This baccarat beginners guide has been created to arm you with master-level baccarat strategy insight so that you stand an even opportunity against the many sly tactics used by casinos. Obtain the advantage the following time you become seated at the baccarat table—even greater if you're playing at a best baccarat casinos.
Wherever you do choose to play—at online casino or live casino—the dealer will shortly be fearing your mastery of this card game, and you'll be experiencing the sweet thrill of victory and the excitement of walking out of the casino a huge winner.
As time passes, seasoned players will have access to video lessons for all of the following: rules of baccarat, counting cards, handling the banker's hand in different situations, and betting on banker and player. Watch how to make sure the banker does not win every single hand and learn the best systems and baccarat strategies.
What Is Baccarat? – Play This Card Game Like a Pro
What is baccarat? It's an exciting casino game that has to be played responsibly since it's extremely rapid. Little is known about this card game by most players. Baccarat is well-known only among a few individuals who have watched James Bond films, since it's his favorite card game. Moreover, most online casinos are more interested in blackjack, roulette, and slots.
Sit down and learn about this fascinating game's card rules. Be a follower of Punto Banco rules, and I promise you can be an "advantage player" with fair odds against the casino croupier. Learn the method to reduce the banker's winning chances in the majority of versions of this popular card game.
An advantage player is a person who plays the game with his technical skill and game knowledge to beat the casino—without using any illegal methods. These techniques include methods like card counting, edge sorting, and game theory. Though these are not illegal, I can assure you that the dealer won't be happy if you use them at the table.
Some of these successful systems and betting methods can be employed by online baccarat players even at real tables, especially when optimizing different bonuses.
First Things First – Learn the Basics
As with other favorite betting games, you must be familiar with card rules well, not depending on aids used to play. This applies even if you like playing online baccarat. After you understand the rules, it is more convenient to make the correct decisions during fierce rounds of play against the banker and the casino floor.
Baccarat Table Rules
The name of this ancient card game is taken from the Italian word baccara, zero, which is worth for all the face cards and tens of a standard card pack. These are the basic rules if you want to learn how to play baccarat.
This card game is usually played with six or eight decks placed inside a card shoe.
A baccarat hand is made up of two cards. Additional cards can be drawn, but only under certain circumstances. The dealer—also referred to as the banker—begins the game by dealing two hands:
- The Banker's Hand
- The Player's Hand
You don't have to bet on the player hand (your cards), and the player hand does not always win.
Once the cards have been shuffled, it's now time to assign hand values based on the standard rules used in online and real-time baccarat games. The same value rules apply to all players seated at the table.
Hand Values – Player and Banker
Tens and face cards (King, Queen, Jack) are zeroed out, as mentioned earlier. All other cards retain their face value of 1 to 9.
For clarity: Aces count as 1.
If two cards add up to 10 or more, you count backwards from 10 to get the hand value.
For example, if you are given an 8 of Spades and a 7 of Diamonds, that's 15, but your baccarat value is 5 (15 − 10 = 5).
That's it in a nutshell—things can get a little more complicated, but not really.
If playing online baccarat is something that piques your interest, look here for a link to live baccarat and a video tutorial of how the game is played. It's an excellent way to get a feel for the rhythm of this popular card game.
Guide to Banker & Dealer Card Draw Rules
This is where things become slightly more complicated, so continue reading to completely get the hang of playing baccarat right.
If the player is not given a third card, the bank must stand when they have a hand value of 6 or 7. If the hand value of the bank is 0 to 5, they must draw a third card.
Otherwise, the following are the rules:
- If the player third card is an ace, 9, 10, or face card, then the bank draws if they have 0–3 and stands with 4–7.
- If the player's third card is an 8, the bank draws 0–2 and stands on 3–7.
- If the player receives a 6 or 7, the bank draws 0–6 and stands on 7.
- If the player receives a 4 or 5, the bank draws 0–5 and stands on 6 or 7.
- If the player's third card is a 2 or a 3, the bank draws 0–4 and stands on 5–7.
Once all the Punto Banco cards have been dealt, it is only a matter of counting the baccarat points to call out the winner. The hand with a count closest to nine (9) is the winner. In online baccarat, it is automatically done, thus simpler and faster.
Main Baccarat Bets – Player, Banker, and Tie
- Player: Betting on the player's hand to win. 1:1 pays out.
- Banker: Betting on the banker's hand. 1:1 pays out but typically with a 5% commission.
- Tie: Bet both hands to total the same. Pays minimum 8:1.
There can be sometimes no winner, also referred to as a tie. If this event happens in online baccarat, the round is concluded and only individuals who bet on "Tie" will win.
But you will receive your original bet back if you place it on Player or Banker and the result is a tie—therefore you won't lose your money in that case.
These are the three most common bets available in any type of baccarat. Some casinos will, occasionally, establish side bets, for instance, whether or not the next hand will produce a pair of twos or some other prearranged outcomes.