Baccarat – one of the most popular casino games, there are different Baccarat slots variations. It first appeared in France in the 19th century. Its predecessors: Macau, Oysho Cabo and Gabo.

Baccarat games, also called punto banco, is usually played on the special table in the separate quiet casino section, where there’s no much noise. Usually there are three dealers and from 7 to 15 players (watch baccarat rules).

The main gaming principle is to make bets on a win of the certain team, player (punto) or casino (banco). The third kind of betting is egalite, or standoff, which means a draw.

The players can bet for punto or banco, and only dealer has no choice but to bet on banco. If there is a possibility of not placing a bet on baccarat gaming table – it’s the next player’s turn.

The game is player on two hands. The player has to place bets on the win of one of them, or on the draw. Punto and banco bets are paid:

  1. punto – one to one;
  2. banco 95 к 100 (5% of bet is given to the casino itself);
  3. draw - 8 to 1 or 9 to 1.

Each hand consists of two or three cards. Dealer puts two cards (suits up) at the table and gives other two cards to the player with the highest bet on punto).

The player looks at his cards and gives them back to the dealer during baccarat online gaming. The dealer puts all cards (suits down), declares the results and the winner and pays them.

On this options, bets are placed. The winning depends on amount of points on hands of the dealer and players. Points are counted by the value of cards.

Game variations

There are three main types of table card games, which have the higher popularity in casinos: Punto Banco, Chemin de Fer baccarat, and bank-baccarat.

Punto Banco is the easiest variant of Baccarat. It does not require any skills – everything depends on cards and fortune. In other versions, players can make own decisions, that is he will require some abilities.

The cost of cards

In all variants of Baccarat, cards cost are following:

  • cards from 2 to 10 are counted due to face value;
  • from 10 to King –  cost nothing, zero;
  • Ace – 1 point.

The cost is calculated by the sum of cards in hand. The highest cost in Baccarat is 9. Calculation is the following:

  1. if your hand has, for example, 3 and 4, the sum is equal to 7;
  2. if your hand contains two 7, their value is equal to 4. The sum is 14 but only the last digit is taken into account.

Rules of the third card

Those rules determine whether the player gets one more card after the dealer has declared the results, or not. The rules for punto and banco during baccarat online game play are different.

Rules of punto-dealer:

  • If punto or banco has a natural 8 or 9 in their hands, no more cards will be drawn. The game ends.
  • If the total sum on hands is 5 or less than 5, the player gets a third card;
  • If the player doesn’t get a third card: banco stops, if he has 6 or more. If the banco has a combination of 5 or less, they get a third card;
  • If the player gets a third card, one of the rules, mentioned below, will be used.
  • If the banco has two on his hands, he gets a third card, despite the nominal of punto’s third card in baccarat online game for free;
  • If the banco has a three, they get a new card, but only if punto’s third card isn’t 8;
  • If the banco has a four, they get a third card only if punto’s third card isn’t 0, 1, 8 or 9;
  • If the banco has a five, they get a card only if the punto’s third card is 4,5,6 or 7;
  • if the banco has a seven, they don’t get a third card.

Rules of banco-dealer

At first it always seems pretty complicated, but as the practice goes – you’ll remember all the rules with no effort. And you don’t have to learn the rules of the third card in baccarat game online for money – it’s dealer’s job. In good casinos the personal keeps track of the game to make sure that no fraud takes place and that there’s no mistakes in the gaming process, so you don’t have to worry about this and concentrate on having fun by playing the game.

We cannot say for sure where does this game come from, because in numerous European countries this games have been popular in ancient times and differs only in some special features. In the Middle Ages epoch baccarat was played with the help of tarot cards, it was the privilege of exclusively upper class society.

One of the legends says that the rules of this game are based on the Etrurian sacrifice ritual. Depending on the fallen out dice side the fate of young virgin was determined. In better case, she became priestess, in worst one she had to die.

Types of Baccarat

There are several kinds of this table game that differ by rules and options. We represent the review on three of the them.

Punto Banco

Punto Banco is more common in casinos than the other easy casino games versions. The game involves two parties: the player (punto) and the dealer (banco). The player competes only with the dealer and not with other players.

The deal comes from “shoes” – a box, which contains 6-8 decks of cards. The player and the dealer receive two cards. In certain cases, the third card can be issued.

The player can bet on the victory of players or a casino’s win (dealer’s, bank’s). The dealer bets only on banco.

The winner is the one, who scored 8-9 points. If no one has that amount, you can get a third card. Its deal is determined by a set of rules, depending on how many points a player and the dealer have.

Bets are paid as follows:

  1. punto – 1 of 1;
  2. banco – 1 to 1 minus 5% in favor of a casino;
  3. draw – 8 to 1 or 9 to 1.

Baccarat Chemin De Fer

In France, it is the most popular version of the casino table games. By the way, it is the original version. Punto Banco is often called mini-Baccarat.

It uses six decks. One player is appointed as the dealer and distributes cards. Others are puntos. The banco position moves alternately from one player to another during the game.

The first bet is made by the dealer. The rest decide to answer it or not. Only one player has the right to answer the dealer with an equal bet. If no one answers an equal amount of money, players place their bets one by one. As a result, the total rate of players should be equal to the banker’s bet.

Then the banker deals two cards – one for himself and one for punto. The player with the largest contribution to the overall bank takes this card. If someone has 8 or 9, he immediately announces it. If the sum is from 0 to 4, be sure to take a third card. If the sum is from 6 to 7, be certain to reject the third card.

Bank Baccarat

In this casino card table game version, participants play with 2-4 decks, usually – three. Banker`s position is obtained by one player until he deals all the cards from the deck.

The banker deals two cards to three sides:

  • himself – banco;
  • players sitting to the left;
  • players sitting to the right.

The cost of cards and usually a third card is the same as in the previous versions of the game.

Casino game Baccarat in society`s culture

Baccarat is often mentioned in James Bond movies. This is favourite casino games fun of Agent 007.

In the 1970s there was a Spanish musical group Baccarat.

History of England boasts a royal scandal, which occurred because of this game. A player, who dared to cheat the Prince of Wales in the game was being prosecuted. The scandal was captured in songs and plays.