Glossary Of Terms Used In Baccarat

While no one is obligated to know the terms used in baccarat by heart, understanding what the players and dealers say can help boost your chances of winning.

1-3-2-6 System

The “1-3-2-6 system” is a well-known baccarat technique. If a player keeps winning, the number of betting units he stakes in each game is directly proportional to the name of the technique i.e (1-3-2-6). If a player places a wager of £1 and wins, he increases his stake to £3 in the next round. If he wins again, he then places a £2 stake in the next round.

If he wins again, he can take his stake up to £6 in a final round. A total of £14 would have been won if the player is fortunate enough to win four rounds in a row. However, if at any point he loses a round, he returns to the initial bet of £1 for the next round, thus minimizing any losses.

A to C

Action

The word "action" may mean two things in baccarat. (1) Action could mean the total amount of money that was staked by a single or all players during a hand. (2) Action could also mean the action of the hand or the current situation of the game.

Baccarat

The "baccarat" is the worst hand in the game. In Italian language, baccarat means"zero" and it describes a hand filled with cards that have zero value. Some of these cards include 10's, Queens, Jacks and Kings.

Banco

"Banco" is a Spanish word that means "bank" or "banker". When playing baccarat, banco is used to describe a player who has the shoe and also deals the cards.

Banco Prime

The "banco prime" is a privilege that is given to a player who is nearest to the dealer's right to match the bet placed by the bank if multiple players have already called Blanco.

Banker Bet

Banker bet could mean two things. (1) It refers to one of the three possible bets a player can select in a baccarat game. Banker bet does not represent the house or the player who deals the cards from the shoes.

It pays out at a ratio of 1:1, however, a 5% commission is withheld from winning bets to cover running costs. The Banker bet, according to some analysts, has better odds than the Player bet, at 45.843 percent to 44.615 percent.

(2) The term "banker" can also refer to a member of the casino staff that oversees the game, deals the cards, manages the shoe, and makes sure everything goes smoothly in the course of a game.

Bankroll

This is the amount of money a gambler has to bet with. However, it is recommended that the player does not mix the bankroll with the total amount of money that he or she has available. The only thing that should be considered a player’s bankroll is the amount of money they are willing to put on the line in the casino.

Banque

This is a version of baccarat that is played at two conjoined tables. While sitting in the middle, the banker plays a single bet against a pair of player bets, one bet at each table. Banque is mostly popular in European casinos, but not so popular in American ones. "Zero in bank" is how Baccarat en Banque is translated into English.

Burn card

This refers to the first few cards the dealer places to one side (usually in the discard pile), face down before commencing with dealing. The “burn card” process happens before a hand and it is designed to make it impossible for the first player to gain knowledge of what the first card may be. If he gets knowledge of it, it would affect the way he wagers.

Button

The location of the dealer is indicated by the use of a marker known as a “button”. In various variants of baccarat, the term “pass the button” refers to the practice of switching the banker after each hand.

Callman

Three dealers work at large baccarat tables, each with a specific role to play. A callman (or caller) is one of the dealers who sits at the centre of the table in order to face all other players. It is the callman's job to handle the cards whilst arranging them on the layout according to the set rules, decide whether or not further cards can be drawn to a hand according to the rules, and vocally announce the winning hand.

Card Burning

Before each new game begins, the top three cards in the deck are discarded when shuffling begins. This process is known as "card burning". At the start of a new shoe in baccarat, callermen would burn multiple cards. This is unlike blackjack, where only one card is burned.

The number of pips on the front of the card first selected by the caller will decide the number of cards to be burned. It is important to note that when cards are burnt, face cards have a value of 10 instead of 0, therefore if the dealer removes a Queen first, ten cards will be removed from the shoe.

**Card Counting **

Contrary to popular belief, card counting isn't limited to blackjack. It is a strategy employed by certain baccarat players in an effort to improve their chances of winning. Card counting involves keeping track of which cards have left the shoe in order to determine which ones have not been dealt.

However, many gambling experts believe that this game is not a countable one as there are no card rankings that provide the player or the house a greater edge in baccarat, it is a balanced game.

Carte

"Carte" is a French term. It is used in classic games of baccarat to ask for a new card from the dealer.

Casino Commission

"Casino commission" refers to the 5 percent commission the house receives from every winning banker bet. It is possible to locate baccarat tables with a 3 or 4 percent house edge, which lowers the house edge/advantage even further on banker bets.

