It’s been a while since our last Sigil Casino post, but we’re back to show off a card game almost as popular in casinos as poker and blackjack: Baccarat.
Baccarat
For the uninitiated, Baccarat has deceptively simple rules. Each player gets dealt two cards and adds up the numbers on the cards. The closest to 9 wins. If you are below 9, you can always ask for a third and final card. If you happen to go over 9 then you just take the second digit of the number (so a 12 becomes a 2). And lastly, face cards count as a 0.
And that’s all there is to it. That’s Baccarat. So let’s put that into Sigil terms.
d100 Baccarat
Each game of Baccarat starts with every player putting down their bets. Then each one rolls 2d10 and add together the numbers (treat all 10s as 0s). Anyone who rolled 8 or over stays on their number, anyone below that can choose to roll one more d10 to add to their total. If you result is over 1, then take the second digit of the number (so a 12 becomes a 2).
If any player got a 9, then they win automatically, otherwise it is the player who got the closest to 9. If there is a draw, then they split the pot. See, simple as that.
Punto Banco
Punto Banco is a version of Baccarat played against the casino (called the Banker). The banker deals two hands, one for himself and one for the player, and the player can bet on either one. The main difference between casual Baccarat and Punto Banco is getting that third card/d10.
If either the player or banker gets an 8 or a 9, then the round ends immediately.
If the player got a 6-7, then he stands and doesn’t get a third d10. The player only rolls a third d10 if he gets a 0-5.
If the player only has two cards, then the Banker plays by the same rules as the player (stands on a 6-7, gets a third d10 on a 0-5). However, if the player rolled a third d10, then the banker consults the following options based on what his total is:
- If the total is 2 or less, then the banker rolls a third d10, regardless of what the player’s third d10 is.
- If the total is 3, then the banker rolls a third d10 unless the player’s third d10 was an 8.
- If the total is 4, then the banker rolls a third d10 if the player’s third d10 was 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
- If the total is 5, then the banker rolls a third d10 if the player’s third d10 was 4, 5, 6, or 7.
- If the total is 6, then the banker rolls a third d10 if the player’s third d10 was a 6 or 7.
- If the total is 7, then the banker stands.
Not as simple, but it is the most famous version of Baccarat played in casinos.
Betting
Betting in the Sigil System works by using “points” of your character’s Wealth Skill Level. If you win, you gain a bonus to your Wealth Skill Check equal to the amount of points you’ve won until such a time as your GM decides you have used up all of your winnings (at least for 1 session). Similarly, you won’t lose any levels in your Wealth Skill if you lose a bet, but you will take a penalty to any Wealth Skill Checks equal to the amount of points your lost.
You can bet as many points of Wealth up to your character’s Wealth Skill Level plus any points you have already won. Other characters can “spot” you some money by taking a penalty to their Wealth Skill Checks, and you will gain some “points” to bet with.