BACCARAT RULES

baccarat rules

OBJECTIVE OF BACCARAT: Bet on either the bank or the player’s hand, whichever you think has a value closest to 9, to earn a payout.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 1 to 14 players

MATERIALS OF BACCARAT: 6 or 8 52-card decks

TYPE OF GAME: Casino

AUDIENCE: Adult

OVERVIEW OF BACCARAT RULES

Baccarat or Punto Banco is a large casino game. A single table sits 12 to 14 players and 3 stand-up casino dealers! This game has been around since the 15th century in Italy, and it’s been a casino favorite for decades. If you want to have some James Bond-esque fun during your casino night, this is the game for you. Plus, you don’t have to do too much work – the dealer does all the work for you! There are three potential outcomes of this super fun casino game: a player win a banker win, or even a tie. Sounds pretty intriguing, right?

If you want to join in on the fun and intrigue, here are all of the Baccarat rules you need to know!

SETUP FOR BACCARAT

BACCARAT TABLE

First, let’s get to know how to set up a game of Baccarat, so you know exactly what you are walking into. In this section, we’ll discuss the Baccarat table, the dealing of the cards, as well as betting rules.

BACCARAT TABLE

There may be some variation in terms of the table layout in Baccarat, but the basics remain the same. On a full-size American Baccarat table, there are 14 numbered sections. However, since there is a superstition against the number 13 (in some tables, it may be the number 4), the numbers actually range from 1 to 15, with no 13. Sections 1 to 7 are on one side of the table, and 8 to 15 on the other. Players sit in front of one of the numbered sections. The dealers, on the other hand, stand in the middle of the table, dealer one opposite dealers two and three, who stand next to each other.

There are three betting placements on a Baccarat table: player, banker, and tie.

OTHER BACCARAT TABLE SIZES

The full-size Baccarat table is large and impressive, but there are other Baccarat table sizes you’ll come across around the world.

Mini Baccarat: The mini Baccarat table is a half-sized version of the full-sized American baccarat table and only consists of numbers 1 to 7. The mini Baccarat table is shaped like a half-moon.

Midi Baccarat: The midi Baccarat table is in between full-size and mini tables. Midi tables can generally hold up to 9 players.

Online Baccarat: Online Baccarat tables are usually very simple as players generally play alone, so there’s only one space.

BACCARAT CARD VALUES

Since the objective of Baccarat is to bet on the hand with the closest value to nine, you should learn the Baccarat card values before you start betting and playing.

  • 2 to 9: Face value in points
  • 10, J, Q, K: 0 points
  • A: 1 point

BACCARAT BETTING

In Baccarat, there are two main bets: Banker (Banco) or Player (Punto). There is also a lesser-used Standoff bet, which is a bet that the hands will tie, and it pays out 8:1. Players are allowed to bet on either hand, although bets won on Banker have a 5% fee placed by the casino since Banker has a slight advantage. It is customary that the dealer bets on Banker. Participants bet on which hand they think will win for a 1:1 payout. If they bet they will tie, as mentioned, the payout is 8:1. There are only two hands dealt, for Banker and Player, despite the number of people betting.

Before dealing any cards, the dealer calls for any bets to be placed on the table. At this point, all participants must bet on Banker, Dealer, or Tie. Once participants place chips on the table, they cannot be moved.

HOW TO PLAY BACCARAT: BACCARAT RULES

how to play baccarat

Once all participants have made their bets, it’s time to officially play Baccarat!

DEALING THE CARDS

The dealer deals out two cards each to the Player and the Banker. The dealer must deal one card to the Player first and then one to the Banker. Finally, a second card to the Player and a second to the Banker. All four cards must be face-up on the table.

ANNOUNCING POINT TOTALS

Calculate and announce the point totals of the two sets of cards. Remember, anything between 2 to 9 is the face value, ace is 1 point, and 10 and all face cards are worth 0 points. If the total ends up more than 10 points, the actual value of the hand is the second digit. So, for example, if the two cards of a set are 8 and 9, which is 17, the point value of this hand is 7.

NATURAL WIN

If either Player or Banker gets a point total of 7 or 8 for their hand, this is a natural win and the game is over. All bets made up to this point are cashed out.

THIRD CARD FOR PLAYER

However, if neither hand has 8 or 9 points, it is time to add a potential third card.

If Player has a hand of less than 6, as in 0 to 5 points, they get a third card.

So, for example, if Player has a 3 and 2, they have only 5 points, so they will need to draw a third card. And if Player has a 3 and 4, they have 7 points, meaning they will stand and will not draw a third card.

