BACCARAT




Baccarat (/ˈbækəræt/ or /bɑːkəˈrɑː/; French: [bakaʁa]) is a card game played at casinos. There are three popular variants of the game: punto banco (or "North American baccarat"), baccarat chemin de fer (or "chemmy"), and baccarat banque(or "à deux tableaux"). Punto banco is strictly a game of chance, with no skill or strategy involved; each player's moves are forced by the cards the player is dealt. In baccarat chemin de fer and baccarat banque, by contrast, both players can make choices, which allows skill to play a part. Despite this, the winning odds are in favour of the bank, with a house edge no lower than around 1 percent.

Baccarat is a comparing card game played between two hands, the "player" and the "banker". Each baccarat coup has three possible outcomes: "player" (player has the higher score), "banker", and "tie".

Game rules 

If neither the Player nor Banker is dealt a total of 8 or 9 in the first two cards (known as a "natural"), the tableau is consulted, first for Player's rule, then Banker's.

* Player's rule

If Player has an initial total of 0–5, he draws a third card. If Player has an initial total of 6 or 7, he stands.

* Banker's rule

If Player stood pat (i.e., has only two cards), the banker regards only his own hand and acts according to the same rule as Player. That means Banker draws a third card with hands 0–5 and stands with 6 or 7.

If Player drew a third card, the Banker acts according to the following more complex rules:

* If Player drew a 2 or 3, Banker draws with 0–4 and stands with 5–7.

* If Player drew a 4 or 5, Banker draws with 0–5 and stands with 6–7.

* If Player drew a 6 or 7, Banker draws with 0–6 and stands with 7.

* If Player drew an 8, Banker draws with 0–2 and stands with 3–7.

* If Player drew an ace, 9, 10, or face-card, the Banker draws with 0–3 and stands with 4–7.

The casinos list these rules in a more easily remembered format as follows:

* If the banker total is 2 or less, then the banker draws a card, regardless of what the player's third card is.

* If the banker total is 3, then the bank draws a third card unless the player's third card was an 8.

* If the banker total is 4, then the bank draws a third card if the player's third card was 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

* If the banker total is 5, then the bank draws a third card if the player's third card was 4, 5, 6, or 7.

* If the banker total is 6, then the bank draws a third card if the player's third card was a 6 or 7.

* If the banker total is 7, then the banker stands.

A math formula equivalent to the drawing rules is: take the value of Player's third card, counting 8 and 9 as −2 and −1. Divide by 2 always rounding down towards zero. (Thus −1, 0, and 1 all round to zero when this division is done.) Add three to the result. If the Banker's current total is this final value or less, then draw; otherwise, stand.

The croupier will deal the cards according to the tableau and the croupier will announce the winning hand: either Player or Banker. Losing bets will be collected and the winning bets will be paid according to the rules of the house. Usually, even money or 1–1 will be paid on Player bets and 95% to Banker bets (even money with "5% commission to the house").

Should both Banker and Player have the same value at the end of the deal the croupier shall announce "égalité — tie bets win." All tie bets will be paid at 8 to 1 odds and all bets on Player or Banker remain in place and active for the next game (the customer may or may not be able to retract these bets depending on casino rules).