Baccarat is one of the coolest card games going. It's got a fantastic and enthusiastic following, plus it's easy to learn. However, it might not feel like that if you're not in the know. So let's get you up to speed with these Baccarat FAQs.
Give our article the once over and pretty soon you'll be playing baccarat with the best of 'em!
In short, yes. Baccarat is pretty old. That's the same as many of the classic casino games, like roulette and blackjack. But the exact age of the game is up for debate.
Some say that baccarat goes as far back as the 1400s and is based on an Italian game.
However, others say the 1800s is a more likely start date for the card game.
The upper crust of French society were wild about baccarat in the 19th century. They played it on ornate card tables with early style playing cards.
We're going to get into strategy later on in these baccarat FAQs, but before we do, let's set the scene for those of you who don't know much about baccarat.
Baccarat is about two hands: the player's hand and the banker's hand. And the objective is to reach 9 points.
The three outcomes in a game of baccarat are that the player wins, the banker wins or it's a draw, aka egalite.
The interesting thing about baccarat is you can bet on any outcome. You're not tied to the player's bets, like in some other games.
Another important thing to get your head around is how hands are scored. It's pretty simple though, don't worry. Just remember this:
The maximum you can score in a game of baccarat is 9 points. If your hand adds up to more than 9 points, the first digit is struck off and the second digit becomes your score.
So for example, if you get two 7s, they add up to 14. But you strike off the 1 and then you're left with a 4 point score.
Punto banco is the most common version of baccarat. So for these beginners' baccarat FAQs, we're going to talk punto blanco strategy.
Now let's talk lingo. The punto is the player's hand, the banco is the banker's. The fixed rules the game plays out to is the tableau. The coup is the betting round.
During each coup, each hand is dealt two cards. If they reach 8 or 9 points, they automatically win. If they both have 8 or 9 points, they tie.
But things get interesting when that doesn't happen. Then the player gets a third card and the banker may or may not…
After the third card is drawn, the winning hand is the one that's closest to 9 points.
Here's what you can expect to get if you win:
Now you've got your head around the game, let's turn the attention of the baccarat FAQs to where you can try it out yourself.
Many decent online casinos stock baccarat games. But one of our favourites at the moment has got to be bet365.
You can play regular baccarat or you can bring it to life with Live Casino baccarat streamed straight to your computer screen.
There are lots of different budget options, so you can start as small as you like while you're getting the hang of things.
Plus, there's this great bet365 bonus code for new players.
Most decent casinos do have at least a few baccarat tables. It's always so much fun playing in real life, but we'd advise getting the hang of it online first before you book flights to Vegas!
Yes, it is! Baccarat is a great casino game to play at home, whether it's casually with one or two friends or during a full-blown DIY casino party night.
In a casino, baccarat is usually played with six to eight decks of cards. But if you're just playing for fun with friends, pick up a couple of cool decks and go for it.
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