Baccarat Strategy

As the newest James Bond Movie, Casino Royale, makes the rounds, there is an accompanying surge of interest in the game of Baccarat. Oddly enough, in the new movie, Bond plays Poker. Baccarat was the original game that Bond played against his nemesis with the fate of the world in the balance.



Everyone wants to know, what exactly is Baccarat? And even more, how do you win at Baccarat? Well, the answer is based on the development of a personal Baccarat strategy. Keep in mind though, this strategy will not make you win every time. However, it should increase the chances of winning. In a game like Baccarat, that may be all you need.

How to Play Baccarat - Basic Rules

First, let's go over briefly the rules. The dealer deals two hands of two cards each, face up. Each hand is added together, and any amount above ten is ignored. For example, a hand is composed of a nine and an eight, the sum adds up to seventeen. Discard the ten's digit and you are left with seven. If the other hand adds up to six or less, the first hand wins. Of course, the second hand can get another card and if it adds up to eight or nine, that hand wins. You decide which hand to bet on after seeing the first deal.

Baccarat Betting Strategies

So you are standing at the table and two hands are showing. Which hand do you bet on and how much do you wager? A good Baccarat strategy is to always bet on the hand that adds up to a natural eight or nine. Almost every time, it will either be the winning hand or the hands will be tied, resulting in a push. Everyone gets their bet back.

If neither hand has a natural eight or nine, and one hand has a higher value, you should usually bet on the other hand if a third card is being dealt. The lowest hand you can have is a two (pair of aces, aces are counted as one). So the largest spread could be a seven to a two. Chances are the next card will lift you over the seven (or at least tie it).

Beating the Baccarat Odds

The thing to remember is that Baccarat is a game of odds and time. Placing smaller strategic bets when natural eights and nines come up is a much more low risk strategy than placing a huge bet on a single deal. The only way real strategies for winning Baccarat can start to pay off is if you stick to one over time.

Another important point to remember is that tens and face cards (Kings, Queens, Jacks) count as zero. There are sixteen of these cards in a standard deck. So sixteen out of fifty-two cards or roughly one quarter of the deck, does not affect the game at all. This is how Baccarat is so different than Baccarat.

Also remember that even the best strategy is not perfect. A winning strategy is one in which you win fifty-one percent of the time. While everyone wants to win all the time, if you find that Baccarat strategy you can quit your day job and sign autographs for a living! It's all about the random statistical variations within the preset odds tables.

By the way, did you know that in most casinos, there are separate rooms exclusively for Baccarat? Casinos really take this game seriously, and so should you. If you want to play one or two times and have the chance of making a fortune, hit the slots. But if you want to take on a real challenge and see how time affects statistical disbursement and weighted odds, then Baccarat is your game.

Have fun!