For a long time, there was a common belief that baccarat is a game of aristocrats. Everyone also knows that this game was preferred by James Bond, the legendary 007 agent from a series of novels by Jan Fleming, who survived numerous cinematic adaptations.
This fact about baccarat used to scare away ordinary people. It seemed to them that the game is played according to very complex rules, and extremely high stakes are at the tables. However, the truth is that the game went far beyond elite clubs, and now, any person can have access to this fairly simple game.
It worth mentioning that baccarat is a simple game with transparent rules. You, as a player, can bet on Player or Banker, and then you just wait to know whether your hand wins. Sounds easy, but once you delve into the strategies and rules like other experienced players, you will see all pitfalls of baccarat.
Surely, many players try to count cards or resort to betting systems. The one fact is always true that you can’t deny that the result is equally reliable on your luck and logic. Thus, you need to know everything about this game to make sure your hand always wins.
Lesson 1: Know the Basics
The game literally has the simplest rules. Its name translates as “zero” or “nothing.” It explains the fact that all Tens, Jacks, Queens, and Kings have a zero value in baccarat. Aces are valued at one point, and all other cards have an amount of two to nine points.
The total value of the hand can reach 9. If the value of the card exceeds 9, 10 points are deducted from it. If, for example, you got cards with a value of 4 – 9 – 5, then the sum of your hand will be 8 or 18 minus 10. Two 10 in total will give 0. If you have 8 or 9 in total, then your hand is considered to be natural.
Lesson 2: Pattern Recognition Is Pointless
Pattern recognition is a rather complex system. You need to know that the red circles in it indicate the win of the Banker, the blue ones go the gain of the Player, and the green ones show all Draw results. “The Big Road” is the main image, and everyone else reckons with it.
Fortunately, almost all modern casinos provide their players with digital displays with roads and detailed winnings. Thanks to the direct connection with an automatic card reading, they give error-free information.
Typically, each road consists of six characters in height, and the electronic displays that project “Boy with a Big Eye,” “Little Road,” and “Cockroach Pig” use half-width and height characters. It means that three rows of cells contain six vertical characters.
Regardless of how you use these images (it can be an independent deduction of points or the use of a digital display), you should remember that they are based on superstition and a false sense of control, which are part of the game psychology. They do not reduce the casino share and can’t guarantee you a win. If you want to get a real experience playing baccarat, use these systems in the same way as others blow on cards, trying to protect themselves from failures.
Over time, you will notice that many players count cards in baccarat. It is not against the rules of the casino, as in offline institutions, this practice, although not welcome, is not prohibited.
Card counting helps you to make mathematical predictions to defeat the offline casino. With online games, since all numbers are randomly generated, card counting is simply meaningless.
Lesson 3: It’s Not Blackjack
Due to the outward resemblance to blackjack, many players believe that similar strategies will work in both games. It is far from the case. Of course, mathematical calculations are at least slightly but still can lead to advantages in the game.
Nevertheless, if in blackjack, these layouts really play a significant role, in baccarat, such a system has too little influence on the outcome. According to Forbes, in baccarat, the rules themselves will not give you much freedom of action, and you do not have much influence on the course of the game.
If in blackjack, every card that leaves the game affects your chances of winning, the baccarat card account is ten times less effective. If our advice did not convince you, and you are still leaning towards card counting, pay attention to sixes and fours. The number of fours in the game increases the Banker’s chances, and while the sixes exit the game, the player has a better chance of winning.
By the way, did you know that baccarat is incredibly popular in Macau and other Asian regions? The Chinese simply adore it.
According to the NY Times, at Macau casino, baccarat tables bring the lion’s share of the profits. In European countries and the United States, this gambling is far from being so popular, although immigrants from Asia actively popularize and distribute it around the world.
Lesson 4: Bet on a Banker
There are basic rules in which a bet on each side has its own percentage of the establishment. The advantage of a casino when betting on a Player is usually 1.25%, and on a Banker is 1.05%.
While it is impossible to constantly bet on a draw (and the overall odds of a draw become no more than 10%), a bet on a Banker’s victory raises your chances to 50%. Therefore, this type of bet is surprisingly the most profitable of the three possible ones.
Of course, this does not mean that, in all cases, it is worth betting only on the Banker. But in a long-term game, the number of such bets will be predominantly greater. Another reason to avoid betting on a draw is that the institution’s advantage on such an outcome becomes almost 15%.
Final Thoughts
There are only a few rules and trifles that you need to remember about baccarat. Always check what commission rate your Banker has in your institution, avoid betting on a draw, and stop counting cards.
You can always try an online version first. For example, OnlineCasinoGems is an amazing site that aggregates the best offers for baccarat, so be sure to check it out. Learn the rules carefully, do not rely only on the bonuses, and relax. After all, gambling, for the most part, is adrenaline when you catch a chance to make a fortune!