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Live dealer baccarat is not hard to play and has one of the highest payouts of all casino table games. Baccarat is one of the simplest ones to understand. It is in fact a simple game and the following winning strategies will help you play baccarat and win!
Nine is the magic number.
Think Nine in Live Baccarat. The first thing you want to do is create a hand with a total of nine in only two or three cards. Eight is ok, but nine is the goal on the total cards in your hand. The perfect hand would be a hand that has only two cards with the value of the two combined being nine. The second best hand in live baccarat is this same set up but with the value being eight. These two hands are referred to as “natural nine” or “natural eight”. Here’s the fun part, when one player has one of these “natural” hands then none of the other players may draw a third card. That’s fun isn’t it? This even includes the banker. The player with the natural eight or natural nine wins the hand immediately. If no other player has a natural eight or natural nine then the players decide to continue the game by continue betting or folding their hand. If there is a tie between two players then the game is voided and nobody wins.
Know your card point values.
How do you get to a natural 8 or natural 9? First you need to know your baccarat point face card values. You can’t win at baccarat if you don’t know the points of each card. This is incredibly important to learn because you can lose quickly by making simple calculating mistakes. if you don’t know what points apply to the cards. Here are the values of the cards. Aces are one point, cards from jack to king are zero points, and all other cards have their face value points.
What happens if you go over 10? Well, it’s important to know as well that if your hand totals more than 10 you simply ignore the first digit to get your point values. So, if your hand totals 18 the score is 8. A natural nine would be only a two card combination 5 + 4, 6 + 3, 7 + 2, and so on and so forth.
Know how and when to bet.
If you really want to win at Live Baccarat you will know how to lose as well. Don’t ever bet on ties or standoffs. Also, if there is a trend then bet with the trend until the trend breaks. Betting against a trend rarely results in winning and when you bet. However, with the trend you can make a lot of money over the long run. Another tip is to always have enough money on hand and be sure to stay in the game long enough to pick up on a run or play long enough to go through your play through bonus requirements at your casino of choice. You need to know how to manage your money (Bank Roll Management) if you are going to play live baccarat successfully.
Get practice with free sites.
Learning how to play is important especially if you want to win big. So, consider playing baccarat online at the casinos that offer free baccarat. You can practice with fake money until you get your technique down. You will also pick up some tips and skills to playing baccarat along the way simply from playing. Baccarat is the favorite game of many and for good reason. It’s fun and relatively easy to play. Just make sure you are prepared to plan when you hit the real tables and be ready to earn some cash!
From the name of the game itself to a Tie bet, we are going to cover some general baccarat terms to get you started and sounding like a pro, whatever your experience.
Baccarat or Baccara - basically this means "zero" and refers to the value of face and 10 cards during play. The aim of the game is to get a hand which totals 9, or at least get closer than the dealer.
Bank Bet - this bet bets against the player, in favour of the bank.
Banker - the banker can be a player or the dealer. How refreshing! It is the name given to the person who deals the cards and monitor the table. OK, so it's usually the dealer, but some casinos are generous!
Bankroll - this is the same as always; the amount of money to be gambled with. The bit that you want to grow.
Basic Strategy - all games have a basic strategy that suggests when to stand or take another card. The idea is that if followed strictly, it will provide the best possible return. Don't forget the money management side though!
Croupier - the name of the person with the grand job of being in charge of the Baccarat table. There are variations; the croupier doesn't deal in American baccarat, unlike with mini and online versions.
Dealer - obviously the person who deal the cards but in mini and online baccarat, this job falls to the croupier. In American baccarat it is the banker that deals the cards, with secondary dealers at the ends of the table handling the bets.
Face Card - important cards in any game. Jacks, Queens and Kings all have a value of zero and enable a strong hand including a natural.
Ladderman - only found in live casinos but a cool name and job! The person that oversees the baccarat game from a chair that sits above the table.
Loss Bet - a bet which bets against the bank. So a player bet would be a loss bet as it needs the bank to lose.
Mini-baccarat - A miniature version of the game with a smaller table and fewer seats. Much more up close and personal.
Natural - the best possible hand which totals 8 or 9 and is dealt immediately.
Player Bet - this bets against the banker, in the player´s favour.
Push - a different name for a tie between the player and the dealer: the player's stake is returned. So if both got a total of 7, the player doesn't lose out. Bets on the dealer or player lose, but a tie bet will pay out.
Tie Bet - a bet that predicts the player and the dealer will get the same result. More popular than you might first imagine.
