How to Play Online Baccarat

Short Description

The game of Baccarat (pronounced ba-ka-ra) is derived from Chemin De Fer or Baccarat en Banque, one of Europe's oldest and most popular card games. It is a high-limit game from which Casinos developed a game for lower-limit players called mini-baccarat.

Baccarat is a very simple game to play. The dealer handles the draw of cards according to specific rules and, as in Roulette or Craps, the player has no decisions to make during the game. The only two decisions a bettor must make, before each hand is dealt, are the selection of the position they believe will win the next hand, and determining the amount of the wager. The House banks all bets, and collects or makes payouts on each hand that is dealt. However, it is a good idea to be familiar with the rules, as it will heighten the enjoyment of the game, and the anticipation of the turn of a card. Overall, Baccarat is one of the best games in the Casino for the bettor.

Objective

To wager on the hand that will finish with a point total of 9, or as close to it as possible.

Betting Options

There are three options a player may wager on: Player hand, Banker hand or Tie hand.You may also bet on Banker and Player hand or tie hand at the same time.

Card Values

Aces count as one.
2 through 9 count as face value.
10s and Pictures count as zero.

For example:
9 + 7 = 16 Hand counts 6
5 + 5 + 5 = 15 Hand counts 5
10 + 9 = 19 Hand is a "Natural" 9
King + Ace + 5 =16 Hand counts 6

The Game

Baccarat is played with six decks of cards that are re-shuffled after each hand. The cards are dealt from a shoe, similar to BlackJack. You can bet on either the Player's side, the Bank side, or on a Tie. Four cards are dealt, the first and third to the Player's hand, the second and fourth to the Banker's hand.

The point total of both hands is presented below. If either hand totals 8 or 9, each of these numbers is called a "Natural", then no additional cards are dealt. The winning hand is the one with a point total closest to 9. When both hands have equal totals, a "Tie" is declared.

Depending on the points accumulated by each hand after the initial draw, the Dealer may need to deal a third card. It is drawn face up, first to the Player's hand and then, if necessary, to the Banker's hand. No more than one additional card per hand may be dealt. The drawing of the third card is governed by the following fixed rules.

Third Card Rules

Player Hand

Banker Hand

Banker's Third Card Rule may depend on the third card drawn for the Player.

How to Play?

1. Your chips are stacked, by denomination, in the right corner of the screen. To place a bet, simply drag and drop the chips on the Player, Banker or Tie spots, above your name. You may cancel your bet by dragging and dropping it back to your stack or by clicking the right-hand mouse button while pointing the cursor at the bet you wish to cancel. You may also change the hand you wagered on by dragging and dropping the chips from one spot to another. For example, by clicking your left-hand mouse button, while pointing the cursor on your chips, you may drag and drop them from the Player spot to the Banker spot.
2. After placing any chip on the table, you may increase the wager by clicking on the chip you want to add.
3. Start the round by clicking "Deal". The Player and Banker are dealt 2 cards each. The third card is dealt automatically according to the "Third Card Rules" (see above).
4. The value of the Banker and Player hands is displayed on screen just beside the cards dealt at the end of the round, for your convenience.
   Dealer collects losing bets. Your winnings are placed momentarily next to your original bet, and then added to your stack of chips. Your Bankroll counter is adjusted automatically.