Back To Basics With Baccarat

Is it high time you got your head around baccarat? Well then let’s give you a whistlestop tour of the game, how to play and what’s so special about it. Then once you’ve mastered baccarat for beginners, a whole new world of card playing fun will open up to you.

When did baccarat begin?

There’s no real definitive answer to this question. A lot of people say that baccarat first came about when soldiers were returning home from France after the 15th century Franco-Italian War. They discovered a similar game in Italy and brought it back with them. However, other experts say that it’s more likely to have arisen first around the 1800s.

Whatever the case, we know that it was seriously popular in France during the 19th century, especially among the upper classes.

What is the main aim in a game of baccarat for beginners?

In all versions of baccarat, one thing is always true. The game is all about comparing the player’s hand to the banker’s. And the main aim is to get the hand as close as possible to 9 points. In this game, either the player wins, the banker wins or there’s a tie.

How are cards valued in baccarat?

What you’ve got to know about baccarat for beginners is how the cards are valued. Royals are worth zero, aces are worth one point and cards 2 through 9 are worth their face value. To get your hand value, you add up how much your cards are worth. So if you have a 3 and a 4, you’ve scored 7 points. However, if you have a 5 and a 6, you score 1 point. How’s that? Well, simply put, if your hand is valued at over 9 points, you strike off the first digit and you’re left with the last. So 11 becomes 1, 13 becomes 3 and so on.

What is the most popular type of baccarat for beginners?

Most baccarat games you’ll find either in online or bricks and mortar casinos are punto banco versions of the game. A lot of the time, they won’t even say they’re punto banco, they’ll simply be called baccarat.

This game plays out to fixed rules, which are called the tableau. The two hands, the player’s (aka punto) or banker’s (aka banco), can be backed by any punter. They’re simply names in this instance.

Either six or eight decks of cards are in a dealer’s shoe. Then the dealer puts a cut-card in front of the seventh last card. The dealer reveals the first card. Whatever numerical value that card has, the dealer burns that number of cards. In this instance, aces are worth 1 point and face cards are worth 10.

During each betting round, or coup, two cards are dealt for each hand. If one of those hands amount to 8 or 9 points, that hand wins. If they both amount to the same, they tie.

When is a third card dealt in baccarat?

However, if the player’s hand totals 5 points or less, they get a third card. If it’s 6 or 7 points, the don’t get any more cards (aka, they stand). The same is true for the banker except for when a player draws a third card.

If that happens, things get a little more complex…

Once all the moves are finished, the winner is declared and the bets are paid out according to the outcomes.

Where can I play baccarat for beginners online?

Baccarat is widely available online. Depending on where you are in the world, you could have different options for online casinos. But if you happen to be somewhere where bet365 is available, it’s a really great option. You can find lots of great baccarat tables there, including a Live Casino version. Plus if you sign up using this bet365 bonus code, you can get a beautiful new player offer.