Baccarat 101: The complete guide to winning

Baccarat is one of the oldest casino card games, with roots dating all the way back to 14th-century Italy. This historical legacy and exotic-sounding name have given the game an air of mystique, and novices to the casino scene often mistakenly consider it to be a complex, if not an esoteric, game. 

However, this couldn’t be farther from the truth since it is, in fact, one of the more accessible card games available today, particularly when compared to poker and its many variations. Furthermore, with the right strategies and playing style, baccarat can even be one of the more winnable card games you can play.

Interested in learning more about this intriguing game? Read everything you need to know about the game including its basic mechanics, origins and strategies in this complete guide to bitcoin baccarat. Plus, you can also find some easy-to-learn tips you can put to use today in a Bitcasino online baccarat game! Continue reading below for more information.

What is baccarat?

Baccarat is a popular card game played in most casinos all over the world. It comes in three standard versions: American Baccarat ('punto banco'), the Chemmy ('baccarat chemin de fer') and Baccarat Banque ('à deux tableaux').

It’s played between the player and the banker. The two compare hands, and one that has the higher score wins. Those who bet on the winning side receive their corresponding payouts. Lastly, the game can also end in a draw ('tie').

When you first sit down at the baccarat table, the first thing that you will notice is the number of seats that are available. Depending on the size of the table, there will be anywhere between seven and 14 seats on offer to participants. More often than not, online casinos tend to offer mini-baccarat tables to customers, and a mini-baccarat table will allow for up to seven participants at one time.

How baccarat’s fame came to be

Although often overlooked in favour of blackjack and poker, baccarat is one of the oldest card games around. In fact, baccarat pre-dates both blackjack and poker by some margin.

This somewhat subdued reputation has worked to give the game a fair bit of mystique, and baccarat is often considered to be the preferred game of the ultra-rich – hence its reputation as a high-roller’s game. 

This has been bolstered in recent years with bitcoin baccarat making notable appearances in James Bond movies, where the titular protagonist is said to be particularly fond of this most historic of card games.

Italian origins

One of the things that surprise people the most about baccarat is how deep the game’s historical roots go. Before baccarat graced our screens as one of the most popular online games, baccarat first emerged over 500 years ago in medieval Italy. 

It was originally created in the 1400s by an Italian man named Felix Falguiere, who named the game after the Italian for zero, 'baccarat'. However, many say it originated in Etruria, the region in Central Italy that covered what we now know as Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio. 

The legend says that an Etruscan lady once had to throw the die. Eight of nine would have made her a priestess, six or seven would banish her from social life forever, while anything lower than six would result in her being drowned in the sea. From this strange ordeal, the game of Baccarat originated.

Another theory, however, suggests that Baccarat was born from Macao, a card game that the sailors brought with them from Asia. 

From France to England

From Italy, baccarat made its way across the European continent, eventually finding favour among the French upper classes. Although the name changed slightly and it became known as Chemin de Fer, the ruleset remained largely the same as it was when first played in Italy. 

Most notably, baccarat found its way into the royal court of King Charles VIII, who was known to indulge in more than a few games of baccarat each evening with his attending noblemen. As such, it was not long before it became a firm favourite of the French aristocracy, who were keen to replicate the favoured stylings of their beloved king.

What this goes to show is that even in times gone by, part of the appeal of baccarat was found in its association with the monied classes, an influence that we can notice on the game even today. Across the Channel in England, baccarat caught on for many of the same reasons as it did in France, and soon found favour among the aristocracy.

In 1950, Baccarat arrived at the Sands Casino in Las Vegas. It was not as popular as poker or slot machine and had to be marketed as a game 'not for everyone' that was played in separate rooms with luxurious interiors. The reputation of an 'exclusive' game soon turned the tide and attracted attention to Baccarat.

The golden days of Cuban casinos

Before hostilities reached a peak in the mid-1960s, Havana, Cuba was a playground for the rich and famous. Thousands flocked to its golden shores for food, fun and most importantly, gambling in the area’s many casinos. 

One particularly prominent player in this scene was Tommy Renzoni, who was building up a name for himself as one of the best baccarat players. When tensions began increasing, Renzoni left Cuba behind as the Castro government was closing the area’s many casinos and found a new home in the Sands Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada in the US. 

Here, Renzoni significantly increased the reputation of the game, particularly among the ultra-rich and wealthy. The version he brought over was known as 'Punto Banco', which is still popularly played today across the world. It is in this period that the profile of the game really began to increase, and it soon established itself as one of the most popular card games being played across the world. 

