Baccarat Rules For Dummies

Baccarat is a popular card game played at casinos all around the world and it has its origins in 19th Century France in the midst of the Napoleonic war. The earliest form of the Baccarat card game  is Baccarat Banque which involved three players, before changing to the 2-person variation of Baccarat  we all know and love today.

What does Baccarat mean  in English? Well, the literal equivalent of the French word of ‘Baccara’ is zero. In the casino, that banker is the dealer, who controls the action, be it in real life or at an online casino on the internet. It’s a social game too, with 14 players usually surrounding a standard table.

Baccarat rules  do vary depending on where you play, with baccarat Chemin de Fer (a.k.a ‘Chemmy’) popular in France and Punto Banco forming the basis of North American Baccarat and Macau Baccarat rules . It is a globally popular game with the official best baccarat player in the world  being German Poker player, Ole Schemion.

A Singularly Unique Casino Game

Baccarat centres around comparing the values of different cards given to the player and to the bank, with three different results possible in each round of the game. There’s a win for the banker, a win for the player and a tie, which all offer different odds.

One of the unique characteristics of Baccarat is when the bets are made. Unlike Blackjack, where wagers are placed before the cards are dealt, in a Baccarat game  the cards are dealt first. It’s one of the only casino games where this occurs.

It’s a game that’s typically played with eight different decks, although sometimes the dealer has six, so it’s almost impossible to guess what any given round will throw up, which obviously adds to the excitement of the occasion.

By reading on, you’ll find out more about how the game’s played, the odds involved and what you can bet on. So, if you’ve got a moment, let’s delve further into the classic game, so that you can enjoy the game at the casino or on the move on your smartphone.

The benefits of Playing Baccarat

If you’re wondering why you should play this centuries-old card game over other games available in online casinos, there are a number of benefits that come along with it.

• Baccarat is a game that can be easily mastered, even by novices
• The game offers some of the best odds you’ll find in the casino
• There are both low and high stakes versions available in most casinos

It’s a game that’s so popular that it’s even made a number of appearances in James Bond Films, with the famous Secret Service agent doing so in Dr No, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Thunderball and GoldenEye. If it’s good enough for 007, it’s good enough for everyone else!

Baccarat - What’s Involved in a Round?

What are the rules of Baccarat?  Well, it’s fairly simple in that it involves just two sides. As we mentioned before, there is a banker and there’s the player, with the game beginning when each side has been dealt a hand of two cards from a total of 6-8  standard casino sets of playing cards.

These cards are placed face up on the table and the sum total of the card values are added up to see determine the winner. The goal here is to get as close to a total of 9 as you can, whilst also not exceeding it. The numbers are the key factor here, as Suits (i.e. Clubs, Spades, Diamonds and Hearts) don’t come into play.

So, if you get a 2 of Hearts and 3 of Spades, this simply adds up to 5 and because it’s lower than 6, you’ll get another card. You need to beat the dealer, so you basically need to get a higher number than the bank, without going over 9. Let’s take a closer look at those three possible outcomes during a game of Baccarat.

Scenario #1 - Dealer Wins

In this opening scenario, the player is dealt a 4 of Diamonds and a 3 of Clubs, meaning that their total is 7. The dealer gets a 6 of Spades and a 3 of Spades, which means that the house wins. Getting a Nine or an Eight in a Baccarat game is called a ‘Natural’ number, resulting in that player having to ‘stick’.

Scenario #2 - The Player Wins.

Everything applies from scenario #1 here, but this time, the player wins, rather than the dealer. On this occasion, the dealer gets a 7 and the player gets a 10 and a 9. Read further down to see why this is a win for the player.

Scenario #3 - A Tie

The last scenario involves both sides getting the same number, which results in a tie and both player and banker bets are returned.

What a Win Looks Like

When either player gets a natural 8 or a natural 9 (which can also be achieved by getting a total of 18 or 19), the game is over - so long as its not matched by the other side. A natural 9 will beat a natural 8, but if either side draws a total of between 0 and 5 (with Aces counting as 1), another card needs to be drawn. Also, if a 6 or a 7 is drawn, this means that either the player or the bank needs to stand.

Going Over the Nine

In the event of a player getting numbers that exceed 9 with the first two cards, you might think that they’d automatically lose, but that’s not what happens. Those who know how to play Baccarat  will tell you that the second digit of the combined total is what’s then taken into consideration.

For example, if two sixes are dealt, this will obviously add up to 12, meaning that this equates to a two. This then gets added to a third card that’s dealt to determine the winner - who once again will be the side that gets close to 9 without going over it, meaning that you can win with a 10 and a 9.

