Jenna james | May 31, 2022 | Updated on: February 22nd, 2024
Mini Baccarat is a pint-size version of the card game which retains the stylishness and simplistic gameplay that we have come to associate with baccarat. It is a popular variant played at both land-based and online casino sites that offers a fast-paced and dynamic gameplay following the same rules as the game of Punto Banco.
Mini Baccarat offers the same excitement as the other versions though it does not have exclusivity since it is a low-stakes game. Let us have a look at some more details about this action-packed casino game.
In this baccarat version, you must make the same decisions as with all other game variants – Banker or Player has all members in the game chewing their nails, however, this choice is made at smaller online baccarat-sized tables which can seat seven punters and one dealer.
On the game table, there are three betting areas – for the Player, Banker, and Tie bets. There is also a commission box for the Banker bet’s 5% commission. Moreover, there is a chip stack and a card shoe. In a Mini Baccarat game, it is always the dealer that manages the card shoe and unlike in Banque and Chemin versions, players do not get to shuffle or even deal the cards.
At the beginning of every round, players place their bets on one of the three betting areas. The dealer will then shuffle the cards and place them in the shoe. Then, they will draw alternately four face-up cards – two for the bettor’s hand and two for the Banker hand: the first card to the Player, the second card to the Banker, the third one to the Player and the fourth card to the Banker.
The winning hand is the one closest to nine. If either hand has a nine or an eight, that is then called a natural and is an automatic win. If, though, neither of the hands has a La Grande or a La Petite, then additional cards can be drawn.
Card Values in Mini Baccarat
A Mini Baccarat game is played with eight decks of cards that have the following values:
All game cards from 2 to 9 have its face value.
Aces bring only one point.
All the 10s and face cards – Kings, Queens, Jacks – or any combination of them are worth zero points.
As in other games of Baccarat, hands cannot exceed nine, so if the total of the cards is a two-digit number, ten is then subtracted from the total value of the hand. So, a hand of a 7 and a 4 would be one. After the game the dealer announces the point count of the Player hand and the Banker hand, one extra card can be drawn for each hand.
The Player stands on 6 or 7, the banker will draw on totals of 0-1-2-3-4 and 5 and stand on 6-7-8 and 9. When the Player does not have a natural, the Banker draws on the totals of 0-1 or 2.
Strategy for Winning at Mini Baccarat
Mini Baccarat is a fast-paced game, with cards drawn face-up. Not only does it lack additional features like the Squeeze option nonetheless it is times faster than other versions. Although the bet minimum is smaller than other versions, playing many rounds so fast can get you on a losing streak. That is why, game experts advise against using a betting evolution system, especially a negative progression one, as the danger of completing your bankroll and never making up for your losses is more potent than with any other variant.
The best strategy that you can employ for Mini Baccarat is to wager on the Banker until it loses. Switch to Player and when Player loses, then go back to Banker. In theory, this will also reduce in half the decisions you have to make, which in its turn will then reduce your losing expectation.
Bets in Mini Baccarat
Every round in Mini Baccarat can result in either Player, Banker, or a Tie. Like we mentioned, the best wager that you can choose is Banker due to the dynamic pace of the rounds. It has a 51% chance of winning since the Banker hand is always dealt last. It has a house edge of 1.06% and pays 1:1. The Player stake has a house edge of 1.24% and pays even as well.
The Tie bet is the least favorable one for Mini Baccarat players, as it has a 14% house edge, and it pays out 8:1. But that is not all when it comes to stakes in Mini Baccarat. The Dragon Bonus is an optional side bet available in this version.
Mini Baccarat Conclusion
In Mini Baccarat, the rules and the over-all gameplay are the same as they are in the standard game. The return to players’ rates is also identical. The only difference lies in the fact that it is a single-player version, and for most participants, this is its main draw.
There are not any interruptions from the other game players to contend with during the rounds. Instead, you can concentrate on placing your stakes and, if you wish, on watching the different patterns forming in the derived roads!
