Ez Baccarat Card Counting
- Ez Baccarat Card Counting
- How To Count Cards Baccarat
- Card Game Baccarat Strategy
- Baccarat Dragon And Panda
- Ez Baccarat Card Counting Tool
EZ Baccarat Dragon 7/Panda 8 card counting strategy The EZ Baccarat Dragon 7 side bet can be beaten with a true JSTAT Count (2-9=+1 and 10-K=-2) of +4 with less 8′s or 9′s left than normal. Also, when two or more 8′s or 9′s per deck than average (an 8 or 9 averages every 6.5 cards) are depleted with an even JSTAT Count, gives us the. The EZ Baccarat Dragon 7 side bet can be beaten with a true JSTAT Count (2-9=+1 and 10-K=-2) of +4 with less 8′s or 9′s left than normal. Also, when two or more 8′s or 9′s per deck than average (an 8 or 9 averages every 6.5 cards) are depleted with an even JSTAT Count, gives us the Dragon 7 advantage. Counting Cards is a Useless Strategy in Baccarat. A lot of players expect to see the same returns they would in blackjack when they count cards in baccarat. But the mechanics of baccarat prevent card counting from being an effective strategy in the game. Firstly, blackjack has boundaries that force you to really look at the value of each card.
EZ Baccarat is a new entry in the classic card collecting game series, and it will definitely be an exciting one for anyone interested in game and strategy. The EZ Baccarat strategy does take some of the benefits (low risk and profit) of a 5% commission on the winning Banker hands and uses them for a more important purpose (making the game more. Aug 13, 2012 Card Counting the Dragon Side Bet in EZ Baccarat. The Dragon Side Bet for EZ Baccarat is simple to describe. This side bet pays 40-to-1 if the dealer’s three-card total of 7 beats the player, otherwise the bet loses. In September, 2011, I realized that this side bet was vulnerable to a card counting methodology of advantage play.
You must have heard those stories where blackjack card counting allowed a player to take huge winnings from the casino, and you have wondered if the same can be said about the other popular card game – baccarat.
The title of this article reveals the sad truth that baccarat is not a countable game in which you can gain an edge by counting cards, contrary to what many other results on Google may tell you. Let’s go through the reasons why baccarat card counting doesn’t work, which is vital for your understanding of the game.
Baccarat Card Counting Doesn’t Favor Anyone
Baccarat is a symetrical game in which Banker and Player will be getting the same cards. Rules are slightly different for Player and Banker, so this is the only chance where you could possibly benefit from knowing what cards are left in the deck. But even if you knew there are more 9s than Aces in the deck, there’s no way to put that information to good use. It’s equally likely that the Banker or Player will get any of the cards from the deck, and in baccarat you don’t get to make a decision during the game.
You place your bets before the cards are dealt, and then there’s nothing else left for you to do as you watch the game unfold, with Banker and Player taking turns in drawing cards. This is a different world to blackjack, as in blackjack you have decisions to make and these decisions can be based on what kind of cards are left in the deck. In baccarat, it simply doesn’t matter. Baccarat, for all practical purposes, is an elaborate coin toss game.
Casinos Don’t Mind You Counting Cards
Not in baccarat, at least. At many casinos you’ll even be provided with pen and paper if you want to track the results.
Also, while in blackjack it is rare to see a reshuffle after 75% of the shoe has been dealt, in baccarat, casinos don’t have a problem with you seeing 100% of the shoe. Meaning, they will shuffle the decks only when there are no cards left. If baccarat card counting worked, they wouldn’t ever let you do that, and would shuffle the decks once you see 75% of the shoe since it’s the last part that favors card counters the most. In baccarat, there’s simply no edge to be found there.
How Does Card Counting Work
As mentioned, blackjack card counting is very famous. Players keep track of the shoe so that they know when the advantage moves to be in their favor and will then increase their bets. This way, they are able to play more hands that are successful.
High-value cards, such as face cards, are more beneficial to the player, while lower value cards, such as twos and threes, are more beneficial to the dealer. Initially, the ratio of high to low-value cards is even, but it will change as cards are dealt. For example, if more low-value cards are dealt in the early rounds, then the remaining cards in the shoe will have a higher concentration of high versus low cards. At this point, a card counter will begin to bet more as they have a better chance of being dealt blackjack (which will usually have an enhanced payout of 3:2).