Chemin de Fer

This is one of the earliest variations of baccarat. It is mostly found in European casinos. Rather than gambling against the house, participants in "chemin de fer" take turns serving as the banker, which effectively means they are betting against each other. Towards the end of the 1950s, US casinos abandoned chemin de fer in favor of the modern baccarat.

Cheques

"Cheques" are used to describe chips specifically intended for play at the baccarat tables. There's a distinct difference in the diameter of baccarat chips from those used in other table games, which adds to the exclusivity of the game.

Cheval

“Cheval” is a term used to describe a type of bet that is played by two players. The “cheval” bet is won when the two players win. It is also lost when they both lose. However, on the occasion that one player wins while the other one loses, it is known as a standoff.

Coup

"Coup" is another French term that is used in baccarat games. It is used to describe a round of the game that has a banker hand and a player's hand. These French terms show the influence of the French in baccarat.

Court Card

In baccarat, a "court card" is simply another term that is used to describe face cards. Examples of face cards include Jacks, Kings and Queens.

Credits

When players engage in online/virtual baccarat, “credits” are used to describe the items that act as money for betting. The player can then convert his credits into real cash when withdrawing his wins.

**Croupier **

One of the most used terms in baccarat is "croupier," derived from the French word "croupe", which basically denotes the horse's hide. The term "croupier" originally referred to a person who stood behind a player during a betting session to provide financial support, hence the horse's rump reference.

However, the word's definition has since changed over time, and it now refers to a casino agent, such as a baccarat callman, who is responsible for supervising the game and declaring the outcomes of the coups.

CSM

Continuous shuffle machines, often known as CSMs, are specialized card shufflers found in casinos and utilized at baccarat and blackjack tables. Discards are returned to the CSM at the end of each coup by the caller. The CSM is always working to rearrange the decks in its belly to ensure unpredictability. The callman does not have to manually shuffle the decks after the end of a shoe because of the use of these machines.

Cut

After the cards have been shuffled, cutting the cards implies splitting the deck into two equal sections. In most cases, the dealer puts the cards face down on the table after shuffling. He then proceeds to ask one player (mostly the player on their right hand side) to cut the deck by taking a section from the top of the deck and placing them on the table.

It’s customary for the dealer to finish cutting by placing the remaining cards on top of them. However, in some versions of baccarat games, players are permitted to cut, shuffle, and deal the cards themselves. Cut cards are often offered to the player who has placed the largest stake on the player in high-stakes games.

**Cut Card **

The "cut card" is a plastic card that is inserted at the end of the baccarat shoe and its function is to tell the callman when to rearrange the deck. When the callman reaches the cut card, he must deal more cards to complete the present coup and then play a final hand before reshuffling to start a new shoe.

D to F

Dealer

The term "dealer" is quite popular and familiar to many players. Just like in most table games, the function of the dealer is critical to the smooth functioning and efficiency of the game. While playing baccarat, the dealer is crucial as he or she plays along with the game and sometimes functions as a player. This means that the player's goal is to defeat the dealer's hand with theirs.

However, there is a need to differentiate between the callman (croupier) and dealer. Large baccarat tables have two dealers on each side, with the callman in the center of the table. Dealers, on the other hand, do not have immediate access to the cards. They exclusively deal with the money on the table, making payments to the winning players and collecting chips from losers.

Discards

Cards that have been dealt out from the shoe are known as "discards," and they are not used again until the deck is reshuffled. Each of these discards is placed in a discard tray until a fresh shoe is started when the cut card has been reached.

Discard Tray

The term “discard trays” are used to describe where a dealer puts the burned cards dealing out cards to the players.

Down Card

A "down card" is also quite known among baccarat players. It is used to describe a card that lies facing down on the baccarat table.

Dragon Bonus

“Dragon bonus” is a common baccarat side bet in which players can place a wager on banker or player whilst also being able to stake on the number of points the winning hand will get the better of the other one. An eight or nine also known as natural is required for a Dragon Bonus to be paid out or if the margin of victory is greater than four points.

Dragon Tiger

Asian casinos, particularly in Macau, are a hotbed of baccarat variety, and the "dragon tiger" is no exception. In the dragon tiger baccarat, instead of the usual two cards, the player and banker hands both have one. If a player correctly anticipates which of the two hands will get a higher-ranking card, he wins. A variety of proposition bets are possible due to the unique characteristics of the dragon tiger baccarat.

