SubscribeThe game of Baccarat owes its international stature to the popular James Bond movies and books.
Bond fans know that 007’s appetite for entertainment extends beyond beautiful women, fancy cars and martinis and that Ian Fleming’s charismatic character is also particularly drawn to the good game of Baccarat.
Some people believe that Baccarat originated as an ancient pagan ritual, but whether the theory holds any merit remains unknown. What is known is that the Italians enjoyed playing Baccarat as early as the 1400’s and during the reign of Charles VIII (1483 -1498) it became one of the French nobility’s favourite pastimes.
Baccarat on the Internet
Baccarat as we know it today originated in Britain and though it is still viewed by many as the game of the elite, it gained mass appeal with the introduction of online Baccarat on the internet.
Baccarat players enjoy the thrill of the game as it is a game of chance that offers a 50 – 50 chance of winning. The object of Baccarat is to get a two card hand as close to nine as possible. The player and the banker are both dealt two cards. If the hand the player is betting on wins they win double their bet (even money 1:1). If the player has bet in a tie they get 8:1 on a win.
In both online and offline Baccarat the player gets the chance to bet on either the bankers hand winning or the players hand winning. Players can also bet on a tie between the two hands.
It is important to note that there is no number ten in the game and that tens and face cards count as a zero. All cards from two through to nine are worth their face value.
If the first two cards on a draw total an eight or a nine the hand will be declared a “natural” and automatically wins. If both the player and the banker tie with “naturals” however the rule does not apply. In this case the winner will be determined by drawing another card.
Expert Baccarat players may claim that their strategies are full proof, but this can simply not be guaranteed. A player has a much better chance at beating the house if they limit the amount of time spend playing the game.
Some of the strategies people claim to have mastered are explained below.
The D’Alembert Baccarat Strategy is based on the scientific fact that “nature seeks equilibrium.” The system was invented by a 17th century mathematician who claims it can be used in any situation where a player can place an even chance bet.
The Martingale Baccarat strategy allows for consistent profit and is completely based on statistics favouring the player. Implementing this strategy reduces the chance of losing eight consecutive bets to as low as 0.0025%.
The Contra D’Alembert Baccarat Strategy completely contradicts the D’Alembert Baccarat Strategy and dares you to take the risk. When you win you must increase your bets by one unit.
Those who do not believe in high stakes favour the Fibonacci Baccarat Strategy. The player is protected against losing small amounts, but get the chance to break even and build profit.
The Labouchere Baccarat Strategy is regarded as the best in terms of Baccarat. The player can decide on how much they would like to win against how much they are willing to risk.
The game of Baccarat is quite unique in that the game’s objective is to place a bet on the winning hand and the card suits hold no meaning at all. Only two hands are dealt regardless of how many players take part. The banker gets a hand and the player gets one.
In terms of card values the Ace is worth one, two through nine are worth their face value and the tens and face cards are worth zero. The hand’s total is determined by summing up the values in the hand. When the total is ten or more, ten must be subtracted with the remaining total being the card count.
Normal Baccarat is offered by most online casinos, but herewith a few varieties of the game.
The French version of Baccarat is called Chemin-de-Fer (meaning railroad). It involves the “shoe” being passed on by the banker whenever he or she loses a hand.
Baccarat en Banque is another French version of the classic game. The banker gets dealt one hand and the player two hands. The player can then bet on either of the hands dealt to him or her, but not on the banker’s hand.
Mini Baccarat differs from the normal game in that it has lower betting limits, a smaller table and only one dealer or banker.
In Private Baccarat the banker has the option of dealing the player with two hands. The player can then decide whether to play one or both hands. In order to win the player must win both hands. If he or she doesn’t it is declared a tie.