At first glance, due to its sophistication and luxurious setting, Baccarat looks like a complicated game, but in fact, it is one of the most straightforward casino games. It doesn’t matter if it’s a baccarat live casino or a land-based casino; the rules remain simple, and the odds are constantly enormous compared to most other casino games. Baccarat is often associated with royalty, and most times, reserved for the elites. This reality is primarily because the media has presented the game in different outlets, the most popular being in James Bond movies, as a game of luxury.
Baccarat Rules
Like every other casino game, baccarat has its distinct rules, but unlike most casino games, baccarat’s rules are straightforward. To grasp the rules, you only need to understand the value of a hand and the three payout options.
- Value Of A Hand: In a baccarat game, each card gets assigned a value. Cards between 2-9 get their face value, that is, the original number showing on the card. Tens and face cards (J, Q, and K) are zero, while Ace cards get 1. To determine the worth of each hand, the value of two dealt cards will have to be added together.
For example, if there are two cards, 2 and 5, then the worth of that hand is 7. Likewise, if the cards read 4 and J, the combined worth will be 4. However, if the sum of the two cards totals to a number above 9, the count will be adjusted by subtracting 10 from the total or dropping the first digit of the value. If the two cards read 8 and 9, the total will be 17, but the rules require that counts greater than 9 should be deducted by 10 or the first digit dropped. Hence, instead of 17, the value of this particular hand will be 7.
- Player Hand: If you choose to place your wager on the player’s hand and the total of the first two cards drawn is between 0-5 or falls on 10, you will need to draw a third card. If the total falls between 6-7, you have no choice but to stand, as you can not have a third card drawn. Likewise, if it falls between 8-9, you can not draw a third card, but this time, you can either choose to stand or go neutral.
After getting a stand, if the total number of the player’s hand is closer to 9 than that of the banker’s, you win. The odds for the player hand are usually 1:1. That way, if you stake £50 on the player’s hand, you will win £50, giving you a total of £100.
- The Banker: The rules for the Banker’s hand are a little more detailed than that of the player, as the player’s actions impact how that of the banker will play out. If the total of the first two cards sums up to a count of 7 and above, the banker has no choice but to stand without drawing a third card. If the total falls between 0-2, the banker must draw a third card.
The third condition is where it gets a bit complicated. If the total sum of the banker’s first two cards equals between 3-6, the following activities that will stipulate if the banker has to draw a card or stand are highly dependent on whether the player drew a third card during and also the value of the card that the player drew.
If the banker’s hand totals 3, a third card will be drawn if the player drew a third card, and the total is not 8 exactly. If the banker’s total is 4, and the player drew a third card with a total between 2-7, the banker must draw a third card. When the banker’s total is 5, and the player gets a third card with a total value between 4-7, the banker will get a third card. Lastly, if the banker draws a hand of 6 and the player has a hand between 6-7 after drawing the third card, the banker will get a third card.
The odds for the banker’s hand are similar to the player’s hand; the only difference is that if you place a bet on the banker’s hand and it wins, 5% of your winning will go to the house as a commission.
- Tie Bet: This bet has the highest odds and payout option. However, it has the lowest chances of winning because to win a tie bet, both the player’s hand and banker’s hand must have an equal count. It is a good shot worth trying regardless because of its big odds of 8:1. If you stake £10 on a tie bet and it wins, you will win £80 and still get back your original stake of £10, making your win a total of £90.