Playing and Winning in Baccarat

Most people think of Baccarat as a game that only the rich and famous play. However, while that may have been true in the past, it is no longer the case as casinos and the Internet have this wonderful game accessible for everyone.

The rules of Baccarat are about as simple as they can come. The dealer begins the game by dishing out two cards for herself and all the players (up to a dozen or more can participate). The goal is get to a total of 9 or as close to it as possible. Cards 2 to 9 are worth their respective values; Ace counts as 1 and kings, queens, and jacks do not count at all. The total for all cards dealt are reduced to a single number (i.e. a 58 counts for 4).

According to the rules of Baccarat, if the total is 9, the player wins. If both player and dealer have the same value, it is a tie. Also, if the total is 6 or higher, the player will have to stand and cannot get any additional cards. If it is less than that, he or she will be given another one. Payouts are usually 1 is to 1 (for both player and banker bets) unless you wager on a tie, which will pay out in odds of 8 to 1.

Stipulations for online play are generally the same as that of the brick and mortar casino, but the advantage is that you will get the chance to play other Baccarat variants. For example, several online casinos allow you to play variants of the game like Punto Banco and Chemin de Fer, both of which are very popular in Europe, the latter game especially so in France.

While it relies on chance and luck more so than other cards games like Poker, there are Baccarat strategies that players like to use to offset the house edge and give them a chance to win more. One of the most frequently applied is the 1-3-2-6 method. To administer this system in your game, you choose an amount or "element" to bet (i.e., $10). When you win, you add another amount and place the wager (in this case that would be $30).

Next you should wager two elements or units and add another two if you win the Baccarat hand again. The advantage of this system is that if you win three hands and lose two, you still have money left, more than breaking even in fact.

As you play Baccarat, you'll uncover more systems and ways of playing and improving your performance. This will only serve to add to the enjoyment and excitement of competing in one of the oldest and most well loved card games of all time.