The rules of baccarat are actually pretty simple, and the flow of the game is one of the easiest to understand in the casino.
How the Winner is Determined in Baccarat
You will bet on either the player or banker to win. You can also bet on a tie occurring, but we advise against it since it happens so rarely this bet is known as the suckers bet.
Both the player and banker are dealt two initial cards, and the totals of those cards are added together.
Tens and face cards like Queens and Kings are worth zero, Aces are worth one, and all other cards are worth their face value.
If the total of the hand is in the double digits, the hand will be worth the second digit. So, for example, if the banker receives an eight and a four, for a total of 12, his hand is worth 2.
A third card may or may not be dealt, depending on various factors, but the winner in the end is whoever has the hand with the closest value to nine.
When is a Third Card Drawn in Baccarat?
That depends on whether you are talking about the player or the banker.
First, remember that if either the player or banker draws a hand worth eight or nine, this is called a natural win.
However, if neither has a natural win then the player draws a third card when his total hand value between zero and five, unless of course the banker has an eight or nine.
Whether the banker draws a third card depends on the total of both his and the player’s hand. The following is a breakdown of the baccarat rules governing whether the banker draws a third card.
When Does the Banker Draw a Third Card in Baccarat?
If the player does not draw a third card, the banker does so if the value of his hand is between zero and five. Every other decision on whether the banker will draw a third card depends on the value of the player’s third card.
> If the player’s third card is a nine, ten, Ace or face card, the banker will take a third card if his total value is between zero and three.
> If the player’s third card is an eight, the banker will take a third card if his total is between three and seven.
> If the player’s third card is a six or seven, the banker will take a third card if his total is between zero and six.
> If the player’s third card is a four or five, the banker will take a third card if his total is between zero and five.
> If the player’s third card is a two or three, the banker will take a third card if his total is between zero and four.
Once all the cards have been dealt, the winning hand will be declared. Remember, this is the hand with the closest value to nine, so a hand with a value of seven would beat a hand with a value of five, for example.
Important Things to Remember When Playing Baccarat
There are a few baccarat tips we recommend remembering. If you are the forgetful type, then bookmark this page for easy reference later.
1 – The house takes a commission on banker bets. This means if you bet on the banker to win, the casino will take a cut of any wins, usually 5%. This represents the house edge.
2 – You can bet on a tie occurring and the payout is 9:1, but it rarely happens. Both player and banker bets pay out 1:1, and are much better bets to take.
3 – It is generally agreed that banker comes up slightly more often than player, but the house commission offsets any advantages that would come from this.
4 – You don’t actually need to remember the rules governing when the banker will take a third card, since this will happen automatically when you play baccarat at online casinos. We just outlined the rules here to help you understand how the game of baccarat works.
5 – Last but not least, remember that baccarat has some of the best odds in the house for players. You can actually make money playing baccarat over the long run, and can use various baccarat strategies to try and gain an advantage.
That’s all there is to it. Baccarat is simple, easy, and can also be extremely lucrative. Enjoy!