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Baccarat is an extremely popular game across the globe. Due to the exciting action and its simple rules, Baccarat is now being offered to customers at online gaming sites. Since it’s a card game, it’s difficult to trace back to the exact origin. There are many different versions depending on the country where it’s played. The first card game was invented approximately 2000 years ago in Asia.

In the 14^th century, crusaders brought back various card games to Europe from Asia. At this time, the first printed deck of cards was developed. Christopher Columbus is generally credited with bringing card games to the Americas. The suites were actually created to represent the feudal classes in society.

Like the suites, face cards also had significance. During one period, the faces on the cards were those of Kings, Queens and Soldiers. Some famous figures include:

• Charlemagne
• Alexander the Great
• Julius Caesar
• King David

Famous queens that were placed on cars include:

• Helen of Troy
• Joan of Arc
• Athena
• Rachel

Jacks represented famous knights:

• Roland
• Etienne de Vignoles
• Sir Lancelot
• Hodgier Le Danois

It is thought that around 1492 the game of Baccarat came to fruition in Italy. The original game was based on the Nine Gods, an ancient Roman tradition. As the story goes, 2000 years ago in Rome nine Gods were praying at the base of a virgin. The virgin threw a nine-sided die.

She needed to roll an eight or nine to be crowned as priestess. Rolling a six or seven meant she would lose her status. Anything less than that, she would walk into the sea. Baccarat uses these same numbers for specific actions and to claim a victor.

The first name associated with Baccarat is difficult to pinpoint due to the variations in the game across different European countries. In France, the game was originally outlawed in casinos since royalty felt they only had a right to play. This version migrated to South America, then north to Cuba. Around 1958, the game traveled to the Sands Casino in Las Vegas which is where it made its big American debut.

Currently Baccarat is offered in almost every casino in the world and many online. Although there are two primary versions (French and American), the rules are fairly similar. The game of Baccarat is quite diverse so it can be played at low limits or in the high roller room.

Once you’ve learned the basic rules of baccarat, the next step is to ascertain a few common strategies that will give you an edge against the house. Baccarat is a guessing game as to which hand will win. The banker hand has a slight edge, winning 50.68 percent of all hands. This gives the house a 1.17 percent edge on the banker (due to the 5 percent commission collected by the casino).

Card Counting System

Many mathematicians have argued that baccarat is susceptible to a card counting system, similar to blackjack. The best counting system developed only gives the player a slight advantage on one hand per eight deck shoes. This is not enough of an advantage to make it worth the while. The time involved to gain the edge is enormous and the casino wouldn’t hold the seat for someone not playing consistently.

To attain the advantage, the player must count down every single hand, without playing, until the advantage comes along. This is not a good way to spend time at the casino and over the long run would significantly decrease the player’s hourly earnings.

More Efficient Strategies

Despite the card counting, there are a few strategies that will come in handy during normal play. First, money management is one of the best areas to perfect. This means not making bets too large for your immediate bankroll. Also, do not chase (make larger bets when losing). This is a great way to lose all your money quickly.

Also, if you set a specific goal for winning and hit that mark, walk away. Do not continue to pump money back into the casino. Since the house almost always has the edge, over the long term, you will lose. A big part of successful gambling is discipline. Similarly, when winning, learn to walk away. When winning, only bet with a small portion of it and if you lose that, walk away.

Baccarat is a game that’s as exciting as blackjack or craps. Although not the most popular game in the casino, many flock to it due to the excitement of the game. Following these easy tips will help you to be a more consistent winner. The two keys to baccarat are money management and discipline. Keeping a consistent betting pattern accompanied with knowing when to cut your losses or walk away a winner will help you become steadily successful.

Baccarat is one of only a few casino games giving the player slightly under an even break. Along with Blackjack, Baccarat is one of the most profitable games a customer can play. The house edges only 1.17 percent per bet on a banker hand and 1.36 percent per bet on a player hand.

History

Throughout its tenure, Baccarat has been primarily a high-roller’s game. Only a few players have mastered the game as it’s been kept under wraps to the average customer. In general, the lowest current minimum bid at a Baccarat table is $20.

