The Basics of Baccarat
Baccarat is one of the most prestigious card games
available at many physical and online casinos, having been glamorized in
James Bond movies, and featured as an exotic alternative to Blackjack.
Baccarat is very similar, in fact, to Blackjack, and is a great table
game for those looking to compete against the house with very close
odds.
The basics of baccarat are straightforward.
Baccarat is primarily played with an 8-deck card “shoe”, which is
circulated around the table's players. There can be as many as 15
players at a traditional baccarat table, or up to 6 players at a
mini-baccarat table. Baccarat is an even money game, so at any given bet
you stand to win equal to your bet. Upon winning a hand, the house takes
a commission, which traditionally runs at 5%, and there is no vigorish
for losing a hand.
The objective of Baccarat is to have a hand that
totals 9, or is closest to 9 while beating the dealer's (banker's) hand.
In Baccarat, numeric card values up to 9 are counted, but the 10 and all
face cards have a score value of zero. When the sum total of the numeric
cards in your hand exceed 10, 10 is subtracted from the value to reveal
your points value. For instance, a hand of 4 and 5 equals nine, and is
called a “natural”. A 9 cannot lose (much like a 21 in blackjack). If
you were dealt an 8 and 9, your points total would be 17 subtract 10
(because your card value exceeds 10), so the resulting points value is
7.
The rules of Baccarat are also designed to require
all players to face the same rules for drawing further cards. A player
must draw whenever his or her first 2 cards total 1,2,3,4,5, or 10 (0).
A player must stand when their card total equals 6 or 7, and a player
must stand “natural” when his or her points value reaches 8 or 9. The
banker will draw more cards based on the 3rd card drawn by
the player. For instance, if the banker is holding a 2-card sum of 3, he
will draw a 3rd card unless the player drew an 8 as his 3rd
card. The banker will always stand with a card total of 7, 8, or 9. In
the event of a tie in baccarat, neither the player or the banker wins,
and no money is exchanged. The round is concluded and the player can
walk away or bet again. The bet on a tie in baccarat is not required to
ride.
The best part about playing baccarat online is that
the rules are defined by the game itself, so you don't have to concern
yourself with when or how to bet like you might in a traditional casino.
In physical casinos, many baccarat tables are roped off, to further
glamorize the game, but when playing from home it's easy to enjoy the
game for it's simplicity itself rather than worrying about renting a
tuxedo. One thing to avoid when playing baccarat is the option to bet
through a tie. Due to the way that the rules are setup, it's a fools
bet, and though the payout seems good, the house has an edge. |
