Commonly Played Baccarat Variations

Similarity among the Baccarat variations is that the aim of the game is to acquire the highest possible hand up to 9. For all of these games, suit is immaterial, Aces count as 1 point, 10's and face cards as zero. When the point total of a hand goes above 9, the left digit is removed, for instance, if the point sum is 16, the hand is taken as 6. There are the 4 most popular variants of Baccarat. They are explained as follows:

European Baccarat
There are two main differences which separate European from American Baccarat.
The Player hand has a choice of standing or drawing when its point sum from the first deal is 5.
Even though the Banker hand normally sticks to the rules of American Baccarat, it does have the alternative to draw a third card or not.

If the Banker bets $10,000 and two players bet $5,000 each, extra players are not permitted to bet on the hand. If a player likes to match the Banker's bet, he declares "Banco" and then other players may not bet for the rest of that round.

Baccarat en Banque
Baccarat en Banque varies from other variations of Baccarat. In this, one Banker's hand and two Player's hands are dealt. Casinos which offer Baccarat en Banque often let out the Bank to a group which gets 50% of monthly winnings with the casino but takes in all eventual losses. A player may bet on either of the Player hands but not on the Banker hand.

Chemin de Fer
The main difference between Chemin de Fer and American Baccarat is that the players bet not in favor of each other and the house gets a fee from each player's winnings, thus loosing nothing. The hands are dealt two at a time, first to the Player and next to the Banker. One Player must be the Banker; Players may take turns being the Banker; the players and the Banker together may draw a third card despite the point total of their first hand.

Mini Baccarat
Mini Baccarat is perfect for people who like the thought of Baccarat but don't want to have to get dressed to the nines for, or bold the high minimums of the normal game. It is played on a blackjack sized felt with space for seven players and is managed by only one dealer. In most casinos, the rules of play are equal to that of American Baccarat.