The association with the golden age of Havana and the early days of the Las Vegas card game scene has definitely added to the game’s distinctive style and its overall cool factor. These were the days of Frank Sinatra and the 'Rat Pack', whose undeniable coolness has rubbed off on the legacy of the game.

The Bond connection

Perhaps the crowning moment in the progression of baccarat from a much-loved Italian street game to one firmly associated with the monied classes and, as a result, all things stylish and cool is in its associations with James Bond. 

Ian Fleming, the author of the series of James Bond books on which the famous film series was based, was a renowned baccarat player. And for this reason, the character of Bond is a frequent baccarat player in both the book and film series. 

Casinos have provided a backdrop for many scenes in Bond movies, but it is the famous Dr No scene in Casino Royale that firmly cemented baccarat into cinema history. 

Appearing in a series of films as popular as James Bond has certainly done a lot to popularise the game, but more importantly, it has entrenched an association with all things cool and stylish – such that baccarat is now inseparable from visions of classy casinos, black tie and high-stakes gambling for the ultra-wealthy.

Today, Baccarat is a staple game in both land-based and online casinos. It has been included in several films and is often seen as the casino game of choice for casinos’ high-class clientele. In Bitcasino, you can play more than ten versions of online Baccarat.

How to play bitcoin live baccarat

In simple terms, the aim of baccarat bitcoin is to choose the correct hand. Unlike a card game such as blackjack where you have to play the hand you’re dealt, baccarat allows you to select and bet on either of the two hands in play: the player or the banker. 

Before the start of a round (known as a coup), you have to choose between the 'player' or the 'bank' (the dealer’s hand). After you’ve done this, each hand is dealt two cards. Once the cards are out, a winner is determined by the hand that has the best total, 9, or the second-best total, 8.

Card values

Of course, if you know anything about card games, you’re probably asking how it’s possible to make a total of 8 or 9 when there are high-value cards in play. Well, the way things work in bitcoin baccarat is that the value of a hand is determined by the right digit of the total number. So, using the scoring system below, you take the total value of the two cards and then look at the figure on the right to get your score:

• Ace = 1
• 2-9 = Face value of the card
• Picture Cards = 0

For example, if a hand consists of a 4 and an Ace, the overall total would be 5, making the final score 5. In contrast, if the hand comprises two 7s, the total would be 14. In this instance, because the sum exceeds the maximum value of 9, you only look at the number on the right, which is 4. Thus, if you were dealt two 7s, your starting score would be 4.  

Rules

Anytime a score of 8 or 9 isn’t achieved by either hand during the initial deal, a draw will take place. However, unlike blackjack where you can pull cards at will, bitcoin baccarat has certain conditions in place. The rules below dictate when the player and bank hands must draw cards:

• If the player’s or banker’s hand has a total of 8 or 9, they must stand or not get any additional cards
• If the player’s hand has a score of 5 or less, they get to draw a card
• If the player’s hand is strong enough to stand with two cards (i.e. 7) and the banker’s hand is 5 or less, the latter gets to draw a card.
  

However, if the player takes a third card, the rules on when the bank can draw will change according to the following conditions:

• If the player draws a 2 or 3, the bank can take a new card if their score is between 0 and 4. However, the bank must stand if they have a score between 5 and 7.
• If the player draws a 4 or 5, the bank can take a new card if their score is between 0 and 5. However, the bank must stand if they have a score of 5 or 7.
• If the player draws a 6 or 7, the bank can take a new card if their score is between 0 and 6. However, the bank must stand if they have a score of 7.
• If the player draws an 8, the bank can take a new card if their score is between 0 and 2. However, the bank must stand if they have a score between 3 and 7.
• If the player draws an Ace, 9, 10 or face card, the bank can take a new card if their score is between 0 and 3. However, the bank must stand if they have a score between 4 and 7.
  

Once the draw is complete, the player with the highest total (the one closest to 9) is declared the winner.

Bets and house edge percentages

There are three different outcomes you can place a wager on when you’re playing bitcoin baccarat. The first is to bet that the player will win, the second for the banker to win and the third is a wager on the game ending in a tie. 

Depending on which option you choose, there is a different house edge. If you place a wager on the player, then there is a house edge of 1.36%, but if you bet on the banker, then the house edge goes up to 1.06%. Finally, the house edge shoots up to 14.4% if you go for a tie.

Payouts

Since there are only three bets, the payouts for each one are easy to understand. Wagering on a tie has the biggest payout, with a return of 8:1 for bettors. However, this outcome is the least likely to happen and has a much larger house edge than the other two options. 

