The object of baccarat is to obtain a hand with a point total closest to 9.
Aces count as one; 2 through 9 as their face value; tens and picture cards
count as zero. If the value of the hand is ten points or more, subtract ten,
and the remainder is the baccarat point value of the hand. For example:
7+6=13=3 and 4+6=10=0
Place your wager on the banker’s hand and/or on the player’s hand and/or on
a tie. The player and the banker are then each dealt a two-card hand. In
certain cases, a third card is dealt to the player or the banker or both
(Third Card Rules). Cards are dealt from a shoe that holds 6 decks of cards.
The decks are shuffled each round.
The player closest to 9, wins.
If you bet on the player and the player wins, you are paid 2 for 1 winnings
on your bet.
If you bet on the banker and the banker wins, you are paid 2 for 1 minus 5%
bank commission (vigorish).
If both the player’s hand and the banker’s hand have equal totals, the game
result is a ‘tie’. If you have placed a bet on the ‘tie’ field, your payoff
is 9 for 1.
Third Card Rules
The following baccarat rule chart governs when the player and/or the banker
will automatically be dealt (i.e. “draws”) a third card in the
baccarat game:
Player
Point Value of First Two Cards:
0 - 5
Draws a card.
6, 7
Stands.
8, 9
“Natural hand”, no further draw.
Banker
Point Value of First
Two Cards:
Draws when the player’s
third card is:
Does not draw when the
player’s third card is:
0 - 2
Always draws a card.
3
0 - 9
8
4
2 - 7
0, 1, 8, 9
5
4, 6, 7
0 - 3, 8, 9
6
6, 7
0 - 5, 8, 9
7
Always stands.
8, 9
Player cannot draw.
Player cannot draw.
Important note: If either the player and /or the Banker has a total
of 8 or 9, they both stand. This Rule overrides all other rules.
Online Baccarat - About the Game
Online Baccarat’s dramatic rise in popularity is due mainly to the fact that
learning how to play is virtually a no-brainer. In fact, even if you’ve
never played Baccarat before, fear not; the rules are so basic you don’t
even have to understand them to play and win. But of course, if you’re
playing for real money, you’ll want to arm yourself with as much knowledge
as possible. Still, all you’re really required to do is place your bet(s)
prior to the each hand being dealt.
How to Play Online Baccarat
Baccarat is played with a banker (the House) and a player – or a number of
players (multi-player) – seated around a table. There are 3 ways to bet in a
game of Baccarat; on the banker’s hand, player’s hand, and a Tie. Players
can place a minimum bet of $1 up to a maximum bet of $300.
Getting Started at Online Baccarat
Each player receives two cards and the hand totaling closest to nine is
declared the winner. If the first 2 cards you are dealt add up to 8 or 9 (also
known as ‘Naturals’), you win instantly, except when another gambler (multi-player
mode) is also holding a Natural of equal value. (A Natural 8 beats a Natural
9.) In this case the hand ends in a Tie and a player betting on a Tie wins.
If no Naturals are drawn, additional cards are dealt. If you bet on the
winning hand, the payout is 1 to 1. Betting on a Tie pays 9 to 1.
The goal in online Baccarat is simple, and that is, to get as close as
possible to nine in total card value. Exceeding nine is not possible due to
the way in which the game is played. To begin with, Baccarat card values are
as follows: Aces are worth 1, 2-9 are worth their face values, 10s and
picture cards are worth zero. Whenever a player or dealer has a total card
value of ten or higher, ten is be subtracted from the total sum. For
instance, suppose you’re holding a 5 and 8, which add up to 13. Because
you’ve exceeded 9, ten is subtracted from your sum to give you a total hand
value of 3. (13-10 = 3).
Online Baccarat Player’s Turn
A Baccarat game begins with the player and dealer both being dealt two cards
face down. Whenever a player or dealer have a hand totaling 8 or 9 (known as
a ‘Natural’) both hands are turned face up and the hand closest to 9 is
declared the winner. If the player and dealer have hands of equal value, a
draw is declared and the player’s bet is returned to him/her. If neither you
nor the dealer have a natural (8 or 9), your hand’s value determines how the
game proceeds. You must stand if your total card value equals 6 or 7, or
else take an additional card.