THIRD CARD FOR BANKER

If Banker needs a third card as they have a point value of 0 to 5, here are the Baccarat third card rules to know for Banker.

If Player draws no new cards, there are two possible scenarios:

  • Banker draws if they have a point total of 0 to 5
  • Banker stands if they have a point total of 6 or 7

However, if Player does draw, the third card rules for Banker in Baccarat differ according to Player’s new third card:

  • If Player’s card is 2 or 3, Banker draws if they have 0 to 4 points and stays at 5 to 7 points
  • If Player’s card is 4 or 5, Banker draws if they have 0 to 5 points and stays at 6 to 7 points
  • If Player’s card is 6 or 7, Banker draws if they have 0 to 6 points and stays at 7 points
  • If Player’s card is 8, Banker draws if they have 0 to 2 points and stays at 3 to 7 points
  • If Player’s card is 9, 10, J, Q, K, or A, Banker draws if they have 0 to 3 points and stays at 4 to 7 points

Here’s a table to help summarize the above:

Baccarat 3rd card table

Neither hand ever receives more than three cards.

END OF GAME

Once all cards are dealt, calculate who wins! As a reminder, the winning hand is whoever has the closest point value to 9. It is possible for Player and Banker to tie.

HOW TO WIN BACCARAT

The thing with casino table games like Baccarat, there is no official way to help you win. Think: Roulette. But with that said, although this is a game of chance, there is still some element of logic. For example, using the score cards, participants can track any patterns that might occur throughout the duration of the game. There is also a slight house edge for Banker in Baccarat, so you may have a better chance of winning Baccarat when betting on Banker rather than Player.

TIPS AND STRATEGIES FOR PLAYING BACCARAT

While Baccarat is mostly a luck game, here are some tips and strategies to keep in mind to help better your chances of winning!

BACCARAT MARTINGALE

One of the most popular Baccarat strategies is the Martingale system. This system works for other casino games, such as Blackjack and Roulette. This system says that every time you lose a wager, you should double down on the next wager. Then, if you lose again, double it again. When you finally win a hand, go back down to your original wager. The idea is that you will eventually win a wager and win back any losses you made in previous rounds.

BET WITH THE BANKER

According to basic mathematics, your chances of winning are better when you bet with the Banker. There is a house edge for the Banker of 1.06%, which may not seem like much but it’s enough to strategize betting with the Banker.

BET WITH THE PLAYER

On the flip side, you can exclusively side with and bet with the Player instead. Although the Banker has a slight house edge, the Player pays back at a higher amount at 1:1, so one strategy could be to stick with betting with the Player.

AVOID TIE BETS

Yes, we know that tie bets have a much better payout at 8:1, but the reason for this is that they are very unlikely to happen. Try to avoid tie bets and instead focus on betting with the Banker or Player. To put this into perspective, the chances of a tie is just 14.36%.

THE FIBONACCI

Another common strategy when playing Baccarat is the Fibonacci strategy, where you use a sequence to determine how much to bet after each loss.

The Fibonacci sequence is:

1-1-2-3-5-8-13-21-34-55-etc.

Basically, you take the sum of the 2 previous numbers. After you win a round, start from the beginning once again.

FAQ

Is Baccarat Skill or Luck?

Baccarat is mainly a game of luck and chance, but with that said, there are a few tips and strategies you can employ to help better your chances of winning, though definitely not to the degree of Texas Hold’em and other poker games.

Is Baccarat Easy to Play?

Baccarat is one of the most popular games at the casino, partly because of how easy it is to play. It is not a skill casino game, and there is no real need for strategies, so anyone can join in and bet!

If Banker and Player Have 6 After the Initial Deal, Is It a Draw?

Absolutely! Since both Player and Banker stand on 6 and do not get an extra card, no one wins, which is a tie or draw.

What Is the Best Strategy in Baccarat?

One of the best strategies when playing Baccarat is the Martingale System, which states that you should double your bets after every loss. The idea is that if you win, you can replace the amount you lost in previous rounds.

Mia Kim
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10 thoughts on “BACCARAT RULES”

  1. Great post, thanks! I am very interested in learning how to play baccarat. I know that many players think baccarat is not a very intellectual game. And I think that this is a very interesting entertainment in which there are many features. We helped me figure out the rules of the baccarat game. Thank!

  2. I haven’t played this game for a long time and forgot the rules a little, thank you for reminding me how to play baccarat.

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