Baccarat is a popular game found in many casinos throughout the western world. The game was initially popularised in France though it is believed to have originated in Italy during the 15th century. It has since spread largely due to its simplicity when compared to other casino games and has evolved into three different versions.
Like Faro and Basset, the game works by comparing hands held by the dealer and the player. The three different versions of Baccarat will feature independently at the casino where the game is held. Typically this will depend on what country the player is in. Punto Banco is the most popular of these styles and means ‘player’ and ‘banker’. It is a standardized form of Baccarat that is especially popular in the English speaking world including South Africa.
Punto Banco usually favours the bank in the odds of winning and the casino operates as the banker. The banker will use a table of rules to determine drawing options for the player. This is different from the more traditional forms of Baccarat that can be found in casinos in France, Italy and southern Europe as a rule. Baccarat chemin de fer and baccarat banque are the older varieties of the game that offer the player some choice on how the hands are played, particularly regarding the use of third cards.
Baccarat Casinos may vary on the type of game played and the rules but the terminology is consistent. The dealer who also functions as the bank is called a croupier. A round of baccarat is called the baccarat coup and the cards are dealt from a shoe. Also, the value of the cards in all forms of baccarat is the same. Tens, Jacks, Queens and Kings are worth no points. An ace card is worth one point and cards two to nine are worth face value.
Baccarat is not yet a highly popular game in South African casinos when compared to slot machines, poker and blackjack. The simplicity of the game however means it is easier to learn than say craps and this has seen its expansion overseas.
King Charles’ Baccarat
Whenever the word casino is mentioned, the first thing that runs through most people’s heads is probably the game of blackjack or most people’s favorite, the slot machines which have been branded the one armed bandits. Besides these games, there is actually plenty more on offer at the casino, what with the unforgettable atmosphere, the beautiful people and of course the very captivating themes that have become a trademark of the casino gaming industry. Amongst all these beauties, there happens to be the age old game of baccarat.
With most casino games, most players somehow feel the majority of games give the casino house some sort of a better edge over them. Well, if you happen to be one of those, maybe you ought to give the game of baccarat a try, as this is one game that most people have felt gives a kind of even break.
Believed to have been played as far back as the 15th century, and apparently a favorite of the great King Charles VIII, this game was a game reserved for the highrollers and the millionaires. It has since evolved, and now can actually be played with as little as $5. This eighties revolution has seen the game attracting even the average gamer to its tables, largely due to the downsizing of the number of participants to about 7 players, into what is now regarded as Mini baccarat. How times have changed.
The complete version of the game is usually segregated into its own area (call it apartheid of the casino games), and has up to 14 players manned by 3 dealers, who keep a close eye on proceedings and are, amongst other duties, tasked with the calling of those cards that are facing up. For the lovers of the game of blackjack who are used to applying some sort of strategy when gaming, this is one game they are sure to perform better than most, through the use of their most basic gaming acumen.
So, yes, go out there and give baccarat a shot and feel the sensations that drew one of the greatest historical figures to the game.
Baccarat is a card game of skill or depending on the variety you choose, just luck. It is played by gamblers in casinos and was apparently introduced into France from Italy while King Charles the VIII was ruler. The game has three widely played variants: North American baccarat, baccarat chemin de fer and baccarat banque.
North American baccarat or “punto banco” is purely a game of chance and odds. No tactics or skills can be incorporated into the game as each player’s actions are solely determined by the hand he or she is dealt. However, in the other two variations of the baccarat the players or participants make choices. Hence, this will require skill and strategy.
In baccarat you are dealt a hand and your opponent is dealt a hand. There is a player and a banker. Each game or coup of baccarat has three possible outcomes: player, banker or tie. This indicates the winner in each case. Winners sometimes call our “Banco!” when they win, very similar to the popular cry of “Bingo!” in a game of Bingo.
Cards of value 2 – 9 have the value of their faces. Aces are valued at 1 and 10s, Jacks, Queens and Kings (called baccarat) have a value of 0. A player would add the value of the hand they are dealt. If a double-digit number is reached the right-most digit is the only applicable digit. For example, a hand of 5 and 7 totals 12, this hand’s value in terms of baccarat would then be 2. Consequently, the highest score possible in baccarat is 9. All the above take into consideration, baccarat is an easy game to play.