Online Baccarat Dealer’s Turn
Next is the dealer’s time to act, whose move depends on the total value of
his/her 2 hole cards, as well as the player's 3rd card. The dealer must
stand when his/her total card value equals 7. With 6 the dealer must take
another card if the 3rd card dealt to the player happened to be a 6 or 7.
With a total card value of 5 the dealer must take one more card if the 3rd
card dealt to the player was a 4 or 7. With 4 the dealer must take another
card if the 3rd card dealt to the player was a 2 or 7. With 3 the dealer
must take an additional card if the 3rd card dealt to the player was any
card besides an 8. The dealer must always take another card when having a
total card value of 2, 1 or 0. After the dealer’s moves the cards are
revealed and the player having a total value closest to 9 wins.
Enjoy the wonderful world of playing and winning at online Baccarat. And
best of luck!
Online Baccarat Strategy
Baccarat strategy employed properly will not only result in your winning
more hands, but more money to boot. In fact, beating the house is a
considerably easier feat in Baccarat than in virtually any other casino game,
online or off. This – mind you – should not come as a surprise given that
the chances of you winning at Baccarat are 50/50; fantastic odds indeed!
What this implies is that, by capitalising on the correct online Baccarat
strategy, you can potentially score some very serious cash, both in the long
and short runs.
There are a number of fundamental Baccarat strategies you can use to augment
your chances of winning. Indeed there are a number of very famous Baccarat
strategies which have been used by players for literally hundreds of years.
These include the Martingale System, D'Alembert System, Contra D'Alembert,
Labouchere System, and Fibonacci System. Each aforementioned online Baccarat
strategy is designed for different types of players and can take what is
basically a very simple game to a much higher level. Below are very brief
descriptions of these popular systems:
Martingale Baccarat Strategy - a ‘tried and true’ off and online
Baccarat strategy being capitalised on for more than 300 years.
D'Alembert Baccarat Strategy - depending on whether a bet wins or
losses, your subsequent bet is either increased or decreased.
Contra D’Alembert Baccarat System - designed for bigger risk-takers
bent on maximising their winning streaks.
Labouchere Baccarat Strategy - a 'loss cancellation' technique said
to be a safer online Baccarat strategy than most others due to its built-in
risk preparation method.
Fibonacci Baccarat Strategy - ideal for the average player, this
system protects you from small losses, enabling you to break even more
easily and then cash in big time when you hit a winning streak.
Online Baccarat Strategy: The Basics
In addition to the various ‘famous’ systems mentioned briefly above are
certain fundamentals every Baccarat player should adhere to in order to
ensure a more enjoyable playing experience each and every time. Follow these
simple tips and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a much better ¬and
hopefully richer Baccarat player.
1. Always establish a limit for yourself both of how much money you
realistically aim to win, as well as how much you are prepared to lose. This
is not only an online Baccarat strategy, but a ‘rule of thumb’ for any
casino game.
2. Keep track of all your bets, wins and losses, and make sure you do not
exceed your set win/loss limits.
3. Remember, your short-term chances of winning at Baccarat are unusually
high. Thus it’s vital that you pay particular attention to your betting
systems.
4. Quit while you’re ahead. (Perhaps the best Baccarat strategy of all)
5. Look out for winning or losing streaks and adjust your play accordingly.
6. Forget about card counting, especially as an online Baccarat strategy.
Online Baccarat Tips
It's no secret that Baccarat is mostly a game of luck. Although successful
play requires a certain level of skill and experience, it's mostly the luck
factor that determines the outcome of the game. Some Baccarat enthusiasts
tend to believe that it's this mix of luck and skill what makes the game so
attractive to casino goers from all over the globe. Here, we would like to
mention a number of useful Baccarat tips that are very likely to convince
Lady Luck to smile upon you.
The most useful Baccarat tip we can provide you with is that having a clear
understanding of the game's rules is of utmost importance. This way you can
become aware of the mistakes made by either the other players or the dealer.
