How to Play Baccarat: What are the Rules and How do you Win?

Baccarat is a timeless game that's been gracing casino floors since the 19th century. Spreading from its French origins, we can now find this game in casinos all around the world, with particular popularity in the Far East and in places like Macau! Baccarat is a deceptively simple game, dressed up in lots of frills, but it is also the simplest game available in the casino. If you're new to live baccarat, we'll demystify this wonderful game so you can get playing as soon as possible. 

The Basics of Baccarat

There are many ways to play baccarat, and we'll go through the different versions later on, but for now, we'll go into detail about how the most popular version of the game, Punto Banco, is played. 

Baccarat is similar to blackjack, where the player and the banker 'compete' to get the hand closest to a set value, which is 9 in baccarat. When determining card and total value, only the second digit is counted; i.e., if you were dealt an 8 and 6 for a total of 14, it would be scored as a 4. In the same way, 10s and all face cards count as 0. If your total is 0, it's called a 'baccarat,' hence the name of the game. 

Unlike other card games, punto banco is played a little more like roulette. As a player, you don't play a hand but instead bet on whether the 'player' or the 'banker' will win, where both hands are managed by the dealer. You can bet on the player or the banker to win, which pays out 1/1, or on a tie, which pays out 8/1. Depending on the casino or online variation, there may be additional bets too. 

With the basics confirmed, let's take a look at how a round of baccarat is played step-by-step:

1. All participants place their bets. In a casino, this is done by placing chips on betting layouts in front of each seat. 

2. The dealer calls no more bets and deals two cards for the player and then for the banker, immediately turning them over. 

3. If either the player or the banker is dealt an 8 or a 9 in the initial hand, the winner is called immediately. This is called a 'natural.' 

4. If there is no natural, the dealer then adds a third card to each hand according to a set of rules. This is a complicated set of 'if' scenarios depending on the totals and specific cards each player has been dealt. You can ask for a list of these rules to follow along, but the dealer will handle it on their own, so you can sit back and wait for the result.

5. The final totals are scored, and all bets are paid out. If you bet on the banker, the house takes a 5% commission from your payout. 

This then repeats as players cycle out and new bets are made. This version of baccarat is very hands-off, but that makes it one of the easiest games to try out and makes strategy building and bet management simple. 

How to Play Baccarat Online

Playing baccarat online is just as simple as playing it on the casino floor. In some ways, it's way easier. When you play through a computer program, the flow of the game is streamlined to the extreme with fast dealing, automated payouts and live returns calculators. You can also skip the need to wait for other players to make decisions or for the dealer to work the table. 

However, there are additional factors to consider before you start playing online. While land-based casinos can usually be trusted to work above board, you need to be more careful when playing online. The Norway has one of the strictest online gambling policies in the world, but that doesn't mean bad eggs don't still slip through the cracks. 

When playing at an online casino, search for a website with the appropriate licensing and fairness certificates. In many cases, the bigger a brand name, the more reliable it will be, but if you're going to look for something less popular, always check the user reviews and safety standards.  

What are the Different Variations of Baccarat?

Baccarat is played all over the world, and different versions have popped up since it first gained popularity in France. Let's take a look at some of the most popular variations of baccarat:

Punto Banco

As mentioned, punto banco is the most popular version of baccarat played around the world and online. Thanks to its very simple ruleset, streamlined gameplay and global prevalence, it's enjoyed enduring love from gamblers the world over. However, you could argue that you can play this game without even understanding the rules, which might be a disappointing experience for some gamblers. Luckily, not all versions of baccarat are so passive. 

Chemin de Fer

In Chemin de Fer, the various players take it in turn to be the banker, passing the shoe when the banker loses a match. The passing of the card box, which used to be made of iron, is how this game got its name; chemin de fer means 'railway' in French, referring to the metal box making its way around the table. 

Other than this swapping of the banker, chemin de fer is very similar to all other versions of baccarat. The banker deals a banker and a player hand, with the player hand going to the player who made the highest bet. If the banker loses, they pay out all player bets themselves, but if the banker wins, they keep all the bets. On a loss for the banker, the next player to their left takes over, and on a win, the banker has the option to be the banker for another turn or pass on. 

Baccarat Banque

Baccarat Banque is generally agreed to be the first recognisable iteration of baccarat, made popular by French nobility in the 19th century. Also known as Baccarat à Deux Tableaux, this version of the game is noticeable for pitting the banker against two hands at once, with the two hands competing against one another. 

The two hands are played by as many as five people each, with crowds also participating to help meet minimum buy-ins (this speciation element has been historically popular in French casinos). If a natural 8 or 9 is dealt, we still see that hand paid out immediately. But interestingly, the banker doesn't actually have to follow set rules when the game goes to third card rules, instead being able to act freely.

Baccarat Banque is a complicated game, but it makes a lot more sense when you see it in motion. If you run into a game of this at a Monaco casino, you can join the crowd before getting involved to see how it works!

Mini Baccarat

Mini Baccarat isn't just played at a smaller table, it's an all-around less formal version of the game. Playing baccarat in a land-based casino can often be intimidating, with very high buy-ins, people in formal attire and even with the tables roped off from the rest of the casino floor. By comparison, mini baccarat is a much more casual affair, with lower buy-in, faster gameplay and fewer players at once. It's more comparable to blackjack in this state. 

If you're looking for a more relaxed baccarat experience or are playing online, there's a good chance you'll opt for mini baccarat instead of the formal punto banco.