Nearest to Nine Wins: Baccarat Guide
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.
The Aim of The Game
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 dealer, and two to the player. If the total of either the players or deals 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.
- Total of 6 or 7 – The player receives no further cards.
- Total of 0,1,2,3,4 or 5 – The player is dealt a third and final card.
With the player’s hand dealt with, the focus now switches to the dealer’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.
- Dealer total of 0,1,2,3,4 or 5 – Dealer Receives a third and final card.
- Dealer total of 6 or 7 – Dealer receives no more cards.
If the player received a third card, the dealer’s action depends upon the value of that card.
- If the value was a 2 or a 3 – The dealer receives a card if their hand totals 0,1,2,3 or 4.
- If the value was a 4 or a 5 – The dealer receives a card if their hand totals 0,1,2,3, 4 or 5.
- If the value was a 6 or a 7 – The dealer receives a card if their hand totals 0,1,2,3, 4,5 or 6.
- If the value was an 8 – The dealer receives a card if their hand totals 0,1 or 2.
- If the value was a 9, 10 or face card – Dealer receives a card if their hand totals 0,1,2 or 3.
With the above process having been completed, the final values of the player’s and dealer’s hands are compared, and the result is declared; either a win for the Players Hand, a win for the Dealer’s Hand, or a Tie.
Betting Options
Whilst the hands are called the “Players Hand” and “Dealers Hand”, these are no more than labels. When betting on Baccarat, you have three betting options.
- Players Hand Wins – Pays Even Money
- Dealer’s Hand Wins – Pays Even Money, or sometimes just under depending upon the rules of the casino.
- Tie – Pays 8/1 or 9/1, again depending upon the rules of the casino.
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.
Photo by Adrian Curiel on Unsplash