A is for…
Action: This term can be used as the stake placed on one game by a player or, the total sum of cash gambled during one seating.
B is for…
Banco: Translated from Spanish it means bank or banker. When a player has the shoe and deals.
Banco Prime: When more than one player has called banco then the person still in the hand nearest to the dealer’s right-hand side, they have to match the bet played by the banker.
Banque: When translated the meaning of Baccarat en Banque is ‘Zero in Bank’. This format of baccarat is played widely in Europe and less so in America. The game is played with two adjacent tables with the banker seated centrally. There are two player bets with one at each table while the banker has one bet.
C is for…
Chemin De Fer: There are different variations of baccarat. This type of baccarat is played mainly in European countries hence the French name and it is less frequent adopted by American and Asian markets. Translated, the meaning of Chemin De Fer is railway or railroad. One player takes the shoe and it travels to the next along the table to deal cards and be the banker.
Cut Card: Cards will be placed in the shoe by the player and the dealer will cut the deck at the point where the card is placed. The cut card is often a solid plastic card and after the cards have been shuffled it will be used to cut the deck.
D is for…
Dealer: The dealer is usually the casino banker however it can also be the player as well. No matter who, it is they who deal the cards and are responsible for the game moving forward fairly. In Baccarat en Banque there are two dealers or otherwise sometimes players take turns.
Dragon Bonus: Used as a side bet the dragon bonus will payout if the win is the same or greater than four points or otherwise, if the win is made by a hand that is natural with a score of eight or nine. It is a side bet a player uses when they feel lucky and expect to win with a good hand while the banker’s hand is poor.
E is for…
Edge Sorting: Not something that can happen at an online casino, edge sorting relies on the rear artistic faces of the card. It’s a keen-eyed player who can spot the difference if the casino does not purchase consistent cards.
F is for…
Face Cards: Always a card that has a picture on them just like the royals, Jack, Queen, King. Numbered cards don’t count in this instance.
Fading: This is applied to bricks and mortar casinos only when playing baccarat. When involved in dice games you are betting against the person rolling the dice. With sports gambling it mainly relates to placing a stake against a losing gambler. Basically, your stake is placed against another player.
H is for …
High Roller: This player does not hold back and is ready to win or lose playing with large sized bets.
L is for…
Layout: It is how the turf lies on the table itself. There are particular places for dealt cards for each hand. It makes the game easier to know where your cards are being dealt and where to place your bet.
Loss Bet: With there being a greater house edge, this is a stake made against the bank and it is called a loss bet.
M is for…
Mini Baccarat: A much faster version of the game. When playing online, cards are drawn face up, but in the bricks and mortar casino’s they are drawn face down. A lesser scale to the full-size table, the play moves much faster with smaller gambling limits.
Match Play: This will completely depend on the rules of the casino and if they offer match play promotions. As baccarat is perceived as an even money game, betters can often receive match play bonus. Against the players stake they will be paid double without having to double their bet. Casinos use match play promotions as an incentive for players to bet on their games.
N is for…
Natural: The best hand to land is a nine. If you land a natural nine you will win and the hand is only second best to a natural eight.
P is for…
Palette: When the cards need moving around the table the croupiers will do this for you during the game with a long wooden tool.
Punto Banco: The meaning of punto banco is ‘player banker’. It originated during 1950 in South America where from Argentina the game spread to Cuba and then the USA. The game is the most widely played version of baccarat in the world.
R is for...
Run: This is an option open to players who want to take a side bet during a series of hands.
Railroad: A widely played baccarat game during the 19th century in France and is also known as Chemin De Fer. If you are playing it in the USA it is known as Chemmy.
S is for…
Shoe: This contraption is used both in brick-and-mortar casinos and online. The shoe has six to eight decks of cards and it can prevent human dealing errors by being linked to an automatic dealing machine.
Streak: If you are lucky enough or have a good strategy you may be able to win several hands of baccarat in succession. It can also apply to a run of losses. You have probably heard of the phrase ‘winning streak’.
T is for…
Tie: This is where you play a draw with the banker resulting in the possibility of a push. The stakes are nullified if the player does not want to take on the banker after a tie. If opted for the banker and players money is returned. If not, you can play the banker and win up to 9:1, but beware the house edge is more than 14% chance on the tie.
U is for …
Nothing more than a turned-up face card.
V is for…
VIP: Could be a prime minister but in casino terms more likely to be a high roller.
Vigorish: This is taken by the casino as a percentage of winnings made against bets.
We hope you have enjoyed your A to Z glossary of the game of baccarat. If you are unsure about how to play, then you should first refer to the in-game rules. We also have several guides to baccarat on this blog covering the rules, strategies, odds, and far more, to compliment your baccarat education.
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