Baccarat Rules

Baccarat is one of the easiest casino card games to learn, but there are a number of variations that adopt different rules and strategies. What makes Baccarat unique in comparison to other card games is that the betting rules are always determined by the casino – the format, however, remains the same and is always easy to follow.

In Baccarat, there are only three ways you can make a bet – a 'Player', 'Banker' or 'Tie'. When playing online, you will find that the majority of casinos will offer the simplest version of the game, "Punto Banco" (otherwise known as "North American Baccarat"), But the other popular variants, "Chemin de Fer" and "Baccarat Banque" will also be available.

How to Play Baccarat

It is recommended for players to start with Punto Banco, as not only does it require no skill or strategy, but it is a good way to familiarise yourself with the basic rules of Baccarat. Once you know how to play the game, the Chemin de Fer and Baccarat Banque tables will be far less daunting, and also great for adding an extra strategic twist.

Punto Banco

In Punto Banco, there are up to 14 players at a table, with each player able to bet on the 'Punto' ('player') or 'Banco' ('banker') hand. However, it is traditional for the banker to place a wager on the Banco.

The game uses up to eight decks and each player is required to deal, unless they decide to forward the deal to the next player at the table – known as passing the "shoe". The deal or shoe stays with the same player until the Punto wins. Though players can bet on either hand, most casinos add a 5% commission for bets on the Banco, as in a game with eight decks of cards, the Banco hand will win three or four more deals than the Punto.

To start, each player, including the banker, is dealt two cards. Each card in the deck is given a numerical value: Aces count as 1; cards 2 to 9 are taken at face value; while 10, Jacks, Queens and Kings are worth 0. When adding two or more cards together, they can only ever add up to a single digit. So if the value of two cards is in double figures, the 10 is dropped from total; e.g. if a player is dealt a 6 and 5, the total value of the hand would be 1 instead of 11. A 4 and 6 will be worth '0' – incidentally, this is known as a 'Baccarat', making this the only card game named after the worst hand.

Players bet on the hand they believe will have the highest total, by calling either Punto or Banco. A 'Tie', as the name would suggest, is betting that the hands have equal value. However, this play has a significantly higher house advantage at 14.12%, compared to 1.17% and 1.36% for the Banco and Punto respectively.

After the initial hand is dealt, a third card may also be drawn, but this depends on certain rules that differ between the player and banker. If either have a hand worth 8 or 9 (referred to as a 'natural') no more cards are dealt. When the player is not dealt a third card, the banker is required to stand on a hand worth 6 or more, or take a third card if the hand is worth less. When the player does draw a third card, different rules will apply to the banker:

• When the banker's hand is worth less than 2, a third card is drawn, regardless of the value of the player's third card.
• If the banker's hand is 3, a third card is drawn, unless the player's third was an 8.
• For a bank total of 4, a third card is drawn, provided the players hasn't drawn a 0,1, 8, or 9.
• For a bank total of 5, a third card is drawn if the player has received a 4,5,6 or 7.
• For a bank total of 6, the banker receives a third card if the player has drawn a 6 or 7.
• If the banker's hand is worth 7, the banker has to stand.

Of course, remembering these rules will take some practice, but there is little more learning to the game. The more strategic Baccarat games, on the other hand, will require some extra knowledge and expertise.

Chemin de Fer

Chemin de Fer, which was the very first version of Baccarat in France, is played with up to 12 players and has one major difference to Punto Banco: instead of betting on either the player or bank, each participant must be one or the other. The casino has no involvement in the game, except for that of the croupier, who acts as a dealer and enforcer of the rules. However, the casino will take a rake (commission) on winning bank hands – traditionally 5%.

Each player takes turns as the banker, when they will be responsible for the bank's wins and losses. The role is then passed on to the next player after the banker loses. Another significant difference when compared to Banco Punto is Chemin de Fer's three card rule, which occasionally gives both the banker and player the option of whether to call a third card.

Baccarat Banque

Baccarat Banque is played with 2 to 4 decks and is similar to Chemin de Fer, except the person assigned as the banker remains in charge of the bank until all decks have been dealt, they lose all their money or retire early from the game. Who takes charge of the bank is decided at the start of the game and is usually given to the first person to arrive at the table or the player who is willing to put the most money down. In addition, Baccarat Banque rules forbid players from passing the shoe.

There is also the option of playing "Mini-Baccarat", which follows the same format as Punto Banco, but is played at a smaller table, with a dealer assigned for the duration of the game. For those who like a faster-pace to their gambling, this game will be well worth considering – the lower minimum and maximum bets are also an attraction. When it comes to overall winning averages, although Punto Banco is the simplest version, the odds in this game are far more appealing to the player. There is a whole host of online casinos offering Baccarat in its many exciting forms, but it will always be best to stick to the Punto Banco tables.