Hello and welcome to my Baccarat guide. Here I will review the most basic rules for you – also check out my list of Canadian licensed casinos offering Baccarat!
Best Casinos Offering Baccarat 2024
Baccarat is a worldwide casino game. The game is believed to originate from Italy around the 15th century. It’s a simple game with only three possible outcomes – “Player”, “Bank” and “Draw”. In Punto Banco Baccarat – the version you see most frequently today – you can play on all three outcomes. Each outcome has a specific percentage to win:
- The Bank wins 45,84% of the rounds
- The Player wins 44,61% of the rounds
- 9,55% of the rounds ends in tie between the Player and the Bank
Different versions of Baccarat
There is a lot of different versions of Baccarat and three of them are accepted internationally. These games are: Baccarat Chemin, Baccarat Banque and Punto Banco.
Punto Banco is a game of chance where neither strategy nor abilities are present. In Baccarat Chemin and Baccarat Banque, players have the opportunity to make choices and thereby use their skills and strategy.
The online casinos mostly offers the punto banco variant of Baccarat. Thus, the player does not have the opportunity to make choices along the way.
Baccarat rules
Like blackjack, baccarat is about drawing cards and get as close to a certain score as possible.
- The best score is 9. It’s not possible to get a score higher than 9.
- Aces is equal to 1, picture cards are equal to 10 and all other cards is equal to their stated number.
- Its only the last number that counts in the total score
Let’s use an example:
You have drawn 3+8 which is equal to a score of 11 but since it’s only the last number that counts your total score is 1. This hand is not good in baccarat because it’s low. Another example could be 10+4=14 but only the last number counts, which gives you a total score of 4.
Procedure
Baccarat is a game between bank and player. In Chemin De Fer and Baccarat Banque the players shift between playing bank and player. In Punto Banco its always the casino which plays the bank and players can bet on player, bank and tie.
Placing a bet
First of all, Baccarat is a guessing game – this is why players have to place a bet before the cards are dealt.
You have three betting options:
- Banker’s hand: Bet on the hand of the banker and double your money, also called 1 to 1, if you win.
- Player’s hand: If you win by betting on the hand of the player, you also double your money.
- Tie: Should you be lucky and win betting on a tie, you are paid 8 to 1!
The round
In all the different versions Baccarat starts with the player and bank both getting two cards. If one or both hands is equal to either 8 or 9, this is a “natural win” and the games is over. Hence, bets that have been placed are cashed out.
If neither the hand of player or of the bank is equal to 8 or 9, a third card is drawn.
The rules for drawing the card in the game of Baccarat is, however, different for the player and the banker:
Third card rules for the player
The rules of Baccarat determine that the player always go first.
- If the hand of the player is equal to 8 or 9 points, this is a natural win and a third card will not be drawn.
- If the hand of player equals to 6 or 7, the player stands and no additional card will be drawn.
- If the hand of the play equals a total from 0 – 5 points, the player draws a third card – this is unless the banker’s hand is 8 or 9. In this case, no further cards are drawn and the banker wins
Third card rules for the banker
The third card rules for the banker depends on the hand of the player.
- If the bank has a score of 2 or less the bank needs to draw a third card, unless this player has a natural 8 or 9
- If the bank’s score is 3, the bank must draw a card, unless the player’s third card is 8 – in which case the bank stands.
- If the bank’s score is 4, the bank must draw a card unless the player’s third card is 0,1,8 or 9.
- If the bank’s score is 5, the bank must stand unless the player’s third card is 4, 5, 6 or 7.
- If the bank’s score is 6, the bank must stand unless the player’s third card is 6 or 7.
- If the bank’s score is 7, the bank needs to stand.
- If the bank’s score i 8 or 9, neither the bank or the player draw a card.
The winning hand
Once all the cards are dealt, the winning hand is calculated. The hand closet to 9 wins. Both the hand of player and of the banker can’t get more than three cards. Neither hand loses in the event of a tie – the dealer simply collects the lost bets and pays the winnings.
Baccarats history
Baccarat dates back to the 15th century in Italy. But it was first in the 19th century in France that the game became popular. Baccarat Banque was the original version of the game and it was pretty time consuming. Later on, the Chemin De Fer version became popular.
Chemin De Fer is French for railroad. It got this name because it was less time consuming than Baccarat Banque.
Gradually as the casinos became bigger and more organised, Punto Banco became more popular. In this version it’s only the dealer who draw cards which makes it possible for more players to take part in the game. More than 90% of baccarat played on casinos is Punto Blanco.
Baccarat is a worldwide game. One of the most popular places for Baccarat is in Macau, Asia, where 75% of its revenue comes from Baccarat. Baccarat is of course also played online at various online casinos.
If you know which game James Bond prefers, you probably already know a lot about the rules of Baccarat. Rich people and high rollers often play Baccarat because of the exclusivity and atmosphere of the game – both in Las Vegas and Macau, it has been known that Baccarat was where a lot of money was played. There are stories about men who has played their whole fortune away in just a few hours in the Baccarat rooms.
Good advices to new Baccarat players
Baccarat is a different and challenging casino game. Below are a few good tips for new players who would like to get started with Baccarat.
• Baccarat can be played free on many online casinos. It’s a very good idea to practice for free before you begin playing with real money.
• Learn the rules of Baccarat before you begin playing.
There are plenty of reasons to start playing this fun casino game. The excitement is top notch, so play like James Bond and win big today.
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