My Baccarat Baccarat History 101 With the popularity of baccarat relatively less than that of other casino games such as poker and blackjack and its player following also lesser, it is very much likely that not many know its roots and beginnings. Add this to the fact that for most players, knowing the history of a casino game may seem to be not that important when compared to being in the know about the tactics and strategies of the game. In a way, it actually is. This is the case particularly with players whose only concern is making money out of baccarat. But if one actually does love the game and is really into it then knowing its history is a good thing since it will give one a greater appreciation of the game and a better understanding as to what it is really about. Unlike the histories of the beginning of other casino games which are pretty much precise, the history of baccarat's beginning is somewhat muddled since it not clear where the game really originated. Both Italy and France claim to be the birthplace of the game but the earliest incarnation of the game is said to come from Italy in the middle ages with an Italian gambler named Felix Falguierein being credited for the creation of baccarat. The game was said to reach France next where it enjoyed a very high level of popularity enough for many to believe that it indeed originated in France. The game then traveled to many countries, reaching as far as China. The French variation particularly gained popularity in England where its French name of "Chemin de fer" and rules are slightly changed thereby giving birth to the European version of the game. The next great leap of baccarat history landed it on the shores of Argentina where it gained a following in the casinos of Mar del Plata, where the well-to-do of Argentina resides. The game spread throughout South America until it reached the casinos of Cuba. This is where the game underwent some changes which gave birth to what everyone knows as the American variant of the game. Cuba again proved that it was a fateful place for the history of baccarat as it is where an American casino executive named Francis "Tommy" Renzoni took interest in baccarat and brought it to Las Vegas where it has become a permanent fixture in almost all of the casinos. The history of baccarat is a long and eventful one and by knowing it, one can say why it is a very much interesting game to play and the reasons why it will be an enduring game in casinos for ages to come.