Baccarat Online Guide

One of the easiest games either online or in real casinos, baccarat can trace its history right back to King Charles VIII and the nobles of France. Baccarat unlike video poker, pokies and keno online is a game of skill more than a game of chance. Still you will find that most casino guides working for games of luck will be helpful in baccarat also.

Objectives

Players are simply betting on the probability of being dealt a hand with the closest points tally to 9.

Card Values

• Jack, Queen and King, plus the 10 are worth zero points
• Aces score 1 point
• All other cards are scored at their face value
• If your hand totals more than 10, then subtract 10

The ideal hand for classic baccarat and baccarat online is where a player is dealt 9 with the first two cards. A score of eight is a natural hand as well. Hands are dealt to the player and the banker. Depending on the score of the hand, an additional card may be dealt to the player or the banker. The player places a bet on his own hand, or that of the banker. A bet can also be placed on a push, where two hands are tied. The house edge in baccarat is low; betting on the player has the edge of 1.36% whereas a bet on the bankers gives the house an edge of just 1.17%.

Table Layout

Each baccarat player has three separate areas in which to lay bets: “Banker”, “Player” and “Tie”.

Baccarat Payouts

In Baccarat online and common, payouts are logical. A bet on the player’s own hand yields 1:1, and the same odds apply to a bet on the banker’s hand: 1:1. For bets on the banker’s hand, the casino takes a commission, normally 5%. A tie yields a return of 1:1. A minimum bet level of $1 applies, and the maximum is $500. Remember that you can practice baccarat online at many online casino Australia websites and play for free before you risk any real money.

General Rules of Baccarat Online

Initially, four cards are dealt; two for the player and two for himself. If a natural hand is dealt to either – a hand scoring 8 or 9 – no more cards are dealt and the hand is finished. If both have the same score the result is a tie.

If neither a tie nor a natural hand is dealt, then one more card is dealt, under the following rules:

• If the player’s total is more than 6, he stands and doesn’t get the extra card.
• If the player’s hand totals 5 or less, he is dealt a new card.
• When the banker’s hand is 0,1 or 2 the banker gets another card.
• When the banker’s total is 3 and the player’s third card is any but an eight, then the banker hits.
• If the banker’s equals 5 and the player is dealt 4, 5, 6 or 7 the banker hits.
• If the player’s third card is not 8,9,0 or 1 and the banker’s score is four, the banker is dealt the 3rd card.
• The banker stands if his total is greater than 7.
• If the banker’s hand equals six, and the player’s third card is 6 or a 7, the banker hits.