Dr Ed Thorp is the man who literally wrote the book on card counting after he developed his system in the 1960s. Thorp’s first card counting system, called the 10 Count System, was the first publicly known system to be mathematically proven. It is also a very simple system. It just requires players to start with a mental count of zero and then +4 for low-value cards and -9 for high-value cards. The higher the total goes, the more you should bet. If the count reaches zero or negative numbers, then you should bet less.
The main problem with Thorp’s system is that it only works for single-deck games, which are hard to find. However, his system inspired other mathematicians and blackjack experts to develop other systems. Thorp himself went on to develop another system, called the Hi-Lo Count, and to this day it is considered the best card counting system a beginner can learn.
How to Count Cards in Baccarat and Win
Now, we will surprise you by saying that you can, in fact, count cards in baccarat and make a profit.
It’s just that the profit is so miniscule and the strategy is so difficult to play out that it’s just not worth your time. With a perfect baccarat card counting strategy, as described by Peter Griffin in his book The Theory of Blackjack, you’d be making a $1000 bet once every 400 hands or so, and would expect to make $0.70 per hour. It is unlikely that any casino would let you sit there for 400 hands without doing anything, and it’s unlikely you’d be going through the trouble only to make $0.70 per hour.
Also, with a small sample like that – one bet every 400 hands – and the odds ever slightly in your favor, it would still be more or less a coin-flip game and you’d be likely to lose your $1000 bet. Then you’d have to wait for 400 more hands to make another one. If you lose that one too, and the odds of both first bets being lost are almost 25%, you’re in trouble.
In essence, counting cards doesn’t change the odds too much, and there’s nothing practical you can do with the extra information.
Baccarat Card Counting System and Values
This is the system used to track cards that left the deck, and it’s more complex than in blackjack, where you only use +1 and -1.
- Start with a count of 0
- don’t do anything for 9, 10, J, Q, K
- +1 when A, 2, or 3 are dealt
- +2 when 4 is dealt
- -1 when 5, 7, or 8 are dealt
- -2 when 6 is dealt
So, basically, you’re only monitoring cards between A and 8 inclusive. For the first three (A, 2, 3) you add +1 to the count. 4 is a special case as it’s the only card for which you add +2, and 6 is the opposite of that as you subtract -2. The remaining cards (5, 7, 8) mean you subtract -1 from the count.
In baccarat, it is common knowledge that banker is “always” the best bet – though in our how to win baccarat article we argue differently – and this is the default bet in this card counting strategy. It’s only when your count is higher than 16, a Player bet becomes the smarter choice.
However, this just a very simplistic way to count cards in baccarat. Some mathematicians say you actually need a count of +235 for the Player bet to actually become profitable while you need a count of -200 for the Banker bet to become truly profitable. And then there’s the real world – where even a computer who’d play the perfect game according to the information it has would only be able to make less than $2 per 100 hands. On a $1000 bet.
Here is a baccarat card counting cheat sheet you can download and print out.
Thorp’s Baccarat Card Counting System
Dr Ed Thorp developed his own baccarat card counting system that is slightly more complicated than the one described above. He also pointed out that it takes many rounds for his baccarat card counting strategy to become effective. The technique requires different calculations depending on whether you want to bet on Banker or Player.
If you wish to place the Player bet, then you need to subtract 1 when twos and threes are dealt, subtract 2 when fours and fives are dealt, plus 1 when sixes and nines are dealt and plus 2 when sevens and eights are dealt. If tens, face cards, or aces are dealt, then you do nothing.
If you want to place the Banker bet, then you do the opposite. You need to add 1 when twos, threes, and fours are dealt, add 2 when fives are dealt, subtract 1 when sixes, eights, and nines are dealt, and subtract 2 when sevens are dealt. Once again, when tens, face cards, or aces are dealt, then you do nothing.
John May’s Card Counting System for the Tie Bet
John May is a very well-known and respected baccarat author. He believes that the only form of baccarat card counting that is worthwhile is that dedicated to the Tie bet. Ties in baccarat are very rare, and that is why they offer much larger payouts than the Player or Banker bet.
