Contents
Baccarat Basics
The Baccarat Table
The Deal in Baccarat
Baccarat Game Play
Betting in Baccarat
Basic Baccarat Strategy
Baccarat Money Management
Common Baccarat Variations
Baccarat Etiquette
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- The mechanics of play and proper baccarat etiquette
- Which bets to make, which bets to avoid, and how to manage your money
- Rules for baccarat variations, including chemin de fer and baccarat banque
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Baccarat Basics
Baccarat (pronounced “bah-kuh-rah”) is a card-based table game that’s widely considered the most glamorous of all casino games. In casinos, baccarat is often set off from the rest of the games by velvet ropes, and baccarat dealers often wear tuxedos. Early James Bond movies featured the secret agent playing a version of baccarat (called chemin de fer) in opulent European casinos. If baccarat’s sophisticated allure doesn’t get you excited to play, you might be drawn by baccarat’s very low house edge, which means that you’re more likely to win.
Though baccarat often draws a wealthy crowd, it’s a simple game. No matter how many players are playing, the game involves just two hands: the player hand and the banker hand. Whichever hand’s cards have a higher total is the winner. The two hands must be played according to precise rules. So as a player, the only decision you have to make is whether to bet on the player hand, the banker hand, or on a tie.
Card Value and Hand Values in Baccarat
Baccarat is played using six or eight decks of 52 cards, with no jokers or wild cards. The number of decks used doesn’t affect strategy. The value of each card in baccarat is determined entirely by its rank—suit doesn’t matter. The values of the cards are as follows:
- Aces count as 1.
- Face cards (kings, queens, and jacks) count as 0.
- All other cards are equal to their numerical value. For example, an 8 is worth 8 points.
However, the value of a hand in baccarat is not just the sum of the values of the cards it contains. To determine the value of a hand:
- Add up the values of the cards in the hand.
- If the total value of the cards is less than 10, that number is the value of the hand. If the total value of the cards is 10 or greater, drop the first digit of that number to get the value of the hand.
For example, a hand consisting of a 5 and a 2 has a value of 7. A hand consisting of a 9 and an 8 has a total value of 17, but you then drop the first digit, so that hand’s value is 7 as well.
These rules mean that the only possible values of a hand in baccarat are 0–9. A hand of 0 is the lowest hand and is also called baccarat. A hand of 9 is the highest hand.
Mini-Baccarat
In addition to baccarat, most American casinos offer a version of the game called mini-baccarat. This game offers the same house edge and rules as regular baccarat, but with less pretense. Mini-baccarat differs from regular baccarat in a few respects:
- It has lower minimum bets, often as low as $5. Minimum bets in regular baccarat are often $25 or higher.
- The layouts of mini-baccarat tables and regular baccarat tables are somewhat different.
- The dealing procedure is different in mini-baccarat (though this doesn’t affect the house edge or the outcome of the game).
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