Have you ever played baccarat? This straightforward game might have a few twists and turns to get used to, but it’s still one of the most popular casino games. This game is played with a standard 52-card deck, as the dealer takes the cards from the top and divides them into two separate sides.
This is where things start to get interesting – at least, it’s where you’ll need to start hunting that total of nine, either in your hand or the dealer’s.
The rules of baccarat are fairly straightforward on the surface, but some of the strategies you can employ make the game more complex.
One of the most popular ways to play the game – using the baccarat attack strategy – actually started online. It’s a fascinating strategy that can help players manage their hands, but, as always, remember that no strategy will ever guarantee you a win.
In this guide, we take a look at the baccarat attack strategy, how it works, and whether or not it’s worth using. Whether you’re a seasoned baccarat player or are just starting to explore the game and its different nuances, you can read up on everything you need to know below.
Baccarat rules
Just in case you need a refresher on how to play baccarat, let’s run through the basic rules and the aim of the game. Then, if you’re keen to learn more about the baccarat attack strategy, we’ll break this down for you in the next section.
The game officially begins when the dealer adds two cards to each of the two hands. These cards are known as the player’s hand and the banker’s or dealer’s hand. It’s quite similar to blackjack in that regard.
The goal is then to predict which of the hands will reach a total closest to nine. You can, therefore, either bet that the banker’s hand is closer to the number nine or that your own hand is closer. This is where baccarat differs from blackjack – in baccarat; you don’t have to make the goal number in your own hand to convert on a bet.
You can also bet that the round will end in a tie between the two. Of course, the rules of probability dictate that this is much less likely to happen, and experts do not recommend that beginners try it, at least at first.
But what about card values? How do kings, queens and jacks come into play? When adding up the total of the cards in any given hand, tens (provided that they are obviously already higher than nine) and face cards (kings, queens and jacks) all count as zero. An ace card counts as one, and the rest are of the value they show. So far, so good!
That being said, if any hand – banker’s or player’s – happens to reach a total over nine, then you would subtract ten from the total. So, let’s say you draw a seven and a nine. That’s 16, meaning that you would subtract ten to make six. Meaning you’re three away from nine.
Then, if the banker or dealer has a five and a three, that’s eight. They’re closer to a nine total, and therefore their hand wins.
Sometimes, casinos and physical venues can decide whether the banker and player hands can draw three cards. However, regardless of the venue, there’s always only a maximum of three cards for either hand. It’s more common to see the two-card rule.
Odds and payouts vary from game to game. Before placing bets and assuming what you’ll get back from any given baccarat table, always make sure to read the rules carefully and keep track of your bankroll. This is absolutely the case when getting started with the baccarat attack strategy.
What is the baccarat attack strategy?
As with most card game strategies, the main aim of the baccarat attack strategy is to increase profitability. This strategy is all about increasing your bets when you start winning and decreasing them when you start losing. It’s somewhat like the well-known Martingale strategy, which is also popular in several other casino and card games.
The baccarat attack strategy started some time ago via online forums and was developed into a fully-fledged way to play by Greg Fletcher, who wrote his own book about the baccarat attacks – which is over 160 pages long! If you’re seriously interested in working the strategy into your own games, then you can take a closer look – but for this guide, we’re focusing on the highlights.
Many consider Fletcher’s baccarat strategy to be one of the most intricate systems of its kind. Although baccarat is a simple game on the surface, Fletcher found a way to manage his games depending on how they transpired – winning or losing.
Of course, a word of warning here. You’re entitled to explore any casino strategies you wish, but there’s never a guarantee of a win. Many players use strategies to manage their bankrolls effectively. However, we recommend that you avoid chasing wins under any circumstances simply because a loss is always just around the corner – it’s good to know when to step away.
That said, we promised you a guide to the baccarat attack strategy, so let’s explore its various nuances.
How to use the baccarat attack strategy
The baccarat attack strategy is all about moving backward and forward between ‘attack’ and ‘retrench.’ Essentially, it’s all about your timing.