Baccarat derives from the Italian word, baccara meaning zero which is the point value of all face cards. Baccarat was originally developed from the European game Chemin de Fer. Traced back to 1490, Baccarat was the favorite game among the elite.

Modern Baccarat comes primarily from the game Chemin de Fer as there are many similarities. One difference is that customers play and bet against each other and not specifically against the house. The casino makes money by taking a percentage from the player that’s holding the bank.

Chemin de Fer was actually offered in Last Vegas casino’s during the late 1950’s but was replaced by Baccarat after only a year. This original variant is still available in many European casinos. Although the standard version of Baccarat is played with 14 players, in the 1980’s mini games popped up with 7 players on a Blackjack-sized table.

The Basics

A full table consists of 14 players with 3 dealers in a separated area and 8 decks of cards. The dealers don’t actually distribute the cards. Instead, they simply pass the shoe that holds decks. Each player slides out the cards to one another. A single dealer, known as the “callman” stands up and turns all cards face up after they are dealt.

The callman calls out the point totals of each hand and announces whether different hands can acquire another card. The other dealers remain seated and pay out the winning bets and collect chips from the losing hands. Each seat is numbered indicating where to play the banker bet and where to place the player bet.
Advantages

Due to the nature of the game, Blackjack and video poker players with decent skills and a basic strategy tend to do well. Although average Baccarat are at less of a disadvantage than Blackjack or video poker players, the game doesn’t have any playing strategies that need to be mastered in order to become successful.

Baccarat is one of the least-known games with the best chances for winning. Although mini-Baccarat isn’t currently seen often in casinos, its fast-pace and payout may result in its overall return.

While most casinos only offer one kind of baccarat game, the truth is that there are at least three common variations – Chemin de Fer, banque and punto banco – plus a scaled-down version of punto banco called mini baccarat. At first glance, most amateurs won’t be able to tell the difference between these different baccarat games, but there are a few minute but crucial rule changes from one to the next.

In a live casino, location will likely determine which baccarat game you find in your local casino. Chemin de Fer, as you might have inferred from its name, is most popular in France. Baccarat banque is the baccarat choice in the remainder of Europe, and punto banco is favored by North American and Australian players. When playing baccarat online, you may be able to find more than one version of the game at an Internet casino, but it’s more likely that the site will choose the variation that’s most popular with its target audience.

Though many baccarat players are loyal to the game they know and have learned to love, many punto banco players are oblivious to the fact that when it comes to odds their preferred game is at a disadvantage to baccarat banque and Chemin de Fer. That’s because the latter two variations allow players not only to choose their hand but to intervene to a certain point.

For example, in punto banco two hands are dealt – the Player and the Banker hand. (On a side note, this is where the game gets its name.) Players may bet on either of these hands or on a Tie, but they have no control over how the hands are managed. The casino dealer will hit or stand according to house rules. Under punto banco rules, players have no way of impacting the odds.

By contrast, in Chemin de Fer the dealer/banker position rotates around the table every time a banker loses with the remaining punters representing the player hand. It is this circuitous way of dealing that earned the game its name, since “chemin de fer” loosely translates as “railroad.” Players ultimately decide whether to hit or stand, and the house does not intervene.

In baccarat banque, a player buys the right to sit in the central dealer/banker position. In this variation, hands are always dealt from a multi-deck shoe. In baccarat banque, two player hands are dealt – one to the right side of the banker and one to the left. The hand rules are the same as Chemin de Fer, but the banker may hold their position until the shoe has been exhausted so long as they have the funds to do so.

Every game in the casino from Texas Hold ‘Em to the slot machines has a house edge. A house edge is how the casino ensures they keep some of their money and are able to stay in business. However, different games have a different house edge that can vary from less then one percent to five or more depending on the game. Knowing the best games to play in the casino with the lowest house advantage may help you walk away a winner.

The Five Casino Games with the Lowest House Edge

1. Video Poker- Video poker machines typically carry a house advantage of two percent or less, and some poker machines go as low as half a percent. You can determine the video poker machine’s house advantage by reading the payout scale. The payout scale is typically located on top of or near the poker machine. Occasionally the scale may be listed on the interactive menu.

