How to Play Baccarat

Rules

Baccarat is an easy game to play...just choose bet - player, banker or tie and the dealer does the rest. It also has a pretty slim house edge, as long as you choose the right bet.

It is usually played with an 8 deck shoe, number cards (except 10) are worth face value, Aces are worth 1, 10's and picture cards are worth 0. Suit is irrelevant.

Play begins with the player placing a bet on 'player', 'banker' or 'tie'. These are bet options and not participants on the game.

Once bets are down the 2 cards are dealt face up to both player and the banker. The respective scores of each hand are equal to the right digit of the 2 card total. Eg, 9 and 4 would be 3, 3 and 4 would be 7.

A third is dealt according to the following rules:

• If either the player or the banker has a total of an 8 or a 9 they both stand.
  
• If the player's total is 5 or less then the player hits, otherwise the player stands.
  
• If the player stands, then the banker hits on a total of 5 or less. If the player does hit then use the chart below to determine if the banker hits (H) or stands (S).
  

The winning hand is then the highest, with winning bets on player and banker paying even money, and winning bets on tie paying 8 to 1.

The house edge for player and banker bets is around 1%, and for tie bets, a not so attractive 14%. So make sure you don't bet on the tie.

Strategy

It is common for players to record the outcomes of prior baccarat deals on a scorecard. Players look for patterns in the game and bet based on emerging patterns and their chosen bet strategy. Casinos do not discourage the use of these scorecards for good reason. This strategy does not assist at all in helping the player improve their chances of winning.

The outcome of prior hands in baccarat will not help at all in determining the outcome of future hands. While card counting will definitely improve returns in Blackjack, it will do nothing for you in Baccarat, so put your scorecard and pencil away and play the game on its merits. Sound Baccarat strategy is all about choosing the low house edge bets, and this is easy.

Mathematical house edges in Baccarat, by bet type, are as follows:

8 deck shoe:	6 deck shoe:	Single deck:
house edge on 'player' bet: 1.06%	house edge on 'player' bet: 1.06%	house edge on 'player' bet: 1.01%
house edge on 'banker' bet:1.24%	house edge on 'banker' bet:1.24%	house edge on 'banker' bet:1.29%
house edge on tie bet: 14.36%	house edge on tie bet: 14.44%	house edge on tie bet: 15.57%

*Assuming tie bet pays 8 to 1

Now based on the information in the above table, it does not take Einstein to work out that to maximise your returns you should bet on the banker every hand.  This doesn't exactly make for an exciting game, but that's Baccarat for you.  If you do want to mix things up a bit, it wouldn't hurt to place the odd player bet.  Just steer well clear of the tie or standoff bet.

Good luck!

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