Baccarat Tips

A guide to win at baccarat with baccarat player tips, baccarat dealer tips and baccarat bettor tips.

There are three actors in the game of baccarat. One is the player who acts as the ‘player’. One is the player who acts as the ‘dealer’. And then are the remaining players who bet on either the ‘player’ or ‘dealer’, sometimes referred to as the bettors.

Tips for the ‘player’

The player has to ensure that he reveals minimum information about his hand to the dealer. If the player asks for a card then the dealer knows his initial hand value was is between 0 and 5. The dealer also can see the card drawn. If the player refuses a card then the dealer knows his hand value is between 5 and 9. However if the player thinks and then either asks or refuses the dealer can peg his hand value exactly because then the dealer realizes that the player’s decision has been made out of choice and not compulsion. Therefore the player’s initial hand value has to be 5. If the player refuses a card his hand value remains at 5 and if the player draws a card then his hand value is known because the drawn card is dealt face up. Hence the dealer gets more information than he should.

Therefore the player should make his call as soon as he sees his dealt hand without hesitation or delay.

Tips for the dealer

The dealer’s strategy if the player has not taken a card is simple. The dealer should take a card if his hand value is 5 or less. However if the player takes a card then the dealer’s strategy is complicated and depends on the player’s third card and the dealer’s hand value giving a total of 130 options. These are usually presented as a table.

• The dealer has to learn the table and play accordingly if he wants to play optimally in the long run.
• There are several demo games available. Also free play games are available in most online casinos. The dealer should practice with these games so that he is sure that he has got the strategy right.

Tips for bettors

The bettors take no part in the deal. All they have to do is to decide on whom to place the bets. The following tips will help them.

• Some baccarat games offer 9 to 1 payouts for a bet on a tie. This is a dud bet with a high house edge. Players should never bet on this.
• If players have a choice they should opt for a game that is played with a lesser number of decks. Because the house edge decreases with the number of decks used.
• Bankroll management is very important. Players should keep aside a part of their winnings so that they do not leave the table empty handed
• Players should have a cut loss strategy. If they have incurred the preset amount of loss they should quit. Playing more to cover up losses can get dangerous. Playing more at higher stakes to cover up losses can get even more dangerous..