Edge Sorting

This is a strategy used by baccarat players. It involves the examination of card values based on the tiny differences on the back of the cards which are as a result of the manufacturing process. This information is then used to try and guess which ones are most likely to be dealt by the dealer. This process is known as ”edge sorting”. However, while some casinos consider edge sorting as cheating, it is their responsibility to ensure that the cards are consistent, so many players will not be held liable for cheating. Edge sorting cannot be used in online Baccarat due to apparent reasons.

Egalite

“Egalite” is a baccarat slang for “tie”. It is mainly used in Punto Banco-style of baccarat.

Face Cards

As previously explained in court cards, face cards refer to cards like Kings, Jacks and Queens in a baccarat shoe. They are almost worthless as they have an assigned value of zero.

Fading

In player-banked variations of baccarat, "fading" is used to describe a situation where the players cover either part or whole of the bet of the banker.

Flat Bet

The"flat bet" is a type of wager that necessitates that the player places a bet that is independent of whether or not they have a winning or a losing hand. It is rather placed on the premise that their hand is the same no matter what card they hold.

Flat Betting

Staking the same amount on each baccarat coup is known as "flat betting", i.e when a player bets the same amount of money regardless of whether he wins or loses. It is also known as “fixed betting”. Players utilizing betting progressions, on the other hand, would change the size of their bets according to the outcome of the preceding coup.

Flat Bettor

The “flat bettor” is a term that is used to describe a baccarat player who places the same bet each time the game is played.

G to I

**Go Bank **

In the Punto Banco style of baccarat, the term “banco” means “bank”. However, in Chemin de Fer baccarat, players could also go to the bank. To “go bank” means to place a bet equal to or greater than the banker’s stake in the game.

Hand

The “hand” refers to the cards that are dealt and played within one round of a baccarat game.

High Roller

This is a term that is used to describe a person who spends huge amounts of money. These "high rollers" are those who can afford to lose a very large amount of money on gambling without fear. They have accepted the fact that they can either win more or lose everything without problems. Both physical and online casinos go to great lengths to make sure that these sets of customers feel like they are part of the family.

House Edge

This is the degree to which the casino (or house) has an advantage over a player. This is usually determined by the player's level of expertise. However, baccarat has one of the lowest house edges among card games but it depends on what the player is staking on. Playing a banker bet gives the house a low edge of 1.06% which increases to 1.24% for player bets. The house edge goes higher to 14.36% for tie bets according to statistics.

J to L

Ladderman

Craps pit supervisors and baccarat laddermen share the same job description. The ladderman is in charge of keeping tabs on the game, and he does it from a unique high chair perched above the baccarat table which allows him to keep close tabs on all the action.

The ladder man's job is to make sure that everyone follows the rules and to catch and fix any mistakes made by the caller or the two dealers. In the event of a disagreement, the ladder man would step in to calm the situation. As soon as they notice someone trying to defraud them, laddermen will call for backup from the securities from their perch far above the table. Occasionally, a single ladderman may be in charge of many baccarat tables at once.

La Grande

It was previously mentioned that baccarat is the worst conceivable hand in the game. In contrast to baccarat, "La Grande" is the finest hand possible in a game. The name La Grande is a French language and it means "the big one". It is the best hand in baccarat because it amounts to a total of nine.

Lammers

In baccarat, dealers use little laminated discs called "Lammers" to mark the winning banker wagers with their commissions. This is important in the game as it shows transparency and accountability.

La Petite

This term is used to describe the “smaller” natural which amounts to a total of 8.

Layout

With six players on either side of the caller at large baccarat tables, twelve people can play simultaneously. On the other hand, only seven people can play on a mini baccarat table at the same time. The commission and wagering boxes are located on the table's layout. It also lists all of the bets that can be placed in the game, as well as their respective payouts printed on the top.

Live Dealer Baccarat

With live dealer baccarat, players can interact with a real-life dealer via a video feed from a casino studio.

Loss Bet

In a baccarat game, the term "loss bet" refers to a bet that is made against the banker.

M to O

Marker

In the event that a player runs out of his bankroll or money to bet with, he is required to sign a paper known as a "marker" when borrowing money from the house. The marker is a sort of loan agreement.

Match Play

Casinos utilize match play incentives to entice customers to stake on their games. In even-money games, these bonuses can be used likewise generally, but they can only be used once. If a casino rule allows, a player can use the match play bonus to get paid twice what they actually bet in cash without them having to double their stake. This is why baccarat is considered an even-money game.

