Baccarat Variations – Most Popular Types of the Card Game

Baccarat is a world-famous card game played at many different casinos across the globe. A simple yet challenging title, it is less based on strategy and more on luck. Rather than compete against other players, you play against the bank. Naturally, because Baccarat is so popular, there are many Baccarat variations.

Some may even get confused over the different types of Baccarat which can be problematic as you may be using a set of rules in one game when in fact it belongs in another. Moreover, it’s always good to know which games are which.

Without further ado then, here’s a complete list of all the Baccarat variations that you will find at any casino.

Mini Baccarat

Mini Baccarat, as the name implies, is a smaller version of the game in which seven plays participate instead of the usual eight. Also, a usually game of Baccarat requires three croupiers while Mini Baccarat only needs one.

This is mostly popular to play in the US and isn’t popular enough in the rest of the world. Here are why many Americans find it so attractive:

  • Low Bet Rates
  • Not roped off
  • Smaller in scale
  • More accessible

So, if you’re ever in Vegas, Mini-Baccarat is most likely what you’ll encounter among the card tables.

Chemin de Fer

Again, as the name implies, Chemin de Fer is the French version of Baccarat which is, in fact, an offshoot of the original from Italy. Compared to other Baccarat variations, Chemin de Fer is played using six decks of cards instead of seven.

All players get to be bankers in turn and the cards are dealt face down rather than face up. Outside of France, Chemin de Fer isn’t played all that much. It represents a more archaic version of the game which isn’t bad but it is still rather complex.

Punto Banco

The most popular and most common form of Baccarat, Punto Banco is what people think of whenever anyone mentions the word “Baccarat”. It’s so popular, in fact, that this offshoot has its own variations.

Midi/Mini

Again, a smaller version of Baccarat that is much more contained. Very similar to Mini Baccarat, but can be played around a kitchen table.

Super 6/Punto 2000

All even money here is paid on winning banker bets, with a total of 6. The highest value is usually 9 in a game of Baccarat.

EZ Baccarat

All even money here is paid on winning banker bets, with a total of 7.

Punto Banco is, overall, the most popular and most well-known version of Baccarat. It is simple to grasp and perhaps the only one you may find at a local casino. All the basic things you might know about Baccarat stems from this game.

Be sure to get ready to play Punto Banco if you happen to step into a casino in the UK, US, Macau, and many other territories around the world.

Baccarat Banque

baccarat en banque tableFinally, we get to Baccarat Banque. Among all the Baccarat variations, this one is probably most comparable to Chemin de Fer. The only real difference is that the banker position is much more permanent compared to the former, where the position of banker rotates depending on each round.

Fewer card decks are also used compared to other Baccarat variations but also offers massive betting options which, inevitably, leads to higher returns.

We definitely recommend trying out at least two of these Baccarat variations as the slight differences between each version may actually give you a preference. Overall, however, you will at least impress your peers by knowing what varies between each one.