May 04 (newsonjapan.com) - The traditional casino game of baccarat has always had a certain glamour and has appeared in more than one spy movie or novel.
But although it may have an air of sophistication, the game itself is simple. And best of all, it has one of the lower house edges of any casino game.
Baccarat rules
Baccarat has some similarities to blackjack, in that you are betting on the outcome of a contest between your hand and that of the dealer. Unlike blackjack however, baccarat rules require you to make your bets before the hands are dealt. Two cards are dealt to the player and two to the dealer, and these are known as the Bank hand and the Player hand.
The objective of the game is to predict which of the two hands will score a total that is closest to nine. You can do this by betting on the Player’s hand, the Bank’s hand or betting on the tie. When calculating the value of a hand, all the tens and face cards are valued at zero, while an Ace is worth one and all of the remaining cards are rated at their face value. As an additional twist, if a hand goes over the total of nine, it is readjusted by deducting 10.
Some versions of baccarat allow for a third card to be drawn by the Player or the Bank, but there are never more than three drawn. Some people may find the rules of Baccarat quite straightforward - for example those living in Japan might have an easier time learning the game if they are already familiar with the game of oicho-kabu which is similar. However if you are new to the game and want to learn to play baccarat, it is always a good idea to check with the online casino or a casino portal such as Casinotopsonline.com/ja - or real-world dealer which rules apply to the game you are playing.
The third card
When it comes to the possible third card, it is important to remember that this is not a question of choice. Where third cards are part of the game, the drawing of the card will be decided by the game rules, so there is no strategy involved. Still, it helps to understand the process.
Usually, a third card is drawn when a player’s hand totals between zero and five or exactly 10. Technically, totals of six or seven are known as a Stand, and eight or nine are known as Naturals, and where the third card rule is in play, no third card is drawn in these cases.
Betting on baccarat
Betting is at the heart of baccarat, so it is important to understand how this works. Essentially, there are three basic options: betting on the Player, the Bank or a tie.
If you bet on the Player and that hand wins, you will earn a payout of one to one on your bet. You will therefore, double your stake. The odds on a Tie are even better, at eight to one. The odds on the Bank, however, are less favorable. This is because the Bank deducts a 5% commission, so you will effectively be getting 19 to 20 on these bets.
Bank hand
The rules that govern the Banker’s hand are more complicated and can vary according to what version of the game you are playing, but as with the third card variation, these rules are laid down beforehand and are not at the discretion of the Bank. It is always a good idea to check out what the rules for the Bank hand are before you start to play a game, whether online or in a real-world casino.
Baccarat playing advice
Baccarat is a game that should be played for fun, as in the long run, the house will always win. Bearing that in mind, and assuming that you are not betting with money that you cannot afford to lose, here are some baccarat tips that may help you to get more out of the game.
- Ignore the Tie Bet. The house edge on this type of bet is around 14%, which means that you will lose your bankroll much quicker if you regularly go for this option.
- Side with the Bank. Statistically, even allowing for the 5% commission taken by the House, the odds of winning are better if you bet on the Bank.
- Practice good stake management. There are many types of stake management system out there, including the Martingale, the Fibonacci and the Paroli, but none will enable you to make a profit betting on baccarat. Keep your stakes small and consistent relative to your bankroll and you will be able to play the game for longer.
Ignore streaks. You may come across advice regarding hot and cold streaks at the baccarat table. This has no basis in reality. The outcome of one hand is not related to the previous hand or the next hand.