May points out that if there are no odd cards remaining in the shoe, then there are only five possible hand totals, 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8. This means that the odds of a Tie are doubled, and you will have an advantage of 62% on average. His system for finding these situations is very simple. Just start at a count of zero and plus one for every odd card that is dealt. When the count reaches 160, it means that the average distribution of cards gives a huge 62% advantage, and it is time to start placing the Tie bet.
The Effect of Removing a Card
When developing card-counting strategies, a good place to start is to look at the effect of removing any given card from the game. In regards to baccarat, this means looking at the effect on house edge for each card value that is removed. A negative value shows that removal is bad for the player, while a positive value means that it is good for the player. As the values are so small, they are easier to deal with when multiplied by ten million, and that looks like this:
Ez Baccarat Card Counting
These can then be used for a card counting strategy. You need to start with three counts of 0 and then add the point values of that card to each of the counts. For example, if the first card dealt is a 6, then the Banker count is -1132, the Player count is 1128, and the Tie count is -11595. In order to discover if a bet is advantageous, it is necessary to divide the count by the ratio of cards left to get the true counts. A bet will have zero house edge when the Banker count is 105791, Player count is 123508, and Tie count is 1435963. It is rare that these counts will occur, but when they do, a profit will be made.
Card Counting the Dragon 7 Side Bet in EZ Baccarat
EZ Baccarat differs from the regular game in that there is no commission on the Banker bet (this is why it is sometimes simply called No Commission Baccarat). Because of this, there is a small change in the rules; a bet on the Banker position that wins with three cards that have a total of 7 will push instead of winning.
The game often has a side bet called Dragon 7, and while most side bets should be avoided, this one is an exception as there are methods to count cards for it and discover when it will be profitable. The Dragon 7 side bet pays 40:1 if the Banker hand wins with three cards and a total score of seven.
In order to win the Dragon 7 bet, the dealer must draw a third card, and the cards that most often prevent this are 8s and 9s. As these cards are removed from the shoe, the edge moves towards the player’s favor. Having many lower-value cards is also helpful, as cards 1 to 7 can help move the dealer’s final total to 7. By looking at the effect on the house edge of removing each card value, it is possible to build a card counting system.
The system dictates that you start with a count of zero and then subtract 1 when fours, fives, sixes, and sevens are dealt, and plus 2 when eights or nines are dealt. When any other card is dealt, then you do nothing. You should then place the Dragon 7 bet when the true count is +4 or higher (remember, the true count is determined by dividing the count by the number of decks left in the shoe). This should happen in just under 10% of all hands.
Baccarat Card Counting: A Useful Tool When Used Correctly
It should be clear by now that baccarat card counting does not offer the same advantages as blackjack card counting. Even when done perfectly, it will not lead to very large profits. However, it is a relatively easy thing to do, and it does have its advantages. Furthermore, there are specific situations, such as the Dragon 7 side bet, when it is very useful and can help secure more winnings. In other words, there is no need to obsessively card count, but it certainly can’t do any harm.
Know more information about baccarat strategy that help players to increase winning chance at online casino.
If there is anything frustrating about Baccarat (apart from the high house edge on the best-paying Tie bet), it’s the 5% commission the house deducts from your winning every time you go for the safe alternative and select the Banker option. You could, of course, bet on the Player and avoid the commission, but that would also cut a few percents off the advantage that the Banker bet carries and let’s face it, that feels just as disheartening as paying the commission.
In a daring attempt to keep their entire winning amount and not share it with the house (which, truth be told, gets enough vigorish on your losing bets) a lot of players turn to EZ Baccarat, aka Easy Bac, No Commission Baccarat or Dragon 7, as known in Macau.
What Is EZ Baccarat?
Essentially, there is no difference between the regular and EZ Baccarat, apart from the obvious, no-commission factor. For the sake of illustration and in case you are yet to become familiarized with the rules and odds of the game, let us start with the basics.
As most of you already know, there are three main bets in Baccarat – Dragon, Tiger, and Tie, the latter having the best payout but the worst hit frequency rate, which makes it infamously known as the “sucker bet”. Two of the other options are, therefore, more popular betting choices, especially Banker, which comes with 45.85% odds, making it a go-to bet for most of the experienced players. Any operator would, of course, be crazy to miss out on odds like that, and 5% commission is added to the house edge every time the Banker wins, leaving a bitter taste in the player’s mouth.
