Baccarat en Banque: How to Play and What Differences Are
Together with Punto Banco and Chemin de Fer, Baccarat en Banque is the main baccarat variation, a part of baccarat three-members family which had been popular first in France (the 19th century) and all over the world afterwards. Today this variation is played preferably in Europe and it is rather difficult to meet Baccarat en Banque in America or Australia: it is the fact that even not all European casinos provide their clients with this baccarat variation.
What makes it to be special?
It would not be news if we told you that the object and card values of Baccarat en Banque do not differ from other baccarat variations: want to win - get 9 points from the bet you've made. As for card values, the same situation:
2-9's - equal to their numbers
10's - Kings - 0 points
Ace - 1 point
The same tips and betting systems are used to play Baccarat en Banque; but what makes it to be special then? Well, there are some differences between this baccarat variation and other ones. What are they?
Differences
- Baccarat en Banque is played with only 3 decks of 52 cards. The fewer decks are used - the more advantages players have.
- Only a casino dealer has a right to be a banker during the game: players can bet only on Player, and a dealer bets on Banker. But if a player wants to be a banker, s/he can do that in the following way: when making a bet, a player should say "Banco" and it will mean that s/he plays against a dealer. If a player wins - s/he becomes the next banker and s/he will play this role till the time another player decides to try beating him/her.
But if a player says "Banco" three times and s/he loses three times, it means that this player can not try his/her luck to become a banker anymore.
- Baccarat en Banque is played at a special table which is "divided" into two parts: this baccarat variation is played with two Player's hands and a player has a right to choose whether to bet one of these hands or two of them at once.
How to Play
Usually, the rules of Baccarat en Banque can vary from one casino to another though generally they are the same with Chemin de Fer and can be described as following ones:
A player:
8-9 points = stands
6-7 points = stands
5 points - chooses whether to stand or take the third card
0-4 points = takes the third card
A banker:
Takes the third card or stands as s/he wants.
Anyway, it is better to learn all the basic baccarat rules in order to understand the concept; and after that it will not be difficult at all to play any of three main original baccarat variations.
This variation is often use for playing baccarat online: Punto Banco is considered to be American Baccarat.
This baccarat variation is believed to be the classical one: it was the first variant of the game.
It is played preferably in Europe and it is difficult to find in land-based casinos of America.