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Getting your own Faro Bank started
By Mark Howard,
AKA: The Evil Swede  BCVC #38, SASS #20352 Life, KGC #1
Knight of the Green Cloth

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Whether you are an aspiring Civil War re-enactor, a cowboy action shooter or an avid old west enthusiast, at some point, an interest in the traditional game of faro often leads to a desire to set up some sort of faro bank for fun, entertainment and/or profit. Please check your local gaming laws before gambling-for-money. Generally, games for fun can be run for entertainment purposes, so long as no money changes hands. Some of the information on this page repeats what you may have seen in other pages of this site. Please bear with me. Being all dressed up in period clothing and sitting in an old west saloon... There is just something satisfying about bucking the tiger over a few drinks. A little saloon piano music in the background accompanied by the clinking of whiskey glasses and clay chips.. the whole atmosphere is quite intoxicating. I discovered the game of faro in the Belle Union Saloon at EoT (SASS End of Trail) in 2000 and started doing research on the game upon my return from Norco.  I started out with a few decks of repro cards, a piece of felt and a homemade case counter.  Over the years, I've just built upon that. At this point, I have over $1700 in equipment, some antique, most reproduction. About a year ago, I obtained an antique A. Ball & Bros. faro dealing box and a Will & Finck card press from a well-known gambling collector. I also obtained a reproduction dealing box about the same time.  Before that, I was dealing from a face down deck. I have found it is best to start small and just build up your equipment as you go and as items become available. The following items are needed, at a minimum, to play the traditional old west game of faro:  A faro layout  A standard 52 card deck (no jokers)  Pencils & paper (or a case counter or tally cards)  Markers and/or chips for all players Coppers (pennies, half cents or copper tokens) BANK(ER)   DEALER PLAYER - PLAYER - COUNTER - PLAYER - PLAYER This is a proper faro layout. The ace should be on the dealer's left and the six on the dealer's right. The seven is at the far end of both rows and the face cards were turned to face right-side-up for the dealer. Generally the case counter was located directly across from the dealer and positioned to match the layout. If you see a re-enactor or movie with a faro layout that is not laid out like this one.. they are WRONG! YOUR FIRST FARO LAYOUT: Your first component is a faro layout. This can be as simple as the 13 spades from another deck, laid out as pictured left. Once you find a comfortable layout and distance between cards for your chip size), you may want to purchase some green felt or oil cloth (or a gum blanket for you Civil War soldiers) and either mount the fabric to a board and glue the cards down or hand paint the card designs on your fabric. If you choose to use cards, they may be shellacked or laminated to make them more durable. If you choose to offer a HIGH CARD bar, you could write it out on a piece of paper or simply place a face down card from another deck in the high card position. The high card bar was commonly found on faro layouts after the 1840's. One of my more industrious readers built his own layout and case counter. He also was so kind as to set up a webpage with the step-by-step instructions. Many thanks to Ryan O'Connell for his hard work in documenting his projects for those seeking to follow in his footsteps. FARO CARDS: Modern cards may be used, but for best effect, period-correct cards (pictured below) should be obtained, particularly for your layout. I know it is hard for people to immediately recognize non-indiced cards (those are the ones without the numbers in the corners), but it is something you can pick up on over time if you keep at it. Corner indices were first introduced in 1880 in "Dexter" cards (pictured right) which were very rare at the time may have been found in London, where they were made. These cards would not have been common in the US West until much later. There are several manufacturers of reproduction playing cards. Many are marked "Civil War Era" or "1864 Poker Deck." Many of these cards are on modern stock and/or plastic coated and have a polished feel to them. These are not anything like the true "pasteboards" of the past. I recommend you stay away from decks made by U.S. Games Systems and Jarnagin. These include the reproduction L.I. Cohen "Highlander" deck and reproduction A. Dougherty "Civil War Illuminated" deck. There are very few manufacturers that still make a real square-cornered faro card deck on unpolished, uncoated card stock that would be true-and-correct for the period of 1850-1870's. To see an outstanding reproduction deck and maybe order a few of your own, go to: www.FaroKing.com.

KEEPING CASE: Keeping track of the cards played is called "keeping case." This can be done a number of ways. The simplest way is to provide players with pencils and paper or tally cards (also called "tabs"). The term "keeping tabs" comes from these cards. There are other styles of tally cards, including one with a series of check boxes. The next option would be to make or obtain a case counter. A basic case counter can be made with an inexpensive abacus and a little paint (see picture below). If you know anyone that does decent cabinet or woodcraft work, you can fashion a very nice reproduction case counter of a more traditional design, from some of the photos found on this site [Ryan's page also has info.].

Sample faro tally card, made by H.C. Evans of Chicago. Circa 1890's. These cards were printed front and back and could be used to track 16 deals per card (one deal is one whole deck).

