.: Punto Banco Casino Game Review

You say Punto Banco is an expensive game that is not in your budget? In fact, this table game is affordable-- especially when you play the mini-version at a mini-price. Punto Banco is trying to shake its blue-blood image. In reality, its an excellent game for the low-limit novice and the house edge is under 1.5%. If you like blackjack, you will probably like Punto Banco, because the two games are similar.

Punto Banco was discovered first and, unlike blackjack, does not require extensive strategy. All you really have to do is pick a side: banker or player. I can see the growing popularity of such a simple and fast game with fixed rules and easy decisions. But it is easy to feel intimidated by Punto Banco. At land based casinos, the table is usually in a secluded pit area with rich decor and tuxedo-clad people everywhere, usually in a high limit area of the floor.

.: How to Play Punto Banco

Punto Banco is a card game that is dealt from a shoe. Some tables can accommodate 16 players (with no #13). The shoe holds eight decks of cards. In each game, the player and the banker are each dealt a hand of two cards. Simply bet on either of the two hands to win. Winning means coming closest to a value of nine, and not over. Directly in front of you are two boxes. The box closest to you is for betting that the player will win the next hand, and the box furthest from you is for betting that the banker will win. Most casinos have a minimum Punto Banco bet - which can be as low as $1 at many online casinos.

All number cards, 2 through 9, count as their face value or the number of pips on the card. All 10s and face cards count as 10. Aces count as 1. No hand can be worth more than 9. If it is, the last digit of the total is used. For example, if the hand has a king (10) and a 2, then it totals not 12, but 2. In other words, to quickly determine the value of a hand greater than 9, simply use the last digit of the total number--such as 9 for 19, 0 for 20 or 7 for 17.

Its important to remember that no hand is too bad or too good to win, because the count can change with the third card, if one is required. This creates a mounting suspense--and thats what makes Punto Banco such an exciting adventure.

The casino encourages players to deal cards from the shoe, but you are not obligated to deal. The shoe passes around the table in a counterclockwise direction. The player holding the shoe is considered the banker. However, the banker does not take any additional risk, unlike Pai Gow poker. Technically he or she is not the banker but merely represents the bankers hand. The dealer will determine which player has the largest bet on the players hand, and will give that person the two cards representing the players hand. Both hands are displayed and the totals for each hand are called out. At this point, the game may or may not be over, depending on whether or not a third card is required. A player does not need to know third-card rules.

The dealer instructs the banker when and if to draw a third card.

Third Card Rules:

PLAYER:

Dealt1-2-3-4-5-10, draws a card. 6-7stand. Dealt 8-9, called a natural and banker cannot draw.

BANKER:

If Player hand does not draw a third card: Dealt 5 or less, draws a card. Dealt 6 or more, stands - if Player does not draw third card. If Player hand draws a third card: Dealt 2, must draw. Dealt 3, draws to player1-2-3-4-5-6-7-9-10, does not draw to player8. Dealt 4, draws to player 2-3-4-5-6-7, does not draw to 1-8-9-10. Dealt 5, draws to player4-5-6-7, does not draw to 1-2-3-8-9-10. Dealt 6, draws to player 6-7, does not draw to 1-2-3-4-5-8-9-10. Dealt 7, stands. Dealt 8-9, naturalplayer cannot draw. Maximum number of cards in any hand is three.

After the third card is dealt, if required, the dealer announces the winner--saying, for example, Banker wins 5 over 3.

Mathematically, the banker hand has a slight edge over the player hand, because of the third card rules. This would mean that you should always bet on the banker hand. However, the casinos have come up with a solution to this: they charge players a 5% commission each time they bet on the banker to win. The dealers are responsible for keeping track of how much commission is owed in dollars.

In front of each dealer is a row of numbered boxes. Each time you have a commission payable; it is noted at your corresponding box number with token chips. When you are finished playing, make sure you have enough money in front of you to cover this debt. Playing online, this commission is subtracted at the conclusion of each hand.

Besides betting that the player or banker will win, you could bet that there will be a tie. With a casino advantage of 14%, the tie bet is the only bad bet on the Punto Banco layout. A tie is always a push, so the banker or player bets stand when a tie is dealt.

Most casinos will provide a score sheet and pen if you ask. Use these to track trends, patterns and streaks in the making. In Punto Banco, unlike blackjack, you can sit out or skip hands; just tell the dealer no bet. Use this break to analyze your scorecard for your next strategy move. Some gamblers keep these scorecards for a running history of their play.

Now, about that mini-version model of Punto Banco. I strongly suggest that you test drive a mini-Punto Banco table, especially if you are a low-limit or novice player. The only difference between mini-Punto Banco and the full-size version of the game is that, in mini-Punto Banco, all hands are dealt by a dealer--not the players. When you approach a mini-Punto Banco table, note the posted minimum bet and commission; usually lower than its big brother Punto Banco.

.: Punto Banco Strategy

Educated gamblers quickly observe and participate in this game because of the low house edge, which in turn produces the possibility of profits. That road to profits in Punto Banco is definitely with progressive betting after each win. A good Punto Banco strategy is to bet on the hand that won the last game, because streaks are legendary in this game. A banker or player can win 10, 15, or even 20 hands in a row after the shoe opens up. Punto Banco can be played by gamblers of all experience levels - it is an easy card game to learn with a low casino advantage. It is much easier to play optimally than blackjack.

Card-counting basics are as follows:
Cards more favorable to the bank hand are 9-8-10-J-Q-K, in order of strength, while 4-3-2-5 are player favorable cards. Ace, 6 and 8 are neutral; not favoring either hand. Bet player when there is a higher ratio of twos through fives in the deck and banker when there is a higher ratio of high cards in the deck.

The shoe usually favors the casino, and is used to reduce the casino advantage over the player. An average shoe will deal about 82 hands. Bank will win 38 times, player 36 wins, and 8 ties (about every 10th hand). Bank hands win more because the bank stands on a 7, 8 or 9, while player stands on 6, 7, 8 and 9. Bank can draw on a 6 where player cannot. Ahh, now, theres the rub.