INTRODUCTION TO BACCARAT
Even though it’s referred to as ‘The Gentleman’s Game’ you don’t have to be a genius to understand or play it. Baccarat is a game that has travelled around the world, beginning in Italy and is a player favourite at any casino. In Baccarat players choose to bet on either the ‘player’, ‘banker’, or ‘tie’ before the cards are dealt. Then the game ensues without any further player participation.
BASIC RULES OF BACCARAT
The goal in playing Baccarat is to get a hand of cards that totals as close to 9 points as possible. Aces are worth 1 point, cards 2-9 are worth their face value and 10’s, jacks, queens and kings are worth 0. In Baccarat it is impossible to score greater than 9 because the 10 value is dropped if the points add up to more than 9. So, for example if your cards totalled 13, you would in fact have a 3. The best hand a player can get is a total of 9 with just two cards, next would be 8 with two cards – these are both called ‘natural’ winning hands.
VARIATIONS OF BACCARAT
There are four many variations of Baccarat played around the world. American Baccarat, Punto Banco, Chemin de Fer and European Baccarat.
American Baccarat is the game we’ve described above. In this version the casino funds the game and the players merely choose a bet (player, banker or tie) and watch the game unfold.
Punto Banco is the closest relative to American Baccarat. In Punto Banco the odds and hand requirements are slightly different. Punto Banco involves a lower house edge with the player, banker and tie bets having house advantages of 1.24%, 1.06% and 14.44% respectively.
Chemin de Fer is the French variation of Baccarat which has more flexible rules for drawing a third card. In Chemin de Fer, the casino does not fund the game. Instead the players play together with one player in the ‘banker’ role. This role rotates around counter-clockwise to other players at the table while the dealer watches over.
The European version of Baccarat comes from England and is similar to both American Baccarat and Punto Banco (because the casino funds the game) however player and dealer are allowed to choose to hit or stand on a hand with 5 points.
HOW TO PLAY BACCARAT
A hand of Baccarat begins with the dealer handing out two cards each to himself and the player. If either receives a natural 8 or 9 (as discussed above) no other cards are dealt. Highest score always wins, if there is an equal score it is considered a tie and if none of these options occurs a third card is dealt.
Players must stand on a 6 or more but will receive an additional card on a 5 or less. On the contrary, the dealer must stand on a 7 or more and receive an additional card on a 0, 1, or 2.
The house must also, always hit in the following situation:
- If the house hand totals 3 and the player’s third card is anything except an 8
- If the house hand totals 4 and the player’s third card is anything other than 1, 8, 9 or 0
- If the house hand totals 5 and the player’s third card is a 4, 5, 6 or 7
- If the house hand totals 6, and the player’s third card is a 6 or 7
Once the hand plays out the dealer announces the winning hand – Either the player, banker or tie and wins are awarded accordingly. Bets on the banker receive even money (1:1) and 5% goes to the casino in the form of a commission. Bets on the player also pay even money (1:1) and bets on a tie pay 8:1, sometimes even 9:1. The best strategy we can offer in playing Baccarat is to always bet on the banker.
Baccarat Strategy
Baccarat is a simple game to learn and understand. With straightforward rules, Baccarat does not require the player to make very many decisions. Because of this, the winning strategies are also very simple. However, because the game is based entirely on chance, there is always a chance that these strategies will not guarantee a winning outcome, but by learning them, you can help make the gaming experience more intriguing.
Strategy 1: Put your money on the banker
Betting on the banker is a logical strategy, as it is the safest bet a player can make. In mose casino games, the house has an edge
This is the most logical strategy you can play because it is a safe bet. As in most casino games the house has the better edge and this remains true for the game of Baccarat. The banker or dealer in this case has a slightly higher edge of winning so making a bet on the banker winning offers you a better chance of winning too. This strategy is great for the logical and patient player however there would be no fun to the game if you always make the same bet! Feel free to vary it up as bets on the player are sure to win as well but always keep in mind that the banker bet is mathematically speaking, the stronger bet of all the Baccarat bets.
Strategy 2: Avoid the tie bet
The tie bet is one of those bets that players are always drawn to. They take one look at the odds, they do a bit of mental math and realize, wow, this could mean a nice payday for me! But what you have to realize is the odds are so high because this bet rarely wins! Of course it’s always fun to go with your gut and place a few wagers on this spot but try to avoid it as much as possible. After all, walking into a bet where the house edge is a high as 5% isn’t the smartest move if you’re in the game to win!
Strategy 3: Avoid using pattern spotting
Pattern spotting involves watching the scoreboard to see which bets have won within recent hands. Land-based and online casinos will often show you a score board and you will also often see players’ using it, to what they feel is an advantage. Players often believe that seeing a pattern and attempting to bet with the pattern is a good strategy. In actuality though, the math states that the previous hands will have no bearing on what the next hand will be as the odds of each bet remain the same, even if the dealer has won the past 9 hands. So while spotting patterns and having some fun with your bets is an entertaining strategy to try, don’t let your bets get caught up in too many patterns.
Strategy 4: Try to play single deck Baccarat as much as possible
Playing any game in single deck format will always give you better odds than multiple decks so always look for Baccarat games with as little decks in play as possible. Single-deck Baccarat only carries a house edge of 1%. Unfortunately though for those playing online, single-deck doesn’t really exist because the casino software randomizes the cards and essentially reshuffles after each hand.
BACCARAT
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