Baccarat Guide
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The history of baccarat dates back to the old betting salons in France and Italy. Commonly associated with high rollers and luxury, baccarat is a symbol of sophistication.
Another reason behind its surging popularity is the ease of gameplay. Players with no or limited betting knowledge can learn from observing a few rounds. Besides, though baccarat is more prevalent within the higher-roller section, one with a limited bankroll can place small bets and enjoy the game in all its elegance.
However, if it seems intimidating to try your hands on, consider the baccarat guide provided below to get a hand of its rules, types and effective strategies to secure potential winnings.
What Are the Basic Rules in Baccarat?
To understand the baccarat rules and gameplay you first need to understand the worth of each card in the game.
Aces are worth one point.
Number cards (2-9) are worth their face value.
10s and face cards (jack, queen, and king) are equal to 0 points.
Each hand starts with 2 cards and a 3rd may be dealt as an option. Now, the values are added and the closest to 9 wins the game. However, if the sum of the value exceeds 9, it returns to 0 and not 10.
Let us explain it to you with a simple example:
A pair of cards 5 and 8 has a total sum of 3 (not 13) and 3 cards 6, 7 and 5 have a total value is 8. The odds of whether you should stick or take a 3rd card are quite simple. If the sum is 4 or below, then you should take a card and if it is 6 or above stick. However, if it is 5 the odds are approximately equal.
Since mostly a house demands both a player and banker the rules make the game easy. Players are allowed to make a choice related to whether or not they need a 3rd card when the sum is 5. On the other hand, the banker can draw 3, 4, 5 or 6 at times based on what a player's 3rd card is which is placed face up.
Types of Baccarat
Now that you know the rules, let us explore different baccarat variants to understand which game you want to participate in. Here are some of the popular live baccarat options available:
Punto Banco
It is played with 8 decks of 52 standard cards. As per the rule, players playing against the House must place their bets before any cards are drawn. Here, an Ace counts as one, and other cards are worth their face value. However, Tens, court cards (like Jack, Queen, and King), or any combination adding up to ten are worth nothing. Besides, you can wager with the Bank (Banco) or against the Bank (Punto) at any time but cannot wager on both.
3-card Baccarat
A 3-card baccarat is played with a single deck of 52 cards. While an Ace is worth a point and all other cards are worth their face value, any face cards and 10’s worth nothing.
In addition, a hand with 3 face cards offers the highest payout, followed by a score of 9, the best and in traditional variations. However, if the game is a draw, the player with the highest number of face cards wins it.
Mini Baccarat
As its name suggests, mini baccarat is played on a small table and involves betting options like Banker, Player and/or Tie. It also includes 8 decks of cards where face cards and 10’s worth nothing, and an Ace is considered as one.
In a game, when 2 cards are dealt, and the total of the cards is more than 9, you have to remove the first number of the total. That means if the Player’s hand is in 5 and 7, the total is 12 or 2.
Baccarat Banque
Baccarat Banque is one of the main variants of baccarat and is quite popular in European casinos. It is played at a special configuration of 2 conjoined tables and can be played among 10 to 16 players. Thus, it is often known as Baccarat à Deux Tableaux or Baccarat on Two Tables.
It uses 3 decks and enables you to serve as a banker and therefore, you cannot necessarily play against other players. Instead, you can wager on the banker side to win.
Chemin de Fer
This French-originated game is highly popular in Europe. It allows you to act as a bank, but unlike Baccarat Banque, you can play against the other punters at the table.
During the match, the dealer will deal with 6 decks of cards and all cards must be faced down. However, as a banker, you are responsible for making and collecting bets and paying out wins.
5 Winning Strategies in Baccarat
Baccarat is a game of chance based on luck. Though it seems simple, it is crucial to be aware of the advanced baccarat tactics to confirm a potential winning.
Opt for Banker Bet
Since the banker bet has the lowest house edge, which is around 1.06%, it is undoubtedly one of the safest strategies to consider. On the contrary, the Tie bet has a comparatively higher house edge of nearly 14.36%. However, though it may seem appealing, it comes with substantial risks.
Use Betting Strategies
Strategies like Paroli, Martingale, 1-3-2-6, Fibonacci or Labouchere systems help to manage your bets and reduce losses significantly. Though they do not confirm a win, you can get a well-optimised strategy to maintain control over your bankroll and make decisions as per the predefined regulations.
Set a Budget
Often players get carried away with the excitement and bet a higher amount, leading to huge losses. Therefore, always set a budget you can afford to lose before you start playing.
Play Short Session
Opting for short sessions and setting a limit on the number of rounds you play in each session is crucial. That is because there are chances that the house edge will come to you the longer you continue.
Look for Fewer Decks
If you get an option, try to choose a baccarat game involving fewer decks. It has a lower house edge on the Banker bet. In addition, playing baccarat with fewer decks extends lower variability to substantially reduce unfortunate losing streaks.
To sum up
Apart from the baccarat guide provided above, the best way to learn the game is to try your hands on the demo games available on the top betting sites. You can implement the strategies discussed above to determine the most suitable one. The best part is that as the games are free, you can steer clear of betting real money.
