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The rules of baccarat are just complex enough to make it seem more intimidating to new players. A few rounds of free baccarat at an online casino should get you into the flow of play, but if you plan to keep track of the croupier (or become one yourself), memorizing this arrangement may be helpful:
Table One: compare the player’s first two cards (left column) against the banker’s first two cards (across the top):
| A: FIRST TWO CARDS |
Banker’s initial Total is 0 – 4 |
Banker’s initial Total is 5 – 7 |
| Player’s Cards total 0 – 5: Player Hits (see table below) |
Banker Hits or Stands (see table below) |
Banker Hits or Stands (see below) |
| Player’s Cards total 6 or 7: Player Stands |
Banker Hits |
Banker Stands |
| Player’s Cards total 8 or 9: |
“Natural”; Round Over, Highest Total Wins | |
|---|---|---|
Table Two: compare the banker’s original card total (left column) against the new player’s card (top row) to see whether the banker will hit or stand.
| B: PLAYER HITS | Player’s Drawn Card is 2 or 3 |
Player’s Drawn Card is 4 or 5 |
Player’s Drawn Card is 6 or 7 |
Player’s Drawn Card is 8 |
Player’s Drawn Card is Ace,9, 10, J, Q, K |
| Banker’s initial total is 0 – 2 |
Banker Hits | Banker Hits | Banker Hits | Banker Hits | Banker Hits |
| Banker’s initial total is 3 |
Banker Hits | Banker Hits | Banker Hits | Banker Stands | Banker Hits |
| Banker’s initial total is 4 |
Banker Hits | Banker Hits | Banker Hits | Banker Stands | Banker Stands |
| Banker’s initial total is 5 |
Banker Stands | Banker Hits | Banker Hits | Banker Stands | Banker Stands |
| Banker’s initial total is 6 |
Banker Stands | Banker Stands | Banker Hits | Banker Stands | Banker Stands |
| Banker’s initial total is 7 |
Banker Stands | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banker’s initial total is 8 or 9 |
“Natural”; Round Over, highest total wins | ||||
However, all you really need to know as a baccarat player is how to bet. Obviously, you can place your money on one side or the other, but be warned that the Banker and the Player pay off at a slightly different rate; the Player bets most often pays even money but the Banker bet (offering more favorable odds for the bettor) includes a cut for the house (typically in the 5% range).
Like roulette, craps, or slots, baccarat is purely a matter of chance; there is no way to increase your skill at the game. Nevertheless, baccarat offers some of the most favorable odds of all the casinos games, undoubtedly one of the main reasons it has become a high-roller’s game of choice.
The online casinos tend to offer the mini-blackjack version (played on a blackjack surface), but any of the reputable online casinos should offer odds in the same range as the “real world” version.