On this page, you can read about the Baccarat rules. You will learn how to play this famous game, and what strategies and tips you can use. Our experts have prepared answers to frequently asked questions. Thanks to this, you will avoid the mistakes that beginners face, and you will be ready to quickly start playing Baccarat, both offline and online.
What is Baccarat — all you need to know
Baccarat is an ancient card game created in Europe. For a long time, only representatives of high society were allowed to play it. However, over time, the game lost its elitist character and spread all over the world. With the development of online gambling, Baccarat has firmly become one of the most popular casino games. Now it is played in land-based casinos, on Internet gambling portals, as well as in mobile apps.
How to start playing Baccarat?
To start playing the Baccarat casino game, you need to do a little preparatory work. We strongly recommend playing only in legal offline and online casinos. This will help you protect your funds from scammers and ensure positive gameplay.
Follow our instructions:
- Read the rules of the Baccarat game;
- Form a bankroll;
- Determine the limits: the size of the maximum bet, the total amount of allowable losses, the period of the game;
- Choose a casino with a good reputation;
- Select a free table;
- Start playing!
For an online casino, the instructions should be slightly supplemented. After choosing a platform or a Baccarat gambling app, you need to register an account and make a deposit. If you want to play in the free demo mode, then registration is most often not necessary.
Rules of the Baccarat game
The classic Baccarat table consists of two parts with numbered parts for the players, as well as a central area for the dealers. There can be up to 14 players at the table. The places are numbered from 1 to 15, but the number 13 is missing due to superstition. For comparison, a Mini Baccarat table can accommodate up to seven players. There is only one dealer here, unlike the three croupiers in the original version.
There are betting areas in front of each player on the game table. There are three types of bets you can make in Baccarat: on the Banker, on the Player, and on the Draw.
Players are dealt two cards each. After they have placed bets, the banker announces that the acceptance of bets is over. The winner is the player whose sum of cards in his hand is equal to 9 or close to this number.
The basic rules:
- The value of the Ace is equal to one;
- The value of 10, Jack, Queen and King is 0;
- The value of cards from 2 to 9 is equal to their face value;
- The third card is dealt if the player’s hand does not exceed 5 in value;
- The third card is not dealt if the player’s hand is 6-7 in value;
- If the value of a player’s hand is a two-digit number, then his final hand is equal in value to the second digit of this number.
Example: a player has 8 and 6 in his hand. In total, they are equal to 14, which exceeds 9. In this case, the calculations are as follows: 14-10=4.
Baccarat card game variations
During the existence of Baccarat, several variations of it have been created. The following types of this card game are the most popular among gamblers:
- American or Punto Banco. This is the most popular version of Baccarat. It is played with a deck of 52 cards, from which the joker is extracted;
- Baccarat en Banque. In this version of the game, you can bet on two hands at once;
- Chemin de Fer. This variation of the game is very popular in offline casinos. Players love it for its strategic element;
- Super Pan 9. In this version of the game, the player starts with three cards, not two. Sevens, eights, nines and tens are extracted from the deck.
Baccarat Strategies
With the increasing popularity of Baccarat, experts in the gambling world began to develop an ideal Baccarat strategy. Of course, there is no such ideal system, but many strategies allow players to achieve victories at medium or long distances with varying degrees of efficiency.
The most popular strategies for playing Baccarat are:
The Martingale Strategy
This is the most popular gaming strategy, and not only in Baccarat. Its meaning is to double the size of your bet after each loss. Such a progressive approach to the game allows you to achieve victory at a distance and win back the initial bet. The disadvantage of the Martingale strategy is the size of the maximum bet, which can be limited by the casino. If the player reaches this limit, he will not be able to double the bet;
The 1-3-2-4 Strategy
It was established in 2006 and is considered one of the most successful strategies from the point of view of money management. The player needs to place bets in a special sequence of four steps. So, if his hand wins, then he moves on. If it loses, he returns to the start. If the player wins four bets in a row, then he also returns to the start. It is important to note that if the player’s first and second bets in the sequence won, then he secured the overall victory, even if the third and fourth bets lose;
The Paroli Strategy
It is suitable for players who have limited bankroll. They need to increase the bet amount only after winning, and only by a predetermined amount. The sequence 1-2-3-6 is considered classical. Gamblers who use the Paroli Strategy mainly bet on money from previous wins, so they can safely control their bankroll;
The One-sided Strategy
This is probably the easiest strategy for beginners. The player must bet only on the Banker, or on the Player. The logic is that at some stage of the game, one of the sides should have an advantage, and betting only on it, you can win. But you need to bet, say, on a Player after the series of wins on the Banker has ended, and the first winning bet on the Player has appeared.