Did you know that Baccarat is James Bond's favorite casino game? Neither did I, but apparently it's true! Unfortunately I wasn't able to discover if it is traditional baccarat that 007 likes or if it is one of the many variations. Anyway; just so that every-one is aware of the types of baccarat in existence and on offer, here's a brief overview of some of the variations:
Mini Baccarat
This is the most commonly found form of Baccarat in American Casinos and online casinos; it is very similar to traditional baccarat but with lower limits to enable wider accessibility. Other variations include: a smaller table, only the dealer handles the shoe, and the table is worked by one dealer only.
Chemin-de-fer
If the name wasn't enough of a give away, this is a French variation of the originally Italian game, Baccarat. It's translation 'railroad' doesn't sound quite so romantic but quite fitting due to the main difference between Chemin-de-fer and traditional baccarat; namely that the French variation insists on the passing of the shoe from one player to the next when the first player has lost his hand; this ensures a railroading of the shoe around the table.
Super Pan Nine
This is a slim lined version of traditional baccarat; the decks are reduced by having the 7, 8, 9, and 10 cards removed from the decks. To compensate for the low numbers present three cards are dealt rather than two, with an option for drawing a fourth. In this version a hand of 3 or 4 only will result in the banker drawing a fourth card.
Private Baccarat
This is an unusual variation of baccarat in which the banker may choose whether to deal one or two hands to the player. Should he choose to deal the player two, the player then has the choice to play them both or to pick which one to play. If he picks one the game is as a traditional baccarat game. If however he choose to play both hands he must win both of them in order to beat the dealer; winning one and loosing one results in a tie.
Baccarat en Banque
In this French variation the player is dealt two hands, whilst the dealer is dealt one; betting on the dealers hand is prohibited in this game, and the shoe does not pass from player to player but rather stays with the dealer constantly.
Those are all the variants I know of; I'm sure that 007 could probably enlighten me as to some more, and maybe if I was lucky give me a little tutelage. For the most part it is traditional baccarat or mini-baccarat that you will find; however, it's always good to be prepared.
As with any form of casino games, including poker, blackjack and roulette, the player is always looking for a strategy to increase their chances of winning. Many experiences Baccarat players feel that any mention of a strategy is purely based on myth and rightly so. We will look over some of the more common proclaimed strategies in an attempt to come to a concrete conclusion on the Baccarat strategy myth.
The Scorecard
Almost every casino will hand out a scorecard to every player at the table. Players can be spotted keeping track of the outcome of each hand in an attempt to spot patterns in order to take advantage of a streak. The casinos encourage this behavior simply because they know it has no bearing on the outcome of the game. Following a supposed pattern in Baccarat is as fruitless as it is with Roulette. Each hand plays independent of the last but this does not stop betters from believing they have found a betting edge by following trends. It is in your best interest to abstain from this habit as it has no outcome on the cards being dealt and will not provide you with any sort of edge.
Card Counting
While often referred to as a stable of successful Blackjack play, card counting is another card strategy that is meaningless in the game of Baccarat. Although it may appear as a worthy strategy for the Baccarat player, the fact that the issue of used cards being fed back into the “shoe” before all have been removed negates any count you may have made up to that point. Card counting for Baccarat is a race with no end, the cycle of cards makes it impossible to ever have a solid system in place.
What works?
The most common system used would be always betting on the banker. Although this is by far the most boring of any system it is the only one that can be mathematically proven to give you an edge.
The Final Word
After examining the many strategies proposed for the game of Baccarat is becomes quite clear that there is no failsafe method to improve your odds. Betting on the banker may make you a winner more often than not but it also strips the game down to a series of planned bets. It is best to enjoy the game for what it is and abandon any attempt and finding a strategy to help your odds at the Baccarat table.
Along with Roulette, Baccarat is one of the easiest casinos games to play. The most important thing you need to know is whether you are betting on the Player, on the Bank or on Tie. Betting on Tie is not really recommended because it decreases your winning chances. Baccarat is a game of chance, all you have to decide is which hand you think will win. Making yourself familiar with the basic rules will help you understand the play on the baccarat table and will make the game more fun for you to play.
Seat position is not important in Baccarat like it would be in Blackjack as you are not playing against other player or the house, the only concern you have are the cards. Do not let the amounts the other players may bet distract you, it is of no importance to you.
