Mastering Baccarat: Getting The Pan 8 Table Game

Baccarat is a casino card game that is both simple to learn and play. It is played at a table and involves a player and a banker (not the house), with three possible outcomes: a player win, a banker win, and a tie. The game can be played with any number of 52-card decks, but typically six or eight are used. Aces are low, 10s and face cards are worth zero, and all other cards are worth their pip value. The objective is to bet on the hand that will be closest to nine. If you bet on your hand and win, the payout is 1:1, but if you bet on the banker's hand and win, you must pay the house a 5% commission on your winnings. If you bet on a tie and win, the payout is typically 8:1 (sometimes 9:1).

Pan 9, or Super Pan 9, is a variation of baccarat found in the poker casinos of Los Angeles County. It is a player-banked game where one player is designated as the banker, and the remaining players make wagers. Each player is dealt three cards, and they can choose to stand or draw one more card. The player with the most points wins even money, and if the banker has more points, the player loses.

Know the rules of the game

Baccarat is a casino card game that requires no technical skill to play. It is played for high stakes in the big money sections of most European and Nevadan casinos. The objective of the game is to bet on the hand you think will be closest to nine.

Baccarat is played with 6 or 8 decks of 52 cards. Aces are low, worth 1 point, 10s and face cards are worth 0 points, and all other cards are worth their face value.

There are three possible outcomes in Baccarat: a player win, a banker win, and a tie. Note that "Banker" does not refer to the house. Participants in the game have the option to bet on either the player or the banker's hand. Bets must be placed before the cards are dealt.

The dealer deals out two cards each for the player and the banker, which are placed face-up on the table. If either the player or banker is dealt a total of eight or nine, both the player and banker stand, and the game ends.

If the player's total is five or less, then the player will receive another card. Otherwise, the player will stand. If the player stands, then the banker hits on a total of 5 or less.

If the player draws a third card, the rules for whether the banker draws a third card vary depending on the player's third card:

• If the player's third card is 2 or 3, the banker draws if they have 0-4 and stands at 5-7.
• If the player's third card is 4 or 5, the banker draws if they have 0-5 and stands at 6-7.
• If the player's third card is 6 or 7, the banker draws if they have 0-6 and stands at 7.
• If the player's third card is 8, the banker draws if they have 0-2 and stands at 3-7.
• If the player's third card is 9, 10, or a face card, the banker draws if they have 0-3 and stands at 4-7.

Once all cards are dealt, the winning hand is the one that totals closest to nine. In the event of a tie, neither hand wins or loses.

If you bet on the player hand and it wins, the payout is simply double what you bet. If you bet on the banker hand and it wins, it pays 95% of your wager, as the house takes a 5% commission. The final betting option, a tie, pays out 8-to-1.

Understand the card values

To understand how to play baccarat, it is essential to know the value of each card in the game. Baccarat has a card value system similar to blackjack, where each card is calculated according to its face value and counted as 'points'.

In baccarat, the Ace is worth one point, and the tens, jacks, queens, and kings are worth zero points. The rest of the cards are worth their face value. For example, the 2 of Hearts would be worth 2 points, and the 5 of Spades would be worth 5 points.

If the total value of the cards is more than 10, the second digit is dropped, and only the last digit is considered. For example, if a hand has a 9 and a 6, which total 15, it is considered a five-point hand because the 1 is dropped, leaving only the 5.

The objective of the game is to get as close to nine points as possible without going over. This means that if you have a hand with a total value of more than 10, you would drop the left digit to get a single-digit number. So, if your hand has a 7 and an 8, which total 15, you would drop the 1 and consider it a five-point hand.

Additionally, if your hand totals more than 9, you "bust" and automatically lose the game. This is similar to blackjack, where if your hand exceeds 21, you bust and lose the round.

In baccarat, there are no "natural" rules with 8 or 9 points, unlike in some other card games. Both sides always have the opportunity to draw a third card. However, if either the player or banker is dealt a total of 8 or 9 in the first two cards, it is considered a "natural" win, and the game ends.

Understanding the card values and the basic baccarat rules will help you make informed bets and increase your chances of winning the game.

Learn the betting options

Baccarat is a casino card game with three possible outcomes: a player win, a banker win, and a tie. When you play baccarat, you have the option to bet on either the player's hand or the banker's hand. The dealer will then deal out two cards to both the player and the banker.

Understanding Card Values

Tens, jacks, queens, and kings are worth zero points, aces are worth one point, and all other cards are worth their face value. If the total value of the two cards is more than 10, the second digit becomes the value of the hand. For example, if the player's hand consists of a 9 and a 6, which total 15, then their hand value is 5.

Natural Wins

If either the player or the banker's hand totals 8 or 9 with the first two cards dealt, this is considered a "natural" win and the game ends. Any bets already placed are cashed out.

