Most gamblers can now play Baccarat. However, only wealthy players could play this game before. What’s more, only designated areas in casinos could have Baccarat tables. That’s because Baccarat has always been considered a game for the elite. Gamblers that used to play this game were expected to combine knowledge and skills. But this perception is slowly changing. Today, people see Baccarat as a pretty simple game. It’s also gaining increasing popularity due to its low house edge, which is not the case for some table games.
Basic Baccarat
The basic online Baccarat has simple rules where a player’s goal is to get close to 9 with 3 or 2 dealt cards. This game doesn’t have a busting option. Pairing, suits, and straights don’t count. All face cards value is 0 while the ace value is 1 point. If a gambler’s hand exceeds 9, the counting process starts again.
If the player has two cards whose total is not more than 7, they can request an extra card. But, if the total is 8 or 9, the winning number is the highest. And the dealer is also allowed to do the same. The winner is known when the third cards turn face up.
Chemin de Fer
Chemin de Fer is the French Baccarat variant. It’s also called the “railroad” because that’s what Chemin de Fer means. In this game, a stake is set out by the croupier. Chemin de Fer is different from the other Baccarat variants because it allows gamblers to compete against each other. Thus, a gambler doesn’t play against the dealer. If a gambler wishes to match the dealer’s stake, they simply say, “go to the bank” or Banco.
Once a player says that. They become the banker or wager an amount less than the required full stake and the betting continues. A player can also wager until they match the banker’s stake. The croupier is allowed to decline the bet if it exceeds the total of the banker.
When this happens, the player with the highest stake playing for the bettor’s group is dealt cards. Players turn over cards if the total is 9 or 8. The dealer takes the wagers when the total is less. Essentially, the casino doesn’t participate in the entire betting process. What’s more, it doesn’t offer any financial backing.
Baccarat en Banque
Baccarat en Banque is also called a deux tableaux. This translates to “two tables” in English. With this Baccarat variant, a banker is known when every round starts. This makes it different from Chemin de Fer because, with this variant, players act as bankers.
This game comes with three card decks in the shoe deck. Players are dealt 2 hands each after shuffling the cards, one on the right and one on the left side, while the banker is dealt only 1 hand. The player is then allowed to choose to bet on both hands or either of the table sides. The bet then moves to the table’s center. However, betting on the hand of the dealer is not allowed.
A player can go back, and if they win, they can take a banking seat. If none of these happens, a player can’t try to bust a similar banker a second time. This game is common in European casinos. A player can join a table even when alone, while Chemin de Fer requires a minimum of two players.
Punto Banco
This is the closest classic Baccarat game’s variation. Punto Banco differs from the other variants in that the action unfolds according to the rules and gamers don’t have optional plays.
A single dealer can run Punto Banco because they are in charge of the action in this game. A player bets on the Bank or the Player, after which cards are dealt. The winner is the one with a hand whose total is closest to 9.
Chemin de Fer, Baccarat en Banque, and Punto Banco are all Baccarat variants. However, they have slight variations in their gameplay and rules that you should understand to enjoy playing them and boost your winning chances.