The banker and player bets both return even money. This means that if you wager $20, you will get $40 back—your $20 winnings and your $20 stake returned. 

However, if you choose to wager on the banker, you will usually have to pay a 5% commission for all wins because the banker is essentially the house. This means that a winning bet on the banker actually pays out 19:20, which means that if you wager $20, you will receive $38 back instead of $40 when compared to a winning bet on the player.

Baccarat variations to know

Like most casino games, baccarat also has a few variations because of how popular it has become throughout the world. Three are considered the most renowned, namely Punto Banco, Chemmy ad Baccarat Banque variations.

Punto Banco

American Baccarat, or Punto Banco, is the type of Baccarat commonly played in Australia, the United States and Canada. In this variation, the players must bet on which of the two hands, 'Player' or 'Banker' ends up having a value closest to nine. It is also allowed to bet on the tie. 

After the players have made their bets, the cards are shuffled and put into a box called the 'shoe'. It is passed among the players counterclockwise, and the player with the 'shoe' represents the banker, though he or she is not bound to bet on the banker’s hand. 

Four cards are dealt face down then: two go to the banker, and two to the player that wagered the most money on the player’s hand. After the player has had a look at the cards, they are passed to the dealer and the hand value is announced. The same happens with the banker’s cards.

Chemin de fer

The Chemmy or Chemin de Fer ('the railway' in French), is a faster-paced game. Again, one player is named 'banker' and the others are 'punters'. These positions are rotated counterclockwise. 

As the round begins, the banker must wager the sum that he or she is willing to risk. The players can either 'go bank' which means wagering against the entire bank or make their own wagers. 

Once the bets have been made, two cards go to the banker and the other two cards are held by the players in common. If either party has eight or nine, the value is announced at once. 

If not, the representative of the players chooses whether to accept the third card dealt face-up or not and so does the banker. Both hands are then revealed. If the banker’s hand wins, the position of the banker does not change, but if the banker loses, the position is passed on to the next player.

Baccarat Banque

Lastly, in Baccarat Banque, the banker remains in the same position until all of the cards (three packs shuffled together) have been dealt. After the players have made their wagers, three cards are dealt to the player on the banker’s right, then to the one on the banker’s left, and, finally, to the banker. 

The hands with the value of eight or nine are announced at once. If there are none, the players and the banker can accept or refuse one more card before all the hands are shown and compared.

Strategies on winning baccarat

Because baccarat relies on a combination of both luck and skill, it is important to have a strategy when you go into the game. This is because the house edge tips the game slightly in the casino’s favour. The odds are in favour of the house at 45.85% and for the player at 44.62%. The odds of the hand ending in a tie are much lower, and come in at 9.53%. 

Luck alone will not give you a regular profit from baccarat, but luck and a strategy give you a much better chance. When you go into the game with a strategy, you somehow tip the odds back in your favour. 

But before you choose which strategy to follow, remember to always seek out those that reduce the house edge, which then allows you to increase your chances in the game and manage your bankroll more effectively. 

Consider the following options below before you try your hand in winning baccarat:

1-3-2-4 strategy

The 1-3-2-4 strategy is a positive progression system that starts with the player betting with one unit. If the player loses that hand, they keep betting a single unit. 

Once the player wins a hand, they then proceed to bet three units. If the player wins again, they then bet two units, and if they lose, they go back to betting one unit again. If the player wins four in a row, the sequence is started again.

Martingale strategy

In contrast to the 1-3-2-4 strategy, the Martingale strategy is a negative progression strategy. With this system, players are required to double their stake following each loss since it relies on the player eventually winning to cover their losses and turn a profit. 

Because it requires the player to double their stake with each loss, the total amount on the line will eventually reach the table maximum, which could provide a big pay-off if successful.

Flat betting strategy

This is where you place the same wager on every game. For example, if you wager $10, then you will stick with that wager throughout your playing session. The benefit of this betting strategy is that over the long run, you will not lose a drastic amount because your bet never increases to cover losses. 

However, you will also not make a huge amount of profit because your wagers will never increase and will always stay at your long-term affordable level.

Tips on how to win baccarat

With the above strategies in mind, the following are some quick tips that can help you implement them successfully in your games:

Avoid betting on tie

While the house edge is something you cannot lower when playing baccarat, you can minimise its effect to a degree. There are several ways to do this, with the easiest one being avoiding the tie bet. 

It offers the best rate of return out of all the available bets but it also has the largest house edge with fairly low payout odds. By avoiding this bet, you instantly reduce the house edge that you are playing against.

