Baccarat is one of the simplest games to play at an online casino. There really is no strategy involved other then placing your bet. In baccarat, you can bet on your hand or the dealers hand. You can also bet on a tie.

The object of the game baccarat is to bet on the hand that will be closest to 9. That seems pretty straight forward. If you have never played baccarat before and don't know the rules, it is almost impossible to tell what is going on.

Baccarat Card Values

Card values in baccarat differ from all other card games. Cards two through nine (2-9) are counted at face value, All tens (10) and face cards (Jack, Queen, King) are counted as zero (0). The ace is counted as one (1). If this is not clear, take a look at the table below.

Card	Value	Example Hand
Ace	1	Ace + King = 1
2	2	2 + Ace = 3
3	3	3 + Queen = 3
4	4	4 + 9 = 3
5	5	5 + 6 = 1
6	6	6 + 3 = 9
7	7	7 + 3 = 0
8	8	8 + Jack = 8
9	9	9 + Ten = 9
Ten	0	Ten + 7 = 7
Jack, Queen, King	0	Jack + Queen = 0

Breakdown of a Hand of Baccarat

Pictured above is an example hand of baccarat. Here is what happened:

1. The player placed a bet of $50 in the "player" area of the board.
2. Two cards were dealt to the player and dealer.
3. Each hand is checked to see if they have been dealt 8 or 9. Getting an 8 or 9 on the first two cards is called a natural and is an automatic win.
4. In our example hand, the player has a Queen of Spades and a Four of Diamonds. The players hand equals 4.

5. Play is then regulated to a "Table of Play" or "Tableau". There are no choices made by the player or the dealer. The Table of Play states the following for the player:

- If the player has an initial total of 0-5, the player draws a single card.
- If the player has an initial total of 6 or 7, the player stands.

Easy enough rules for the player. The player has a total of 4 in their hand, so then draw a card. The card is a 5 of Clubs, giving the player a total of 9.

The dealer's play depends on the dealer's hand, on whether the player drew a card, and on what card the player drew:

- If the player did not draw a card, the dealer draws if he has 0-5, and stands if he has 6-7.
The dealer has a Queen of Diamonds and a Five of Spades for a total of 5. The player did draw a card though, so this rule doesn't apply.

- If the player drew a 2 or 3, the dealer draws if he has 0-4, and stands if he has 5-7.
In our hand, the player did not draw a 2 or 3.

- If the player drew a 4 or 5, the dealer draws if he has 0-5, and stands if he has 6-7.
OK. The player drew a 5. The dealer has a total of 5. The dealer must draw a card.

6. The dealer draws a card and it is a 6, giving the banker a total of 1.

7. Both hands are evaluated, with the closest to 9 winning. The player has a total of 9 and the dealer has a total of 1. The Player wins the bet.

Table of Play in Baccarat

I mentioned earlier about baccarat table of play. Here is a complete list of the table.

Baccarat Players Table of Play
	Players Hand Value	Draw or Stand
	0-5	Draw
	6-7	Stand

If Player or Banker have an 8 or a 9 (called a natural), the game ends. If not, continue below.

Bankers Table of Play
	Player Draw A Card? (Yes or No)	Value of Player's Draw Card	Value of Dealer Hand	Draw or Stand
	No	N/A	0-5	Draw
	No	N/A	6-7	Stand
	Yes	2-3	0-4	Draw
	Yes	2-3	5-7	Stand
	Yes	4-5	0-5	Draw
	Yes	4-5	6-7	Stand
	Yes	6-7	0-6	Draw
	Yes	6-7	7	Stand
	Yes	8	0-2	Draw
	Yes	8	3-7	Stands
	Yes	Ace, 9, 10, or Face Card	0-3	Draw
	Yes	Ace, 9, 10, or Face Card	4-7	Stands

It is important to note that you do not need to know these tables to play. The Banker deals and plays out the hands according to the tables above. I always wondered why I won or lost by playing baccarat, and thought maybe someone else did too.

Baccarat Odds

There are three different bets that can be placed while playing baccarat.

- Betting on yourself (player) pays 1:1 (one to one). A bet of a $100 will win you $100.

- Betting on the banker pays 1:1 minus 5% commission. A bet of $100 will win you $95. The 5% is to offset the house advantage that the casino is giving up by allowing you to bet on the banker.

- Betting on TIE pays 8:1. A $100 bet will win you $800.

You are here - Home -> Online Casino -> Online Baccarat