Not Just For High Rollers: Baccarat

Counting Down the Baccarat Basics

Baccarat is a simple card game: In the regular version of Baccarat (also called formal, traditional, or big Baccarat), the croupier, or dealer, deals only two hands, no matter how many players are seated at the table — and as many as 14 can play. One hand is the player’s hand, and the other is the banker’s hand. The object of the game is to bet on which of the two hands will come closest to a total of 9 points, also called a natural (a total of 8 points is also a natural, but it loses to 9). Players make all bets before the croupier deals the cards, and unlike blackjack, you can’t make additional bets, such as doubling down, splitting, and so on. You have only three bets to choose from in Baccarat. You can bet on

The player’s hand: A winning bet on the player’s hand pays even money (1 to 1). So a winning bet of $10 would receive another $10.
The banker’s hand: A win on the banker’s hand also pays even money, minus a 5 percent commission (the casino charges a commission on this bet because the banker’s hand has a better mathematical chance of winning, so the 5 percent commission helps even up the odds between the two bets, although even with the added commission, the banker’s hand is still the best of the two bets). The dealer keeps track of these commissions (they aren’t actually taken from each bet) and settles up either at the end of the shoe or when you’re ready to leave. So a winning bet of $10 would actually end up netting only $9.50. However the croupier only charges this 5 percent commission on winning bets.
A tie: A winning wager on the tie bet pays 8 to 1.

The tie bet isn’t a smart bet because the house has more than a 14 percent advantage (meaning the casino wins approximately $14 for every $100 you bet), and one that sober people shouldn’t even think about making. However, at some clubs the house pays 9 to 1 on tie bets, which reduces the edge to less than 5 percent, but it’s still not a wise bet.

Both hands start with just two cards, and depending on the starting total, the banker or player hand sometimes draws one more card. Whichever hand comes closest to 9 wins. Because 9 is the highest score, any amount of 10 or more automatically subtracts 10 points; 10 is actually worth 0, 11 is 1, 12 is 2, and so on. After the total reaches 10 or more, simply drop the first digit, and that’s the score of the hand. If the player’s hand consists of an 8 and a 9, the hand’s score is actually 7 (8 + 9 = 17 – 10 = 7). So that’s a pretty cool feature of Baccarat — ensuring that you can’t bust out like in blackjack.

Remembering the following pointers about Baccarat basics can improve your chances of winning:

Two hands are dealt — the player’s hand and the banker’s hand.
Each hand starts with two cards.
Whichever hand has the closest to a total of 9 wins.
Each pip card (cards 2 through 9) is worth its face value; the 2 equals two points, the 5 equals five points, and so forth.
Aces count as one point.
Tens and royals (kings, queens, and jacks) are worth nothing. In fact, the name of the game is similar to the Italian word baccara, meaning zero.
Suits (clubs, spades, diamonds, and hearts) are meaningless.

With the exception of blackjack and certain bets in craps, Baccarat is one of the best table games to play in a casino. The house edge on the player’s hand is 1.24 percent and 1.06 percent on the banker’s hand!

Of course, more nuances distinguish the novice players from the pros in Baccarat. When you step foot in a casino and decide to try Baccarat, you need to know that you can play two types of Baccarat in most casinos in the United States: formal Baccarat, also referred to as traditional or classic Baccarat, and Minibaccarat. Although both games follow the same set of rules, each has its notable distinctions. The following sections explain the main differences.

Formal Baccarat: High stakes, high rollers

Many high rollers are more interested in testing their luck than exercising their math skills. So Baccarat is often the high-stakes game of choice for the wealthiest gamblers. Minimum bets vary greatly from club to club, but posted maximums are typically $2,000 to $4,000. However, the larger casinos often extend higher limits to premium players, and the maximum bet can reach six figures — depending on the high roller’s credit line and how much risk the casino is willing to take.

