General Description of Mini-Baccarat
Mini baccarat is played according to slightly simplified rules of the American version of this game. The croupier always deals cards in this version. The table is smaller than in other variations of baccarat. There are three betting sectors in front of each player:
- banker,
- player,
- and tie.
Six or eight standard 52-card decks without jokers, which are placed in a special box called a sabot, are used in this game. Discarded cards are placed in a special tray.
Mini baccarat is characterized by relatively low betting limits, making the game more democratic. Bear in mind that you need to make a bet. The dealer carries out all operations at the table, so even beginners will not face any problems.
The aim does not differ from the goals of other versions. It is necessary to win, making a bet on the banker, player, or tie.
The table for a mini-baccarat game is divided into seven places. This fact determines the maximum number of participants.
An ace is scored at 1. Cards from deuces to tens are worth their face value. Tens and face cards are worth nothing. If the score exceeds ten, ten is subtracted from it, and this result is considered in this game. Due to this fact, the number of points can never exceed nine.
Neither the player nor the croupier can receive more than three cards. He who has a score that is closer to a 9 will win. If the scores are equal, a draw is announced.
The highest possible total is nine. The two-card hand worth nine points is called "natural" and always wins. Eight points in a two-card hand are also called "natural."
Every player can make one of the three available types of bets:
- On a banker (banco). It is a bet on the victory of the banker. The payout is 1:1 (minus a 5% commission fee).
- On a player (punto). The payout is 1:1.
- On a tie. The payout is 8:1 (sometimes 9:1).
Mini-Baccarat Gameplay
Players bet on the player, banker, or tie by placing chips on the appropriate fields. The banker deals two cards to the player and himself. If either the player or the banker has a natural hand, he wins.The player and the banker can draw a third card following the standard rules for American baccarat, which can be studied in detail in the corresponding article on Casinoz.
Then the banker's and player's cards are compared. The croupier collects losing bets and pays for winning bets.
Mini-Baccarat Odds
The best strategy for mini-baccarat is to wager constantly on the player because the commission is not paid. In this case, the house edge is only 1.37%, making this type of baccarat one of the most profitable casino games.
The bet on the banker is less profitable, but the difference in house edges is insignificant.
Users should avoid betting on the tie because the house edge exceeds fourteen percent if the payout is calculated according to the 8:1 ratio.