The game features well in media and the entertainment industry. It has made numerous appearances in hollywoode including Mission: Impossible, Rush Hour 3 and A Hard Day’s Night. It was the centre of attention of the media at the end of the 19th century due to The Royal Baccarat Scandal, which resulted in the rules being published and the game spreading to various corners that it wouldn’t normally have reached. The most famous appearance of a baccarat variant game is possibly in the James Bond: 007 series of films where the card game features often.
Online Baccarat Casino Sites
Baccarat is one of the so called true original casino games and is one of the traditional backbone casino games along with roulette and blackjack. Baccarat is also considered by most casino regulars to be one of the easiest of all casino games to play, quite simply in a nutshell the way that the game works is that players have a choice to either bet on the house, that is the casinos hand or on a players hand to win the round.
So that is the basics behind traditional baccarat casino games, this is all about online baccarat casinos and the real differences between traditional casino baccarat and online baccarat. As you may have guessed traditional baccarat and online baccarat actually have very few differences in terms of game play and the core of the game is essentially the same.
One of the main differences between the two is that baccarat in the traditional casinos is marketed as an exclusive game, often the game tables are separated from the other casino tables either by velvet ropes or by placing the table in an entirely separate room. The whole idea behind that is to create a sense of glamor and excitement behind the game; the other way that they make the game more exclusive is by enforcing high minimum bets. Online baccarat does not generally have these kinds of limitations and generally the minimum bet is quite low.
Baccarat Basics
There are a few games that are really simple to understand and play, blackjack is a simple game to understand and play, so is slots. Baccarat is even easier to understand and play than theses examples. The way that online baccarat works is exactly the same so there is no difference other than the online version is played on a computer which some people actually prefer.
When you join a baccarat game you will see that the dealer has two cards and another player has two cards, the object of the game is for you to bet on the outcome of the hand so you can either bet o the dealer winning, the player winning or predicting a draw between the two.
Baccarat strategies
A number of casino games can trace their origins back several centuries. Baccarat is one of these games. It was the game of kings and millionaires. The tables were invariably roped off for the high rollers and stakes were predictably high but gamblers believe that the baccarat rules allow a better chance than most other casino games. The introduction of online casino games allowed the ordinary gambler to learn about the game and to take his chances at online baccarat.
Because the game has been played for so many years across many countries, there are several accepted versions of the game. American baccarat is the most popular version in casinos but online casinos usually offer mini baccarat as it can be played by fewer players than the twelve to fourteen needed for the American version.
Card values in this game are different from other casino card games. All face cards as well as tens are equal to zero. In all versions of the game, the intention is to achieve nine and, if not, as close to eight as possible. Cards may sometimes be dealt by players at a table but in online games that is always the task of the virtual dealer.
There are often slight variations in the game between one site and another so if you are playing internet baccarat, it is important to take a quick glance at the rules for the baccarat system on that site. Baccarat pots also differ widely from one site to another but you certainly do not need a million to get in on the action online but, mainly, you bet on only the banker or the player.
As with any gambling there are those who say that it is simply a game of chance. Others are adamant that it is only by having a baccarat strategy will you win at the game. If you want to develop some baccarat strategies, your best move would be to start with free online baccarat which will allow you to test some of your theories without emptying your back pocket. The rules for free baccarat are precisely the same as the rules for moneyed games on a particular site, giving potential gamblers an opportunity to brush up on the game before playing for money.
Baccarat en Banque
One of the reasons why this game has remained popular over the decades is because there are so many enjoyable variations of the classic casino game to choose from. Baccarat en Banque is a particularly favoured version of Baccarat.
There are a few differences between the traditional version of Baccarat and Baccarat en Banque. It should be noted that the traditional version of the game usually uses eight decks of playing cards. The Baccarat en Banque version only uses three decks of standard playing cards. The role of the Banker is not fixed and does not rotate from one player to the next. When playing Baccarat en Banque, the Banker is always the player who has bet the largest sum of money.
One of the riskiest and probably the most exciting of all plays in Baccarat is to choose to go bank. All players have this option. When a player chooses to go bank, he or she is betting the entire Banker’s total in order to beat them. This can be done all in one go or the total can be split over 2 hands.
If the player wins then they would swap roles with the Banker. Most land based casinos limit the amount of times that a player can choose to go bank and lose. Many online casinos however, do not place any limits on the go bank play and players can go bank for as long as they have enough money available to do so.