Baccarat is played with eight decks of cards without Jokers. At the beginning of a new game or when the Cut Card in the Shoe is dealt, the dealer will shuffle all decks together and put them back in the shoe, also called "The Bank". Then he will take the very first card out and whatever the value of this card is indicates how many cards will be burned. If the value of the first card is a four, for instance, the dealer will take the next four cards out of the shoe and discard them in a tray next to it along with the first card. At the beginning of the new game the shoe or the bank is given to the player on the right of the dealer. Each player is given the bank in turn and can hold the bank as long as the bank wins. Once the bank loses it moves on to the next player. Before the cards are dealt each Baccarat player has to make his bet.
The player with the bank deals two sets of two cards, if of course the game is played by two players. The hand closest to nine wins. If the first two cards dealt count Eight or Nine it is called a "Natural" and wins automatically, unless both hands have the same value then it is of course a Tie. When nobody has a natural additional cards are drawn to determine the baccarat winner. If the hand you bet on wins you get a one to one payoff.
I'm often asked about Casino games, and a common question is "What's the Easiest Casino Game to Play?"
Of course, that's a difficult question to answer, and yet an easy one to answer as well.
Let me explain….
First, “easy” is a relative term. What’s easy for one person may be very difficult for another person. Although I’ve written a book on how to make Craps extremely easy for the beginner as well as for the Professional Gambler, I will usually answer this question by emphatically stating – “Baccarat is the Easiest Game to Play in the whole Casino”.
“But”, they protest, “It looks like the hardest game to play”, or “it looks so intimidating”, or, “isn't that James Bond’s favorite game?”.
Yes, It’s all of the above…. Unless you “just do it”.
So, let’s take a closer look.
On its simplest level, it’s ONLY a matter of making ONE decision: Bank or Player!
That’s it… there is no more…. You can play Baccarat by ONLY deciding whether to bet on the Bank or on the Player.
That’s it – you place your chip(s) in the little box or circle on the table marked “Bank” and you’ve bet that the Bank will win the next hand. If you place your bet in the space marked “Player”, you are betting that the “Player” will win the next hand.
You REALLY don’t need to know (or do) anything else… and you’re playing Baccarat!
There are other things to do if you want. I always insist that my students keep a running score (or record) of the outcomes of each hand in order to use my favorite betting strategies for Baccarat.
But, for those who want more… let’s look at the game’s other nuances and options.
There are two different tables dealing Baccarat: The Pit, and the Mini Tables. The Pit is cordoned off with velvet ropes, manned by tuxedoed dealers, served by specially assigned cocktail waitresses, pit bosses, and Casino Hosts. All of who are there to provide “extra” goodies to the Baccarat players. Usually, there is also a buffet spread there for the Baccarat players in the Pit. Talk about intimidating! What’s more, there’s a $100 MINIMUM bet enforced (except at one Casino on the Las Vegas Strip) on the weekends, and $50 on the weekdays and nights. Are you scared off yet? Don’t be, this can be a “bargain”.
The other way to play Baccarat is at the “Mini Tables”. The game is played the same way, but it’s in the main casino area, a sit-down, half-circle table (it looks like a “Blackjack” table) and there’s only one dealer.
These Mini Tables have similar betting ranges (low minimums) to the Blackjack Tables, depending upon the Casino, the day of the week, the time of the day etc.
The main difference is that the dealer handles all the cards here, whereas the players handle the cards in the pit.
But THAT is a crucial difference…. NOT in the way the game is played (they’re identical) but in the TIME it takes to play a hand. The single dealer at the Mini Tables blasts through the hands, and you must play many, many hands an hour.
But, in the Pit, the players handle the cards, and believe me, it’s an art form, and very interesting to watch how they handle the cards. Nearly ALL of them will bend (and I mean BEND) each of their two cards up to reveal – SLOWLY – the marks, or spots on the side of their card, and then do the same on the end of their card – then do the same ritual to their other card… and then they THROW them down on the table, face up for all to see, OR they rip them into two pieces (Yep, the cards are only used one time in the pit and then discarded by the Casino)… OR they have some similar superstitious ritual they do every time. Because of these rituals that are played out EVERY hand, it can take a long, long time to complete the hand, therefore, your number of hands per hour are way low.
The result of this is amazing: You could spend much more of your betting bankroll on a $5 Mini table per hour than on a $50 Pit Table!
For the purposes of this article, I don’t want to get into how the game is played. For one reason, you DON’T NEED TO KNOW because EVERYTHING is done for you in this game either by the dealer (at the Mini Tables), or you are TOLD what to do by the Dealers in the Pit. For another reason, it is complicated – so, don’t worry about it – Just play the game!