This leaves just placing a bet on the banker or on the player, which has a house edge of 1.06% and 1.36% respectively. By sticking to these two bets, the house edge is lowered significantly and the possibility of walking away with a profit is much more likely. These two bets are the safest when playing baccarat, with betting on the banker being marginally safer for participants.

Bet on the banker

One simple approach players can try when first playing baccarat is to choose the banker as their first bet. Bankers will generally have a competitive edge over 50% of the time so this is usually a safe bet. 

You can try this as an opening strategy to test the waters before attempting a more complex strategy. Although somewhat of a boring strategy given the odds, this is a good way to get a feel for the table and to ease yourself into the game!

Consider the number of decks used

Different baccarat game types use a varied number of card decks. It’s important to remember that the house edge is proportional to the number of decks on the table. As such, the fewer decks in play, the better your odds. Although the advantage will be very slight, in a game of pure chance, such as baccarat, over time this might be enough to tip the odds in your favour.

Keep track of your bets

Since the odds of winning are essentially 50/50 and the rate of play is very high, it’s important to keep track of the game history to spot any potential trends. Always start with safe low-value bets. Having said that, given the essentially 50:50 odds at stake, players shouldn’t get sucked into keeping detailed written notes. Mindfulness is, in this regard, a much better strategy.

Trust your instinct

As baccarat is a relatively simple game, it’s difficult to guess outcomes with any degree of accuracy. For this reason, it’s best to trust your betting instinct in such a high-paced style of game.

Keep an eye out on your bankroll

As baccarat is a game of pure chance with a fast pace, it’s good to always keep a close watch on your bankroll and practice responsible gaming. It’s rare to win more than one or two hands in a row, so don’t get overly optimistic or too disheartened depending on how the odds play out. Sit back and enjoy the game!

Baccarat Hall of Fame

Akio Kashiwagi

Two people sit at the top of the list of those who made advances in the world of baccarat. The first is Akio Kashiwagi. 

He was a player that casinos loved to see and was ranked as having one of the biggest baccarat wins in history. He once won $6 million in one sitting, but he also managed to lose $10 million in another sitting. He regularly wagered up to $200,000 at a time on hands, and he received the nickname Warrior for his incredible intensity when playing at the table. 

His lack of strategy and courageous playing gave him an excellent reputation among other casino patrons. However, it did not translate into profitability, as his courage often led him to make calls based on emotion rather than calculation. 

This approach made him hugely popular among other casino patrons, but it also made him some enemies. He was found murdered at his home, rumoured to have occurred because of Triad involvement.

Frank Scoblete

The second player at the top of the Baccarat Hall of Fame is not a high-rolling player like Kashiwagi. Frank Scoblete wrote several books about gambling, with baccarat being his game of choice. He is known as the foremost expert on the game and was one of the first people to see baccarat as more than a game of pure chance. That is what puts him in the Baccarat Hall of Fame, despite never using his knowledge to win big.

Where to play baccarat

When it comes to choosing where to play baccarat, there is only one choice. Here at Bitcasino, the world’s premier Bitcoin gaming site, the number of baccarat choices you can choose from is something to behold. 

However, we don’t just offer baccarat. We have cultivated an atmosphere where anyone can come to enjoy their favourite games. We have brought together some of the best software providers from around the world to make sure that everyone has a game that they can enjoy. Whether you love to play slots, table games or want the best live casino experience around, we have something for you to get your teeth into.

Of course, even with our incredible choice of games, that is just the tip of the iceberg of what we offer. We have a variety of different promotions that vary throughout the year to make sure that you can always gain access to the best

Play the best baccarat games at Bitcasino!

Now that you know how to play Bitcoin baccarat, the final thing you need to do is join us. Using the steps below, you’ll be able to create your first account and get into the action in an instant:

• VRight here, isit Bitcasino.io and click on the 'Register' button at the top of the page.
• Input your details and then confirm your account.
• Click on the 'Cashier' button and make a deposit to play for real money.
• Click on the 'Games' heading and then select 'Baccarat'.
• Scroll through the lobby and click on the game that takes your fancy.
• Once the game loads, follow the rules we’ve outlined and have some fun.
  

Bitcoin baccarat is one of the most enjoyable card games on offer, and the simple rules and fast pace of play have made it a firm favourite among both novice players and seasoned veterans. With this overview in mind, it’s now time to put these betting strategies into practice! Players can get started today by choosing a baccarat bitcoin game from the selection at Bitcasino and get practisingpracticing.