Lila Thorn | November 24, 2020 | Updated on: December 12th, 2023
As one of the most popular versions of baccarat, playing Chemin de Fer online is now better than ever. Unlike other baccarat games, though, here you’re competing against the other players at the table.
So, to find out how to play Chemin de Fer, the basic rules, strategies, payouts, and house edge (1.24%), keep reading. Also, you’ll find premium online baccarat casinos below to start practising.
Like other baccarat variants, your objective is to get a hand total of nine before the other players. The dealer will set minimum stakes for the table, so your bet must be equal or higher to take part.
Each Chemin de Fer table has 12 seats for players and two for the dealers. One seat is reserved for the banker, and they will be in the middle of the table. Picture cards count 0, number cards are face value, and the ace counts as 1.
Play by the Rules
Every game of Chemin de Fer uses six standard 52-card decks, and cards are drawn from the shoe (where they’re shuffled). No playing cards are returned to the deck, and you have to follow the play order.
The basic rules of Chemin de fer when you learn how to play are:
Players have to take turns as the banker, and the first banker is usually the first on the dealer’s right.
The banker has to indicate how much they will bet, and if they have a high stake, they need to cover the other players’ bets.
You can place wagers up to the banker’s maximum bet.
Every player receives two cards face-down, and the banker’s cards are also face down.
If a player or the banker gets a natural (eight or nine), the game ends.
If there’s no natural, you will have to follow these rules for the total of your hand:
Player Moves
Based on the hand total, players will:
0-5: draw a third card from the deck
6/7: player stands
8/9: natural (an automatic win)
Banker Moves in Chemin de Fer
Meanwhile, the banker will:
0-2: banker draws a third card
3: unless the player’s total is 8, the Banker draws
4: banker gets a third card if the player’s third card is 2-7
5: banker draws if the player’s third card is 4-7
6: the banker draws if the third card is 6 or 7
How to Play Chemin de Fer Baccarat
Learning to play this card game is easy when you’ve learned the rules:
Open up your casino, log in, and go to the casino games library.
Click on Chemin de Fer and set your wager before you start playing.
In virtual games, the other players will be played by the computer, including the bank and the banker.
Meanwhile, live games will feature other people, and you will join the table in order.
With your stake on the player, tie, or banker bets, you’ll receive your cards.
If you have a natural, you automatically win and get your bet back.
If you don’t, you’ll draw a third card depending on the players in order.
Payouts & Odds
When you place bets, you’ll need to focus on which pays out more. While the banker bet is the most commonly placed, consider betting on yourself for better odds.
Bet
Odds
Player
1.24%
Banker
1.06%
Tie
9.5%
Chemin de Fer Baccarat Strategy
Your best strategy for any baccarat game will always be to bet low and take side bets if you can. We never recommend progression betting systems because the long-term costs outweigh the wins.
This is especially true in Chemin de Fer because the stakes are higher when you have to bluff. Everything rests on how well you do, and spending too much money ruins the experience.
Playing Chemin de Fer Baccarat
All in all, Chemin de Fer is a challenging game that ups the ante when you know what you’re doing. Of course, there are no gambling guarantees, so you need to stay flexible by betting on multiple outcomes.
This is the reality of games of chance, and we know it’s not what you want to hear. Still, we believe you’ll enjoy this variant if you play your cards right.
As one of the most popular versions of baccarat, playing Chemin de Fer online is now better than ever. Unlike other baccarat games, though, here you’re competing against the other players at the table.
