First time players shouldn't’t be daunted by baccarat. The rules of the game are actually quite simple and players have a good chance of winning as long as they remember that this is a game of chance. There are three different baccarat variants available at online casinos. There are some rules which can be applied to all three games whereas some differ according to the version being played.
How to Play Baccarat
Punto Banco, the most widely played form of online baccarat, is the standard baccarat format in online casinos all over the United States, Europe, Canada and Australia. Each round of Punto Banco Baccarat allows for two hands to be dealt, regardless of the number of players that are seated at the table.
The hand dealt to the player is called the ‘punto’ and the hand dealt to the bank is known as ‘banco’. However, the terms do not mean that the respective hands are dealt to the player and dealer. They stand for two hands that are competing against each other. Players are allowed to bet on either hand.
When the hand dealt as punto wins, it is considered a good bet. A better bet is when the banco wins. The third option is a tie or an ‘egalite’. This is when both banco and punto hands are of valued the same, making the bet void.
Rules of the Game
The game generally employs 6 to 8 decks of playing cards. The suites are disregarded. The value of the cards is determined by the numbers. The ace is considered low and until 9, the cards hold the same value as the number listed on them. The cards which range from 10 to King are valued at zero.
Players can calculate the value of their hand by adding the value of every card in a hand. If the total amounts to a number in two digits, the first number should be ignored. For example, if your numbers are 7 and 6, the total value of your hand is 7+6 = 13 and therefore, the final number is 3.
A single hand in baccarat has 2-3 cards. The cards are dealt according to a predetermined system. If the bank or the dealer rolls an 8 or 9, the distribution of cards comes to a halt and the player can take his winnings. However if the player rolls 0-5, one more card is dealt, completing the player’s hand.
How to Beat the House’s Advantage
The hands are typically played automatically. All that a player has to decide is the amount that he wants to bet, as well as the type of bet he wants to make. Baccarat has a different house edge for each of the bets. The house edge in an 8 deck game is 1.06% for banco wagers. Punto bets usually come with 1.24% whereas egalite bets have 14.4%.
In order to reduce the edge that the house has over the players, it is necessary to select games which have smaller vigorish regarding the wagering on banco. When the vigorish is lessened, the percentages also drop. For example, a 1% vigorish will give players an advantage of 0.78% and 3% would lower the edge to 0.14%.
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