Summary

Chapter 5 begins with a summary of the different types of baccarat and description of why the game was satisfying to play. The kind of baccarat played in China was a game of chance with no skill involved, called punto banco baccarat. Lord Doyle liked it because it was all or nothing when it came to winning. After he slept the day away, he began to prepare for his battle against Lady Luck at night. He entered the casino with his usual air of importance where he ate and drank lavishly. He balanced his finances and realized he was vastly in the hole, but this didn’t alarm him as he believed he would win again, especially with baccarat.

Lord Doyle joined a higher-paying game of baccarat and started off by winning a hand, making him the envy of the room. As he continued...