**Mini Baccarat **

The "mini baccarat" is a variation of the popular game. The rules of mini baccarat are the same as those of conventional baccarat. As a result of the smaller table shaped in a semicircle, only one member of the casino's staff handles the service rather than three which is used in conventional baccarat. As such, fewer people can comfortably sit at the mini baccarat table, which can hold up to seven people.

Modulo 10

The “module 10” term refers to the tenth digit in the space of 10 being omitted. Using a hand that has a face value of 12 as an example, the 1 is dropped, and the player is left with a hand value of 2 instead of 12. The modulo 10 technique is used to compute all baccarat hands.

Monkeys

"Monkey! Monkey!" is what can be vividly heard from the gamers at the baccarat and blackjack tables. However it is not a derogatory term, it is used to refer to the face cards in the shoe, which are commonly known as "courts," but players may also use the term "monarchy cards" to describe them.

The history of the term "monkey" goes a long way back. Asian players and dealers had a difficult time pronouncing the English word "monarchy" and often mispronounced it to sound like "monkey". Since then, English-speaking players began to pick up on the blunder as well, and soon it was being used by almost everyone.

Muck

The muck is an eight-deck French baccarat shoe which contains 52 cards each and has just been shuffled.

Natural Hand

In any card game, the strongest pat hands a player can receive is known as a "natural". The naturals in baccarat are pat hands with a total of either 8 or 9. A natural is a guaranteed winner and does not need to draw any further cards. However, it is possible to lose one of these "pat" hands only against a higher natural, such as when the banker's total is 8 and the player hand's total is 9.

P to R

**Palette **

The caller uses a flat wooden bat to move the cards around the table. This bat is known as the "palette". The palette can also be used to show which player is now acting as the banker in player-banked games. It is not uncommon for the high-roller tables at luxury casinos to feature elaborately adorned palettes, which further enhances the opulent ambience. Since the 15th century, palettes have been an essential baccarat table accessory.

Panda 8

A player must beat the dealer’s hand with a three-card total of eight in order to win the “Panda 8 bet”. If a player manages to pull off the trick, which has a 3.4 percent chance of success and a 10.19 percent house advantage, the player walks away with a 25 to 1 premium pay out.

Pass

Winning a hand in a baccarat game is referred to as a "pass".

**Pit **

There is a roped-off area known as a pit where tables with high limits are generally kept isolated from other casino games on the main floor. This exclusivity allows baccarat to attract big rollers because it allows them to play for higher bets without being bothered by the commotion on the casino floor.

Player

New players may be confused by this term because they tend to think about it in terms of the actual players while it has two meanings. (1) It refers to the actual players of the game. (2) However, as well as the Banker and the Tie, “player” completes the three available types of bets in baccarat. To put it another way, a player can wager on either the Banker or the Player, or they can choose for a tie. The house has a slight advantage of slightly more than one percent on player bets, which pay out at 1:1.

Player Bet

In baccarat, a player has the option of placing one of three bets, the "player bet" being one of them. The house has a 1.24 percent edge/advantage.

Point

The “point” is a baccarat term that stands for a sole unit of value or occasionally, a baccarat hand’s sum total modulo.

Punter

The term “punter” is used to describe those who partake in a game. The term is mostly used in the United Kingdom. It simply means “a bettor”.

Punto

The player's wager is referred to as a "punto" in the Spanish language. According to historians, the phrase is said to have initially appeared in Mar del Plata, an Argentine city, among gaming establishments.

Punto Banco

As one of the most popular Baccarat variants, “Punto Banco” is an alias for the game over the world. It was created in Argentina in the 1950s and then exported to Cuba and later, the United States. It means “Player Banker” in English.

**Push **

The term "push" is used to describe a situation in which both the player and banker hands have the same total. The term is also used in blackjack games to refer to a tie. However, there is no exchange of money as neither player nor house loses or wins.

Railroad

“Railroad “ is another name for Chemin de Fer. It is another popular variation of the baccarat game that is mostly played in France.

Rapid Baccarat

The “rapid baccarat” is a version of video baccarat in which a dealer is allowed to deal a number of games at the same time.

**RNG **

The “RNG” means random number generator. It is a technological system that online casinos utilize to replicate the odds and play of a real-world game.

Rotation

The term “rotation” refers to the way the shoe, along with the banker’s position moves around the baccarat table.

