Baccarat Variants Showdown: Punto Banco, Chemin du Fer or Banque?

Are you among the 32% of UK punters who have never tried Baccarat and you aren’t sure where to start? Our experts extensively tested the main variants of the game on the best British Baccarat sites. Learn which of the Punto Banco, Chemin du Fer, or Banque Baccarat types is the right one for your game style.

Overview of Baccarat Gameplay

Baccarat is an online casino game that has become pretty popular in the last few years. It involves decks of cards dealt to the player and the banker. Although its baccarat’s gameplay is simple, it has spawned a few variants, such as Punto Banco, Chemin du Fer, and Baccarat en Banque.

The rules of Baccarat card games are straightforward, and the elements are similar regardless of their variants. To play online baccarat at any popular casino, you’ll bet on the hand with the best score, with ‘9’ as the magic number in the showdown. In the standard baccarat rules, the best possible score is 8 or 9, and players drop the first number if it exceeds ‘9’.

For example, if the player gets an ‘8’ and ‘5’, the total hand value is ‘3’. According to the rules, Aces get a 1, while the royals and 10s get zero. The rest of the cards retain their face values; we don’t consider the suits.

The bettor plays through three main betting options in the baccarat game: the Bank, the Player, or a Tie. For example, if you wager on the Banker and it scores ‘8’, and the Player boasts a ‘7’, you win and collect a payout! Casino players prefer the classic baccarat for its simple gameplay and lower house advantage of 1.06%, translating to an RTP of 98.94%.

Baccarat Variations: What Are the Key Differences?

Baccarat is a card game with a few variants playable on most online casino sites. Punto Banco, Chemin de Fer, and Banque Baccarat are the leading variations that differ in gameplay, drawing rules, and player participation. Also, each game has unique features and additional side bets to help you distinguish one from the other.

Below are some of the most popular baccarat variations, along with the baccarat rules and gameplay.

Punto Banco Baccarat

Punto Banco is a baccarat version popular on many online gambling sites. The game uses six standard decks of 52 cards, and Punto Banco can place a bet on the Player, the Bank, or Tie. Once the bets are final, a card is dealt individually, and the dealer determines the value. When you play online, the banker deals the card to the bank and the bettor’s hand.

Once the Bank and Player hands get two cards each, the next step is to determine whether a third card is drawn. In Punto Banco, the Banker can draw if they have 6 or less, and the Player’s card totals 7 or 6. Also, if the Player’s third card is a 4 or 5, the Banker gets a card if it holds a 5 or less and stands with a 6 or 7.

Chemin du Fer Baccarat

Chemin du Fer Baccarat uses the same baccarat rules, but this time, players play against each other. Also, it’s an exciting variant for many bettors since they can play as the banker.

After selecting the next round’s banker, players joining the baccarat table can announce ‘Banco.’ It signals that one of the gamblers at the table is willing to match the banker’s bet. The banker collects bets, deals the two cards, and pays out the wins. The punters (other players) have no control over the banker’s decisions – they place bets on which hand wins.

Banque Baccarat

As a popular European baccarat card game, Baccarat Banque is played using 3 card decks with a maximum of 10 players. It’s an exciting variant since the banker’s role is up for auction- the player with the highest bet acts the part. Unlike Chemin du Fer, where the banker’s role revolves around the table, this three-card baccarat variant assigns the role to the one with the biggest bet and remains as such until funds have been spent.

The game is typically played with two tables, one on each side of the banker, allowing for more bettors to participate simultaneously. The banker deals two hands, one for each table, while also receiving their own hand. This setup creates a dynamic and engaging atmosphere, as players on both tables compete against the banker and each other for the best outcomes.

Making the Most of the Baccarat Variants

As you can see, these three popular best baccarat variants share a general gameplay with slight differences. Let’s focus first on the similarities.

In all variants, the aim is to wager on one of the three betting options: bank bet, player bet, or tie. Baccarat introduces a friendly house edge, with Punto Banco submitting the best number of 1.06%, making it perfect for beginners.

Now, for the differences between variants, these titles differ in the number of decks and cards in play, bettors’ participation, and rules on drawing the third card. Bettors’ Baccarat also differs in table sizes, with the mini Baccarat and the big Baccarat table being the main options.

With these things in mind, it pays to adopt a baccarat strategy and follow some of our tips:

• Bet on the banker. Among the three betting options, the Banker boasts an RTP of 98.94%, with the Player bet featuring a 98.76% RTP. But there’s a slight drawback: the casino charges a 5% commission!
• Wager on side bets. The baccarat game introduces players to different side bets with huge payout potential. For example, traditional baccarat games like EZ Baccarat and North American Baccarat allow side bets such as Dragon 7, which pays 40:1. Learn how to play other side bets such as Panda 8 and Dragon 7 as part of your basic baccarat strategy.
• Skip the Tie bet. This bet type may offer a high payout percentage but has a lower RTP of 85.64%.
• Learn how to read the roads and in–game stats. One of the best Baccarat strategies for Baccarat enthusiasts is to use the in-game roads and stats. Use the information to find hot and cold bets, whatever the version of baccarat you’re playing. Unlock the secrets of Baccarat odds with our dedicated article!

KingCasinoBonus.uk’s Favourite Baccarat Type

Baccarat offers one of the most accessible classic card games in many online casinos. It is one of the most accessible card games to master. Its popularity lies primarily on the lower baccarat house edge of 1.06%, simple gameplay, and exciting side bets. So, it isn’t surprising that there are different baccarat titles online.

But if we pick our favourite, there’s no doubt we’re going for the Punto Banco as our favourite type of baccarat game. We like this baccarat online game since it’s fun, easy, and with simpler rules. You must wager on one of the three bet options and earn a payout from the winning hand. It’s the most common variant for most online baccarat platforms where you play against the house.

Also, it’s the best baccarat for us thanks to its house edge: the bank (banco) boasts 1.06%, and the player (punto) comes with 1.24%. So, always check out the live dealer operators that offer Punto Banco if you want better odds of winnings. But whatever variation of baccarat you play in real money, we always recommend playing it responsibly. Online gambling is best as a leisure activity, with set limits and bankroll.