Playing in a room apart

In the biggest games, you find a cast of characters that could populate the Dr. No film set — and their wagers reflect their glittering diamonds and gold cigarette cases. Because of the large amounts of money bet on Baccarat, the game is sometimes played in an area that’s private (open only to premium players or VIPs) and tucked away from the noise and crowds of the casino. This seclusion also allows the casino to provide a measure of security for its high rollers. Sometimes millions of dollars change hands each night at the high-stakes Baccarat tables in the biggest casinos.

Setting a table for 14

Baccarat’s upscale clientele isn’t the only aspect that sets it apart. Play takes place on a large table that seats from 1 to 14 players, as Figure 6-1 shows. (You may notice the absence of seat 13 in this illustration; most casinos skip that unlucky number at their tables.)

© John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

FIGURE 6-1: The formal Baccarat table for 14 players.

Dressing to the nines

Because of the elegance of Baccarat, most players honor its tradition and dress accordingly. Of course, the level of dress varies from casino to casino and is becoming less formal, but you’re safe to assume that Baccarat is the place to wear that long-neglected tuxedo or parade that sparkling evening gown.

Dealing and calling

Three croupiers serve the formal or regular Baccarat table. The caller, one of the three croupiers, handles the game and announces the card totals and the winning hand. He may also use an elongated paddle to move cards and chips around the table. The two others stand on either side of the caller and pay off winning bets, collect losing bets, and post commissions (on bank hands).

Banking on the house

Most casinos use an eight-deck shoe to deal the cards in regular Baccarat games. And you and other players are part of that ritual! Every player gets a turn at handling the shoe and acting as the banker or dealer. You continue to deal as long as the banker’s hand is winning; when the banker finally loses, a different player deals the cards.

You’re the banker in name only, because dealing offers you no additional risk or advantage; it just makes the game more sociable. You can choose to participate in the ritual or decline and pass the shoe to the next player.

When you’re acting as the banker, you’re expected — but not required — to bet on the house (banker’s hand). If you’d rather bet on the player’s hand, custom dictates that you allow the shoe to pass to the next player. But no matter which hand you bet on, you must be involved and have a wager for the upcoming hand (if you want to deal).

Minibaccarat: Less glitz, lower stakes

Is your tuxedo at the cleaners? Or is your betting bankroll a little low these days? If the formality and high stakes of the regular Baccarat table isn’t to your taste, then Minibaccarat may be the game for you. With lower minimum bets ($2 to $5), this condensed version gives low rollers or the uninitiated a taste of Baccarat. It also offers the same low-house advantage of regular Baccarat.

Distinguishing differences

Minibaccarat follows the same rules as its upscale cousin, formal Baccarat. The following are the main features that distinguish Minibaccarat from regular Baccarat:

Play takes place on a smaller, semicircular table with places for only seven players, but just like regular Baccarat, the game can begin with only one player.
Just one croupier (called a dealer at this table) is present instead of three.
The dealer handles all the cards and deals them face-up.

For specifics on how to play formal Baccarat and Minibaccarat, check out the next section.

Relaxing at minibac

In most casinos, you find the Minibaccarat, or minibac, tables nestled in with the blackjack tables. And picking up on the relaxed and informal tone won’t take you long. You can feel right at home at Minibaccarat even if you’re dressed in shorts and flip-flops. Figure 6-2 shows you what a typical Minibaccarat table looks like.

© John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

FIGURE 6-2: The Minibaccarat table for seven players.

When playing minibac — or formal Baccarat, for that matter — tipping the croupier is perfectly acceptable. Just place a bet for the dealer as you do at other table games.

Stepping into Baccarat

Whether you play Minibaccarat or decide to dust off your evening wear and head for a high-stakes formal game, don’t worry about any pressure. Baccarat is a no-brainer. But in case you’re nervous and need to build your comfort level, the following sections walk you through a game one step at a time.