Realizing the mistakes made by others will improve your own play and perhaps
will bring you victory as well.
Another Baccarat tip of utmost importance is, that unlike in gambling games
where skill plays a very important role, such as poker, you should not try
spotting a playing pattern in Baccarat. Unlike gambling games where skill
plays a very important role, such as poker, it's a completely futile
occupation when it comes to Baccarat. There can not be a pattern in the
Baccarat game simply because one hand has no impact on the next, and can
never be influenced by any preceding one. It's as pointless as trying to
predict how the previous slot machine spin will influence the next one.
An additional important Baccarat tip worthy of being taken into account is
somewhat contradictory to the first one. Based on the fact that Baccarat is
a game of chance, there is no need to memorize the rules of a third card,
whether for the player or for the banker. Casino operators usually monitor
all play very closely leaving almost no place for errors of any kind.
The last tip we seek to provide you with has a lot to do with basic
etiquette followed by most casino goers. It is our advice that you follow it
as well, unless you seek to become unwelcome at your casino of choice. There
are some basic rules of behavior that you should stick to. For instance, use
of abusive language is very likely to to lead to early departure from the
casino. Another such example is, if the cards happen to run against you,
don't keep asking the dealer for a new deck. If you dislike the cards you
are dealt, simply move to another table.
Generally speaking, Baccarat tips are much the same as the tips provided for
any other card game largely based on luck. We hope that the ones presented
here will make your gambling experience as exciting and profitable as
possible!
Online Baccarat History
Baccarat is one of the most popular casino games available at online as well
as land-based gaming establishments. Today, there are three common Baccarat
play variants: baccarat chemin de fer (railway), baccarat banque (or à deux
tableaux), and punto banco (or North American baccarat). The game has gained
prominence not only among its enthusiasts, but also in popular culture. For
example, the fictional British secret agent James Bond can be spotted
playing Baccarat Chemin de Fer in 1953's novel 'Casino Royale.' The game was
later featured in several Bond movies.
As is the case with many other gambling games, like blackjack and roulette,
tracing Baccarat history is an almost impossible task with no tangible
evidence regarding its origins being available. The name of the game, the
Italian word 'Baccarat,' means 'zero' both in English as well as French. The
game is largely believed to be the oldest one among today's casino games.
Although the specific origin of Baccarat is unknown, some say that the game
was first invented by Felix Falguierein, an Italian gambler who lived in the
Middle Ages, and was initially played with Tarot cards.
Baccarat history keepers mention a certain medieval myth that is widely
attached to the game. Some of them claim that Baccarat play is based on an
old Etruscan religious ceremony in which a virgin was requested to throw a
die with nine sides. The virgin's fate was established based on the number
eventually appearing on the die. If she happened to throw an eight or nine,
she would have to become a priestess. If she threw a six or a seven, she
would be no longer allowed to take part in any religious ceremony. If she
threw a five or below, she would have to commit suicide by drowning herself
in the sea.
Regardless to whether or not Baccarat history has anything to do with the
above described ritual, it is known for sure that the game was first played
in France somewhere in the fifteenth century AD and was widely popular among
French nobles who played it in secret because it was initially announced
illegal. Naturally, as the game grew in its popularity the French
authorities could no longer ban Baccarat. At first, the French called the
game 'Baccarat en Banque,' but many years later, as the game's rules were
slightly modified, it became known as 'Chemin de Fer.'
In the early 20th century, there was a legendary group of gamblers called
the 'Greek Syndicate' who played Baccarat in Parisian casinos and made
incredible amounts of money counting cards and reading body language.
Members of the group reigned supreme until World War II put a temporary stop
to gambling activities in Europe . However, after the war, the casino lovers
resumed play and the game conquered the entire European continent and was
widely played, either for money or just for fun.
Baccarat reached the United States in the early 1900's. At first, American
gamblers were not swapped of their feet with the game. However, fashionable
settings, dress codes and the promise of great profit ultimately made the
game highly attractive to Americans who named the game 'Punto Banco.' Today,
the game enjoys massive popularity all over the U.S. Unfortunately, a more
detailed account on Baccarat history is nowhere to be found...