Baccarat Rules & Introduction

Originating from the European games of 'Chemin de Fer' and 'Punto Banco', Baccarat is, unfortunately, a game of mystery to a lot of gamblers despite the fact that it's a staple of most American casinos. This is unfortunate, as it is, in fact, a relatively basic card game. Unlike Blackjack, players make decisions before the hand is even dealt and not during the course of play. Bets can be placed on the house, the players themselves, or for a tie. Then, you just have to sit back and watch the action unfold!

Table Layout

The 'American' table generally includes a middle area for the croupier and two similar ends.

Breakdown:

1. Caller ("Croupier")
2. Dealer1
3. Dealer2
4. Drop Box
5. Discard Trays
6. Tips box

Up to 14 players occupy the seats, which correspond to the numbers on the layout wagers placed in a section outlined in front of the players. According to the possible choices at the beginning of each game, the player has three betting areas associated with his/her position at the table. They are: "Banker", "Player" or "Tie" (of course).

Object of the game

The object here is to bet for the entity with cards that accumulate a point total closest to 9. These totals are figured out as follows:

aces count as 1
cards 2 through 9 count at face value
10's and face cards count as 0.

We need to point out, however, that if you're dealt a 9 and a 7, for example, the combined total is not 16, but instead, 6. If you receive a 3 and an 8, the total is not 11, but actually 1. To put it another way, it is not possible to have a combination of cards with a combined total more than 9. The perfect hand is one that totals 9 exactly in the first two cards. 8 is the second-best hand and, along with the 9, these two hands make up the two "natural" hands.

Course of Play

The dealer deals 4 cards: 2 each for the house and the player. If the total of either or both sides is 8 or 9, you call this `a natural` and then no more cards are issued. If, however, the point total of both sides is the identical, it's a tie. The only trick here comes is if or when the house or the player's points, after the initial two cards, do not add up to a natural, or when no tie occurs. In these cases, another card will be dealt according to specific rules, which are broken down below.

Player's initial hand adds up to 6 or greater - he must stand and will not receive additional cards.
5 or less - the player will be dealt an additional card.
House hand adds up to 7 or more - the house must stand.
House hand adds up to 0, 1 or 2 - the house must take an additional card.
House hand totals 3, and the player's third card is anything other than an 8 (the player always receives his cards before the house) - the house will hit.
House hand totals 4, and the player's third card is anything other than 1, 8, 9, or 0 -the house will hit.
House hand totals 5, and the player is dealt a 4, 5, 6, or 7 - the house will hit.
Finally, if the house hand totals 6, and the player's third card is 6 or 7, the house will hit.

Payouts

Payouts in are very straightforward and easy to grasp. If you bet on a winning player's hand, you'll be paid out at 1 to 1. If you wager on a winning house hand, the payout is also 1 to 1. If you bet on a tie, the payoff is 8 to 1. Online tables generally have a minimum bet of $1 and a maximum bet of $250.

Online Play

Playing online is essentially the same - aside from the 'atmosphere', of course - as if you were to play the game at a land-based casino in Vegas, Atlantic City, Monte Carlo or your favorite gambling hall. When playing online, you are going to enjoy pretty much the same rules and limits you'd enjoy if you were to play in a 'real' casino, but you will, of course, have the convenience of being able to play whenever and wherever you choose. The variations you'll find at typical online casinos (and which we describe in more detail below) will offer anywhere between 1 and 8 decks, just like what you would find if you were to play in Vegas. Microgaming casinos, for example, offer single decks yet shuffle the deck after each hand making it pretty much impossible to count cards. Other larger software providers such as Playtech and Cryptologic do not necessarily shuffle their decks after each hand but they do use between 6 and 8 decks.

Variations

The variety which is played in most casinos in North America is generally known as 'American Baccarat' and this is the one described above and that which you will generally find in the casinos in Vegas, AC, and other spots in the US. The casino provides the funding for the game and gets a 5% commission from players for every win in the bank. The player does not have to do anything aside from placing his/her bet on any of the three betting areas (Bank, Player, Tie/Stand-off) available on the table.

'Punto Banco' is the variety closest to the American version and the rules are almost the same but there's a slight difference in the table design. A mini version of Punto Banco is also played in some casinos in Europe and in North America.

The French also have their version of this popular game called "Chemin de Fer" (which means "railroad" in English). It has the same goal as the American variety but has more flexible rules in terms of drawing the third card. Also, the casino itself does not fund this game. Participants wager between themselves and the banker role is played by one of the players at the table. The role of the banker is passed, counterclockwise, to the next player.

And finally, there's a 'European' version, which originated in England and can still be found to this day throughout Europe. The casino provides the funds for the banker's hand yet, unlike the American variety, the player may opt to "hit" or stand if the hand totals a value of five. The bank may also choose to take another card when the hand also totals five.

Applying the "1-3-2-6" System

Now, first of all, we have to say that we're generally not big fans of 'betting systems'. More often than not (just about all of the time, in fact) they're scams or marked by flawed logic. However, many people continue to swear by one system or another and for some, they seem to 'work'. This particular system, the "1-3-2-6" system, 'works' with this game since it features even-money payouts. But, you can also try it out with any game or casino that pays out even money odds. Keep in mind, however, as we have already said, if there was a sure fire to way to beat the casino every time, casinos wouldn't be in business!

For the “1 – 3 – 2 – 6” system to work, you need to keep track of your bets over the course of four rounds of play. To begin, bet one unit (a unit can be $1, $10, $50, whatever) and if you win that round then in the next round add another unit to your winnings and bet that amount (a total of 3 units). Now, if you win this round you will have a total of 6 units. According to the system, in the third round you should take away four units and only bet two. If you are lucky to win again on your fourth wager, add two more units to your winnings for a total bet of 6 units. When you win the fourth bet you will see a profit of at least 12 units. Hence, the "1-3-2-6" moniker. Of course, you are not always going to win. So, if you lose your first bet, it’s only 1 unit lost and if you win the first but lose the second, you’ve only dropped 2 units. But, if you win the second and lose the third, you’re still up two units. And if you win the first three and unfortunately lose the last no need to worry because you haven’t really lost anything but have actually just broken even. So, there's the system in a nutshell. Like we said, some people swear by these things, but you need to remember that it's still a game of chance - no 'system' is ever fool-proof.

Mini-Baccarat

Many casinos have introduced and promote a smaller version of the baccarat game (as if the name didn't give it away!) played on standard blackjack-sized tables. It is played by the exact same rules, which apply to the 'larger' version, but lacks some of the trimmings. The table is staffed by only one dealer whose responsibility is handling the cards. The layout, however, conforms to the regular baccarat table: each of the seven seat positions corresponds to a number and a betting box with spots for banker, player, and tie. The limits are lower and usually range from a $2 to $5 minimum, up to $500 maximum. Lacking the formality and large group of players, mini-baccarat is played fast and is a good place to learn how to play if you're just starting out.