The majority of players are so accustomed to the idea, that we forget about the commission altogether, especially because it’s not really something that the casinos will flaunt in front of your noses; the thought only re-emerges when you come across a No Commission variant and remember all those times when you had to share your profits with the casino, which does have an unfair ring to it.
How To Count Cards Baccarat
Why Would a Casino Renounce the Commission?
Card Game Baccarat Strategy
Ironically, the answer to that question is – for profit. The very concept of Easy Bac or EZ Baccarat is bound to attract all those who prefer their payouts “unimpaired”, which inevitably means more crowd around EZ Baccarat table – online or land-based.
The rule about the 5% is conditioned and to make up for the loss in the commission, the casinos have devised a clause, according to which the Banker bets with the total of 7 on a 3-card hand will result in a push.
Compared to the commission version, EZ Baccarat comes up as a more player-friendly variant, producing the house edge of 1.018% for the Banker bet in the 6-deck game, which is obviously lower than 1.17% in the standard Baccarat variant.
EZ Baccarat Side Bets
Baccarat Dragon And Panda
In addition to letting you keep your entire payout, this version of Baccarat introduces the following side betting options:
- Dragon 7 (mentioned above)
- Panda 8
Otherwise, there are no deviations for the traditional Baccarat structure – the players select one of the three main bets, submit an optional side wager, and the hand that’s closer to the total of 9 wins.
Side bets are settled independently and, as always, generate higher payouts. The Dragon 7 bet will win under the conditions described above – when a 3-card hand comes up to the total of 7. Should that happen, the player will get a payout of 40:1.
Panda 8 wins on the same number of cards, but with a slightly higher total of 8, and the payout is 25:1. In juxtaposition with the Tie bet, side bets pose a lower risk and offer much higher turnover – Dragon 7 comes with approximately 7.6% house edge and Panda 8 has the edge of 10.19%. Tie, on the other hand, has a payout of 8 to 1 (or 9 to 1 in some casino), with over 14% edge – looking at it from that perspective, it’s easy to make a decision which of the two Baccarat versions to pick.
The Most Popular Strategies EZ Baccarat Strategies
As a game of chance, Baccarat does not officially offer any reliable strategies that would accurately predict the upcoming card and direct the player’s next move. There are, however, some bankroll managing techniques used by more experienced players and two of the most popular ones are the Golden Eagle and the Silver Tiger, both devised by a Chinese mathematician.
The principles of both systems rest on the idea of exploiting your winning streaks or keeping it low key when your luck turns its back on you. To implement the strategy, the players will need to start by keeping track of their betting choices, or, in other words, remember if the previous bet was placed on a Banker or a Player.
Depending on the pattern from previous rounds, one will need to play aggressively or offensively while in the winning streak or take it down a notch and reduce the bets when the tide starts to turn.
The Golden Eagle is a simpler strategy which the player can use to reduce the losses using the “defensive mode” and score big with the offensive tactics. By recording your betting pattern (no shame in using the old pen and paper), you can plan on your next move and make the most of any streak. The Silver Tiger is considered to be more effective and much faster, thus preferred by the experienced players.
Card Counting in EZ Baccarat
Ez Baccarat Card Counting Tool
You will notice that pretty much every suggested Baccarat strategy refers to the budget management and many believe that counting or bluffing skills are completely irrelevant to this game. Not all will agree with this notion and there are some people who believe that card counting will give you a certain edge.
The values are added according to the table below:
Card | Assigned Value |
A and 2 | +1 |
3 and 4 | +2 |
5 and 8 | -1 |
6 and 7 | -2 |
10 and Face Cards | 0 |
The count should give you an idea when the Player bet has higher odds of winning, which is expected to happen when the count total is higher than 16.
Some argue that card counting in Baccarat is pointless and that one could achieve the same kind of edge by simply sticking to the Banker bet all the time. When it comes to EZ Baccarat and its elimination of the proverbial Sword of Damocles (in the form of commission) hanging over your head, this just may be the best possible option – go safe or go home.
If you are looking to play No Commission Baccarat online, then head over to Mr Green or LeoVegas. US players can visit 7Bit Casino, a high-profile gaming venue that offers a very good selection of live dealer Baccarat tables.