand (in the area of the layout just beyond that of the player) or on a tie (the furthermost area of the layout).
The Layout
The table is oval-shaped. There are usually seven divisions on each side of the table, numbered from one to fifteen. Gamblers, being for the most part superstitious, wouldn't sit at thirteen, so it is eliminated (there are tables that accommodate as few as twelve players or as many as eighteen players). The center of the table has an area for the dealer on one side; on the opposite side there is a large area that is cut out. This area accommodates two people and has the entire money box in front of it. There is also an area of boxes, marked off from one to fifteen which correspond with the player positions around the table.
Closest to Nine Wins
The basic premise of the game, as mentioned earlier, is to bet on the hand that will come closest to nine. All cards are counted at face value, with tens and picture cards counted at zero. The total of the first two cards dealt, counting only the right-hand digit, or digits value, is the total for the deal. This means that any count above nine reverts back to a lower number. A five and a two would total seven. However, a three, a nine, and a five would also total a seven. Although the true total of these numbers is seventeen, only the right hand, or digits value of seven is counted, and the left-hand, or tens value is eliminated. This is the only confusing rule in the . No total count can ever exceed nine. Anything above a nine reverts back to the digits column value. Again, a three and a two would total five; but so would an ace, an eight, and a six (total of fifteen with tens column eliminated).
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