Casino Royale: The Poker versus Baccarat Debate
So I rented Casino Royale, the new James Bond 007 movie.
If you haven’t seen this movie yet and you’re a James Bond fan, you have got to get your ass to Blockbuster, Netflix, or Hollywood Video and get your hands on this rental (you can pick it up widescreen, fullscreen, or Blu-Ray. Blu-Ray makes the movie look damn amazing). Think of it like a prequel, which it is, to the entire 007 franchise. It shows Bond getting his first kills as a ’00′ (double 0) agent and his “unsmoothness” which is weird as he’s such a smooth dude in the later novels.
So anyway, I had seen the flick at the movie theaters, loved it, so I rented it. The movie is based on the novel by Ian Fleming. It’s actually the first of 11 books that Fleming wrote for the 007 series.
Like in most James Bond movies and books, the card game of choice for Bond is baccarat (if you want more info on baccarat, check out our getting started with baccarat primer post). In the book version, he plays baccarat and a huge portion of the dialogue in the novel is an explanation of the rules and strategy of baccarat. But in Casino Royale, movie version, they play No-Limit Texas Hold’em poker.
At first I’m thinking, “Wait a second, that’s a total blaspheme on the Ian Fleming novel!” It’s clearly baccarat in the novels and movies – so what’s up with the poker? My first thought was that the movie producers really wanted to bank off the major poker explosion and appease casual James Bond movie fans. It got me kinda pissed cause man, I’ve always had this vision of Bond as a baccarat guy and this really threw me for a loop. Are the producers selling out on the Bond movie franchise by switching to poker? Is it all about the money and not the Ian Fleming original vision?
But then I started thinking about it. I read some great forum threads, blog posts, and articles on the subject. I talked it out with my bro and my buddies. And I can sort of see the view of the producers on the move. And I can think of a few reasons why they made the switch to poker:
Most people have absolutely no idea on how to play baccarat
It’s definitely not a knock on baccarat – I love the game, I love the vibe. It’s just a fact. In most areas around the world, poker (and blackjack to a lesser extent) is a hotter game. It’s more relevant right now. That’s not to say baccarat isn’t real popular is certain areas of the world. In fact, baccarat is huge in Asia casinos right now. But obviously James Bond is geared toward a North American audience, to those in the United States and Canada, and to English-speaking European countries, thus the poker.
Poker fits well into the scene in the movie
In Casino Royale, James Bond is betting the treasury on the game. It’s more realistic to accept the wagering of such a ginormous quantity of cash on a game like baccarat that’s pretty much purely based on basic strategy and luck. Meanwhile, poker is based on skill plus luck, thus more acceptable to accept the fact of the huge money wager.
Are we going to see poker in future James Bond movies?
Probably. And I don’t mind.
But do you think he might play other casino games? How about James Bond drinking his martini and playing bingo? Or how about 007 in an exhilarating game of keno?
Even though I associate James Bond with baccarat and martinis – well, I’m down to see how the series progresses with the move to poker.
Baccarat Discussion Forums
If you’re looking for a discussion forum to talk about baccarat with other baccarat players, then you should definitely check out the baccarat forums. There’s a vibrant community growing there – seeing as at the moment, it may be the only true baccarat discussion forum on the internet!
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Baccarat
Card values: Cards count as face value except 10’s Jacks, Queens and Kings.
10’s, jack, queens and kings have no value and count as nothing.
Aces always count as one.
The best and highest hand is 9 followed by 8.
A hand totals 8 or 9 in the first two cards is called a natural and the game is over.
When cards that total 10 or higher only the last number is used. 16 becomes 6.
The players hand always stands on 6 and higher.
The players hand always draws a 3rd card if the total is 5 or less.
The player will not draw a 3rd card if the bank had an 8 or 9 in the first two cards.
If the player does not have an 8 or 9 the bank must draw a 3rd card following the rules.
If the player has 6 or higher and the bank has 5 or less, the bank must draw.
Bank has
0, 1, or 2 Bank must draw 3rd card
3 Must draw unless the players 3rd card is an 8
If players 3rd card and 8 and bank totals 3, the game stops
4 Draws only if players 3rd card is a 2 through 7
Does not draw if players 3rd card is ace, or 8 and higher
5 Draws on if players 3rd card is a 4 through 7
Does not draw if players 3rd card is an ace, 2, 3, 8 and higher
6 Draws only if player 3rd card is a 6 or 7.
7 Never draws a 3rd card
The baccarat that James Bond plays is called Chemin de Fer, and it is a game of skill as much as poker is. But it is true that almost nobody knows how to play it. The baccarat most people know is the American version, and that game is equivalent to betting on a coin flip.
amazing comparison, thanks for sharing this
thank you for sharing your info
you can play both of them at most of the online casino sites.
playing Baccarat at Jackpot would definitely bring you so much fun, I promise!