Mini-Baccarat

Mini-Baccarat is a smaller, lower-stakes version of Punto banco Baccarat. Mini-Baccarat is different in that it is generally lower limits than baccarat. It is also different in that the player does not get to pick up the cards, and the fact that the table is smaller in size. Mini-Baccarat is popular in many casinos, especially among Asian gamblers.[1][2][3]

In original Baccarat the banker deals two cards to the “punters” (players) and to himself, face-down from the shoe. If anyone has a count of eight or nine, they should turn their cards face-up and win immediately. A count of six or seven means a player must stand. In case the count is less than five a player has to pull out the third card. The banker must draw to a point under three, stand with a point above six. He can do either with a point of three to a player’s third-card nine or with a point of five to a player’s third-card four. In other case, the banker should draw or stand as dictated by the most-favorable odds.[4][5] Like Baccarat, Mini-Baccarat is a comparing card game played between two hands, the "player" and the "banker". Each baccarat coup has three possible outcomes: "player" (player has the higher score), "banker" (banker has the high score), and "tie". It is strictly a game of chance, with no skill or strategy involved; each player's moves are forced by the cards the player is dealt.

Valuation of hands

In Mini-Baccarat, cards have a point value: cards two through nine are worth face value (in points); tens, jacks, queens and kings have no point value (i.e. are worth zero); aces are worth 1 point; jokers are not used. Hands are valued according to the rightmost digit of the sum of their constituent cards. For example, a hand consisting of 2 and 3 is worth 5, but a hand consisting of 6 and 7 is worth 3 (i.e., the 3 being the rightmost digit in the combined points total of 13).[6] The highest possible hand value in baccarat is therefore nine.

Tableau of drawing rules

The Player and Banker are each dealt two cards. If either Player or Banker or both achieve a total of 8 or 9 with the first two cards (known as a "natural"), the coup is finished and the result is announced: Player win, a Banker win, or tie. Natural 9 beats natural 8. If neither the Player nor Banker is dealt a total of 8 or 9 in the first two cards, the tableau is consulted, first for Player's rule, then Banker's.

  • Player's rule
If Player has an initial total of 0–5, he draws a third card. If Player has an initial total of 6 or 7, he stands.
  • Banker's rule
If Player stood pat (i.e., has only two cards), the banker regards only his own hand and acts according to the same rule as Player. That means Banker draws a third card with hands 0–5 and stands with 6 or 7.

If Player drew a third card, the Banker acts according to the following more complex rules:

  • If Player drew a 2 or 3, Banker draws with 0–4 and stands with 5–7.
  • If Player drew a 4 or 5, Banker draws with 0–5 and stands with 6–7.
  • If Player drew a 6 or 7, Banker draws with 0–6 and stands with 7.
  • If Player drew an 8, Banker draws with 0–2 and stands with 3–7.
  • If Player drew an ace, 9, 10, or face-card, the Banker draws with 0–3 and stands with 4–7.

The casinos list these rules in a more easily remembered format as follows:

  • If the banker total is 2 or less, then the banker draws a card, regardless of what the player's third card is.
  • If the banker total is 3, then the bank draws a third card unless the player's third card was an 8.
  • If the banker total is 4, then the bank draws a third card if the player's third card was 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
  • If the banker total is 5, then the bank draws a third card if the player's third card was 4, 5, 6, or 7.
  • If the banker total is 6, then the bank draws a third card if the player's third card was a 6 or 7.
  • If the banker total is 7, then the banker stands.[7][8]

If a player bets on tie and the hands tie, the player win 8:1 or 9:1 depending on the house rules.

References

  1. ↑ "Mini-Baccarat". Hollywood Casino Aurora. Retrieved 2016-03-12.
  2. ↑ The Analyst (2016-03-01). "Baccarat or Baccawreck?". gaming Today. Retrieved 2016-03-12.
  3. ↑ Henry Tamburin. "The Joys of Mini-Baccarat". Casino Center. Retrieved 2016-03-12.
  4. ↑ David Parlett (Feb 18, 2009). "Baccarat card game". Encyclopedia Britannica.
  5. ↑ "SlotsDoc Baccarat Tips". SlotsDoc. Oct 17, 2014.
  6. ↑ Mathematically, the value of a hand is the sum of its constituent cards modulo ten (with all numbers greater than ten, subtract 10 and return only the difference).
  7. ↑ John May (1998). Baccarat for the Clueless. Carol Publishing Group. pp. 40–. ISBN 978-0-8184-0604-1.
  8. ↑ Walter Thomason (January 1997). The Experts' Guide to Casino Games: Expert Gamblers Offer Their Winning Formulas. Carol Publishing Group. pp. 117–. ISBN 978-0-8184-0590-7.
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