baccarat
Baccarat is one of the casino card games popularized around the world through movies and literature. Most famous for its dealings by the infamous ‘Double-O-Seven’ James Bond in the book and film ‘Casino Royale’, baccarat has since become a game of intrigue and aristocratic betting.
In live casinos, baccarat tables are often protected by curtains and/or red-lined walkways, but the high-roller atmosphere of the game is simply a misconception. In fact, players of all bankroll sizes are equally welcome to play.
However, if you don’t feel comfortable as a casual bettor at a live casino baccarat table, online casinos have taken all the stigma out of the game by allowing players to bet on baccarat from the comfort of their own home.
Baccarat — Game Settings
Baccarat can be played by multiple players with decks of 1 to 8 standard cards. Baccarat is generally not a game that anyone “plays,” but rather a game in which people bet. The dealer plays both Player and Banker following specific hand development guidelines. Unless there is a tie, either the Banker’s or the Player’s hand wins.
Baccarat — Goals
The object of baccarat is to bet on the winning hand of either the player or the banker. The hand closest to 9 wins. There is also a tie bet on both hands, resulting in equal value.
Baccarat — Card Rankings
Ace = 1
face card = 0
10 = 0
2–9 = face value
Baccarat — How to Play
Baccarat is played by betting on the player hand, banker hand, or tie. Once all bets have been placed, the dealer deals two cards to the Player side and Banker side of the table. The cards are then added up in the following way:
A hand can only reach 9, which is the highest possible total. When the value reaches 10+, the hand is recalculated by subtracting 10. For example, if the hand’s value is 13, subtract 10 and the hand’s value is 3.
King-7’s hand becomes 7. All 10s and face cards are immediately discarded and have a value of 0 or 10, with the same result either way. The card has been invalidated.
What happens next is determined by the value of each hand.
Baccarat — Hand Development Guidelines
If either the Player or Banker’s hand totals 8 or 9, both hands are automatically established. The hand closest to 9 wins (excluding ties).
If the player’s hand totals 6 or 7, the player’s hand remains the same (no more cards are taken). When a player stands, if the banker hand’s total is 5 or less, the banker hand must draw one more card, and if the total is 6 or more, the banker hand must stand.
If the player’s hand total is 5 or less, a third card is dealt to the player’s hand. When a player hits, the banker hand must follow these rules:
Banker Hand Player’s Third Card Banker Must
Draw a third card, either 0, 1, or 2.
3 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7 or 9 Draw a third card.
4 2,3,4,5,6 or 7 Draw a third card.
5 4,5,6 or 7 Draw a third card.
6 6 or 7 Draw a third card.
7 all stands
8 all stands
9 all stands
Baccarat — Payouts
Betting on a player: Pays 1 to 1
Bet on Banker: Pays 1:1, minus 5% commission
Bet on a tie: pays 8 to 1
As we all know, casinos always have an edge, no matter how small they are. Baccarat casino games are designed to give the banker a slight advantage, so a 5% fee is charged on every winning banker bet to swing the house edge back in the casino’s favor. Tie bets may seem attractive due to their high payouts, but the house edge is much higher on tie bets, so they are generally not recommended.
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