How To Play Baccarat

Baccarat is one of the oldest forms of card gambling games. It is believed that the game was introduced to the world between 1483 and 1498, around the time when Charles VIII was the King of France. Since then, it has enjoyed a rather patchy popularity, often mistaken for other card games like Basset and Faro. Sometimes too, the game is known by its game-rule variants, such as baccarat chemin de fer, punto banco or the North American baccarat, and the baccarat banque or a deux tableaux.

The basic game of baccarat is rather simple. At the onset of the game, the dealer gives out two hands on the table, regardless of the number of players betting. One hand is called the “Player” and the other “Banker”. Each hand consists of two cards. The hand with the number 9 or the nearest number to the number 9 wins. All number cards including the aces are worth their exact values, while tens and all three face cards are given the value of 0. Aces are counted as 1.

The two cards in each hand are added up to determine the winner of the baccarat round. For example, “Player” has 9 + 7 and “Banker” has 1 + Jack, which in turn translates to 16 and 1 respectively. In baccarat, only the last digit is given importance. Therefore, “Player” wins with a total value of 6.

However, baccarat gets a little more complicated when it comes to betting. The type of bets or placement of wagers makes the game more thrilling for card players and sharpers alike. There are three options for betting, namely, Player, Banker and Tie.

  • If you place money on the “Player” area, and the “Player” has a stronger hand than the “Banker”, you will win equal money to your wager. However, if it turns out that the “Banker” has the better hand, you will lose your bet.
  • If you win by betting on the “Banker” hand, you are required to pay a commission worth 5% of the amount won to the dealer.
  • A “Tie” happens when both the “Player” and “Banker” hands have the same value. If you have your chips on the “Tie” area when this happens, you will be paid 8 times your wager. Those who wagered on “Player” and “Banker” when a “Tie” occurs will be given their money back.

The different game-rule variants like baccarat chemin de fer, punto banco and baccarat banque have specific rules on placing individual bets on a certain number or group of numbers. However, rules are malleable, and in some cases, casinos and gambling clubs make their own rules. This is especially true if the stakes are very high.

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