If you are used to playing the more traditional form of Baccarat then the Baccarat en Banque rules may seem a bit strange at first. However, the game is easily learnt and players will find themselves playing it with ease in no time at all.
One of the reasons why so many players choose to enjoy Baccarat en Banque is because it allows for much more use of strategy than traditional Baccarat games do. Players can also benefit from much larger payouts if they win when playing Baccarat en Banque.
European Baccarat
European baccarat is also sometimes called Chemin de Fer or French baccarat. It is one of three forms of baccarat and although the essential games are all the same there are two major differences between the European version of baccarat and the American version of baccarat. In European baccarat the player can choose to stand on five or draw on five, this is different to the American version because in the American version it is a rule that anyone who draws five or lower must then hit.
The banker is controlled by whoever is the dealer and has the further option of being able to draw a third card. Even though these are the essential differences between European baccarat and American baccarat the simple fact of the matter is that, generally speaking, in European baccarat the casinos will generally apply the American baccarat format to the game. This is obviously not always the case and it is generally advised that you first determine which style of baccarat a particular casino is following and which set of rules and game play it is enforcing before you actually play.
Baccarat is essentially a very simple and easy game to follow and to play and it generally boils down to either betting on the player or the banker to see who wins a round otherwise known as a shoe. In European baccarat the banker’s hand is financed by the casino, also known as the house. The banker puts up 1500 and if the first player bets 1000 the remaining balance is 500 and no one can exceed that so if the second player bets 500 then no other player can bet in that round. If a player wants to bet all of the money he has to call out banco, if this happens then no other player can bet in that round.
More Gamblers Are Learning to Play Baccarat
There was a time in the past when gamblers would avoid playing the game of baccarat due to the fact that casinos created the perception that baccarat was a game of some esteem and prestige and that only those who could afford to spend large amounts of money should indulge.
Lately, however, due to the fact that online casinos have introduced mini baccarat there has been an interest in the game and the average man on the street is learning to play baccarat. It certainly also makes a difference that those in the know ware quick to indicate that baccarat could possibly be the easiest game of chance out there today.
It is advisable to take into consideration, when one is learning to play baccarat, that one do this by trying his or her hand at mini baccarat first. The reason why the term mini baccarat exists is because it is possible for ne to gain entry to the game with very little money or with no money at all.
When learning to play baccarat, there are fundamentals that one must come to grips with. First off, the game of baccarat generally involves there being six or eight complete decks of cards that will be played with. In addition to this, it is important to remember when learning to play baccarat that all the players present at the table are required to place a bet in favour of the banker, player or a tie and there are no restrictions in respect of the number of players that may bet on the banker or the player. It should become apparent at this point that the objective, and a fact that is extremely important to remember when learning to play baccarat, that the objective of the game is not to have the players compete with one another but rather that one correctly guesses what it is that the cards will dictate.
One of the most emphasised tips that those with more experience give to those who are learning to play baccarat is that one should constantly be aware of the odds of winning and how much will be paid out.
How to master the game of baccarat
Baccarat is considered to be a gambling and casino game that has been around for almost as long as gambling has. Many seasoned baccarat players still believe that it is the only casino game worth playing and they feel it should get more attention – everyone knows how poker and blackjack are played but hardly anyone, especially in the younger generations has any idea of how baccarat is played.
Playing baccarat is simple really and revolves around a baccarat table and a pack of cards, most casinos who offer baccarat have several tables operating at the same time each with a different money bracket, be sure to choose the table that falls within your budget.
There are several baccarat strategies and hardcore players firmly believe that it is their strategy that lets them win, however like with most gambling there is a large amount of luck involved in the game. The one gambling strategy that should never be ignored or underestimated is to set a prescribed budget for the evening and no matter how many times you may lose never to exceed that budget, if you do have trouble keeping within your financial boundaries then you may be developing a gambling problem and should seek professional advice.
Like most casino games, baccarat is also available for play at most online casinos, there are several amendments to the rules and strategy of the game to make it more online user friendly however the basic game has remained the same. When enjoying baccarat online be sure to check the individual online casinos rules to prevent losing large sums of money.
The internet has opened many new possibilities for baccarat and potential baccarat players as most online casinos offer free baccarat games where new players can spend a little time getting used to the game without having to worry about losing money. Online casinos are also less intimidating to the new player and should be used as a learning platform.