Unlike games like Poker and Blackjack, there isn’t too much you need to understand when it comes to Baccarat. But the vast felt table printed with squares and symbols, and its reputation for being a wealthy person’s game, often scare off the average player unnecessarily. If you want to feel confident in your land-based or Online Casino and when you take a seat, then have a read through these quick rules, and we’ll have you feeling like Bond in no time.
What’s the ultimate goal of Baccarat?
Baccarat is always won by the hand that gets as close to the value of 9 as possible. Players will win the game if they bet on the winning side. There are only three possible bets to be made:
- Banker’s bet
- Player’s bet
- Tie bet
Your job is to put chips down on which scenario you think will win. Guess right and you increase that precious stack. Sounds simple enough, right? But there are a few other things you should keep in mind when taking on this live casino game.
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How does the game of Baccarat play out?
It’s always player versus the dealer, and you’re never up against anyone else at the table. In a regular game of Baccarat, the dealer is working with six to eight decks of cards. The game begins when the dealer deals two hands on the table:
- The Banker’s Hand
- The Player’s Hand
These are dealt into designated areas on the table. Each hand is initially made up of two cards. Once these have been handed out, it’s time to calculate the points and determine the value of each hand. The hand with the highest value wins.
How are points calculated in Baccarat?
This part is simple enough. All face cards and ten cards are calculated at zero points. Every other card in the deck is counted at face value. That means a five is five points and so on. I should probably also point out that an Ace counts as 1 point.
Here’s where you need to pay attention. If the value of a hand goes over nine, then you have to subtract 10 to get your final score. Think of it as a penalty for going over the 9 limits.
For example, if the Banker gets a face card and a 7 card, then the total points tally is 7. If the player gets a 9 card and then a 3 card (totalling 12 points), the hand is demoted to a value of 2 points. That means in this scenario, the Banker wins.
What’s a ‘natural’ in Baccarat?
A hand value that’s equal to nine is considered a natural win. That’s because it’s the highest score you can get without slipping into double-digit territory, at which point you reduce your value considerably. The hand that hits this score is the one that wins.
If neither hand has a nine, then the next best score is an eight (conveniently, this is also called a natural) and it’s this hand that is the winner. When either hand hits one of these values, no more cards are dealt and the bets that were placed at the beginning of the hand can be cashed out.
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Do you ever need more than two cards in Baccarat?
Now, if neither hand shows up an 8 or 9 score, then it’s time to turn to the rules of the game for guidance as to whether another card must be drawn. These rules will become second nature the longer you play, but until then, here’s a quick rundown:
- The Player hand always goes first.
- If the player hand has a total of 6 or 7, it must stand (no more cards are drawn).
- The only other totals possible are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, for which a card must always be drawn.
- Now it’s the Banker’s turn, and if their hand totals 0, 1 or 2 they must draw a card.
- If the two Banker cards total 7, then they must stand.
- The only other possible totals the Banker could have are 3, 4, 5, or 6, at which point the decision as to whether or not to draw a third card will depend on the player hand (this is another slightly complicated bit). Here’s a table to show you the options:
Now for some good news. Players don’t have to memorise any of the above scenarios because the dealer runs the entire game, making the plays according to the rules for both sides.
Once all the cards are dealt with, the only thing left is to count the points to determine the winner. The one who gets closest to nine points wins the hand.
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What’s a Tie Bet in Baccarat?
Sometimes no one wins. If the Player and the Banker have the same points, the game results in a Tie. In this case, the bets to the Banker and the bets to the Player are returned and only the bets on the Tie are paid out.
If you’re a fan of Blackjack then you’ll recognise this as being the same as a push. If you’re not familiar then you might want to check out the rules.
Where should you place your bets in Baccarat?
The element of luck in the game means that most players usually go with their gut and hope for the best. Placing your chips on either the Player side or the Banker side is rarely a decision of much consideration for the average player.
That being said, it’s interesting to note that the player bet has a house edge of 1.24%. On the other hand, placing a banker bet has a house edge of 1.06%. Your final option is to put your money on a Tie Bet, which usually pays out at 8-to-1 ($8 for every $1 you bet). This might sound like a great deal but it’s actually a terrible bet because the house edge is raised to a whopping 14.36%.
The Banker bet is usually the favourite, as it offers the smallest House edge. However, those who place a bet on the Banker must pay a 5% commission in the event of a win. For example, if you make a Banker Bet that comes good, resulting in a $10 win, you’ll owe $0.50 in commission to the house. On the plus side, this is only owed if you win and not if you lose (small victories). The amount owed is set aside by the dealer and the player must settle the commission before leaving the table.
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