Baccarat
The wombat says: The name’s Wombat, Shane Wombat. Yes, slot fans it’s time to channel your inner 007 in this sophisticated table game brought to us from Microgaming. Now you might be clued up on table games like Vegas Downtown Blackjack Gold, but this card game is a wee bit different. Let me explain.
Baccarat was historically only played by the rich and famous, in fact the rules of the game were basically kept a secret from the lower classes. Well, those toffs’d be turning in their graves if they knew this wombat had got its furry paws on their table. He he. I mean, I like a spin on the Louisiana Double Poker machines and all that, but every now and then I slip my tuxedo on.
But we digress… Nowadays, anyone can play this exclusive table game from the comfort of their own front room – although it doesn’t hurt to dress up for the occasion and this Wombat is a big fan of trading in his cuppa for a Martini (shaken not stirred…)
Look and Feel
As to be expected from a Microgaming release, Baccarat delivers decent design and some clear-cut visuals. We like some of the Next Gen table games as well, like Blackjack Pro Monte Carlo, but this Microgaming baccarat brushes up well as well. The game play is standard Baccarat rules and has no fancy features or gimmicks, making it ideal for first timers to the Baccarat table. Sadly, there´s no soundtrack to the game which takes away a little bit of atmosphere, but the betting interface is nice and simple which makes a change.
Game Play
Baccarat is played with a 52-card deck, and in this game, you can bet on either of two sides – the Player hand or the Banker hand – OR you can also bet on a third possibility; a tie. OK, it sounds complicated doesn’t it? Let us explain…
2 hands are dealt out in this game – one is the Player’s hand and the other is the Banker’s hand, with there being 2 cards in each hand. The best possible hand you can get is a 9, so, when you bet on either the Player or Banker, you are betting on which of them will come closest to a total of 9.
The cards are dealt next to each other on the green baize table. Choose how you wnant to bet, and whoever has a hand value closer to 9 wins the opponent’s bet, while a tie pays out 8 for 1. Simply click on the red buttons at the bottom of the screen to choose the kind of bet you want to play on, and that’s it!
FYI Wombat fans: the minimum bet in this game is €2, while the maximum goes up to €500, perhaps making it a game for high rollers after all. Gulp. And it’s also woth noting that if you bet on the Banker and he wins, you must pay a 5% commission on your winnings. The cheeky so-and-so.
Card Values
Weirdly enough, there are no double-digit totals on a baccarat table, so 11, 12 or 13, are counted as the second digit in those figures (so, 1, 2 or 3, respectively). Plus, any of the cards, that are usually valued as 10, the Ten, Jack, Queen and King, are counted as zero in this game, while the Ace is counted as 1.
Conclusion
And that’s it. See? It’s not so complicated after all. With its straightforward interface and uncomplicated graphics, this game will suit beginners who are learning all about baccarat, and veteran players (like this wombat), too.