Counting cards in Baccarat
Many gamblers use counting cards in Baccarat to gain an advantage over the casino. In some land-based gambling establishments, this trick is banned. The effectiveness of card counting also cannot be unequivocally assessed, but many players successfully use it in their game. The problem is that in Baccarat it is not easy to determine which cards are beneficial to the player, unlike in blackjack.
To use the card counting trick, you need to sit at a table where the game has not started yet. This is because you need to keep an eye on the cards from the beginning. You have to make simple arithmetic calculations in your head, during the dealing of cards. You start with 0.
- If there is an Ace, 2 or 3 among the dealt cards, add one to the count;
- If a 4 falls out during the dealing, add a two;
- In case of dealing of 5, 7 or 8, subtract one from the count;
- Subtract a two from the count if the 6 appears;
- 9, 10, Jack, Queen and King are equal to 0 in calculations, so do not take them into account.
Remember that cards such as Ace, 2, 3 and 4 increase the player’s chances. 5, 6, 7 and 8 reduce the chances of a Player’s bet to win.
This is the simplest card counting system, but it, like other systems, is not perfect. The more decks are used in the game, the higher the randomness factor. The advantage of the card counting system is that you do not need to memorize the cards themselves. You only need to make simple arithmetic calculations in your mind according to a pre-known formula.
How to play Baccarat online?
To start playing Baccarat online, you don’t have to do anything complicated. This game occupies a worthy place in the portfolio of legal online casinos. Its simple rules and fascinating gameplay attract millions of gamblers. To become one of them, do the following:
- Select a licensed online casino. It must legally provide its services;
- Check if it is possible to play Baccarat on the company’s website;
- Register an account (you will need to come up with a password, enter personal data and write an email address);
- If you want to play for real money, make a deposit. To play in the free demo mode, skip this step;
- Choose Baccarat from the options available on the website of this game;
- Play.
Many gamblers prefer to play on their mobile. For this reason, most online casinos have developed their applications for Android/iOS. You can play Baccarat anywhere by downloading such a mobile client and installing it on your device.
Tips for playing Baccarat
Both those players who want to use gaming strategies, and those who prefer to enjoy Baccarat without them, can effectively use several important tips. This will help to significantly reduce the number of failures and monetary losses when playing, both offline and online.
Forget about betting on a draw
In terms of the probability of winning, this is the worst bet. The success rate of such a bet is only 9.45%. For comparison, bets on the Banker and on the Player have a winning probability of 45.84% and 44.61%, respectively;
Use money management
There are failures in any gambling game. There is no need to seek to recoup immediately after a loss and increase the bet. Decide in advance how much you are willing to bet, and follow your plans;
Set limits
For a productive game, you need to decide in advance for yourself how much money you are willing to spend. Determine the maximum bet amount and the maximum possible amount that you could lose painlessly for your wallet. Another limit that we recommend setting is the time to play. The longer you play, the higher the risk that you will lose concentration and lose due to fatigue;
No game strategy guarantees a win
There are many strategies when playing Baccarat, but none of them can guarantee victory. Experienced players use strategies to increase their chances at a distance. But they also know that they will have defeats along the way;
Play Baccarat with fewer decks
The fewer decks used in the game, the less influence the randomness factor has on it. This rule is true for both land-based casinos and gambling sites;
Card counting may not be desirable
Experienced Baccarat players often use card counting to increase their chances of success. However, this is prohibited in some land-based casinos. In an online casino, counting cards, in turn, may not make practical sense, because the shuffling of the deck occurs after each round.
Follow our tips and your experience of playing Baccarat will be more positive.
Final Verdict
Baccarat card game is among the best and most popular casino games. You can learn to play Baccarat quickly. It is loved by both experienced gamblers and beginners in the world of online casinos. Its advantages are as follows:
- Simple rules;
- Exciting and fast gameplay;
- A high level of excitement;
- The ability to apply strategies to increase the chances of success.
Follow the rules of responsible play and money management when playing Baccarat, and with luck, you can win.
FAQ
Can I be deceived when playing Baccarat at an online casino?
Scammers are always ready to deceive gamblers, but you can easily protect yourself from risk. Play only in legal online casinos and in their official mobile apps.
Is it possible to play Baccarat for real money?
Like any offline and online casino game, Baccarat can be played for real money. Note that gambling sites provide the opportunity to train in a free demo mode. In this case, you do not need to spend money.
How to play Baccarat on mobile?
Choose a legal online casino and download its mobile app. Register an account to play Baccarat for real money or play for fun in the free demo mode.
How to quickly understand the rules of the Baccarat game?
The easiest way to remember the rules of Baccarat is if you play in demo mode and check all the nuances in practice at the same time. Without knowledge of game theory, it will be hard for you to win, no matter how you play — offline or online.