How to Play Baccarat

Posted on February 26th, 2009 by Carmelia

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Baccarat is a card game that is a staple in most casinos. Out of the three variants, punto banco or North American Baccarat is the most widely played. A game of chance, punto banco does not require skill, and depends largely on what the player is dealt. Here’s how to play.

A full-scale baccarat table is roughly the same size as a craps table can accomodate 12-14 players and three card dealers.
There are three bets to make: The Punto, the Banco or the Standoff.
One dealer or the “callman” will stand up and deal the two hands. You can bet on either one, the Punto and the Banco, or call them even, which is the rarely-used Standoff. The dealer usually bets on the Banco. The two other dealers are responsible for giving you winnings or collecting your losses.
The object of the game is to bet on which hand (the Punto or the Banco) you think will have the highest value, or whether these two are equal (the Standoff).
At this point, baccarat may seem like betting on black or white at the roulette. However, there is a significant difference: The dealer will typically bet on the Banco because 8-card deck plays on the average will typically win the Banco three to four hands more than the Punto. When you bet on the Banco and win, it will cost you a five percent commission levied by the casino. This is the casino’s built-in advantage.
If the player does not want to deal, he or she will pass on to the next player. The shoe will remain with the same player as long as the Bank wins. Once Punto is won, the shoe will have to be passed on to the next player.
When the dealer deals two hands, the minimum number of cards in each hand is two cards, while the maximum is three cards. The dealer will then first put two cards face-down tucked under the shoe (or the dealing box), or give them to the banker. The dealer will then give the player with the largest Punto bet the other two cards, also face-down.
The Punto bettor or player will then look at the cards given to him and hand them back to the dealer. The dealer will then reveal the cards and then hand them to the one of the other dealers. The dealer will then announce the results and the winner.
How to tell the value of each hand? Baccarat is typically played with a six-deck or an eight-deck shoe. Face cards, suits and tens do not have a value. Only those nine and below are given the same face value. Aces are worth one. Single number values are counted, and total values over ten drop the left digit. So, for example your hand totals 4 (two and two), it will be the same value as 14 (nine and five), since 14 will have to drop the left digit, totaling to the value of four.
When the deal is completed, the hand with the highest count or value wins.
A third card will only be dealt to either hand following a stringent rules. The paying dealers will first collect the losing bets and then pay the winners. The dealer/player is actually not responsible for the payouts and can be considered to be like the other players who are playing against the casino.