A game of baccarat can be an absolute joy to behold or even partake in. The intricate techniques and strategies of the game are bound to be of interest to even the average gambling enthusiast.
With that in mind, this article will provide you with guidelines and enough knowledge concerning baccarat and how to play it.
We will also include useful tips to help you get to a winning strategy.
How the rules work
It’s always good to have sufficient knowledge of the game you’re about to start playing and to become familiar with the rules.
For baccarat, the player is mandated to complete all proposed bets on a hand before that hand is dealt.
The game commences when two cards have been dealt with each existing hand, those being the player’s hand and the banker’s hand.
To continue the round, the player is expected to bet on either one of the hands or wager that the round will end as a tie. This is in keeping with the objective of the game, which is to correctly predict which hand will acquire a total closer to nine.
When calculating the total and another value is arrived at, these are treated in distinct manners:
- An ace has a value of one (1).
- Face cards (King, Queen and Jack) and 10s have a value of zero (0).
- All other cards are scored based on their face value i.e. whichever number they depict.
If either the player’s or banker’s hand gets a total that is above nine, the score is rectified by removing 10 from that total.
It’s worth noting that each specific house will determine which hand – either the banker’s hand or the player’s hand – can draw a third card.
As for winning, each correct prediction for the player’s or banker’s hand results in a one-to-one payout, with the difference being that the banker’s hand winner has to pay a 5% commission.
A winning tie prediction, on the other hand, results in an eight to one payout.
The baccarat betting process
As with all casino-style games, betting features heavily throughout any baccarat game. It can get pretty confusing, so let’s go over the basics:
When you wager on the banker’s hand and it turns out to be a winning hand, the expected payout is 95% of your initial stake.
If you bet on the player’s hand and the total is very close to nine, the payout is twice your stake.
If the total ends up being higher than nine, then the player must forfeit the first digit. Putting this in perspective, a hand that combines to total 17 will leave the player with a true value of seven, with the first value of “1” being dropped.
Tips for playing baccarat efficiently
In all honesty, it won’t be a complete baccarat guide if we don’t provide you with some much-needed playing tips. These include but are not limited to the following:
Stick to banker’s hand
This tip might sound very strange, because you end up paying 5% for every win.
Statistically, however, this is your best bet for consistent wins, as the odds of winning the banker’s hand are higher than for the player’s hand.
That being said, it’s okay to switch hands when the winning streak comes to an end, to avoid getting stuck with a losing hand.
Avoid the tie-bet option
Despite its guessing nature, baccarat is also a game of probability and percentages. In this regard, the tie bet percentage stands at a low 14.4%, which is not a choice you want to get stuck with. So, be brave and go with either the player’s or banker’s hand.
Roll over your bet when the bank loses
When the winning streak for the banker’s hand comes to an end, resist the urge to bet on the following result.
In such an instance, information becomes your best asset, so watch the round and see if the winner is player or banker.
Depending on the outcome, you can make a more secure bet.
Favor shorter sessions
One thing to always keep in mind is that the house already has an unfair advantage over you.
The best way to compete is to stick to a specific number of sessions (say between 30 and 40), which you’re certain will produce the desired outcome.
Final thoughts
Playing baccarat can be an awesome form of leisure or you can decide to pursue it professionally. With the information contained in this article, you have all you need to take your gameplay to the next level.
