Before you can start to play the game you need to learn the basic rules.
There is nothing wrong with playing online for free in order to learn but it is
advisable that you know the rules beforehand so that you do not pick up any bad
habits.
The Sequence
In baccarat, two hands are dealt. One hand is dealt to the dealer and one to
the player. All bets are placed before the hands are dealt. Players can bet
three separate ways - on the dealer, on the banker or on the hand being tied.
Winning on the banker or on the player pays out even (1:1) money whereas the tie
can pay out as much as 9:1, depending on the online casino. Some casinos also
take a 5% levy for betting on the banker. This is due to the fact that it has
been proven that the banker hand will win 3-4 more hands on the standard 8 decks
of cards.
The hands are made up of two to three cards. The dealer first receives two
cards face down and then another two cards are dealt face down as the players'
cards. The cards are then all turned face up and if neither party has 8 or 9
then another card is dealt. The party with the total closest to 9 is declared
the winner. An 8 or a 9 is called a "natural".
The Rules
The game is played with either 6 or 8 card decks. The card values work
according to their numerical values with tens and picture cards being worth zero
and aces being worth 1. When the cards are totalled, only the second digit is
calculated. For example, 9 would equal 9 but 16 would equal 6 - only the right
hand digit is used.
If the first two cards total 8 or 9 then this is a winning hand and no
further cards are dealt. However, if the player's hand totals 5 or less a third
card is drawn. The bank has to stand on 6 or more and must take a card when the
total is 5 or less. Furthermore, if the bank's total is two or less a third card
has to be drawn.
Here is where it gets a bit more complex. If the bank has a total of 3 then
the bank must draw a third card unless the player's third card is an 8. If the
bank has a total of 4 then a third card must be drawn unless the player's third
card is a 0, 1, 8 or 9. If the bank has a total of 5 a third card has to be
drawn unless the player's third card is 4, 5, 6 or 7. If the bank has a total of
6 a third card is drawn unless the player's third card is 6 or 7. The bank
stands on a total of 7.
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