Good enough for a tuxedo-clad James Bond and the slightly more dubious character of Lord Lucan, the historic card game of Baccarat has been entertaining game players for centuries.
Now a staple offering of real-world and online casinos all around the world, this simple yet sophisticated game continues to enthral. From the biggest online casino Ireland has to offer, to the bright lights of Las Vegas, this battle between player and dealer continues to intrigue those who keep up to date with the latest Casino News.
Whilst hugely popular, the game can appear complicated to the new player. As with most casino games, however, the rules of Baccarat are really far more straightforward than they may at first appear. Interested in following in the footsteps of 007 and co? Here’s all you need to know.
Many casino games have a magic number. 21 represents the ultimate hand in Blackjack, whilst the dice game of Craps centres around the traditional lucky number of 7. In Baccarat it is the number 9 which represents the gambling Holy Grail.
Hands of cards are dealt to the player and the dealer. Whichever hand is closest to – but no higher than – the magic number 9 wins.
Card Values
In Baccarat the value of a card is determined by the number of pips it has. An Ace counts as 1, a Two counts as 2, and so on up to a nine. 10s and Face cards (J, Q, K) all count as zero.
If the total of a hand exceeds the number nine, the first digit of the number is dropped, with the second then being taken as the total for the hand, e.g. a 9 and a 6 would total 15, which would then drop the 1 to become a total of 5.
The Deal
At the start of a hand of Baccarat, two cards will be dealt to the Banker spot, and two to the Player spot. If the total of either of the hands is 8 or 9, this is known as a Natural win and no further cards are dealt. If both the player and dealer are dealt a Natural, the highest Natural wins.
In the absence of any Natural, play continues as follows. The Player’s hand will always be dealt with first according to the following rules.
With the Player’s hand dealt with, the focus now switches to the Banker’s hand. Play again follows a set of predetermined rules which depend upon whether or not the player received a third card.
If the player did not receive a third card.
If the player received a third card, the Banker’s action depends upon the value of that card.
With the above process having been completed, the final values of the Player’s and Banker’s hands are compared, and the result is declared; either a win for the Players Hand, a win for the Banker’s Hand, or a Tie.
Whilst the hands are called the “Players Hand” and “Bankers Hand”, these are no more than labels. Both are played by the ‘dealer’ with all players betting on both or either.
In Baccarat, betting involves placing wagers on one of three possible outcomes: the Player’s hand winning, the Banker’s hand winning, or a Tie. Here’s a breakdown of how betting works in Baccarat:
Players place their bets before any cards are dealt, which means there is no opportunity to influence the outcome based on the cards. The game follows a fixed set of rules for drawing cards, which eliminates any strategic decision-making during the play. Both the Player and Banker hands are dealt and drawn according to these predetermined rules, leaving no room for skillful play. Since the house edge is known and fixed, the only decision players make is where to place their bet (Player, Banker, or Tie). The outcome of each hand is purely determined by the luck of the draw, similar to other casino games like roulette or slots. The only “strategy” in Baccarat is to consistently bet on the Banker, due to its lower house edge, though this does not guarantee a win in the short term.
Rules in hand, all you need now is a martini “shaken not stirred”, and a little luck on your side, in order to one of the world’s most historic gambling games. To ‘try it out’ you can purchase an app at the Apple Store – or you can look up Baccarat on Youtube.