Positioning yourself to play

Feel free to sit in any open seat at the table — your position won’t help or hinder your game in any way, nor does it matter how many people are playing. Then observe the unique aspects that distinguish a Baccarat table (formal and Minibaccarat) from any other gaming surface:

A number outlined on the felt before each player. The numbers indicate each player’s position and run from 1 through 7 in Minibaccarat and 1 through 15 in regular Baccarat; most casinos skip the unlucky number 13.
Three designated boxes. These boxes or circles are located on the felt above each player’s number. Closest is the player bet box. Next is the banker bet box, and farthest away is the tie bet box. Check out Figures 6-1 and 6-2 to see how the boxes may appear on both a formal and a Minibaccarat table.

On the formal table, you also see a boxlike device called the shoe, which houses the cards. At the beginning of a game, one of the three croupiers gives the shoe to a player, who acts as the banker and deals the cards from the shoe.

Betting the banker (or the player)

Before the banker deals the cards, the caller asks you to place your bets. So there you are — you haven’t received your cards, and yet you must decide the winner: the player or the banker. Or will you have a tie?

As we explain earlier in this chapter in “Counting Down the Baccarat Basics,” you’re betting on which hand — the player’s or the banker’s — you think will come closest to 9, the highest possible score, or if you think you’ll have a tie. Baccarat is simply a matter of luck. No skill or card counting or complex mathematical formula can beat the house, but knowing that the odds favor the banker’s hand can give you an edge.

Betting on the banker’s hand offers the best odds (–1.06 percent) because of the simple fact that the banker acts after you each round. Baccarat rules are designed to provide a calculated split between the two hands. Statistical analysis shows the odds of the player’s hand winning are about 44.6 percent, the banker’s hand winning around 45.8 percent, and ties winning about 9.6 percent. Even after factoring in the house commission (5 percent on winning bets), the banker’s hand is still your best bet. For example, if you bet $10 on the banker’s hand, you’d push two $5 chips out into the second box or circle in front of you (the one marked Banker or Bankers).

Dealing the hand

If you’re playing regular or formal Baccarat, as soon as the caller announces, “No more bets,” the player with the shoe (known as the banker) deals out four cards. If you’re the banker, follow these steps:

Deal two cards, sliding one card face-down to the caller for the player’s hand and slipping the second face-down under the corner of the shoe for the banker’s hand.

Repeat this process with the third and fourth cards.
Take the two cards you dealt for the player’s hand and place them face-down in front of the player with the largest bet.

This player gets the privilege of taking the first peek at these cards and then turns them over. No advantage actually exists to seeing the cards first — just part of the pomp.
Hand the caller the banker’s hand when she requests you to do so.

Before you receive this request, the caller places the player’s hand face-up in the center and announces the value.

Then the caller places the banker’s cards face-up in the center and announces the total.

Le petit is a natural of 8 points; a natural of 9 is le grande. If either hand draws a point total of 8 or 9 on the first two cards, the le grande wins. If the hands have equal value, then you have a tie. Either way, the game is over.

When the player or the banker draws a total of 8 or 9, the hand stands, and the round ends. This rule is the natural rule and overrides all the other rules.

Drawing for another card

If neither hand has a total of 8 or 9, an additional card may be drawn on one or both hands, depending on the amount in the hand. The rules for drawing are clear-cut. Neither the player’s hand nor the banker’s hand has discretion but must follow predetermined rules. The following sections explain the rules.

Following the player’s rules

To draw an additional card, the banker’s hand is dependent on the total of the player’s hand — the reason these rules are known as the player’s rules. For example, the player’s hand has two face cards, which equal 0. The banker’s hand has a 9 of hearts and a 10 of diamonds, giving it a point value of 9, a natural. The banker’s hand wins based on the natural rule, and the game is over. There are no gray areas, no decision making, no folding, no passing, no bluffing. Just the rules.

Don’t worry if you can’t remember these rules — the caller (and dealer in Minibaccarat) directs all the action. Table 6-1 shows the three possibilities.

TABLE 6-1 Player’s Rules

Value of Player’s Hand	What to Do
8 or 9	Stands on a natural
6 or 7	Stands
0 to 5	Draws a card

The banker’s hand follows these same player’s rules as long as the player’s hand does not draw a third card. If the player’s hand draws a third card, the situation gets a little more complicated, and the banker’s hand must follow special banker’s rules. The following section explains what happens when the player’s hand draws a third card.

