Ins and Outs of Mini-Baccarat

4 August 2024

By Royal Flushes

CINDY: Mini-baccarat is played at a blackjack-styled table, usually somewhat bigger than a blackjack table, but nowhere near as big as the original baccarat table which only a few casinos are still using. That original game was a high-rollers’ delight. The minimum bets were $100 or more.

ABBY: Mini-baccarat has replaced baccarat as this “new” version of the game has made large inroads on the gambling public. It is particularly gaining widespread support among Asian players. Indeed, some mini-baccarat tables are still put into the high-roller rooms to encourage somewhat steeper betting levels.

CINDY: The original version of mini-baccarat was played on a long table and was staffed by several dealers; all well-dressed, with the men in suits and the women in evening dresses. The game was slow and leisurely and the players even got to deal the cards. (You might notice that the number “4” is missing as a seating option as some players are terribly superstitious and the “4” sounds like death in the original language. So, the casinos have dropped that seating position at the new table. They have just changed the number of the seating spot.)

ABBY: You may have heard of the expression, “She’s (or he’s) dressed to the nines.” Well, the numbers 8 and 9 are naturals in mini-baccarat and automatic winners. That’s the highest scores at the game. Of course, 9 beats 8.

CINDY: Although the dealer will deal out groups of cards, the hitting and standing decisions are automatic for each and every hand. Players have no choice in what hands to hit and what hands on which to stand.

ABBY: Here is the big difference in the two baccarat games – speed! Mini-baccarat is faster than fast. Traditional baccarat is leisurely. Although the house edges on the two bet bets at the game Bank and Player come in at around one percent or so, the speed of the game makes those edges more dangerous. You can play almost two hundred hands with a really fast dealer!

CINDY: The third bet, “tie,” has an edge in double figures. That bet is to be avoided. And that’s it for the bets.

ABBY: You will find many “bonus” hands at the game, each one worse than the other. All of these bets are to be avoided.

CINDY: The best way to play the game is to sit out at least 50 percent of the hands, maybe even more if the spirit moves you. A small edge is still sharp when the speed of the game is faster than fast.

ABBY: Above we mentioned that many of the players of mini-baccarat are superstitious – and that is not an understatement. You will find that many of them will blame you for their losses!

CINDY: Now, you have two bets you can make (not the “tie!”). Banker or player. Since the banker has a lower house edge that’s the bet to make – over and over and over again. The game is simple. It is like flipping a coin. You just don’t want to flip that coin very much.

ABBY: And when you play it? Oh, dress to the nines