Three Card Baccarat is a relatively new variant of the popular casino game, although it could be regarded as a much simpler version of it. The game first appeared in Macau, and has since become popular among players due to easy-to-learn rules and straightforward gameplay, but isn’t widely available across online casinos.
The game has stayed true to its basics, while the addition of two extra cards, for both the dealer and the player, has made it more exciting and appealing. Couple that with the chance of side bets paying up to 16:1, and you’ve got yourself a real hit.
Three Card Baccarat Rules
First of all, we should point out the scoring is the same as in the standard variant of baccarat. The goal of the game is also the same, with players having to guess whether the player or the dealer will have the highest value hand. Unlike the standard version, the chances of ending the game in a tie are much less likely. That’s because of the number of face cards needed for a hand to finish in a tie.
Speaking of face cards, all of them count as ten, an Ace is worth a one, while the value of the remaining cards will depend on their respective pips.
After placing bets, three cards will be dealt for the player’s hand, and then another three for the dealer. Here’s you’ll see another difference between Three Card Baccarat and the standard version, as no additional cards will be dealt.
Once the cards have been dealt, it’s time to add up points of each of the hands and see who has the winning hand. This is also the moment to receive payouts.
When it comes to the way the hand total is being calculated, some casinos follow the standard baccarat route and take the last digit, while others add the points up, allowing the two-digit total to count. In practice, this means a hand consisting of 7, 8, and 9 counts as 4, and not 24. We advise you to check which way is used by the casino you play at.