How to Play Baccarat

The game of baccarat has been around for a long time, and the main reason why it became so popular so quickly is because it’s an incredibly easy game to pick up, which will make this article here very straight forward! The idea behind the game is very simple, and the player’s decision is simply to decide what type of bet that they want to make during the hand. After that point it is all about the dealer’s hand and you will either win your bet, or have to pay the casino at the end of the end. We’ll get more in-depth with how this popular game works below, and explain exactly why it’s become so popular in casinos all around the world, and of course in the online gambling world as well. Also, we’ll look into a bit of strategy about the game of baccarat as well to help make you the best player possible. Right off the bat, you’ll find that in most baccarat games, it’s important to know that you actually don’t even touch the cards. So make sure that if you hop into a casino that you don’t grab the cards right off the table or it could cause a ruckus!

Objective Behind Baccarat

Right off the bat we’ll explain exactly what you are trying to do in this game. Your objective is to attempt to draw a two or three card hand that ends up being closer to 9 than the dealers is. You will find that the numbers 10, J, K, Q all will count as 0, and that an Ace is 1. Any other card in the deck that has a number with it will be worth the value of the card itself (so a 2 is worth 2 and a 3 is worth 3). While you do want to get as close to the number 9 as you possibly can, there is no “busting” in baccarat, contrary to what you may think right off the bat! If you end up getting a total that is above ten, then you drop then off of the total number. For example, if you end up getting a 6 and a 9 for 15, then you would drop ten and end up having a 5.

Rules of Baccarat

When you begin playing both the dealer and the player are going to be given two cards. If you are dealt an 8 or 9, this means that you are going to stand no matter what, even if you say that you want to get another card. If the player ends up getting a 6 or a 7 then the player stands where they are at as well. If the player stands, the banker must hit on a total of 5 or less no matter what, so this should definitely be factored into your strategy behind the game as well. The same thing will stand for the player though, so if you end up getting a 5 or less, then you are automatically going to take a hit, and you will get a third card from the dealer.

Now, this is where things start to get a bit in-depth, because if you as the player draw a third card, then the dealer is going to draw a third card based on a few different situations that look as follows:

If the dealer has a total of 0, 1, or 2 then they will draw a third card no matter what the players third card was

If the dealer has a 3 then they are going to draw a third card if the players third card is any number but an 8

If the dealer has a 4 then they will draw if the players third card is a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7

If the dealer has a 5 then they will draw if the players third card is a 4, 5, 6, or 7

If the dealer has a 6 then they will draw if the players third card is a 6 or 7

If the dealer has a 7 then they will stand

Now, when the action comes to a close, the hand that is the closest to the number 9 is the one who ends up winning. As you can see, the rules behind the game may be a bit confusing until you get used to them, but after you play it a few times you’ll find that you catch on quickly as well.

Betting on Baccarat

It’s important to note that when betting on baccarat, you actually have the option to bet on EITHER hand. So while it is called the “players hand” and the “dealers hand”, you actually don’t really have a hand, because you can bet on the dealer every single time if you want to. While you’ll find that the option is always there, this game really does come down to being a game of chance because you are simply choosing which hand you think will be better at the end of the cards being dealt. Your bet sizing can vary and you will always have to watch the table minimum’s and table maximum’s.

Baccarat Strategy

First off, remember that in baccarat, while you are choosing between hands, you are simply choosing based on who you think will get closer to nine. It is a complete guess, which means that if you get on a hot run and make some cash, be sure to have good money management and not to over bet too often. Money management in any type of gambling is very important, but it’s especially true in games like baccarat that don’t give any type of edge to the player, or any control over the hands that they are playing with either!