Instead of constantly increasing your wagers, the strategy expects you to wait for the right time to ‘attack’ with higher bets. The strategy claims that you should attack as soon as you’re on a winning streak.
If you’re on a losing streak, the strategy claims that you should ‘retrench’ and only wager in small amounts, theoretically preventing significant losses. Again, your mileage may vary when playing baccarat your own way.
When using the baccarat attack strategy, starting in a somewhat neutral position is wise. This will help you to determine whether or not you’re starting on a winning or losing streak and how to proceed.
With this strategy, you have to increase your bets every round you play. Whether you’re mounting an attack or a retrenchment, you have to keep increasing what you pay. From there, following the strategy means knowing when exactly to increase and decrease during play.
Regardless, as you can see, the strategy is already a relatively intricate way of playing the game. It also carries risks. While the retrenchment side of the strategy supposedly protects you from your losses getting too large, there’s still a chance that you might lose large amounts as the rounds progress.
It’s also not a strategy that we would recommend to beginners. If you want to try it out for yourself, we recommend setting your bankroll limits along the way.
Just when you thought that you’d got a handle on the baccarat attack strategy, there are some more rules! You’ll also need to learn a few different ways to bet.
Types of bets using the baccarat attack strategy
There are four main bet types in a baccarat attack – the starter, the trigger, the attacking bet and the retrenchment. To use this strategy properly, you’ll need to become familiar with all of them.
You already know a few of the basics, but let’s break these bet types down so that you know what to expect during play.
Starter bet
Naturally, the first bet is the starter bet. Of course, the exact amount you should wager on your starter bet depends on the type of baccarat you’re playing at the time.
Take a look at the minimum wager required at the table. If it’s £2, then that’s your starter bet, and that’s what you build upon as you progress through the attack strategy.
We recommend taking special care with the starter bet, as it sets the foundation for how much you’re likely to wager out of your bankroll across the game. Start low if you’re a beginner, and set a mental note of when to step away.
Trigger bet
The trigger bet takes place right after your starter. This is effectively the first bet you make as part of your attack plan, regardless of how the game transpires. Your next bet will depend entirely on how much your trigger is worth.
Sticking with our initial example above, you would ideally double the starter bet. So, let’s say you place £4 here, regardless of whether that’s on the player’s or the banker’s hand.
Attacking bet
According to the basics of the baccarat attack strategy, you place the attacking bet when your trigger bet wins. You need to decide how much to increase this by – typically, you would boost it by half the amount of your trigger bet and then keep increasing the attacking bet by this amount as long as you keep winning.
Retrenchment bet
When you start losing, it’s time to switch to the retrenchment bet. However, this doesn’t mean reducing your bet by a large amount. In fact, it means that you need to increase your bets.
So, if your trigger bet loses, you need to add your starter bet again, increasing any wagers you have in play.
Of course, the nature of this strategy means that you must switch between these bet types as the game continues. Therefore, it’s a good idea to keep a close eye on your wagers and how the game is progressing to make the most of these rules.
You can, for example, switch bets between the banker and the player. There’s plenty of detail in Greg Fletcher’s book – these are just the absolute basics.
Does the baccarat attack strategy really work?
Although some players claim that the baccarat attack strategy is worthwhile in reducing losses, no strategy in baccarat will ever guarantee a win.
Baccarat, like other casino games, is all about odds and probability. The baccarat attack strategy is just one way that you can manage your plays and bets.
Take a look at this complex baccarat strategy for yourself – but remember, the safest option is always to set firm limits. All bets carry risk, and as interesting as a baccarat attack might be, it’s not a foolproof way to win.
We recommend looking at different baccarat tables and styles of gameplay if you’re interested in mixing things up. In the meantime, if you’re a beginner, we suggest that you play the game straight for a while so that you get a feel for it.
To try out a new strategy, play baccarat here.