Drawing a Third Card

The player's hand is completed first. If the player's hand totals 8 or 9, no additional cards are drawn. The player also stands (does not draw another card) on totals of 6 or 7. If the player's hand totals between 0 and 5, a third card may be drawn, unless the banker's hand is 8 or 9, in which case the banker's hand wins without drawing another card.

Rules for the Banker's Hand

If the player stands, the banker draws another card on totals of 0-5 and stands on totals of 6-7. If the player draws a third card, the banker's action depends on the value of that card. For example, if the player's third card is a 9, 10, jack, queen, or king, the banker will draw another card if their hand totals 0-3 and stand if their hand totals 4-7.

Calculating the Winning Hand

Once all the cards are dealt, the winning hand is the one that totals closer to 9. In the event of a tie, neither hand wins or loses. When betting on the banker's hand, a commission is usually paid out of the winnings.

Side Bets and Variations

In addition to the main bets on the player and banker's hands, some baccarat games offer optional side bets, such as betting on a tie or specific pairs. These side bets have higher payouts but also higher house edges, so they are riskier wagers.

Betting Strategies

While baccarat is primarily a game of chance, there are various betting strategies that players can employ to improve their chances of winning. These include the Martingale, D'Alembert, Paroli, and Labouchere systems, which involve adjusting your bet size based on the outcome of each round.

Budget Management

It is important to set a budget before playing baccarat and to choose a bet unit that is a small percentage of your total budget. This will help you manage your bankroll and ensure that you don't bet more than you can afford to lose.

Prioritize Banker Bets

When deciding which hand to bet on, it is generally advisable to prioritize betting on the banker. This is because the banker bet has a slightly lower house edge than the player bet, giving you a better chance of winning.

Know how to draw a third card

To determine whether the player gets a third card, look at the point totals. The Player hand is completed first. If the Player has a total of 8 or 9, they will get no additional cards. The Player stands on totals of 6 or 7. On any other total, 0-5, the Player draws a third card, unless the Banker has 8 or 9, in which case the Banker wins with no further draw.

The Banker hand is the last hand to be acted on. That means that the rules to determine if the Player hand should get a third card are consulted first, and then the decision for the Banker hand is made. If the Player hand has not been dealt a third card, the Banker will draw with a hand total of 0-5 and stay with a hand total of 6 or 7.

If the Player's third card is 9, 10, a face card or an Ace, the Banker draws when they have a 0-3, and stays with a 4-7. If the Player's third card is 8, the Banker draws when they have a 0-2, and stays with a 3-7. If the Player's third card is 6 or 7, the Banker draws when they have a 0-6, and stays with a 7. If the Player's third card is 4 or 5, the Banker draws when they have a 0-5, and stays with a 6-7. If the Player's third card is 2 or 3, the Banker draws when they have a 0-4, and stays with a 5-7.

In baccarat, the player and banker will always have the opportunity to draw a third card.

Calculate the winning hand

Once all the cards have been dealt, it's time to calculate the winning hand. The winning hand is the one that totals closer to nine. If the player's hand wins, anyone who bet on the player space wins the payout. If the banker's hand wins, anyone who bet on the banker space wins the payout. If there's a tie, anyone who bet on the tie space wins the payout.

The values of the cards are added together to determine the score for that hand. For example, if the player is dealt an ace and a 10, their score would be 1. If a score is two digits, the left digit is dropped. For example, if the two cards in the banker's hand add up to 13, the 1 would be dropped and their score would be 3.

In baccarat, the 2 through 9 cards (of any suit) are worth face value (in points); the 10, jack, queen, and king have no point value and are thus worth zero; aces are worth one point. The highest possible hand value in baccarat is therefore nine.

If the total number of cards is more than nine, for example, 14, then 10 is subtracted, or more simply, remove the first number (the tens digit), and the number remaining is the total. So, 14 would become 4.

• Ace + 2 = 3
• 5 + 8 = 13, (drop the "ten") which equals 3
• 2 + 3 = 5
• 9 + 6 = 15, (drop the "ten") which equals 5
• 3 + 5 = 8
• 9 + 9 = 18, (drop the "ten") which equals 8
• Jack + Ace = 1 (because the 10, Jack and other picture cards equal zero)
• 7 + 4 = 11, (drop the "ten") which equals 1

In baccarat, it is unimportant whether the players bet on the dealer or the player's hand. The player places a bet on which hand they think will be the winning hand.

Sometimes, a third card will be dealt. If the player's score is 0 to 5, they receive a third card. If the banker's score is 0 to 2, they receive a third card. The value of the third card is added to their score. If either the banker or the player has a score of 8 or 9, both hands stand, and no additional cards are dealt.

Frequently asked questions