Baccarat Strategies
Baccarat is one of the oldest and one of the most glamorous casino games there is. Pronounced like "Bakara" with a silent "t", it's one of the simplest and easiest games to play. Online Baccarat is a game of luck and skill. You play the house, a little like Blackjack. The most basic of Baccarat strategies is to successfully predict whether your hand will get closest to a value of 9, the banker's hand will get closest to a value of 9, or that the game will result in a tie. All ten-value cards (tens and all picture cards) count as 0 and aces count as 1.
Baccarat Strategies - Getting Started
You initially have to decide whether to back the dealer or the player to get nearest to a total of 9. Alternatively, you can back the game to end in a tie. This is a less likely outcome but you win eight times your stake if you are right!
If the cards in a hand total 10 or more, simply subtract 10. For example, a 8 and a 8 = 16 but the Baccarat points value is 6. Again, a 9 and a 6 = 15, but in Baccarat it counts as 5.
Now it gets a little complicated because under certain circumstances you can be dealt a third card:
You will receive a third card if the sum of the first 2 cards is between 0 and5.
The Banker will receive a third card:
if the sum of the first 2 cards is between 0 - 2
or if the sum of the first 2 cards is 3 points unless your total is 8
or if the sum of the first 2 cards is 4 points unless your total is 0, 1, 8 or 9
or if the sum of the first 2 cards is 5 points unless your total is 0, 1, 2, 3, 8, or 9
or if the sum of the first 2 cards is 6 points unless your total is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 or 9
The banker always stands on a total of 7 and you always have to stand on a total of 6 or 7.
If either you or the banker total 8 or 9 with their first 2 cards, the game ends.
The best hand in online Baccarat is a two 2 card hand that adds up to nine, (known as a Natural Nine). If you or the banker have a Natual Nine then the other player cannot draw a 3rd card - the player with the natural nine will win: the exception to this is when there is a tie in which case the game is made void.
Baccarat Strategies - Baccarat Odds
Baccarat Strategies - Baccarat Tips
As in most online casino games there are rumours and arguments that pattern's exist and you should actually change the way you play in order to take advantage of a predicted trend. This just doesn't make sense when playing online Baccarat because the hand you are playing now will have no influence on your next hand. Don't be fooled by these so-called systems or you'll find yourself wasting both your time and your money.
To maximise your chances, play online Baccarat with single decks. This offers you the best probable return for the banker bet and the best possible return for bets in any form of online Baccarat.
Never bet on the tie. You may be tempted by the great odds compared to the player and banker bets, but again, you can not let your greed take over. Yes, you'll feel great on the few occasions it occurs but with a house edge of at least 5%, there's no happy long term gaming future for you if you keep betting on a tie.
It may remove all the romance and the fun of online Baccarat but the fact is that you should bet on the banker every single time, it may be one of the most boring Baccarat strategies, but the odds are always better if you bet on the banker.
