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![]() Baccarat, The Game There is probably no other casino game so simple yet so seemingly aloof. There are two considerations for two main possibilities: where and how much? The rules are hard and fast, with the game moving at a pace that makes it easy to understand the strategies and outcomes. Compared to fast-action, multi-bet craps, baccarat moves at a snails pace. Thought of in a different light, this is a game of heads and tails, with one other wrinkle, the Tie. There are only three choices on which to bet: Player, Banker, or Tie. The outcome of the game features no other options. Player offers odds of 1.23% and Banker odds 1.06%. There are subtle game variations, but this is how the game is played: eight decks are thoroughly shuffled by a dealer sitting in the middle of a large oval table with six to eight spots on either side. The mathematics of the dictates the Banker hand will win 44.8% of the time, the Player hand will win 44.6%, with the Ties winning 9.6%. With Ties excluded, the Bank wins 50.7% as opposed to 49.3% for the Player. This difference accounts for the 5% commission commonly charged by the casino to offset the Bankers winnings. Baccarat has rituals which are descended from the European games of En Banque or Chemin de Fer. In the traditional game, there can be up to three dealers, each responsible for a different function or table area. In most casinos, eight decks are employed with the cards shuffled then dealt from a shoe, beginning with an initial burn sequence similar to blackjack. The object of the game is to choose the side, Banker or Player which finishes closest to a total of 9, with 8 the next best possible hand. The side closest to 9 wins, with casino chequess paid by the dealer equal to the amount initially bet. Remember on the Banker bet, a commission of 5% is charged if that side wins. In the case of a Tie, neither side wins, but if you had placed a bet in the Tie circle, the third option next to Banker or Player, you would be paid at an 8-1 ratio. The reason for these odds is that tie occurs approximately once in every 12 hands. An entire shoe can be dealt without a tie, or it can occur several times in a row, 3 or 4 different times. The betting ranges differ at each property, but as a general rule, full tables run $25-5000, minimum to maximum, and mini-bac tables $5-1,000. There are higher level tables available at certain properties, reserved for upper limit players who have been known to wager as much as $250,000 on the turn of a card. If you want to experience a real thrill, wander over to the high-roller pit (or area) and you will probably see more money bet on one hand than most folks make in a year. The Standing and Third Card Draw Rules The best and worst of all scenarios comes with the natural draw of an 8 or 9. And, naturally, it all works out if you have bet that side, and doesnt if you havent. As soon as the Player side, which opens first, draws a 9, the best the Banker side can hope for is to pull another 9 and thus tie or push. In this case, there are no winners or losers as far as Player/Banker goes. The winner here would be the person who bet Tie. Aces=1 (not 1 or 11 as in blackjack) On the Players Side On the Bankers Side First Two Card Totals Banker must draw if player shows: Banker does not draw when Player draws: These rules contain one exception: if player takes no card (stands on 6,7), then the banker stands on 6. One thing should be obvious from these hard and fast rules: the Banker has a great deal more options than Player. This translates into a 1.8% advantage for betting Banker, but the casinos, in their infinite search for profits, round this figure off to a full 5%.
The beauty of baccarat lies in its simplicity. Once again, there are two choices: which side to bet, and how much. Three if you want to count tie, and four if you add that you may not want to bet at all. This is also another fine feature of the game, unlike blackjack, where you will incur the wrath of other players as well as the dealer and the floor supervisor by jumping in and out. In baccarat, this is a commonly practiced procedure. A dollar won is twice as sweet as a dollar earned. - Paul Newman, The Color of Money "You cannot beat a roulette table unless you steal money from it."- Albert Einstein It is the mark of an inexperienced man not to believe in luck. - Joseph Conrad Visit our Partner Sites: Disclaimer: Although every attempt has been made to ensure fairness and security toward the player at each of the links that can be found in the Online Casino Tips directories, Online Casino Tips cannot be held responsible if discrepancies occur between an online casino operation and you, the player, after following a link from this WWW site. © 2001 Online Casino Tips - Gambling Links
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