	The Will & Finck reproduction (pictured left) is approx. 12"x 12" and was done by Petrovich. My only criticism is that it should have had spades instead of clubs. Otherwise, or rather, in spite of that, it is a really outstanding piece. A reproduction case counter such as this would generally sell for $150 to $250, depending upon the quality of workmanship as well as the type of wood and components used in its construction. The converted abacus pictured below is approx. 9"x 5" and while it is very basic, it gets the job done. Sorry for the poor quality picture, the counter is very glossy and cannot be photographed with a flash.
Above (left) is a sample saloon faro bank using a mounted felt layout with laquered cards that have been pasted down, a face-up faro deck, a variety of clay composite chips, wooden bowls with pennies for coppers and, of course, a reproduction case counter. Note the copper on the 6 (in the case counter), which is used to indicate it was the "soda card." The discard pile is beside the bank, behind the six. Those papers, shown in front of the king, are brochures that I had provided for players and spectators with a brief history and basic game rules.

CHIPS, CHECKS & MARKERS: Similar to roulette or baccarat, players are issued individual chips (that were called "checks" back then). Each player could tell their bet from others because it was distinctively colored or patterned. Another option is to use valued chips (poker chips) and give each player a handful of unvalued markers that can be placed on top of their bets to differentiate them from the other player's bets. While this may work when starting out, it is usually best to just bite the bullet and do it right by getting a variety of different checks so each player can have their distinctive type.
Whether the banker is the dealer, another banker (at the table or at the bar), whoever sells the chips, notes the value of those chips at the time of sale. Then they can be redeemed for their original value. You will need enough chips to sell and then to pay out any winnings at the table. First, I suggest you figure out how many potential punters you will have at your table. You will need a distinctive color or pattern for each player. Then you will need a minimum of 60 to 100 chips for each player. Ideally, you should have 150 to 300 checks per color or pattern. You can find a variety of quality clay composite chips at www.FaroKing.com.
A common buy-in would be $20 at 50 cents per check (that is 40 checks). $10 at 25 cents per check is also 40 checks at buy-in. If the punter were to go "all in" on the high card and win, you will need 40 more checks to pay off, right off the bat! The dealer sets the minimum buy-in and maximum bet at the table. These limits must be communicated clearly at the time of the sale. During play, if a player places a bet that exceeds the table limit, the dealer or banker should remind the player, but if the limit was communicated clearly at the onset, a banker is only required to pay out on the maximum allowed bet.

COPPERS: From 1853 on, punters had the option of "coppering" their faro bet(s). This means placing a copper token (traditionally a penny (pictured right), half cent (pictured below) or later a 6-sided composite token, called a "copper") on top of a standard (often called an "open bet" or "straight bet") wager to "reverse" the bet. (1888 Indian head cent, pictured right).
When starting out, common pennies can be used. If you want to really be period correct, go to a coin dealer and purchase 10 to 15 circulated vintage pennies from the year or era you are portraying. Keep in mind that because of production cycles, some years are much rarer than others. If you are open to several different years, you may be able to get what you need very easily and inexpensively. As an asside; The Indian cent was first introduced in 1859. Lincoln cents were introduced in 1910. The rarest date is 1877 (worth upward of $350 each, depending on condition). Most years from 1880 to 1909 are pretty common. Most circulated Indian head pennies from 1860 to 1909 sell for $1. to $12. each (depending on condition). Of course, since you are simply using them as game tokens, you can ask your coin dealer if they have a box of "dregs" or damaged coins. Many dealers will sell their dregs for 5 to 25 cents each. I recently purchased 10 Indian head pennies, dated from 1860 through 1890, for just $1.
For those portraying Civil War era (or earlier) personas, it is worth mentioning that copper half cent coins were minted up until 1857 and would have been commonly used as faro coppers during the French & Indian War (1754-1763) as well as the Civil War (1861-1865), as they would have been considered more lowly coins. They can be pricey now, but certainly would add a nice touch to any wartime faro bank! (1851 "braided hair" half cent, pictured left) 1851 & 1853-55 "braided hair" type half cent coins can go for $10. to $200., depending on condition. Check eBay for "half cent" or "US half penny" to see what is available there. Also, ask your local coin dealer what they may have on hand. These make excellent coppers, as do foreign copper coins (possibily from your character's native land?).

