Mini-baccarat

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

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. If the total of the cards is a two-digit number, the tens place is ignored.[4] 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).[5] The highest possible hand value in baccarat is therefore nine.

Tableau of drawing rules[]

The player and banker hands are each dealt two cards. If either the player or banker hand, 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 wins, banker wins, or tie. Natural 9 beats natural 8. If neither the player nor banker hand is dealt a total of 8 or 9 in the first two cards, the tableau is consulted, first for the player rules, then the banker rules.

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

If the player hand drew a third card, the banker acts according to the following more complex rules:

  • 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.[6][7]

If a bettor bets on tie and the hands tie, the bettor wins 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. ^ "Card Values in Mini Baccarat". Baccarat.net.
  5. ^ 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).
  6. ^ John May (1998). Baccarat for the Clueless. Carol Publishing Group. pp. 40–. ISBN 978-0-8184-0604-1.
  7. ^ 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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