Table of Contents:
- Historical background of baccarat
- Explaining the main rules and mechanics
- Frequently utilized strategies in baccarat
- Does the house always win?
- Frequently asked questions
- Who Was the First to Come Up With an Answer to “How to Play Baccarat?”
According to some unproven sources, the first answers to “what is baccarat?” are found in late 15th-century Italy. However, there is no solid evidence to support this point, so let’s concentrate on what is known exactly. It is a proven fact that baccarat was widely recognized in France all along the 19th century, but its origins remain obscure.
Mind that if you asked French gamblers from the 19th century “how do you play baccarat?”, their answer would be totally different from that given by a modern gambler. Baccarat has experienced many changes in the rules throughout its evolution. Its way started with Baccarat Banque, a game for 3 persons, which was soon followed by Chemin de Fer, a faster version designed for 2 players.
Any search for the rules of baccarat, how to play the game, and how to win would most likely lead you to Baccarat Punto Banco. And that’s no wonder – this version of the game, which comes from Havana of the 1940s, is the most widespread type of baccarat nowadays.
How Do You Play Baccarat? Modern Approach to the Game
The main characteristic that distinguishes Punto Banco from other versions of baccarat is that the house is performing all actions at the table. This makes explaining how to play baccarat casino game rather simple – just let the house do the job. However, before attempting to play any casino game, it is strongly advised to review its rules carefully.
Each round in baccarat starts with placing the players’ bets on either one of the hands (Punto or Banco). Both hands then receive 2 cards, and the round (or coup) begins. To answer how to play baccarat, one needs to check the tableau of drawing rules, which regulates all players’ steps in the game. Winners are determined through calculating point values of their hands – whoever has more points wins. The card values are summarized in the table below:
| Cards | Value |
| Numbers 2-9 | Face value |
| Tens and pictures | Nothing |
| Aces | 1 point |
| Jokers | Not used at all |
Understanding how to play baccarat and win lies in gathering a hand of the maximum value (only unit digits are used, so the max. value is 9 points).
How to Play Baccarat and Win: Reviewing Applicable Strategies
From baccarat’s rules, it is evident that the game is luck-based, as you can’t make any decisions during a round, and all actions are regulated by the tableau. “How to win at baccarat then?”, one might ask. Well, that’s a great question, which, unfortunately, remains unanswered. Or does it?
As you can’t influence the gameplay, the only thing that can help you reduce the house advantage is applying a proper betting strategy. This situation is somewhat similar to roulette, in which you also don’t make any decision while the wheel is spinning. Answer to how to win in baccarat, therefore, lies in choosing a proper betting strategy.
How to Win at Baccarat In Spite of the House Advantage?
Although a pre-determined betting system may be profitable, it still doesn’t guarantee you success in the long term. There is, however, one strategy that can almost certainly provide you with an advantage over the house. The real answer to how to consistently win at baccarat may be in using edge sorting, which involves analyzing the back sides of cards to determine profitable steps. This system, of course, is much more complicated than that, so if you want to study edge sorting, deep and comprehensive research is recommended.