Explain Baccarat to me

Like I am a retard(which apparently I am)....I never play this game(and probably never will) but the rules confuse me.....I have read them on countless sites(include wizard of odds site)....Well I guess the only rule I'm confused by is if the player or the banker is dealt a "natural" meaning an 8 or 9 with their first two cards......

every site pretty much says the same thing "If either the player or the banker has a total of an 8 or a 9 they both stand. This rule overrides all other rules." Or "If either Player or Banker or both achieve a total of 8 or 9 at this stage, the coup is finished and the result is announced: Player win, a Banker win, or tie"

Now I take this to mean if the player OR banker is dealt an 8 or 9...THEN neither the player or banker will take a third card....Is this correct?.....

Because the sites I have played on.....If the player is dealt a 8 or 9 the banker never takes a 3rd card BUT if the Banker has an 8 or 9 and the player has less than 5 they take a third card....This is why I'm confused....I'm sure I am missing something easy

Quote: vert1276

Like I am a retard(which apparently I am)....

Me three. We all do not have great days.

A natural by Player or Banker, 8 or 9 first 2 cards... the game is over.
No more cards are dealt.

Win, Lose or Draw (Tie)

You must be playing a game with non-standard Baccarat rules.

Quote: guido111

Me three. We all do not have great days.

A natural by Player or Banker, 8 or 9 first 2 cards... the game is over.
No more cards are dealt.

Win, Lose or Draw (Tie)

You must be playing a game with non-standard Baccarat rules.

I guess I must be........

This image is from http://www.baccaratonnet.com/ and demonstrates incorrect play. Here is the public information listed under a whois lookup for the registrant on Network Solutions. The registrant gives his contact information if you want to ask him directly about this issue. He also has blackjacksys.com.

I hate Bac (sorry Bac fans). It's like Roulette in the sense that you just put money down and wait. Nothing you do affects anything, and I find it very dull.

But I'm here to help.

The Player rules are easy. If the Player total is 0-5, take another card, 6 or seven stand, and 8 or 9 is a natural and Bank cannot draw another card.

Banker is slightly more complicated. If the Player has a Natural (8-9), Bank cannot draw. If the Player takes no third card, but does not have a Natural (6-7), the Bank draws on 0-5 and stands on 6-9.

If the Player takes a third card,... O boy. Here we go...
A Bank total of 0-2 Bank always draws.
A Bank total of three and Bank draws on everything but Player 8
A Bank total of four and Bank draws on Player 2-7
A Bank total of five and Bank draws on Player 4-7
A Bank total of six and Bank draws on Player 6-7
A Bank total of seven and Bank always Stands
A Bank total of eight or nine is a Natural and player cannot draw.

Keep in mind we don't have this game and I only learned it to enhance career opportunities. As a result, I might be slightly off. I'm sure someone will correct me if so.

Ok so I'm not retarded right? the site is just wrong...

You bet on either Player or Banker, the Dealer will talk you through the rest if its large-table Baccarat and the Dealer will deal the rest if its Mini-Bacc.

I love Baccarat (it's my game of choice). I know that a lot of people don't like it, but different people like different things. I've heard their arguments and they tend to not like the exact things that make the game appeal to me (slow play, pointless ritual, obscure drawing rules, apparent lack of player strategy). I also love Sic bo, which I understand that most people dislike.

Quote: vert1276

every site pretty much says the same thing "If either the player or the banker has a total of an 8 or a 9 they both stand. This rule overrides all other rules." Or "If either Player or Banker or both achieve a total of 8 or 9 at this stage, the coup is finished and the result is announced: Player win, a Banker win, or tie"

Now I take this to mean if the player OR banker is dealt an 8 or 9...THEN neither the player or banker will take a third card....Is this correct?.....

That is correct. If, after two cards, either had totals eight or nine, no more cards are dealt and the hand is over.

Quote: vert1276

Because the sites I have played on.....If the player is dealt a 8 or 9 the banker never takes a 3rd card BUT if the Banker has an 8 or 9 and the player has less than 5 they take a third card....This is why I'm confused....I'm sure I am missing something easy

They are doing it wrong. It should be like this:



I've noticed that a lot of online games and casino video games get Baccarat rules wrong. Allowing you to only bet one of the three betting options at a time (e.g., Reel Deal; at a casino, you can bet all three at once and nobody will care) or requiring table minimum for Tie when you already have the minimum covered on Player or Banker (Realtime Gaming/RTG casinos have this error).

Quote: heather

I love Baccarat (it's my game of choice). I know that a lot of people don't like it, but different people like different things. I've heard their arguments and they tend to not like the exact things that make the game appeal to me (slow play, pointless ritual, obscure drawing rules, apparent lack of player strategy).

More and more this is getting to be true for me. I would rather sit at a $50 midi baccarat table and bet only one in every 4 or 5 hands than I would sit aty a $10 bj game and play every hand. It is also fun because it has an element of the team mentality that you see in craps. There may be 3 or 4 people betting on the banker hand and your fate is tied together.

Baccarat is the greatest time waster in the casino. That includes penny slots. Just sit down and bet banker every other hand, or every fifth hand, or whatever, and watch the player antics and gamblers losing a ton of money on the tie, "dragon" bets, etc.

I played for a few hours the other day and lost exactly $8.25 :)

Sitting at a high minimum table is also a great way to comp hustle, as it is perfectly acceptable to sit out several hands in a row and then bet big when the boss is looking.