Baccarat Strategy Revealed
Baccarat, which is sometimes referred to as “chemin de fer” or “chemmy” in casino circles, is an easy-to-play card game with a long history. It is said to have been developed in the Middle Ages, and its three variants today (punto banco, baccarat banque, and chemin-de-fer) are found in casinos worldwide. The object is to bet on a player or banker hand that has a total closer to nine than the opponent’s. Picture cards and tens are worth 0 points, cards numbered 1 to 9 have their face value, and aces count as one point. When the total point score crosses nine or enters a double digit, the first digit is dropped.
There are from seven to 14 seats around the table, depending on the version of baccarat being played, and each player has his or her own betting area. The dealer then deals two hands of cards—the Player’s hand and the Banker’s hand. The goal is to bet on the hand that you think has the best final total when all the pips (clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades) are added up. Nine is the best hand, but it can be lost if the other hand has a higher total than 9.
When the game starts, players will place their wagers and the dealer will announce, “No more bets.” He or she will then deal a single card to the Player box and another to the Banker box. If your bet matches the winning hand, you will win that round. If you bet on a tie, your money will be refunded.
Many players have a strategy that they try to use when playing baccarat. For example, a former blackjack counter who was banned from global blackjack pits and who now plays baccarat has a definite strategy that he will not reveal in any detail. This strategy involves studying past results and looking for patterns that emerge over time.
Bill Zender, a veteran Nevada Gaming Control Agent who has managed casino games for more than 40 years and literally wrote the book on managing them, has seen the popularity of baccarat grow over his career. He says Asian high rollers are now more likely to choose baccarat over blackjack as the game fits their cultural preferences better.
In a casino, you’ll find a variety of bets on the game, but the most common are Player’s Bet and Banker’s Bet. Player’s Bet pays 8-to-1, while Banker’s Bet pays 9-to-1. An expert gambler I know tells me that the Banker’s Bet is one of the five worst bets in a casino, but that doesn’t stop countless baccarat fans from placing big bets on it based on hunches and irrational trends. This is a mistake, as the odds are actually 15-to-1 against you. In fact, if you employ basic blackjack strategy, the casino has only a 0.5 percent disadvantage against you, which is considerably less than in baccarat. That’s not much of a profit, but it is better than what you’d get on a bet on the Banker’s Side or Player’s Side.