Everything about Baccarat and how to play it: a precise guide

Many popular casino games are known and loved by everyone. Many of you may already know how to play poker and blackjack but if you are searching for something new, you can try out baccarat. Everything you need to know about the specifics of the game will be presented in this article.

Baccarat casino card game: what is it about?

Baccarat is a simple casino card game with usually only 2 or 3 cards. It’s mostly the game of chance, such as coin flips, for example. It may also resemble blackjack, though it is much easier. This game also has different variations:

• Baccarat Banque or Two Table Baccarat
• Chemin de Fer
• Punto Banco
• Mini Baccarat

The first version was the original 19th-century baccarat game but it fell out of favor in many casinos because of many cheating opportunities. Chemin de Fer was mostly suppressed by easier versions of the game though it can still be found in some Italian casinos. Punto Banco, on the other hand, is still popular, especially among Chinese players of Macau. Mini Baccarat is only different because of lower minimum bets and smaller scale. Traditionally, this game is perceived as a high roller game, however, recent game options are considered to have a relatively low house edge. 

How to Play Baccarat: basic rules of the game

The first step in playing baccarat is deciding on your betting. Some baccarat casinos use chips and some may use actual money. Either way, you can bet on one of two hands: a player Hand or a Bank Hand. The cards are given point values, as well as in blackjack, but they have rather different value:

1. The ace is worth 1 point.
2. Face cards and tens are all worth 0 points.
3. Other cards have points according to their face value.

These points are then summed up. If the total ends up being more than 10, the second digit makes the value of the hand. The goal is to predict which of two hands will end up with a card total closest to nine and respectively make your bet on it. There is also sometimes an additional opportunity to bet on the tie between two hands. 

In baccarat, there is an opportunity of a “natural win” which occurs when the first two cards dealt have a point total of either 8 or 9. There is a maximum of only three cards available for each hand but whether you are allowed to draw it or not is decided by house rules of the particular casino. However, usually, the Player Hand gets the third card if the total is from 0 to 5. Nevertheless, if the Bank Hand already has 8 or 9 total points, no further draw is required. 

When you decide on drawing the third card, that’s where the baccarat rules get more complicated. So, if your Player’s Hand third card is:

• either 9, 10, face, or Ace – Banker only draws if it has 0 to 3 points
• card 8 – the Bank Hand draws only when it has a 0-2
• 6 or 7 means that the Banker draws with 0-6 points and stays if it got 7
• either 4 or 5 implies that the Bank draws when it has 0 to 5 points
• 2 or 3 – the Banker draws when having 0 to 4 points

Following these basic rules will not only help in live games but also during online baccarat sessions. 

Winning baccarat: what it takes and what it brings

Knowing how to play baccarat doesn’t guarantee you winning. If you want to be a consistent winner in the baccarat game, you should pay attention to the following unspoken rules. First of all, you need to know your house edges and learn the odds. This will help you with a better understanding of how to make a wise bet. Secondly, know your money management. Give yourself a strict amount of units to play with and once you use them all give yourself a nice break. If you won enough money, but still want to play one more game, split your win in half and play only with that exact amount of money. That way you will always leave the table as a winner. Remember also, that your intuition and gut feeling are crucial to win this game. Don’t overthink too much, as this is after all a game of chance. And last but not least are your emotions. Try to stay sober and stick to the plan. Do not get carried away by the excitement of the first win – in the end, you have a lot more games ahead of you.

The tactics of the Baccarat Game

Baccarat rules are not the only thing that you need to know about the game. While learning about baccarat and how to play it, it’s also important to pay attention to some of the game’s strategies and tactics. Even though it’s kind of a game of luck, you can still enhance your chances of winning.

The Martingale System

The main rule of this strategy is to always place the same money bet. If you win, that’s great, if you lose – you double the size of your bet. Eventually, with each win, you will be able to make up for all your losses and even come ahead by a unit.

The Paroli Strategy

This system makes sure you take advantage of your winning streaks by doubling the size of the bet each time you win. The main rule here is not to push your luck beyond the third win.

1324 System

This system can be used on various casino games and is also suitable for both live and online baccarat versions. The name of the strategy explains everything – you start by betting 1 unit, then 3, after that go back to 2, and then double to 4. If you win, you can follow this progression, but if you lose, you’ll need to start betting from the very beginning.

Baccarat Tips for Pros

If you have just learned how to play baccarat it doesn’t mean you can’t become a pro! Following the basic tips that will be given below, will make you a master of the game in no time.

1. “Tie” bets should not exist. It was calculated that the house edge of the tie bet is approximately 14.4%, which means that for every 100 units you’ll lose 14.4 units. This is why it’s considered to be a rotten choice for a bet.
2. The Banker is the best bet! The Bank Hand wins a bit over 50% of the time and that’s why it is always a safe choice to go with the Banker while betting.
3. Keep your Banker Streak. Don’t change the Hand you are betting on from Bank to Player. Don’t push yourself over the edge and maybe make a change after you lose the streak.
4. After the bank loses – pass on one bet. Pay attention to which Hand wins and then resume playing in line with that outcome.
5. When being on a streak or making a choice for your next bet do not count the tie bet. It is simply a pause in the sequence.

Betting on Baccarat

As it was mentioned in baccarat rules, the betting is made on either the Player Hand, the Bank Hand, or the Tie However, the payout rate will be different in all three betting situations. A winning tie is usually qualified for an 8 to 1 payout, while the Player and the Bank hand will get a 1 to 1 payout (the Bank Hand payout may also sometimes require a 5% commission). Another thing to remember is that while playing baccarat casino games you bet on the Player Hand and it comes to 9 you can win a doubled steak.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to the most popular questions on how to play baccarat.

How to make safe bets while playing baccarat online?

It can be scary to bet real money in an unfamiliar game. If you played gambling games before you know, the best slots online and the most famous casinos often offer different kinds of bonuses for the new players: sign up bonuses, welcome bonuses, and no deposit bonuses. This kind of freebies may help you save your own money while only getting started to play online baccarat.

Is it possible to win in Baccarat?

Yes, you will certainly win in baccarat, especially if you are only playing a single session. But in the long run, you will eventually lose the game. However, don’t lose your hope – you can still win big if you are lucky enough to get on the streak session!

Are the outcomes of the game random?

If you are a frequent visitor of the poker sites, you may have already tried following strategies or counting cards to win your bet. However, in baccarat, the outcomes are completely random. All the strategies on keeping up with the track of hands are superstitious and you can only count on luck and odds.

Conclusions 

Baccarat is a simple enough game to play and is perfect if you are tired of constantly making decisions while playing card games. Baccarat can be played both in a live casino and online and if you know how to play it the chances are you’ll be having a whole lot of fun with it.