The game of Baccarat is essentially the same whether playing online or in a VIP room at that casino resort. The idea is to predict the winning hand between the player and the banker's hands. A push/tie is also a possible scenario. So, without any further ado, below is how baccarat cards work and how to deal Baccarat!
When playing baccarat online, begin by finding an empty table before presenting cash to the dealer. Remember that the dealer can't take anything from your hand. So, when ready, drop your money on the table, and you'll receive playing chips to start playing.
Now it's time to choose the betting position. As said initially, you can bet on either the banker or player positions. Note that the house dealer isn't necessarily the banker and you, the player. These are just names for the sides.
The game's objective is to get close to 9 with the cards you're dealt without busting. In short, if the banker or the player has 8 or 9 (also called natural), no more cards are drawn, and the side in question wins. The dealer will then collect all the cards, and a new round begins.
It's also worth noting that if the total for both sides is the same, the game ends in a tie. Put simply, neither the banker nor the player will lose or win the bet.
For more on how to play barracarat
Before diving any deeper into the game of baccarat, comes a gentle reminder that baccarat rules dictate where the player's side starts. So, if you choose the player's side and create a natural, the game ends, and another round begins. The player's hand also stands if the points total is 7 or 6. But if the player's points total is between 0 and 5, another card is drawn unless the banker side has a natural.
What about the banker's third card rules? Now, this is where things get complex, because the banker goes last. If the banker's hand value is 0, 1, or 2, another card is dealt unless the player's side shows a natural. Also, the banker gets an extra card if the player's third card is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 9. They stand if the player's third card is 8. Not that all the sides get a maximum of 3 cards.
Below is the complete overview of the banker's hand third card rules:
The best thing about playing baccarat is that the game offers one of the juiciest house edges. If you bet on the banker's side, you enjoy a lowly 1.09% house edge. On the other hand, the player's side maxes out at 1.24%, with the tie bet being the highest at 14.36%. So stay away from the tie bet if you want to survive in baccarat.
But why do players prefer the player's side despite the higher house edge? First, the banker side has a hit frequency of 50.6% compared to the player's 49.3% if you factor out a tie. Although there is no significant difference, the 5% commission on the house on all bankers' bet wins makes it unattractive. The commission can be higher or lower, depending on the casino. And, of course, even small margins like a 0.10% difference can affect your bankroll in the long run.
For further reading, here is a Baccarat Guide to Help You Win More Consistently
Besides making the game more interesting, baccarat side bets also make it more rewarding to play. It's common knowledge that most side bets come with bigger odds. So, without dilly-dallying around, below are some common baccarat side bets:
There's nothing complicated about playing baccarat. It's, in fact, one of the few games that don't require special knowledge to play. But always remember that it's a luck-based game. So, play for fun and with a bankroll.