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Online Baccarat: What Not to Do

January 22nd, 2008

What Not to Do

Online baccarat is just like regular land-based baccarat – the game is very simple to play. There is not a lot of strategy around the game, although some claim that there is a card counting system called the Predictor System that can beat the casino. Until it’s proven to work, I’m going to stick to what I know.

That includes staying away from the tie bet. It pays 8 to 1 but has a 14.36% edge going to the house in an eight-deck shoe. That’s not a good bet, and I can’t think of any situation where it would be wise to make. Even in a game that offers 9 to 1, the house edge is still large. Also, don’t forget that you owe 5% on all banker bet wins, payable when you leave the table. And don’t bet exclusively on the player, that gives the house an edge.

When the Going Gets Tough, Vegas Still Wins

January 8th, 2008

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Vegas always wins. It doesn’t matter what the circumstances may be, Vegas will always continue to grow. When the economy is doing well people will always look to dump a little dough on a trip to Sin City. We might accept the fact that we’re going to lose more than we’ll win, but we can’t wait to get there again. All games are set to make money for the house.

Even the rare genius who comes up with a method to temporarily beat the house makes money for the casinos. All the stories of the MIT blackjack group, and the other famous house beaters, only increase the folklore and appeal of the casinos.

High rollers don’t have a better place to be a big shot than Vegas. With all the attractions and celebrities, anyone with money heads there to play. Even after lavish comps, Vegas will always come out on top at the tables.

Top 5 Baccarat Casinos of 2007

January 3rd, 2008

1. Royal Vegas Casino has high limit baccarat limits from $10 to $1000 and uses the Viper format of Microgaming software.

2. Casino Kingdom’s limits are $10 to $500. It’s played with eight decks, a 5% commission and pays out 8:1 on the tie bet. They also use Microgaming software.

3. Havana Club Casino is a high limit baccarat casino with limits of $10 to $1000. You pay a 5% commission in the eight-deck game, with an 8:1 payout on the tie. They use Microgaming software.

4. Vegas Palms Casino is another eight-deck game with a 5% commission and 8:1 on the tie. They have the high stakes of $10 - $1000 limits.

5. All Jackpots Casino has lower limits starting at $1 up to $500. The game also has eight decks and pays out 8:1 on the tie bet. They also use the trusted Microgaming software.

Baccarat: Valuation of Hands

December 11th, 2007

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Hand evaluation is simple enough once you understand what’s going on. The object of the game is to get as close to nine as possible without going over. In order to achieve that, the hand evaluation is a bit different than you might be used to.

All the cards 2-9 have their face value. Face cards and tens have a value of zero. When the total of the cards exceeds ten, the first digit is dropped. That means if get dealt a 5 and a 7 your total is 2 (5+7=12=2). The first number is dropped because the number cannot exceed 10.

Hands adding up to 10 are given a value of zero and are the worst hands you can get. This hand is called a “baccarat”, which means the game is named after the worst hand. If you score a nine it’s the best hand that you can get.

Baccarat Strategy & Odds

November 14th, 2007

Baccarat has long been a high-roller game because the house usually only holds an edge of 1.06% over the player. The game is as simple as can be, and is as close to betting on a coin flip as you can get. That means that strategy is pretty much non-existent.

The best thing you can do at the baccarat table is to bet on the dealer every time. That means you don’t pay commissions on winning hands and improve your odds. Not very exciting, but it’s one of the best bets you’ll find in any casino.

If you can find a 9:1 tie bet at a baccarat table, this also improves your odds. Only Binion’s Horseshoe Casino in Vegas and BodogLife online casino offer these improved odds. Some casinos will lower player-win commissions to as much as 2.5%; this is the kind of baccarat game you’re looking for.

Baccarat, the New Poker??

November 14th, 2007

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Poker, even though it has been around for what seems like forever, has taken the pop culture world of gambling by storm with is own list of celebrities, groupies and the like. Trends always come and go so my prediction is that the game of Baccarat may be soon dealing its own version of gaming celebrities.

As you probably already know the famous 007s game of choice is baccarat. “Casino Royale” the newest of the James Bond movies was adapted from Ian Flemmings novel with the same title. In Flemming’s version, the British Bond out bets the Russian Le Chiffer – (Le Chiffer’s name being a play on the game Baccarat Chemin de Fer). However, if you’ve gotten a chance to see the movie, you’ve noticed that this version passes on that idea and opts for a showdown between the 2 at a game of poker.

This change is enough to take notice of pokers popularity but, back in reality, Macau, the new casino hot spot, Baccarat seems to be the game of choice. The Sands Macao casino claims that it has the most gambling tables of any other casino in the world, and most of them are baccarat. Also the newer Wynn Macau Casino has 200 gambling tables and again, baccarat is the dominant table on the floor.

Across the ocean in North America on the Las Vegas strip some of the most important players are Asian and most of them high rollers betting up to millions of dollars inside the VIP salons on baccarat.

If you want to take an early jump on my predicted new gambling trend you might want to start brushing up on your game. Here’s a list of online casinos that can clean up your skills or get you started:

- Bettor’s Luck
- Online baccarat
- Golden Tiger
- Bodog
- Latest casino bonuses

Why Baccarat was a James Bond Favorite

November 5th, 2007

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Baccarat was a James Bond favorite because it’s long been considered the most recognizable high-roller game in Europe. Casino Royale was the first book in the series penned by Ian Fleming, and it was written in the early 1950s. Baccarat was the game of choice for the time.

The Bond image has always been about being the best at the hippest game. In Casino Royale, Bond was out to beat the movie villain’s baccarat game. Fleming claims he got the idea from a night at the casino in Portugal when he was cleaned out by a German agent playing Chemin de Fer. That game is a form of baccarat, although different from the version we know in today’s casinos.

Now that poker is all the rage, Bond is not only an expert baccarat player but also an ace poker player. The new version of Casino Royale had Bond playing poker instead of baccarat.

Basic Baccarat Rules

October 29th, 2007

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The basics for American casino baccarat are simple. There is no strategy involved other than perhaps some progressive betting techniques a player could employ. Just decide whether to bet on the player’s hand, the dealer’s hand or a tie. After that the house controls the rest of the hand.

The winner is determined by which hand is closer to nine when the values of the cards are tallied up. If either hand adds up to nine or eight right off the deal, it’s a “natural” and is an automatic winner.

If you bet on the correct hand to win you will get paid 1-1on your bet. If you bet on the tie and win, it will pay 8-1 on your bet. Often the house will charge a small commission on banker wins to increase their edge. This game gives near-to-even playing odds so the commission ensures house profit.

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