2. Poker Tables- The poker tables may be the best seat in the house if a player is trying to beat the house edge. This is due to the fact that in the exception of a small sum removed from each pot, the house has virtually no advantage at the poker table. House winnings are completely up to the dealer and the luck of the draw. A highly skilled poker player can eliminate the house advantage at the table.

3. Blackjack- The blackjack table is another spot in the casino with a low house edge. Most blackjack tables carry a house advantage of less then one percent. By knowing the basic blackjack strategies, a player can reduce the house edge to half a percent.

4. Acting as the Banker in Pai Gow- At first glance, acting as the banker in Pai Gow does not seem that appealing, after all you have to pay a five percent commission to the house for the spot. However, the banker in Pai Gow collects on any player he beats, and if you are good at the game, the five percent commission is well worth it.

5. Baccarat- While Baccarat has a higher house advantage then blackjack or the poker tables; it is still one of the best bets in the house. Baccarat only carries slightly more then one percent on the house edge.

By playing games with a low house advantage a player has a better chance of walking away from the casino a winner, however, no player should play a game with high stakes until they are completely familiar with the rules and strategies.

Punto Banco is the North American version of baccarat, one of the most popular casino games in the world.  It is essentially a game of two opposing sides: punto (player) vs. banco (bank).  Similar to baccarat, players only need to make one crucial decision: to bet on the player or the banker.  Once this is determined, the game commences, and there are three possible outcomes: win, lose or draw.

In traditional form, a game of Punto Banco is played on an oval shaped table with up to 14 numbered seats and a total of three dealers.  Two dealers are seated at each side of the table, while the third is seated in the center.  Often referred to as the palette dealer, the third dealer utilizes a wooden paddle to pick up cards and move them across the table.  However, in modern casinos and smaller venues, the game is typically played with a single dealer on a blackjack-sized table.

Objective of the Game

The goal of Punto Banco is to simply bet on the game taking place between the player and the banker.  The winning hand is the one with the value closest to the number nine.  Tens, jacks, queens and kings basically have no relevance, while aces have a value of one.  All cards from two to nine have their original face value.  The value of a given hand is determined by adding up the numbers on the cards.

If a hand happens to total double figures, then ten is deducted from the value.  For instance, if the player has a hand with a seven and an eight, the total value is considered five.  Because the value is in double figures, ten is subtracted to give the hand a total value of five.

Playing the Game

To begin the game, players position their chips on the designated boxes on the table in front of them.  These boxes represent the player, banker, and the tie.  Once all wagers have been put up, the player in the first seat deals four cards from the shoe to the dealer, who then places them.

The dealing rotation is as follows:

• The player receives the first card
• The dealer receives the second card
• The banker receives the final card

After each game of Punto Banco, the card shoe is passed on to the next player.  In more simplistic versions of the game, the dealer handles all the dealing.  Once both the player and the banker have the two cards that form their hand, the following rules apply:

Player’s Rules

• If the player’s hand totals anywhere from zero to five, he or she draws another card.
• If the player’s hand totals six or seven, it automatically stands.
• If the player’s hand totals eight or nine, it is called a natural and automatically stands.

Banker’s Rules

• If the banker’s hand totals anywhere from zero to three, he or she draws another card.
• If the banker’s hand totals four and the player’s hand ranges from two to seven, he or she must draw a third card.
• If the banker’s hand totals five and the player’s hand ranges from four to seven, he or she must draw a third card.
• If the banker’s hand totals six and the player’s hand ranges from six to seven, he or she must draw a third card.  However, this is only the case when the player achieves the total within three cards.  If the player’s total was achieved within two cards, the banker is required to stand.
• If the banker’s hand totals seven, he or she must stand.
• If the banker’s hand ranges from eight to nine, both the banker and player must stand.

Winners, Losers and the Tie

After the hands of the player and banker are determined, Punto Banco will either produce an undisputed winner or a draw.  All bets on the game are paid out at even money, while a winning “banco” wager pays out at 19/20.  In simple terms, a 5% commission goes to the house.

Winnings bets placed on a tie are paid out at 8 to 1.   Losing bets are collected before any winning bets are paid out to the winners.  Should there be a tie, the dealer pays out the bettors accordingly, and other players have the option to let their bets stay as is, modify them, or withdraw them entirely.  Those who bet on either the player or banker do not lose their original bet should a tie occur.

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