What Bets Can Be Made During a Game of Baccarat?

When a game of Baccarat starts, the cards are dealt, as described in the last section. Then bets can be made by either the player or the spectators, which will most often be in favour of the banker winning, the player winning or the game ending in a tie.

Believe it or not, the player can actually bet against themselves as they play, as they’re able to make the same bets as everyone else at the table. So, whilst they may lose the race to get to or close to 9, but end up winning because they placed their chips on the banker winning and not themselves.

There are also some other bets that you can make:

• Egalite - is where you bet that both hands of the player and the bank have an equal total and are tied
• Matching Numbers - you can bet on a ‘pair’ of the same numbers coming up.
• Fortune 7 - is a high paying bet that wins when the dealer hits 0 on the first two cards and winning with a 7 on the third
• The Dragon bonus - an even higher paying wager on the dealer getting 0 on the first two cards and then winning by at least 8 on the third
• Perfect Pair - where you bet that a pair of matching numbers and suits comes up

This is not an exhaustive list, as there are different special bets that you may encounter when playing at different casinos around the world. These bets exist to make the game more interesting for both players and watchers, but you need to remember that the odds offered mean that most of these special bets are long shots, so don’t bet too much!

What are the Odds Like When Playing Baccarat?

Baccarat is a game that’s known as being one where the house edge is pretty low, when compared to other casino games. If you play Big Table Baccarat that’s meant for high rollers, there’s a much higher limit, but the Baccarat rules and odds are exactly the same as the standard table.

Those odds are:

• Banker - Evens
• Player - Evens
• Tie - 8-1 or 9-1 (depending on where you play)
• Fortune 7 - 10-1
• Dragon Bonus - 40-1
• Perfect Pair - 25-1 for one pair or 250-1 for two perfect pairs

Baccarat is interesting when it comes to odds, as the banker will typically win more often than the player will. This means that when you put your chips on the banker’s side, you will win more often, however, this is not something that the casino has missed - far from it.

Online and land-based casinos will typically charge a 5% commission on banker bets, thereby giving the house back their edge - which casinos will invariably always have.

So, Can Baccarat Be Beaten? 

The question of whether Baccarat can be beaten is about as commonly asked as is Baccarat Rigged?  The answer to the first question is yes, it can be beaten, but not over the long term. If you get lucky, you can be successful in short bursts, but winning over the long term is a mathematical impossibility.

That’s because like many casino games, Baccarat carries an edge for the casino, meaning that if you were to play - even conservatively - for hours, you’re almost certain to end up down. So, no they can’t be beaten, especially as the game uses up to 8 different decks.

As a result, there’s no magic strategy that will let you win at this game and even things like counting cards won’t work. Even if you were clever enough to pull it off, there’s really not sufficient edge to make it worthwhile trying.

A Losing Run Doesn’t Improve Your Odds

We wouldn’t recommend buying into the gambler’s fallacy that makes punters believe that a bad run on the cards means that you automatically become more likely to win. Even if you’re on the longest Baccarat Run  for winning or losing, your odds are exactly the same as if you’d never been near a casino in your life.

Spend long enough at any kind of casino table and you’ll find people doubling bets to recover losses and placing chips on the side that’s been winning most often. This is something of a fool’s errand, as Lady Luck doesn’t have a memory and your probability is based on the cards in the deck - nothing else.

This is why we don’t have a Baccarat How to Play and Win  section in this guide, as there’s no strategy that offers any more success than another. The only sensible move is to ensure that you don’t bet more than you can afford. It’s the only safe bet in the casino.

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve been as comprehensive as we can be in this article, but if you’d like to get a more in-depth view of the game, why not take a look at this Baccarat rules video. It’s packed with lots of useful info on how to best enjoy the game.

We’re going to finish with a selection of answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the game of Baccarat. We hope you found our article helpful and leads to a lifelong appreciation of the game.

What is a Baccarat Shoe?

The ‘shoe’ is used to hold the cards and contain between 6 and 8 sets of shuffled playing cards.

Is it safe to play Baccarat Online?

Sure. As long as you choose a reputable casino [Link to Your Site], there’s no reason why you can’t have a 100% safe game of Baccarat.

Can you go ‘Bust’ in Baccarat?

 No, unlike Blackjack where you go bust if you get 21, going over 9 results in a two digit number, you remain in the game, with the second number being used as your value.

What is Mini Baccarat?

It’s a variation of Baccarat that involves lower limits and a smaller table (for 7 people).

Do online casinos offer Baccarat Bonuses?

Not usually, but that will very much depend on the casino in question. When signing up to any new casino [Link?], make sure you check which games count towards your bonus wagering requirement.