Baccarat is a very popular casino card game. It can be found on the floor in any land based casino, and now in many casinos online.
When playing Baccarat it’s always best to remember that you are playing against the house, and they always have the advantage. Although other players may be seated at the table, it’s player against bank every time. Most casinos will have a Croupier, better known as a casino employee such as a dealer that takes and pays bets. In some cases casinos will allow the players to rotate and become dealer throughout the game. In the online version of Baccarat you will have a virtual dealer.
Everyone playing at the table is going to place a bet. Even the player that is dealer in the game will have to choose and bet. In most cases the dealer will bet against the players. The shoe is where the cards are dealt from will be next to the Croupier, or dealer as long the bank wins the hand. When the player wins, the shoe is passed onto the next dealer. This continues throughout the game.
When the game starts, two hands are dealt from the shoe. The player must then bet. There is a 1:1 ration and the payoff is even money. In a tie you have either 8:1 or 9:1 payouts. In Baccarat if you bet on the bank to win you owe 5% to the bank and it’s a tax made from the casino. It’s an additional advantage to the house, as the house is more times the winner than not.
In each hand two cards are dealt and on occasion a third card. The dealer offers two faced down cards. The player betting the largest amount on player will get the other two cards. The player then looks at the cards and gives them back to the dealer. The dealer will turn the cards face up for both hands to see who has won. The dealer then announces who has the highest hand.
After the deal is complete the winner is the player or bank with the highest hand. The Croupier will then collect all lost bets and pay the winners.
Baccarat is usually played with either a six deck or an eight deck shoe. All face cards and ten cards have no value although some still call it ten. You then remove the one, so you are still with 0. The ace card is worth one, and all cards two through nine are valued by their numbers. For example, a 5 is valued at 5, very easy. At anytime you have a total over nine, the first digit is removed to make a single digit number. The suits in the card deck have nothing to do with the outcome of the hand, and make no difference in the game.
The player receives two cards as does the banker. Then the player will place a bet on whether they believe the player or the bank will have the winning hand, or a tie. Whoever has the highest value of cards wins.
The dealer may offer a third card in certain situations, and below will describe those instances.
Players rule on third card draws:
If the player or bank has a natural hand of either 8 or 9 from the first two cards a third card will not be given. For example, if the player is dealt a 5 and a 3, no additional card. However, if the players hand is less than five the dealer may deal an additional card to the hand.
If the player doesn’t receive a third card, then the dealer must stand on any hand totalling six or more. For example, if the bank has a total of four, they must draw an additional card.
Banks rule on third card draws:
If the bank has less than two they must draw an additional card no matter the player’s hand. If the bank has three or less, they must draw an additional card unless the player holds a total of eight. If the player draws a zero, one, eight or nine, and the bank has four, they can choose to draw a third card.
On a total of five the bank can choose a third card only if the player’s third card is a four, five, six, or seven. If the players third card was a six or seven, and the bank has a total of six the bank may draw an additional card. On any hand with a total of seven, they must stay and cannot draw a third card.
The best hand after all draws wins and bets are either lost or paid.
