How to Play Basic Baccarat
Baccarat is an age old game that originated in France. Today it is considered one of the most glamorous of all casino games, and is relatively simple to learn.
The game's objective is to obtain a two or three card hand that totals closer to 9 than the banker. All the player is required to do is decide what kind of bet to make.
Topics Addressed
- Baccarat rules & objective
- Betting options
- Making your bet
- Collecting winnings
Previously Required Knowledge
None - just have some chips handy for betting if you're playing for real money.
Instructions
Step One
Understand the Rules
- In Baccarat, cards are dealt to 2 hands; the player and the banker. Two cards per round are drawn to each participant.
- Card 10, Jack, Queen, and King are worth 0, Ace is worth one, and all other cards are worth their face value.
- Hand value is calculated by dropping the tens digit of a hand worth 11 or more. For example, a 7 and a 9 will be worth 6 (because 16 - 10 = 6).
- There is no such thing as a "bust" hand.
- The worst hand that can be achieved is 0 ("baccarat"), and the best hand that can be achieved is 9.
- The player always goes first. If a hand value totaling 0-5 is drawn, the player must draw another hand - otherwise he/she stands and play moves on to the banker.
- If the banker draws a hand worth 0-3, another card will be drawn. If the banker draws a hand worth 7-9, he/she will stand. Otherwise, the decision is made according to the player's draw card.
- A player wins if the hand he/she has wagered on is the highest.
Step Two
Know how to bet
Before game play commences, you are required to make a bet, in which you will try to correctly pick the hand that will have the highest score. Your options are banker (otherwise known asBanco), player (also known as Punto), tie, or any combination o the three. When playing Baccarat online, click "deal" to begin the game and "bet" to choose your bet.
Step Three
Know when the player wins and loses
A player wins if:
- The hand he/she has wagered on has the highest value.
- The player bets on a tie when both the banker and player have equal hand values.
A player loses if:
- The player's hand is not the highest.
- The player betted on a tie and the banker's and player's hand values are different.
- If the player wagered on the banker or player, and the result was a tie.
Step Four
Make your bet
Place the desired amount of chips you wish to gamble in the area marked either "player", "banker", or "tie". A user-friendly game will have a voice over indicating to you how to actually do this. All other games usually require you to either click on the chips themselves (generally in the right hand bottom corner of the screen), or drag them to the table.
Step Five
Begin game play
Click on "deal". First and third cards are dealt to the player, second and fourth cards are dealt to the banker. Drawing new cards and standing is decided upon according to the above rules.
Step Six
Collect your winnings
If you have won, your winnings will be received in chips and the rate determined according to the casino. You can cash in your chips by clicking on "cash out" or "cashier", or continue playing with your available funds (shown usually at the bottom left corner of the screen).
Step Seven
Finish up
When you have had enough or run out of funds, leave the game appropriately if playing for real money, by cashing out your chips, and exiting according to the software layout, most of the time simply a matter of pressing "exit".
Tips
- When you are not playing as the player your bets will require not skill, but luck.
- If wagering real money, it is advised that as a beginner, you start with low amounts.
