One of the oldest games still played, Baccarat is has an interesting history dating back hundreds of years. According to much of the written Baccarat history, the game dates back to 1490AD and its’ name comes from the Italian word for ‘zero’. There are two interesting stories of how the game was invented, with one of them being based on mythology and the other about an Italian gambler.
The mythology behind Baccarat history is about a blonde virgin who was to perform an old Etruscan ritual with nine gods waiting anxiously for her fate to be revealed. The gods waited on their tiptoes while the virgin rolled a nine sided die. Once the die landed, her fate was set. Depending on the number that the die landed on, she would have one of three different fates. Landing on the 8 or the 9 would mean the virgin would become a priestess. If the die landed on the 6 or the 7 she would be outcast by the church and banned from all religious activities from that day on. The virgins fate was not so good if the die were to land on any number lower than a 6, because it would mean that her fate was to walk into the sea and parish.
There is question as to whether the game was first created in Italy or France. The most traditionally believed origin of Baccarat is that it was invented by an Italian gambler, Felix Falguirerein in 1490 AD using a deck of Tarot cards. Tarot cards have long used to predict a persons fate and the four suits of the Tarot were the basis of the four suites the decks of cards used today.
During the early years of Baccarat the game was only played by nobleman and was played in secrecy because it was illegal. After France realized how much money was changing hands, they made it legal and started taxing the winnings. The tax was then used to develop poor areas of the country. Around the time Napoleon held rule of France Baccarat was once again made illegal but after Napoleon’s reign ended the game was legalized again and began being played in casinos. 
Let me start off by saying that there are (3) main types of Poker Chips available, Plastic, Clay and Ceramic.
Low end (dollar store) Plastic are the least expensive chips and can be found at most grocery stores or “dollar” stores. They are very low in weight and are made solely of cheap plastic. Needless to say, these type chips are not very durable and are not recommended.
ABS Plastic (high impact strength plastic) are made with a higher end ABS type plastic. Most of the time ABS Plastic Chips will be manufactured with a metal inlay, this adds to the weight and “real feel” of the chips. The use of this material allows for a more defined design than Clay Composite’s. They are very durable and will outlast most Clay Composite’s due to the strength of the ABS plastic. Plastic chips make a “ding” type sound when thrown into the “pot”.
NexGen Plastic: This specialized manufacturing process makes these chips feel very close to a Clay Composite Chip. NexGen Chips have a softer, duller surface and stack very well. Dollar for dollar you cannot beat the value of the NexGen line for longevity and durability.
Clay (clay composite): There are really no 100% clay chips, they are made of a Clay Composite. If they were 100% clay, they would crack and break constantly. If a chip is 5% Clay, the manufacturer can still say they are clay. With that said, there are many grades of Clay Composite’s and a wide price range. The best Clay Composite Chips are manufactured using “compression molding” instead of “injection molding”. An example of “compression molded” chips are Paulson, they are Casino Quality and are the best available chips for the home gaming market. Clay Composite chips make a “thud” type sound when thrown into the “pot”.
Ceramic: These type chips are not 100% ceramic, they are mixed with a polymer to give them added strength. A very important factor to remember about the ceramic chips is that the image is embedded below the surface of the chip and will never fade or peel off. Ceramic Chips have a textured surface and stack very well.
