A Brief Guide on How to Play Baccarat

Baccarat is one of the most uncomplicated and fun games to play at an online casino, and this article will help you learn more about it. Once you get the basics of the game right, you will feel confident the next time you play.

Baccarat looks more like a niche game in the casino but it has been around for years. Let us examine the game more closely, its origin, the terms associated and how it is being played.

A short Baccarat history

A few different tales about the discovery of Baccarat are known. While it cannot be guaranteed if Baccarat was conceived in France or Italy, one thing that can be agreed upon is that it was one of these two locations. The word “baccarat” is used to define the number zero in both the languages, a further excellent indication. The earliest reference to the game is from the 1400s.

Baccarat was associated with France’s royalty and was mostly played socially when it first started. But, as it expanded across the world and gambling was added to the equation, it became much more popular. Within decades, the game expanded all across Europe and eventually in the late nineteenth century reached the US.

The game wasn’t as typical in the United States as in Europe. Still, it was played. The game Baccarat was released in land-based casinos in the US during the 1950s, in the UK during the 1860s, and today is a favourite of nearly all casinos around the world.

There have been many variants of the game over the years like:

• Chemin de fer
• American Baccarat (also known as punto banco)
• Baccarat Banque

All of the above Online Baccarat variants have the same rules; the only distinction is how the cards are handled.

Benefits of playing Baccarat

The game of Baccarat has the following benefits:

• Regulations are easy to understand.
• Even an inexperienced player also gets some of the best chances in a casino with this game.
• You will typically find high and low-stakes Baccarat variations in any online casino, no matter your bet level.
• You can easily find Baccarat in online casinos.

The objective of the game

In Baccarat, there are only two hands, regardless of the number of players: the player’s hand and the banker’s hand. Before the cards are handled, you have to put a wager on which hand you think will turn nearest 9. You can bet on either:

• The player’s hand
• The banker’s hand
• A Tie

(Note: you can also bet on some combination of the above, like a Bank hand bet)

The card values in Baccarat

Baccarat is commonly played with eight decks (and occasionally six decks) of cards, handled by a dealer. Each card has a specific value, and in Baccarat card suits are irrelevant.

The card values are as mentioned below:

• The numerical value of 10 and face cards (Jack, Queen and King) is 0.
• The numerical value of aces is 1.
• 2s and 9s have a value equal to their face value.

In Baccarat, the largest sum a hand can be is 9. (A hand cannot bust until it amounts to more than nine) If a hand has a numerical value exceeding nine, you can do one of these to get to the adjusted number of the hand:

• Subtract ten from the total sum or
• Drop the first digit of the total sum (15 gets converted into 5)

Player

If you place a wager on the player’s hand and win, you will get a 1:1 payout. The house edge, in this case, is 1.24%.

Banker

If you place a wager on the banker’s hand and win, you will get a 1:1 payout. However, you have to give the house a 5% fee on your banker’s hand winnings. The house has an advantage of 1.06% over the player.

Tie

You will receive an 8:1 payout when you place a wager on a tie and win. (sometimes 9:1) The house edge is 14.36% in this case, however.

How to Play Baccarat

Currently, the number of competitors at the table does not matter, since only a single hand is dealt in the game, on which all players place their bet. The game is straightforward since the player does not have to do anything – the dealer does all of it. 

The principle of Baccarat is clear – the highest scoring hand wins. The aim is to reach a limit of 9, either with 2 cards or 3 cards depending on the illustrated rules.

You have the option to gamble on the banker’s hand, the player’s hand or you can even bet on a tie before every hand is distributed. Once you place your desired wager on any hand, the cards will be dealt. Two face-up cards are dealt to the player’s place and two face-up cards to the dealer’s spot.

Here are the rules for the game (remember the dealer does all of the work). 

• If the banker’s hand or the player’s is 8 or 9, then it is called a natural. In this case, the play ends then and there. 
• If none of the hands or sides has the required value of an 8 or a 9, the play moves on.

The player’s hand has to act first.

If the hand of the player has a total of 6 or 7 – extra cards are not dealt.

If the hand of the player has a total of 0-5 – another third card is given to the player. The player sums up the cards at this stage, and that’s their hand score.

Then, the action shifts to the banker’s hand, which adopts rules that are somewhat more nuanced.

If and when the player doesn’t take a card, the dealer can play under the same rules that are established for the player.

But if and when the player ends up getting a third card, the dealer returns to the changed rules:

• When a banker’s hand worth is less than or equal to 2, then the banker can earn the 3rd card regardless of its worth.
• A banker’s hand worth 3 will earn another card – unless the third card of the player is 8.
• A banker’s hand worth 4 will earn another card – when the third card of the player is 2 to 7.
• A banker’s hand worth 5 will earn another card – when the third card of the player is 4 to 7.
• A banker’s hand worth 6 will earn another card – when the third card of the player is either 6 or a 7.
• A banker’s hand worth 7 does not earn any third card.

The hand’s winner is decided after this procedure by evaluating which hand is the more significant sum. The winning bets are paid according to the payout system mentioned earlier.

Conclusion 

Now that you’ve read this article, we’re sure you will be eager to try out your newfound knowledge of Baccarat. You can play it at a trusted site like Winissimo. You can also subscribe to the Winissimo Baccarat game learning experience as they offer demo or practice play opportunities for several casino games. The online Baccarat variations at Winissimo are as follows:

• 3D Baccarat
• Live Multiplayer Baccarat
• Speed Baccarat
• Standard Baccarat online

All of the versions are highly immersive and have a new perspective or rule change to make the game more fun and exciting.

Once you understand the simplicity of the game, Baccarat will be very enjoyable, and we hope that with all this knowledge, you will have a successful session the next time you decide to play Baccarat.