Adhering to the banker’s rules

The banker’s rules apply only to the banker’s hand, and only in those situations when the player’s hand draws a third card. These third-card rules are consistent for all variations of Baccarat around the world. Table 6-2 shows the banker’s rules.

TABLE 6-2 Banker’s Rules (When the Player’s Hand Has Three Cards)

Value of Banker’s Two Cards	Banker’s Action
8 or 9	Stands on a natural
7	Stands according to player’s rules
6	Draws if player draws a third card and player’s new hand total is 6 or 7
5	Draws if player draws a third card and player’s new hand total is 4 through 7
4	Draws if player draws a third card and player’s new hand total is 2 through 7
3	Draws if player draws a third card and player’s new total is 0 through 9
0, 1, or 2	Draws a card

Neither the player nor the banker will ever have more than three cards in their hand, but the goal is simple — whichever hand has the higher total wins.

Knowing when the banker follows the banker’s rules

Once again, unless the player draws a third card, the banker must adhere to the player’s rules for the two-card total. Only when the player draws a third card do the banker’s rules come into play.

You can refer to Table 6-3 as a resource for when the banker draws. In this table, the numbers across the top, 0 through 9, represent the player’s hand total. The banker must stand or draw, depending on the player’s hand point total and the banker’s starting two cards.

TABLE 6-3 When the Banker Can Draw After a Player’s Third Card

Banker’s Score	Player’s Third Card
	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
7	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
6	S	S	S	S	S	S	D	D	S	S
5	S	S	S	S	D	D	D	D	S	S
4	S	S	D	D	D	D	D	D	S	S
3	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	S	D
2	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
1	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
0	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D

S = STAND D = DRAW

Having trouble memorizing all these variations? Don’t strain your brain! Remember that as a player you don’t have to remember any of these rules — the dealer does all the work.

Avoiding Baccarat Time Wasters

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Baccarat is a game of luck. Yes, yes — if a smart guy like James Bond played it, then it has to require some brains or skill, or at least a good sense of fashion flare, right? The truth is that most of the advice we can give you has more to do with how to increase the enjoyment of your Baccarat experience than how to improve your winnings. But consider following these last bits of advice — about what not to do.

Wagering on ties

Don’t ever bet on the hands to tie. Even though the payoff when you win is far better (8 to 1 instead of even money), ties occur only about once every 9½ hands, making the reward not worth the risk (house edge is a whopping 14.36 percent). This bet is a waste of your hard-earned money.

Because a tie hand is a push (neither the player or the banker wins), your bet on either the player or the banker is also a push — and you won’t lose any money for that hand.

Note taking and keeping score

Taking notes is a waste of time. Because of superstitious or misinformed players, casinos routinely stock score cards and pencils at Baccarat tables for players to keep track of how the hands are running. The past dozen or so hands are no indication of how future hands will play out, so the pencil and paper are more useful for your grocery list.

Counting cards

No successful card-counting system exists for Baccarat. Even though some studies have shown that the low cards favor the player’s hand and high cards favor the banker’s hand, statistically speaking, the margin is so small that card counting really offers no advantage.

Relying on instinct

Some people think they were born under a lucky star. They believe they have the uncanny ability to predict whether a coin lands on heads or tails with accuracy. Or perhaps their instincts at the tables tell them when a hot streak is about to begin … or end.

But our opinion on this matter falls into the rational and scientific camp: You have no way to turn negative odds into a positive expectancy game. Although Baccarat is definitely one of your best bets because the slow pace (especially in the formal version) and slim house edge combine to make it a good value for you, over the long run, you end up a slight loser despite the amount of mojo you think you have working for you. You may win in the short term, but no amount of guesswork can swing the odds in your favor.

Don’t even try to rely on your instinct. Just drink in the pageantry and ambiance of this elegant game and enjoy the ride. And remember: Don’t be intimidated by the posh crowd. You have every right to sit down next to the billionaires and try your luck at this historic game.