WHAT ELSE? Once you get started, you may want to start to upgrade your equipment as things become available and finances permit. The first thing you should look at is a quality case counter. The second would be a metal faro dealing box, such as the one pictured right. The most important aspect of a dealing box is smooth operation. A poorly designed or improperly adjusted box can ruin a game. Each card should come out one at a time and smoothly. Smooth operation is something that is as much a function of the dealer as the box.. so, once you get a good box: practice, practice practice. Each dealing box will function differently with different decks. Card thickness and texture play an important role. Find the cards that work best in your box and get several decks. Then practice with those cards and rotate your decks often to keep them all in the same relative state.	Reproduction dealing boxes sell for $100 to $300+, depending on construction, weight and finish. An unmarked antique box that functions smoothly would start at $300. A marked box in good condition starts at about $500. and most are sold for over $1000. "Marked" means it has a maker's mark, such as Will & Finck, H.C. Evans, A. Ball & Bros. and others that were made through the 1920's.
If you are interested in obtaining a quality reproduction faro dealing box or any other reporduction faro equipment, please e-mail me at: EvilSwede@BCVC.net.
Other items you might want to include over time... a bank box to hold checks at the table, a small hurricane oil lamp, a card press and of course, good saloon piano music! It really makes ALL the difference and adds a lot of atmosphere! I prefer Dave Bourne and Squeek Steel. Both have CDs available online. Just search their names in the 'net under "saloon piano."
BUYER BEWARE: There is a lot of reproduction faro equipment on the market that can fool even the best expert! In addition to out-and-out fakes, you may also stumble across vintage and retired casino dealing boxes that are about 50 to 70 years old and are being sold as 1800's originals. Whether you are in the market for an original faro dealing box, a vintage case keeper, layout or faro deck, be sure to do your homework. Also, consider whether you would want to use that equipment to play with or if you would want to simply have it for an antique display.
KNOW THE LAWS OF THE GAME: These are the laws of the game. Besides the basic rules, you should be very familiar with these "laws" if you will be dealing or playing faro. Except for the 12 rules listed below, the remaining rules for the game (as detailed on the "RULES" page) are basically guidelines and open to agreement, negotiation and interpretation. THE LAWS OF THE GAME: The actual laws of faro are few and are based upon justice and equity. All disputes arising in a game may be settled by referring to these 12 laws: All bets are to be forfeited and paid out as they lie upon the card except when there is an expressed and agreed understanding to the contrary. The intentions of a player are not to be considered by a dealer. At the time of the draw, it must be assumed all bets have been placed or left on the layout to clearly represent the player's wager. Barring a bet is a courtesy that must be communicated clearly to the dealer by the player. If a dealer allows a bet to be barred, he will respond in acknowledgement and that bet will remain barred until the player says, "it goes" and receives clear acknowledgement from the dealer of same. Any other special exception granted, is assumed, in principle, to remain so until the end of the deal (deck), unless the request or exception is expressly withdrawn or revoked by the player or dealer earlier. Should another player or the dealer, banker or lookout alter the bet of another by accident or design, they are responsible to cover the loss, if any. The dealer should take and pay correctly and not make a mistake through design or carelessness, nor should he alter the position of wagers in play on the layout without the player's expressed permission. In all cases, the dealer has the right to the last shuffle and cut; and where he may permit a player to shuffle or cut, it is an extension of courtesy to the player and not a right. The dealer has the right to inspect any item placed upon the layout. If a player is not satisfied with the deck or the shuffle, they may ask to inspect the cards or he may ask the dealer to count out the cards in their view, at the end of the deal (deck). A player is not obligated to place bets and they do not have a right to interrupt the play in the middle of a deal (deck). It is not the dealer's responsibility to keep case (count the cards in play). That is the job of the case keeper. The case keeper is not obligated to cover losses that are based upon their miscounting or mishandling of the case counter or inattention to play. It is each player's responsibility to supervise the proper counting of cards in play or keep their own tabs. The dealer is responsible for covering all bets for which he turns, up to the posted or expressed table limit. The dealer always has the option of turning his box over and closing his game, between completed turns, in the middle of the deal (deck), or playing through the end of the deal without giving the option of betting the turn. When the players have broken the bank, the dealer pays coppered bets first, then the largest bets next, until all of the bank funds are depleted. Players are not obligated to take I.O.U.s or extend credit to the dealer and may recover their winnings, to their satisfaction, by impounding bank equipment.

LASTLY: Have a great time! If you have any questions, refer to the laws and the rules, posted on this site. If you run into something that is not covered or you don't understand, please let me know!     Please be aware that you will inevitably run into people that have no clue about this game and its rightful place in history. They will spout movie quotes and other misguided statements, generally based upon pure ignorance. Some believe all faro games were (and are) rigged, most believe the odds in faro are entirely skewed in favor of the house and that faro has the worst odds of any gambling game in history (when in fact, the exact opposite it true). Many believe faro is too difficult to learn and understand. All of these myths are false and have been spread by so many, for so long, that people believe them to be true. If you are going to deal faro, please try to help break down these myths. But, at the same time, understand that some people are simply too ignorant and pig-headed to wrap their minds around reality.. because, it must be true if they saw it in a movie! So, here is my advice; Enjoy yourself, spread the truth about faro and don't waste your time and energy on the few idiots!

~Evil Swede, Faro Dealer

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