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Chemin de Fer Guide & Strategies

Staff Writer Tips & Tutorials 962

Most players have heard of Chemin de Fer but few know the rules. In fact, few players even know what type of casino game Chemin de Fer is. Let’s rectify that.

Chemin de Fer is a baccarat variant. It’s a card game with similar rules as baccarat, with a few deviations regarding the Banker roles and card draws.

What’s Chemin de Fer?

Chemin de Fer, meaning “railway” in French, got its name from the faster gameplay compared to other baccarat versions.

It’s a card game, just like baccarat. In fact, it’s a variant of baccarat, so baccarat enthusiasts often head for Chemin de Fer tables when they visit their local casinos.

The game got its name because the gameplay is faster than in other baccarat variants, as players are situated around the table and go counterclockwise. Chemin de Fer employs players as bankers, each round having one banker that’s picked rather than given by the casino. Other players at the table are punters.

Baccarat vs Chemin de Fer

While baccarat and Chemin de Fer are often grouped together – and frankly, they are pretty similar – there are several traits that keep these two separated.

Basically, we can say that the rules are different when it comes to the house/banker roles and third card draws.

So, unlike other baccarat variants where players compete against the house, Chemin de Fer pits players against each other. The banker is always one of the players at the table.

The banker’s role stays pretty much the same – the chosen player collects bets and pays out winnings to the winners.

Moreover, in every round, the next banker is decided using rotation, so everyone gets to be a banker. Other players are punters until they become bankers.

On the other hand, basic baccarat rules state that the banker is the house, so there’s always a croupier/dealer who acts as the banker.

The other rule that separates the two is the rule of the card draw. Namely, in Chemin de Fer, players choose when they want to draw the third card. In baccarat, if you remember, that’s not the case – the third card draw is predetermined.

Essentially, what both of these rule changes mean is that Chemin de Fer offers slightly more player-friendly rules than regular baccarat.

Another thing that is different is the shoe: Chemin de Fer uses a six-deck card shoe, while baccarat tables range from one to eight decks of cards.

How to Play

Before we talk about gameplay and strategies, let’s go over basic rules of Chemin de Fer.

  • For starters, the game typically hosts 8-12 players. One player is picked as the banker, others are punters.
  • The banker’s role is to deal cards and pay out winnings. Moreover, it’s on the banker to decide the initial bet at the start of the round.
  • The goal is the same as in baccarat – hit a hand total the closest to 9, for totals higher than 10 only the last digit is taken.
  • Cards have their face value, but Aces count as 1, and face cards count as 0.
  • The number of card decks is always 6.
  • The round begins right of the banker and continues counterclockwise.

Now that we’ve covered everything, let’s start with playtime. In other words, let’s see how to play Chemin de Fer.

The Banker’s Bet

At the start of the round, the banker deals the cards while other players wait. Once the cards have been dealt, the banker chooses and sets a wager that they want. Then all players in order have to make a decision if they want to ‘go bank’. Only one player per round can do that.

However, if no one ‘goes bank’ then all players have to place regular wagers in order. The only thing that’s important at this stage is that there’s no excess in wagers either from the bank or the punters. So, if the total wager of the punters is lower than the bank, players can add to match the amount in the bank; or the banker may increase the bank amount to match the total of the punters if they exceed the bank amount.

To ‘go bank’ means you are playing against the entire bank (amount in the bank) with a matching bet.

Now, once the betting rules have been established, the players and the banker move to the card dealing stage.

Card Dealing

In this stage, the banker will deal four cards in total. Two go as the banker hand, and the other two as the player hand. Before there’s a third card dealt, players choose a representative (one with the highest bet typically) to see the hand and decide on a third card draw.

Card Reveal and Payouts

But this is where it gets interesting. Before the cards are called, the banker and the ‘representative’ player may look at the respective hands, and if there’s a 8 or 9 in total, it’s immediately called. If not, then there can be requested a third card deal. The third card is dealt face-up, not face down like the previous cards. Once the results are show, the hands are revealed, and the winner is paid out the winnings.

Our Chemin de Fer Strategy

Unlike baccarat, Chemin de Fer gives players more room to experiment with wagers and strategies. It’s unfair to say which strategy works the best, because no strategy is perfect and infallible. Still, we can say that there are methods you can use to ensure you have a better round than you would if you decided to go in sans strategy.

In theory, there are two ways you can use strategies in here:

Banker Strategy

  1. Go Bank When You Can: The banker position statistically has a slight advantage. If you’re comfortable with the slightly increased risk, aim to play as the banker, as this position has a higher potential payout.
  2. Manage Your Bankroll: Don’t go overboard too soon. Start with smaller bets to understand other players’ strategies before risking more. And try to always keep some funds reserved for later rounds, as gameplay is very unpredictable and can shift quickly.

2. Player Strategy

  1. Stick to Baccarat Basics: Stick to the traditional baccarat guide to control the consequences of the outcome on your funds. It’s important to maintain consistent decision-making, and resorting to classic baccarat tricks might help.
  2. Watch Other Players: Watch and observe your peers and you might learn something! There are patterns in how others respond, especially the designated banker. In Chemin de Fer, analyzing your opponents’ can give you hints on prediction for how they will play.
  3. Avoid Going Bank Too Often: Don’t forget that, as a player, you don’t have the same edge as the banker. And that’s okay! Only go bank when you have a solid bankroll and a sense of the banker’s intensions.

And lastly, most experts advise that it would be dangerous to draw if your hand is over 5, such as 6 or 7. Drawing a third card in that situation might put you over 9, which is the opposite of what you want. If your hand is 5 or lower, then you are safe to hit a third card draw.

Conclusion

Let’s be honest, Chemin de Fer is fun. It’s an instant draw for those who enjoy both interactive and strategic gameplay. This is not simply a game of luck, it’s also a game of skill!

Moreover, the risk and payout are both great, which is why deep-pocketed players love it. Still, our favourite thing is the interaction between the players, as a banker is not simply an employee like a dealer, it’s always a player at the table. Hence, as the rounds progress and other players assume the role of banker, the interaction amongst players is what adds a layer of entertainment.  Last but not least, Chemin de Fer is most often offered in upscale casinos. It is popular among high-rollers due to its challenging yet rewarding nature.

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