Baccarat is a relatively old casino card game. Today, it is one of the most popular games in the world of gambling. One of the main reasons for that is the way this game works which is why many of the best casino players are opting for this card game when they are trying to make a profit. For instance, Phil Ivey, one of the top poker players, has won more than 10 million dollars playing this card game in a land-based casino in London, the UK not while ago. What’s interesting is that the casino didn’t want to pay the prize, so the celebration turned into a scandal.

How to Play

Baccarat is a game that relies on card comparing, something similar to Blackjack. However, unlike Blackjack, Baccarat doesn’t require any special set of skills. What makes baccarat fun and interesting is the fact that there are no special strategies associated with it. The vast majority of casino games with a relatively low edge are related to some strategy. However, when it comes to baccarat, players can enjoy the same low edge regardless of their moves because all the player has to do is to determine how big their bets are and which of the two hands they want to place their bet on – banker or player. Of course, the Tie bet which comes with a high edge can make things a little bit different.

Play online Baccarat

Now let’s see how baccarat is played. There are two hands that are dealt, and the one with higher cards is a winning hand. The player can choose to bet on one of the two hands to win. One of the hands is known as Player and the other is known as Banker, but the names of these hands have nothing to do with your betting options and the odds. Namely, the Player hand is not associated with you in any way and the Banker hand is not related to the casino. Feel free to call them hand one and hand two. Keep in mind that just one Player hand is dealt each turn regardless of the number of players since this hand is not associated with players’ hands. It is also possible to bet on a tie between the Player and Banker, but don’t forget that a bet like this comes with a high 14.4$ house edge.

When it comes to online baccarat, the player can place their bet simply by clicking on the assigned button or the suitable area of the online baccarat table. Learning more about the pros and cons of any baccarat bet and making moves based on the knowledge you have gained can help you become a successful baccarat player.

Once you place the bet, the Banker and the Player will get two different cards. It is possible for the Player to draw an additional card. However, contrary to Blackjack rules, the baccarat player can’t ask for an additional card. Namely, this decision is based on the rules of baccarat which say that in case the sum of the Player’s two cards is 5 or less than 5, the Player must get another hand. If the sum is over 5, the Player won’t receive another card. Of course, you don’t have to learn this rule because when you are playing online, the software will provide an additional card automatically.

Another thing that makes baccarat different compared to blackjack is that the player can get just one additional card. In other words, a baccarat hand can’t have more than three cards.

Cards between 2 and 9 in baccarat have their original face value. This means that three is worth 3 points, seven is worth 7 points etc. The face cards are worth zero points and players get 1 point for aces.

The valuation of hands is probably the most specific thing about baccarat. For many people, it is difficult to understand how the value of a hand is just 8 when just one of the cards is worth 8 points.

The explanation is simple – the hand value is determined by checking the rightmost number of the entire sum. So, in case you have a hand of two eights, the hand value is 6 because 8+8=16 and the rightmost number is 6.

As previously mentioned, aces are valued 1, 10s and face cards have no value and cards between 2 and 9 are worth their face value. The best possible hand value in this card game consists of two cards totaling 9. This leads to a straight win unless some other player has a hand that is valued 9. In case the final value of the cards in play exceeds 10, then 10 is subtracted in order to get a number with one digit. For instance, a hand that has 8 and 7 has a value of 5 (the rightmost number rule). So, hand valuation can be a little bit difficult for new players, and that’s why it is highly recommended to play baccarat for free in the beginning. In this way, you can determine whether you want and whether you are ready to invest real money in online casinos. It’s worth mentioning that people should not be concerned about these rules too much because hand value is calculated by the dealer in land-based casinos and by the software in online casinos.

There is more than one good reason to play free baccarat games on the Internet. To start with, players can try free baccarat and different versions of this game for free so they can get a better understanding of this game before they make a decision whether they will play for real money in some of the online casinos that we have reviewed on our website. In addition, by choosing free online baccarat, you can enjoy this interesting card game without leaving your home. You also won’t need to travel to the nearest casino and you can do it at any time of the day or night. Online baccarat promises great fun, perfect security, anonymity and comfort for every player.