I must tell you however, that there are five bets that you can make during any given hand in Baccarat.
1. Bank (you’re betting that the Bank will win)
2. Player (you’re betting that the Player will win)
3. Tie (you’re betting that the two will tie or push – NO winner)
4. Bank AND Tie (You’re betting that the Bank will win, but hedging your bet with a tie bet in case of a tie)
5. Player AND Tie (You’re betting that the Player will win, but hedging your bet with a tie bet in case of a tie)
Those are the five betting opportunities in Baccarat. That’s ALL you can do – that’s EVERY betting proposition available… there is NO more – that’s it – NADA!
And without going into my strategies…. Let me tell you this:
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER (got it yet?) NEVER bet on a tie! Completely eliminate bets 3, 4, and 5 above, and you are left with ONLY bets 1 and 2…. Bank OR Player.
One thing to note: When you win a “Bank” bet, you must pay a 5% commission. There is NO commission on a winning “Player” bet. That’s just to even the odds because there is a “slight” advantage to the “Bank” bet over the “Player” bet.
See? I told you it was easy…. That’s all you need to know to play Baccarat!
If we put aside the black ties, the velvet curtains and the overall exclusive atmosphere, baccarat is one of the simplest casino games around. In addition, baccarat is a beatable game with a low house edge, which makes it one of the best bets you can make! Here you can read about baccarat history and learn how to play the game.
Both the American and European versions of baccarat and the French Chemin de Fer are late developments of the Italian game called baccara, which means zero in Italian. The origins of baccara go back to an old Etruscan myth. According to the myth, a blonde virgin had to toss a nine sided die to decide on her destiny. If the die landed on eight or nine, she would have to fulfill her destiny and become a priest. If the die landed on six or seven, she would be forbidden to participate in any religious activity. If the die landed on any other number, the virgin had to walk into the sea.
The Italian game baccara was popular among French aristocracy during the end of the 15th century. Baccara had evolved to the European version of baccarat, which is still played in European casinos today as well as the French variation of baccarat known as Chemin de Fer, which is mainly played in casinos in France. The American version of the game was introduced to Nevada casinos in the 1950s by Francis Tommy Renzoni, who imported the game from Havana.
Baccarat still carries an aroma of aristocracy and exclusivity. In American casinos, baccarat is played in a separated area of the casino, hidden behind velvet curtains. Baccarat players are usually dressed up and the betting limits are higher comparing to other table games. In order to attract the medium budget players, a lower limit version of baccarat, called mini baccarat, was invented. Mini baccarat is played on a smaller table, inside the casino gambling area with lower betting limits than baccarat.
How to Play Baccarat
Baccarat is played with 3 dealers and up to 12 or 14 players. Baccarat is usually played with 8 standard card decks. Aces valued as one, face cards and ten cards valued as zero, and the rest of the number cards worth their face value. The suit has no meaning. The object of the game is to get as close to 9 as possible.
The play begins by all players, including the dealer, placing their bets either on the player, the banker, or on a tie. Traditionally, the dealer bets on the banker. The dealer can be the house dealer or one of the players. After everyone has placed their bets, the dealer gives two cards to each player and to the banker.
The score of each hand is calculated as the sum of the two cards minus the left digit. For example, if the sum of the two cards is 15, the score would be 5. The decision whether to deal a third card is determined by a set or rules and it is not up to the player or the dealers decision.
If the score of the players hand is 9 or 8, he wins
If the score of the dealers hand is 9 or 8, it is a tie
If a players score is 7 or 6, he can be dealt a third card
If a players score is 5 or less, he has to receive a third card
If a player gets a third card and the score of the dealers hand is 2, 1 or 0, he must draw a third card
If the score of the dealers hand is 3 and the players third card is any value but 8, he must draw a third card
If the score of the dealers hand is 4 and the players third card value is between 2 and 7, he must draw a third card
If the score of the dealers hand is 5 and the players third card value is between 4 and seven, he must draw a third card
If the score of the dealers hand is 6 and the players third card is 6 or 7, he must draw a third card.
If the score of the dealers hand is 7, he cannot draw a third card.
Live dealer baccarat is not hard to play and has one of the highest payouts of all casino table games. Baccarat is one of the simplest ones to understand. It is in fact a simple game and the following winning strategies will help you play baccarat and win!
