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Baccarat, also referred to as Baccara, is a casino card game that can be found at both land-based and online gambling venues across the globe. While the gameplay rules of Baccarat are pretty straightforward, it’s easy to mix them up with the rules of other casino games if you’re a novice player. And this is where the Baccarat rules chart can come in handy. Continue reading as we explore the basics of the game and explain to you the card drawing rules for different Baccarat wagering options.

The basics of Baccarat explained

Of all the different Baccarat variations out there, Punto Banco happens to be the most popular one. In fact, it’s so widespread that it’s simply referred to as Baccarat at most venues. So, for explanation purposes, we’ll take Punto Banco Baccarat into account.

The game of Baccarat is played using a number of standard 52-card decks. In Baccarat, cards between 2 and 9 carry the value that’s printed on them. This means that the number 2 card is valued 2, the number 3 card is valued 3 and so on. On the other hand, picture cards don’t carry any value in Baccarat. As for the Ace cards, they carry the value of 1 in the game. Speaking of the number of decks used, land-based Baccarat games are usually played using 8 decks whereas online Baccarat games involve the use of 6 decks.

In Baccarat, your main aim is to correctly predict which of the following propositions will win the next betting round – Banker, Player or Tie. Here, the hand whose total value is exactly 9 or the closest to it wins the game. It’s worth noting that as with some other card-based casino games, a specific set of rules apply when it comes to drawing cards for the Banker hand and the Player hand in Baccarat. The following section explains the Baccarat drawing rules in detail.

Tableau of Baccarat drawing rules

When playing Baccarat, if neither the Banker nor the Player has a natural (an initial hand value of 8 or 9), the Baccarat tableau is called upon. For those who don’t know, the tableau is a set of card drawing rules, which we’ve listed below:

Player’s rule

In both Punto Banco and Lightning Baccarat, the drawing rules for the Player hand are pretty straightforward. If the initial value of the Player’s hand is 5 or less, a third card is drawn. Here, having an initial value of 6 or 7 results in a stand.

Banker’s rule

The rules for the Banker hand are the same as the Player hand, in instances when the Player isn’t required to draw the third card (stood pat). Here, the Banker draws a third card if the value of their hand is 5 or less and stands upon having a 6 or 7.

But if in case the Player has taken the third card, the acting rules for the Dealer tend to be a bit complex. But we’ve listed them one by one:

• The Banker draws a third card if the value of their hand is 2 or less. This is irrespective of what the player’s third card is.
• If the Banker total happens to be 3, they draw a third card if the value of the Player’s third card isn’t 8.
• If the value of the Banker hand is 4, a third card is drawn if the value of the Player’s third card is 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7.
• If the Banker total happens to be 5, a third card is given to them if the value of Player’s third card is any of the following: 4, 5, 6, or 7.
• If the value of the Banker’s hand is 6 and the Player’s third card is a 6 or 7, a third card is drawn.
• When playing Baccarat at any casino UK online, the Banker must stand if their total value is 7.

Payouts and house edge in Baccarat

Now that you know the Baccarat card drawing rules, let’s move on to the payouts and house advantage for the game. As experienced players would guess, the house edge in Baccarat tends to vary based on the number of card decks used. The following table details the house edge and payouts for the game:

Baccarat betting systems and strategies

As with many other casino classics, the game of Baccarat is completely based on the element of luck. As such, it’s important to remember that there’s nothing that can ensure guaranteed wins in Baccarat. For players who still want some Baccarat tips, many experienced players suggest beginners avoid the Tie bet. The reason – the house edge for the Tie bet is ridiculously high, though it offers a pretty substantial payout.

In Baccarat, the winning chances for the Banker bet are slightly higher than the Player bet. But casinos charging a 5% commission fee on winning Banker wagers tends to negate that advantage. If you find a Baccarat game that charges less than the common commission rate, then you may consider placing the Banker bet.

As you’d guess, it’s possible for players to make use of a Baccarat strategy to try to improve their winning chances. Some common Baccarat strategies that are used by several players include the Martingale system, the Fibonacci system and the Streak Swing System. But again, these betting systems may not always work and you might sometimes end up losing more than you expected. As such, always make sure that you have a proper bankroll management system in place. If you’re finding it difficult to control your casino spending, you can take the help of the responsible gambling tools offered by any good casino venue like ours.