Dec 16 2008
Baccarat: The Basics
Baccarat is one of the most popular games with foreign and high limit bettors in Las Vegas. In fact, it is the game of choice of the “whales,” and is usually played in a separate, high limit area. At some casinos, Mini Bac tables can be found on the main floor. These have the same rules as baccarat, but generally have lower limits.
Baccarat is both one of the simplest and the most complicated games. It is simple in that the bettor’s only role is to place one of three bets. They can bet on the “bank,” the “player,” or a tie. It is complicated in that the progress of the game can be difficult to follow, because the rules are complex.
The object of the game is to bet on the set of cards (player or bank) which winds up closest to nine. Face cards do not count, and if you go over ten, you drop the first digit (an 8 and a 5 is a 3, not a 13). These bets pay even money, except that when you bet on the bank, there is a 5% commission taken from your winnings. The tie bet usually pays 8:1.
Each pile is dealt two cards. If either the banker or the dealer has an 8 or a 9, it is a natural and no more cards are dealt.
If neither player or bank has a natural, the dealer decides whether the “player” receives a third card or not. The player draws on a 5 or lower, and stands on a 6 or higher. Only one additional card may be drawn.
After the player has drawn a third card (or not) the “bank” may or may not draw one additional card. This is where the rules get slightly complicated.
If the player does not draw a third card, the bank follows the same rules as the player (stand on 6 or higher, draw on 5 or lower).
If the player does draw a third card, the bank follows the following rules.
If the bank has 2 or less, the bank always draws.
If the bank has 3, the bank draws unless the player’s third card (not total) was an 8.
If the bank has 4, the bank draws unless the player’s third card was a 0, 1, 8, or 9.
If the bank has 5, the bank draws if the player’s third card was a 4, 5, 6, or 7.
If the bank has 6, the bank draws if the player’s third card was a 6 or 7.
If the bank has 7, the bank stands.
The house edge on these bets are: bank 1.17% player 1.36% tie 14.12%.
So go out and have fun on baccarat, don’t worry about memorizing all of this. You really don’t need to know it to be able to play the game. And there are usually cards available that explain the rules.
