Baccarat has always been one of those games that is considered to be somewhat exclusive, given that it is usually played in private rooms, all of which are guarded by burly looking men in tuxedos with ear pieces clearly visible. It has always had the appearance of being a game for the rich and privileged, where the average player wasn’t really welcome, and as such was somewhat ignored by most casino players.

That changed with the arrival of online casinos such as our own Llanbikefest, and now players from all over the world can finally get to see what all the fuss is about without the bodyguards. What came as a surprise to most was that the game was relatively easy to play and learn, and in fact only has 3 possible bets (banker, player, and tie). It is actually a little similar to blackjack, which gave it an instant spike in popularity once it hit the online casino scene.

The rules are pretty straightforward, with the object of the game to get as close to 9 as possible with the cards you are dealt. The bet is placed, opting for one of the three choices, and then the player and banker are dealt 2 cards each. Face cards and 10’s have no value, cards less than 10 are counted at face value and Aces are worth 1.

A combination that results in a double digit total sees the left number dropped (e.g. 17 is actually counted as 7), and if the total is 8 or 9 then the hand is over as that is considered a “natural”.

If the player draws a 5 or less then they get a 3rd card, and if more than 5 the banker stands on 6 or higher, and draws on 5 or less based on these possible scenarios:

• If the bank’s total is 2 or less then bank draws a card, regardless of what the player’s third card is.

• If the banks total is 3 then the bank draws a third card unless the players third card was an 8.

• If the banks total is 4 then the bank draws a third card unless the players third card was a 0, 1, 8, or 9.

• If the banks total is 5 then the bank draws a third card if the players third card was 4, 5, 6, or 7.

• If the banks total is 6 then the bank draws a third card if the players third card was a 6 or 7.

• If the banks total is 7 then the bank stands.

And that is the basic rules of baccarat which, as you can see, does not hold a very steep learning curve, so be sure to give it a try the next time you visit Llanbikefest.