How to Play Baccarat – Rules of Baccarat

Baccarat is a popular online casino card game that was invented in the middle ages by either France or Italy (both claim invention).

It was one of the first games available for play in early casinos. While the game has undergone many transformations, the basis for most online Baccarat variations comes from the American version.

A great place to try Baccarat online is Da Vinci’s Gold Casino, along with a few other properties listed below.

How to Play Baccarat – The Object

There are two hands being played in Baccarat which are known as the Player hand and the Banker hand. The object of the game is to place a bet on which hand you think will be of a value closest or equal to nine. All players at the table will bet on the same two hands – everyone competes against the house and not against each other. You may also bet on the hands being tied, which pays very well but doesn’t happen very often.

The value of a hand is determined by the face value of the cards only with the suit having no purpose. Tens, Jacks, Queens and Kings count for a value of zero – all other cards count for their face value.

How to Play Baccarat – The Procedures

There is a very specific procedure in Baccarat to learn, luckily when playing at an online casino, the software will do all the hard work for you. The game is played with either six or eight decks of cards, collaboratively called a Shoe. Lets start with the basics:

• All players will place their bets before the cards are dealt.
• The players get to deal the cards. Much like a shooter in craps, one player will deal all cards and will continue doing as long as the banker hand keeps winning. When the player hand wins, he or she will pass the shoe to the next player in line.
• The dealer will issue two cards to each of the player and dealer hands. Do not worry if you’re unsure of the procedures when it’s your turn, every casino has a worker there to help out as well as take the house’s winnings.
• Each hand’s two cards are totaled up – highest total of the two hands wins. If the total is two digits, the left digit is removed, so 13 has a value of three and 15 has a value of five.
  • • If the total is five or less, the player hand will draw a third card.
    • If the total is six or seven, the player hand does not draw a third card. The banker hand will stay on six or more and draw a third card with a total of five or less.
    • Banker total of two or less – Draws a card.
    • Banker total of three – Draws a card unless the player hand’s third card was an eight.
    • Banker total of four – Draws a card unless the player hand’s third card was a zero, one, eight or nine.
    • Banker total of five – Draws a card only if the player hand’s third card was a four, five, six or seven.
    • Banker total of six – Draws a card if the player hand’s third card was a six or seven.
    • Banker total of seven – Stays.
    • Players won’t be dealing the cards. Online play means virtual cards and players. The casino of your choice will be shuffling and dealing all cards, including third cards.
    • Players won’t be counting cards. You won’t really have to pay much attention to making sure the third card rule is followed precisely, the computer program will be perfect barring some sort of malfunction.
    • There won’t be other players at the table. It will be one on one against the dealer, though you can still bet on any of the three bets.

  How to Play Baccarat – Three Card Rule

  In Baccarat, there is a rule called the Three Card Rulethat changes the final value of the hand based upon the starting value. For example, if either hand’s starting value is eight or nine, it is called a Natural and the hand is over. Let’s start with the player’s third card rule:

  The banker hand is a bit more confusing, but don’t worry because it is automated:

  How to Play Baccarat – Odds

  If you’re playing Baccarat, you’re most likely playing for money and want to know the odds. The house carries a 1.17% advantage when you bet on the banker hand and a 1.36% advantage when you bet on the player hand. If you choose to play for the tie, the house has a 14.12% advantage, with an 8 – 1 payout. The payout for playing the banker or player hand is 1 – 1.

  How to Play Baccarat – Online Play

  While playing online, there are a few differences in the procedures:

  For those of you that want to how to play Baccarat, playing online offers some advantages for simplifying the game. Learning at a live casino would take some time to learn and understand quickly what was going on on the table. Many online casinos also offer a tutorial on how to play Baccarat, further ensuring that you know what is going on. In some cases, the casino will even let you play for free until you get the hang of it.