Search
inner page top left

3 Card Baccarat – Rules Strategy & Tips

3 Card Baccarat

How to Play 3 Card Baccarat

3 Card Baccarat is a fairly new variation on the popular casino game Baccarat and isn’t widely available in internet casinos yet.

There are some sites that offer it though and the rules are very simple to learn making it an easy game to have a go on if you fancy something different.

3 Card Baccarat Rules

Firstly, the scoring is the same as in the standard version of Baccarat.

All face cards count as ten, an Ace a 1 and all other cards equal the value of their pips – so 3 counts as 3 points, 6 as 6 points etc.

The aim of the game, as in standard Baccarat, is to guess who will have the highest value hand, the Dealer or the Player. There is also the option of a Tie but this is less likely in 3 Card Baccarat than in the standard version as the number of face cards in the hand need to be equal for a Tie as well as the value of the hand.

Once you have placed your bet in 3 Card Baccarat, 3 cards are dealt for the Player hand and then 3 for the Dealer’s hand. No further cards are dealt which is another difference to the standard version.

Points are then added up for each hand depending on the value of each card and the winning hand is then decided. Payouts are then made.

Some websites differ at this point as to the hand total.

Whilst some add the points up and allow the 2 digit total of up to 30 to count, others follow the route of standard Baccarat and only take the last digit. Therefore a hand of 7, 8, 9 would count as 4 as opposed to 24 which would be the normal total. It is worth checking with the casino you wish to play at which version they have before you play.

3 Card Baccarat table

Above is the layout for a standard version of 3 Card Baccarat.

3 Card Payouts

Once the hand is finished, payouts are made. This is normally even money minus 3% to 5% commission for bets on the Player and the Dealer, and 20 to 1 for the Tie. Again, due to the low number of sites that offer this variation of Baccarat, the payouts can be slightly different depending on the site so it is worth shopping around.

3 Card Baccarat Strategy

One of the worst casino bets we have come across is within 3 Card Baccarat.

Many casinos offer a side game ‘Three Faces’, which pays out if the Dealer has 3 face cards.

The table below gives an overview of how this works:

PointsPaysCombinationsProbabilityReturn
3 Faces162200.0099550.159276
2 or Less Faces-1218800.990045-0.990045
Total221001-0.830769

 
As the game is played with a single deck of 52 cards, the odds of this coming in are 0.83%, so less than 1% of the time. The house edge for 3 Card Baccarat is 83% so leave this well alone whatever you do!

The Tie is a tempting bet for many with payouts of between 20% and 25%, and those that play standard Baccarat will surely be tempted.

However, as mentioned above, in order for a Tie to come in, not just the value of the hand but also the number of face cards need to be equal.

Therefore, the probability in 3 Card Baccarat is around 3.7% giving the house edge as 20.8%. This is, therefore, another one to avoid unless you are feeling particularly lucky and fancy a big payout before walking away.

3 Card Baccarat Tips

Steer clear of the Tie – like other forms of Baccarat, the Tie in 3 Card Baccarat should be avoided, not only does it have a poor house edge, the number of cards in each hand also needs to be equal for the Tie to count.

Play for fun first – Most online sites offer you the chance to play casino games for fun chips as well as real money, as 3 card Baccarat is considerably different from the standard game, even if you consider yourself something of a Baccarat expert, we still recommend playing for fun first to get used to the differences between versions.

Manage your bankroll – Like all casino games, it is important to ensure you have enough funds for a good session to maximize enjoyment levels and your chance of winning, therefore start the session with around 40 hands and stick to your bet amount.

Related Articles:

Play Baccarat Online For Real Money
How To Play Baccarat
French Baccarat

inner page bot left

FAQ

faq

What is 3 Card Baccarat?

You would be forgiven if you’ve never heard of 3 Card Baccarat. This refreshing take on the classic game is fairly new. However, despite the fact that it is recent, it is already gaining traction and growing in popularity at various online casinos.

faq

Where can I play 3 Card Baccarat?

The game is fairly new, and can mostly be played at various online websites. Land-based casinos have not really embraced the game just yet. However, with its recent surge in popularity online, it might just make a crossover to land-based establishments soon.

faq

Can I Play 3 Card Baccarat for real money?

Yes. Many online gambling websites have begun to allow players to gamble on 3 Card Baccarat. The game is gaining traction and becoming quite a bit more popular.

faq

How do I score in 3 Card Baccarat?

Just like the classic game, 3 Card Baccarat scoring works pretty much the same as in the classic game. The Aces are valued at 1, the face and ten cards are valued at 0, and each numbered cards’ value is determined by its number.

faq

What separates 3 Card Baccarat from the classic?

The main difference between 3 Card Baccarat and the classic game is (as you might guess) the fact that 3 cards are dealt in 3 Card Baccarat. Once the bets have been placed, three cards are dealt to each player, and the goal is to get a score greater than the banker’s.

faq

Which are the worse bets in 3 Card Baccarat?

There is one rule in Baccarat betting that remains true across all variants of the game. And that is this: Never bet on the tie. The Tie in 3 Card Baccarat must absolutely be avoided. It has a high payout, however, the house edge is the highest on a Tie bet.

faq

Can I play 3 Card Baccarat for fun?

Yes. In fact, it is advisable that you play 3 Card Baccarat for fun first, before you start betting. You can do this by gathering a group of friends and reading up on the rules. Or, if you’d prefer, many online casinos allow free-to-play options, where you don’t have to put down any bets and just play for fun.

faq

How many decks are used in 3 Card Baccarat?

3 Card Baccarat is played with a single deck comprised of 52 cards.

faq

Does 3 Card Baccarat offer better odds than the classic game?

Largely, yes. 3 Card Baccarat has better odds than the classic game. However, the chances for a tie are much lower than in the classic game. This means that betting on a tie is even less viable in 3 Card Baccarat than in the classic game.

faq

How many hands should I prepare for in 3 Card Baccarat?

The standard advice is to come up with a bankroll that will last you for a total of 40 hands. You can separate this into multiple, smaller amounts, and can then bet that amount each hand. It is important to learn to manage your bankroll properly, and not exceed the amount you’ve set for yourself.

Full Screen +