How to play Baccarat in Online Casinos
Baccarat Rules
Baccarat - the "borgoise" game
Baccarat is an essential online casino game that gamblers should know all about. As well as most of other casino games, Baccarat rules seem complicated while in reality, Baccarat is easier to play than say blackjack. Online Baccarat is an excellent way to learn the game, since the player has no concern about saying or doing anything wrong.
Baccarat rules govern it as a betting game. There are no Baccarat rules for card drawing as far as players are concerned. It is one of few games in which once the bets are made there are no decisions for the player to make. You only decide whom to bet on - banker or player - and how much. The rest is up to lady Luck to determine.
Playing Baccarat
In Baccarat there are two hands, the banker hand and the player hand. The cards come from a Baccarat shoe, a box that contains 6 or 8 shuffled decks of cards. Players may make a bet on either hand or the tie between the two. Also, according to Baccarat rules, either hand can only have 2 or 3 cards per deal. Baccarat rules also protect the player and the banker from busting, much like in blackjack.
The winning side in Baccarat is determined by the closing score, which is calculated in the following fashion:
- Tens and face cards count as 0.
- Aces are worth 1.
- Two to nine are worth their respective face values.
- The score of all Baccarat cards is summed up. If the value exceeds nine (becomes two digits) then the first digit is discarded. For example, 9 + Ace = 0 instead of 10.
All bets are made before the cards are dealt. In live casino Baccarat games every player gets a chance to deal the cards among the table players, but it is not compulsory to deal (the player can just pass the shoe to the next player). In online casino Baccarat games this process is done automatically.
Baccarat rules are clear and are administered without player intervention by either the dealer in a casino, or by the online Baccarat software. Baccarat rules proceed as follows:
- The Baccarat table dealer deals two cards to both hands from the shoe.
- If either hand has an initial score of 8 or 9 it is called a natural. In such case, these hands automatically stand. A natural can only be tied by a higher natural (an 8 is beaten by a 9) or tied.
The game then proceeds according to the Baccarat rules:
- If the Baccarat player's first two cards total to less than 6, the player must draw another from the shoe.
- If the banker's first two cards total to more than 6, the banker must stand.
- If the initial score is 0, 1 or 2, the banker must draw the last card from the shoe.
- If it is 3 and the player's third card is 0 to 9 points, the banker draws the third card.
- If it is 4 and the player's third card is 2 to 7 points, the banker draws the third card.
- If it is 5 and the player's third card is 4 to 7 points, the banker draws the third card.
- Otherwise, the banker stands and the game ends.
Baccarat rules are clear: if both hands acquire equal score, the game is called a tie and the tie bet wins. Otherwise the bet on the Baccarat hand that receives the score closest to 9 wins.
Bets are recovered. If the winning bet is the player or the banker it recovers even money: that is, the bet itself and a win that amounts to the bet. However, if the winning side is the banker Baccarat hand the casino or online casino will commission 5%, called vigorish. This is to keep the house advantage, otherwise, long term bets on the banker would yield an advantage to the player. If the winning bet is the tie then neither the Baccarat banker nor the player bets are paid or taken. The tie bet in Baccarat is paid 8 or 9 to 1.
See, that wasn't so hard! The only thing in Baccarat rules that is at all confusing is the card drawing rules, but again, they are a concern for the administrators of the game, not the players. Online Baccarat is even easier, and you don't have to feel smothered by the snooty atmosphere of the game.
Susan McClary - Senior Editor