Punto Banco Standards
Baccarat is wagered on with 8 decks of cards in a shoe. Cards under 10 are valued at face value and with Ten, Jack, Queen, King are zero, and Ace is 1. Wagers are placed on the ‘bank’, the ‘player’, or for a tie (these aren’t actual people; they just represent the 2 hands to be dealt).
Two cards are given to both the ‘banker’ and ‘gambler’. The total for each hand is the sum total of the 2 cards, but the first number is ignored. For example, a hand of 5 and 6 has a value of 1 (five plus six = eleven; dump the 1st ‘1′).
A additional card may be given using the following rules:
- If the gambler or bank has a total of eight or nine, both players hold.
- If the player has five or lower, he hits. Players otherwise stand.
- If the player holds, the banker takes a card on 5 or less. If the gambler takes a card, a chart is used to figure out if the banker stays or takes a card.
Baccarat Odds
The higher of the 2 totals wins. Winning wagers on the banker pay out 19 to 20 (equal money minus a 5% commission. The Rake is recorded and cleared out once you leave the game so make sure you still have money around just before you leave). Winning bets on the player pay 1 to 1. Winning wagers for tie typically pays eight to one but on occasion 9:1. (This is a poor wager as ties occur lower than one in every ten rounds. Be wary of gambling on a tie. However odds are substantially better for 9:1 vs. 8:1)
Gambled on properly punto banco gives pretty good odds, apart from the tie wager of course.
Baccarat Strategy
As with all games baccarat banque has some established misconceptions. One of which is close to a myth in roulette. The past is not a harbinger of future actions. Tracking past outcomes at a table is a bad use of paper and an affront to the tree that was cut down for our paper desires.
The most common and probably the most acknowledged method is the one-three-two-six technique. This tactic is employed to maximize profits and limit losses.
Start by betting one chip. If you succeed, add 1 more to the two on the game table for a grand total of three units on the second bet. Should you win you will hold 6 on the game table, take away four so you are left with 2 on the 3rd bet. Should you succeed on the third bet, add 2 on the 4 on the game table for a total of six on the fourth round.
If you don’t win on the 1st wager, you take a hit of one. A win on the first bet followed by a loss on the 2nd causes a loss of 2. Success on the 1st 2 with a defeat on the 3rd gives you with a take of 2. And success on the first three with a defeat on the 4th means you are even. Succeeding at all four rounds leaves you with 12, a take of 10. This means you will be able to lose the second round five times for every favorable run of 4 wagers and still balance the books.