Thought to have originated out of China, baccarat is an international game that has long fascinated card players. Its modern versions are the result of a world tour that has passed through Italy, France, and South America, where it picked up new influences along the way.
You don’t want to head into this card game without knowing the basics and, more importantly, how to win. Here we’ve gathered everything you need to know to get started, from the basic gameplay structure to additional/optional features you should keep in mind when learning how to play baccarat and win.
How to Play Baccarat Card Games
Baccarat is a card game – one that probably originated from Pai Gow in China – and it’s most popular variant today is called Punto Banco. It plays similar to blackjack, but two hands compete to get close to 9 instead of 21. Those hands are labeled “player” and “banker” but make no mistake, you can back either of them – you’re not necessarily competing with the dealer. When making your play, you can back the player, the banker, or predict a tie.
Every round is called a coup, and it starts with your prediction before any cards go down. Then two cards are drawn for each hand – four in total.
Those two cards will add up to a value for the hand between 2 and 9. Face cards and the 10 card are worth nothing. Unlike blackjack, you should note that a hand that goes over 9 does not go bust. Instead, it loops back around and starts the count again.
This means a 2 and a 9 will result in a score of 2 for the whole hand. If the other hand has a 3 and a 9, it’s a 3 and will beat the other hand because it’s closest to 9.
In Punto Banco, the dealer is bound by some rules when drawing cards. For example, if the player hand has a score of less than 5, a third card is drawn. The value of that third card, and the whole hand, will then influence the dealer’s decision according to the tableau – the drawing rules.
How to Play Baccarat and Win Using the Banker
Like any casino game, baccarat is a game of chance and luck won’t always be on your side. That said, you should know that the two hands are not equal. Most providers take a 5% commission of all plays that back the banker. This leads some to avoid this hand in favor of the player, as we mention in the baccarat strategy guide. By all means, this commission can interfere with progressive/reverse progressive playing strategies.
Other strategies swear by the banker, advocating that you should play it more often than the player. Why? That tableau we mentioned – this rulebook for how the banker acts means that the banker is almost always reacting to the player’s hand. The banker has more information and a full lay of the land whenever they act. This can give a slight edge over time.
It is generally agreed that you should avoid a tie – it’s the rarest outcome of all with the worst odds. Even still, remember that roulette wheels land on zero sometimes.
How to Play Baccarat and Win With Additional Tips
If you want to master how to play baccarat casino games, you should know these additional tips and tricks. First you should always remember baccarat is a game of random chance, even more so than blackjack. Unlike online blackjack, you’re not in charge of hitting or standing. So, you have less influence over the game.
Second, you may want to learn and deploy some strategies to effectively manage your bankroll. Popular roulette strategies, like the Martingale or Paroli systems, can help minimize risk when it’s time to decide between the player or the banker. If you prefer simpler numbers, a flat-playing strategy can also suffice for beginners alongside other bankroll management techniques.
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