ONLINE BACCARAT

How to Play Online Baccarat

Baccarat (pronounced with a silent "t") is an ideal game for those who like to gamble, but don't want a less than thorough knowledge of strategy to result in big losses. Baccarat provides the fun and excitement of a game like blackjack without the worry about memorizing decision charts or counting cards. In the past, baccarat at live casinos catered primarily to high rollers, so the average player looking for a new game was either too intimidated or too under-bankrolled to play. In the Internet age though, anyone can enjoy baccarat.

The Rules of Baccarat

The rules of baccarat are fairly simple. The game starts with a player making a bet. The player can either bet "Player" (himself, although even if there are multiple players only one player hand is dealt) "Banker" or "Tie." The player and the banker (the dealer) then each receive a two-card hand. The winner is the one with the hand closest to nine, with aces counting as one and tens and face cards counting as zero. It is impossible to go "over," since baccarat hands roll over so that they are always one digit, so a 9 plus a 2 would not be 11 but rather 1, an 8 and a 5 would not be 13 but 3, etc.

Comparing Baccarat Hands

If the player is dealt an 8 or a 9, he or she has a "natural" and wins automatically unless the dealer also has an 8 or 9 to tie or beat the player's hand. If the player has 6 or 7, he or she must stand and if he or she has 0 to 5, he or she must hit. The banker wins automatically with a natural if the player does not have one, and follows the same rules for drawing as the player if the player has not drawn a third card. If he has drawn a third card, the banker will always draw to 0, 1 or 2 and stand on 7. The banker will draw to a 3 if the player's third card is zero through seven. The banker will draw to a 4 if the player's third card is 2 through 7, will draw to a 5 if the third card is 4 through 7, and will draw to a 6 only if the player's third card is 6 or 7. The house edge comes from the fact that players must pay a five percent commission when they win betting on the banker

Online Baccarat

The main distinction between online baccarat and the live game is the lack of formality. Live baccarat caters to high rollers. The minimum bet is often prohibitively high and velvet ropes may cord off the game with dealers and floor people in tuxedos. The players may even be required to adhere to a dress code. Clearly online baccarat has no such restrictions. Just log onto an online casino with baccarat, put your money down and enjoy.