The Rules and Terms of Baccarat

Baccarat is a card game comprised of comparing the cards of the “player” with those of the “banker”.

Each round, called a coup, has three possibilities: “player” (player has high score), “tie” and “banker” (banker has high score).

Every card is designated a point value based on face value. 10s, Jacks, Queens and Kings are worth zero points, while cards 2-9 (Aces are worth 1 point) are worth their face value.

Each hand has a maximum value of 9 points, as the rightmost digit of the sum of cards is the only value taken into consideration. For example, both sets of hands, one comprised of an Ace and a 6 (1+6=7) and another comprised of a 9 and a 8 (9+8=17 but only the rightmost digit is considered) are valued at 7 points.

The “tableau” in Baccarat is a set of fixed drawing rules that must be followed. Historically, Baccarat draws were choices made by individual players. If neither the player nor the banker is initially dealt an 8 or a 9, the “tableau” comes into effect:

Player’s Tableau:
• If the Player has a 6 or a 7, he/she stands
• If the Player has a 0-5, he/she draws an additional card

Banker’s Tableau:
• Total of 2 or less, the Banker draws an additional card
• Total of 3, the Banker draws an additional card if the Player’s third card was an 8
• Total of 4, the Banker draws an additional card if the Player’s third card was a 2-7
• Total of 5, the Banker draws an additional card if the Player’s third card was a 4-7
• Total of 6, the Banker draws an additional card if the Player’s third card was a 6 higher
• Total of 7, the Banker stands

Top Online Baccarat Casinos

Offers over 500 casino games in both “instant play” flash form and an optional downloaded game window. All Slots is a top online baccarat casino that has a licence with the Maltese Lotteries and Gaming Authority, is certified by eCOGRA (which ensures fair online gaming), is transparent in publishing payout percentages and has the industry standard of encryption for their members’ personal data.
Maple Casino touts itself as “Canada’s Number One Casino” and provides great bonuses for their members. After downloading their casino platform, Maple offers a variety of currency options including CAD. Maple is a great online baccarat casino that is certified by eCOGRA, has 128-bit encryption to ensure privacy of financial data and uses a random number generator to ensure fair odds.
Spin Palace has both a Malta licence and the eCOGRA certification to ensure the quality and fairness of their casino games. The casino offers a multitude of currencies and bonuses for new members. Spin Palace is one of the most popular online baccarat casinos and has been in business for well over 10 years.

Licensed by the jurisdiction of Gibraltar and using industry-standard SSL encryption security commonly used by banks, Mansion casino is an excellent online baccarat casino that places the utmost care into ensuring the privacy of their members. Mansion is available in most currencies including CAD and includes a VIP members club for frequent players.

Regulated by the Malta Lotteries and Gaming Commission as well as the UK Gambling Commission, certified by eCOGRA and secured using SSL technology, Betway casino is an excellent online baccarat casino that strives to make the online gambling experience fair and secure.

Live Dealer and Mobile Baccarat

Live dealer Baccarat is offered online as well as in many popular casinos and features a dealer to deal cards to players.

Mobile Baccarat is offered by most online casinos as long as the player has an internet optimized smart phone.

These forms of baccarat offer some advantages over land-based casinos, as less exposure to distractions offers players a better ability to make focused gambling decisions.