Rule Card

The "rule card" is a sort of constitution that governs the game. The baccarat and chemin de fer rules are found on the back of these cards, so players know exactly how to play.

Run

“Run” is a side bet that is played separately from the main game. However, in this sort of side bet, players can place bets on many hands simultaneously.

S to U

Shill

To increase the volume of bets, casinos used to use shills (also known as starters), to attract more betting actions from customers. The shills were paid a commission for each bet that was placed. In order to hide their affiliation with the casino, a shill would sit at an empty table and pretend to be playing baccarat. The shill would bet with the house's money while seeming to be a regular player whereas he or she was planted at the table. However, the usage of shills has gradually been phased out.

Not unexpectedly, shills at baccarat tables in casinos used to be mostly young, attractive ladies or men. However, it is important to distinguish between a shill and a proposition player. A proposition player is someone who is employed by the casino, but wager their own money at the tables.

Shoe

In baccarat, it would be impossible for the caller to carry so many cards in one hand. Due to this, the decks are housed in a shoe. In the majority of casinos, the game is played with six or eight full decks and the cards are dealt from the shoe one at a time.

Shooter

In player-banked variations of baccarat, the term "shooter" refers to either the bank or the player who assumes the position and performs the functions of the banker.

Shuffling Up

In baccarat, "shuffling up" occurs when the dealer shuffles the shoe suddenly before they have hit the cut card, which is the final card in the deck.

Squeezing

"Squeezing" is a common practice among some dealers in baccarat. These dealers would gradually reveal all the cards on the table that were previously faced down. Squeezing the cards adds more fun to the game but it has no effect on the sequence of the cards coming out of the shoe.

Squeezing is allowed in some player-banked games as well, however only a single individual is entitled to squeeze the cards for the player bet and another person for the banker bet. In most games, the player and banker's largest stakers are the two people entitled to squeeze at the table.

Stakes

“Stakes” is used to describe the total bet made by the player in the banker’s position, as well as the wagers placed by each individual player.

Stand

To stand in baccarat means two things. (1) It refers to a player’s decision of accepting the hand’s value and declining to collect additional cards. (2) “Stand” also means a player’s decision to get up and leave the baccarat table.

Stand-Off

The "stand-off" is a term that is used to describe a push/tie between the player and banker. In most casinos, a player's initial stake will be returned in a stand-off but he doesn't win any extra money as profit.

Streak

Going on a “streak” in gambling means a player has had a string of similar outcomes. This could either be a string of wins or a string of defeats. The same applies to baccarat.

**Super Pan Nine **

The “super pan nine” is a very common variant of baccarat that is played at casinos in Los Angeles. In the super pan nine, all the players are dealt three face down cards and are scored as normal in baccarat.

Table of Play

The “table of play” is a set of rules that describe the scores which allow the players to receive a third card

The big eye boy

The “big eye boy” is a method used by regular baccarat players to keep track of former results. The “big road” and “the small road” are the other two methods. However, these methods are esoteric because they are specialized knowledge which is only understood by a minority of people who are well-versed in baccarat.

These players believe that closely observing the trends in the fierce encounters between the player and banker hands can give them a special knowledge of how to bet future hands.

Tie

The “tie” is also known as a “standoff” or “push”. It occurs when the banker and player end a game with the same value in hand.

Tie Bet

The "tie bet" is the third and last variant of bets in the game of baccarat. The house has a 14.36 percent edge over players when they place a tie bet, hence it is often discouraged for players to engage in. In a "tie bet" the player stakes on the possibility that the player and banker's hands will tie. Meaning that the player and banker's hands will arrive at the same total.

A "tie bet" would always result in both player and banker's wagers returned to them. However, a successful or winning tie bet could result in a win of 8:1 or 9:1 ratio.

Upcard

"Upcard" is used to describe a card that is dealt facing up by the dealer. As a player, the upcard is crucial in some decision-making situations. Thus, making it an essential strategy that players keep track of this information.

V to X

Vigorish

The term “vigorish” refers to a small percentage collected by the casino when a player wins. The vigorish is usually 5% in most casinos but it may vary according to house rules.

VIP

The “VIP” is a very common acronym that means a ‘Very Important Person’. However in baccarat and casinos generally, the VIP tends to be a whale which also means a high roller.

Whale

"Whales" and "high-rollers'' basically have the same meaning. They describe a gambler with a large bankroll and a willingness to bet large sums of money on each bet without being worried about any consequences.