Baccarat: Rules and Strategy
Baccarat is one of the most popular casino games around the world. It is difficult to say which country it appeared in, however it is believed that it originated in France or Italy during the Middle Ages. The name itself is Italian and means “zero”. One of the legends about the origin of this game says that it was invented by the Italian Felix Falguiere and that it was first played with a deck of Tarot cards. In the late 15th century, the game spread in France and remained very popular in the aristocratic world. Up until the second part of the 20th-century Baccarat was considered an elite game, afforded only by the wealthy, but luckily nowadays it is available to everyone.
The rules of baccarat are amazingly simple. The goal of the game is to score equal or as close to nine as possible. There are two roles in the game: “Banker” and “Player”. On each turn you can bet:
- On the player (Punto) – this is a bet that the player will win. The win ratio is 1: 1
- At the banc/dealer (Banco) – this is a bet that the dealer wins. The win ratio is also 1:1, however usually a small commission of 5% is charged on this bet.
- A draw is a bet that the dealer and the player will have the same amount of points on their hands. Paid in the ratio of 8: 1 (in some casinos 9: 1)
Before each hand, the player must make a bet within the minimum and maximum range for this table. After that, the croupier hands out two cards to him and the player. If the player gets a natural combination from the distribution (eight or nine points on two cards), then it is compared with the dealer's cards and the winner is determined.
If a player collects less than 6 points, then he can take an additional card. And if the player takes the third card, then for the dealer the “third card” rule is triggered. That is, if the dealer has three points, then he can take another card, in the event that the player did not pull in the sum of 8 points. If the croupier holds four points with their hands, they can take an additional card if the player has not previously pulled out a card equal to 0, 1, 8, 9. Five points for the dealer – 4, 5, 6, 7. Six points – 6, 7. When the dealer has seven points, he can not take the third card. If the player did not take the third card, the dealer also can not take it if they have six or more points.
The rules stated above are taken from the Punto Banco, also known as American Baccarat game. Other popular varieties of baccarat are: Chemin de Fer, Super Pan 9 and Three Card Baccarat. The different varieties have slightly different rules, however, remain similar.
In baccarat there is no 100% winning tactics, however there are a few simple tricks that can significantly reduce the casino advantage
- Do not bet on draw: No matter how tempting it seems to bet on “draw”, in baccarat it is better to avoid this. Each game involves a almost-always loosing bet, and for this game – it's “draw”.
- Bet on the Banker: Best of the three types of bets possible in this game is the “banker” bet. When playing with one deck, the advantage of the casino is only 1.01%, so if you forget all the rules, you can use this trick.
- Take in account the pay-outs: A direct influence on the advantage of the casino is provided by the house-edge, which is charged at “banker's” rates.
- Set your limits: As with any other game it is important to set your limits and stop playing if you have lost it.
- Choose tables with the smallest number of decks: The fewer decks used for the game, the less advantage the casino has.
Baccarat is а quite enjoyable and easy game overall! It offers some of the best casino benefits for players, with it’s pretty low house-edges and simple rules. It is mostly a game of luck, but it's also important to know the rules and play smart!
