Baccarat, also known as Punto Banco, is a classic card game that has been enjoyed for hundreds of years. The modern version of the game has been played since the Napoleonic era and is still popular in casinos from Las Vegas to Macau. In the first part of our baccarat for beginners series, we will take a closer look at the rules and how the game is played.
The basic rules of baccarat
Baccarat may seem like a daunting game, but if you know the basic rules, you will find that it’s one of the simplest casino games out there. The goal of the game is to bet on whether the “player” (Punto) or the “banker” (Banco) will win by having the hand with a value closest to 9. Both hands are dealt two cards at the beginning of the round, and the cards have the following values: Aces are worth 1 point, 2 to 9 are worth their face value, and 10, J, Q and K are worth 0 points.
If the hand value exceeds 9, 10 points are subtracted from the hand. For example, if the player begins the round with a 9 and a 6, the total point value will be 5 (9 + 6 – 10 = 5). If the banker has a Q and a 7, the banker wins the round with a score of 7. Most baccarat rounds are decided after the first two cards have been dealt. In certain situations, however, a third card is needed to determine a winner. The player draws a third card if their total score is 5 or lower, and the banker gets a third card depending on their own score and the value of the player’s third card. If either the player or the banker starts the round with an 8 or a 9, both stand and no additional cards are dealt – this is called a natural baccarat.
At the beginning of the round, you have three options to bet on: the player wins, the banker wins, or the round ends in a tie. Unlike blackjack and most poker games, you don’t have to do anything after you’ve placed your initial bet. Just lean back and watch the game unfold!
Popular baccarat games at Boom Casino
Baccarat is a favorite among high rollers and players who love fast gameplay. If you want to try it out for yourself, we recommend paying a visit to our live casino where you will find a wide variety of Punto Banco games. Take a seat at one of Evolution Gaming’s many Baccarat tables or try your luck in Baccarat Control Squeeze, an exciting live game that allows the players to reveal the cards themselves. We also offer Lightning Baccarat, which features a massive win multiplier of up to 512x!
Baccarat is a timeless casino classic. Tune in to part two of our guide to learn the best baccarat strategies and tips!