Comprehensive Guide to Baccarat Squeeze
The game of baccarat is one that has been popularized by the exploits of James Bond, but have you ever tried it for real? And what, exactly, is the difference between regular baccarat and the “squeeze” variant? With this article, we shall be telling you everything that you need to know about this popular title from Evolution Gaming that can be found across many of today’s online Canadian casinos. Once you have finished reading, you will know the precise difference between standard baccarat and this variation, and you will also know what to expect when the notorious “squeeze” comes into play as the cards are turned over…
How to Play Baccarat Squeeze
Baccarat Squeeze Live is a straightforward variation on the core game of baccarat, and the standard rules of the game apply. The game starts with you placing your bets, which can be done via a window at the bottom of the play screen. There are three outcomes to bet on – the player winning, the banker winning, or a tie – and you place your bets by buying chips of varying value and putting them in the relevant area of the window. Note that, as well as the three main bets, it will be possible to place side bets: one on the bank drawing a pair, the other on the player drawing a pair. You will have only a short period to make your choice, so keep your wits about yourself! Once you have placed your bet, the dealer will draw two hands of two cards each: one is the Player’s hand, the other is the Bank’s hand.
This is where we come to the so-called “squeeze” part of the game. The dealer will turn the cards over to reveal the values – but this will not be a simple matter of flipping the cards. Instead, the dealer indulges their inner showperson by drawing out the process as long as is viable, turning over the sides of the cards to tantalize the player with partial glimpses before revealing the full value. If you see two clubs at the very top of a card, for example, it could be anything from a 2 to a 10. Evolution’s live version of the game is designed to emphasize the squeeze (the title says it all) and so you can expect extreme close-ups of the cards as they are turned over little by the dealer. Of course, how elaborate the squeeze process turns out to be will have no real impact on the gameplay mechanics: a two of clubs is a two of clubs no matter how long the dealer takes to turn it over. However, for players who enjoy the thrill of sitting on the edge of their seats during a game of chance, the squeeze is a true art form.
The winning hand will be the one closest to 9 in value. Baccarat is a game with an unusual set of values for its cards: a 10, jack, queen and king are all worthless, and add nothing to the value of a hand; an ace, meanwhile, has a value of one. If the total of a hand is more than 9, then 10 will be deducted from its total score. So, for example, if a hand contains an 8 and a 9, this adds up to 17 — which is then immediately reduced to 7. This may seem a little confusing at first, but the game is very straightforward once you have got to grips with the scoring system.
In some cases, the dealer will add a third card to each hand. This is the part of the game that many newcomers often find bewildering, as the precise rules that dictate whether or not a third card should be added tend to be known only to the casino and take in such factors as the size of the player’s bet. Evolution’s Squeeze variant of the game includes the third-card element, so you may find the dealer adding new cards to the hands by the time the round has ended. You will not need to worry about this, however: it is the dealer’s job to understand what considerations go into the addition of new cards. As a player, all you need to do is to make it through another squeeze round as the new cards are turned over, and hope that they push the game in your favour.
Play Baccarat Squeeze at the Best Casinos
Baccarat Squeeze Bonus Games and Features
Evolution’s Baccarat Squeeze Live does not have bonus rounds, but it does have one feature that helps it to stand apart from other versions of baccarat: its usage of cameras. The game is filmed using a fifteen-camera set-up and will cut between different cameras to provide the optimum angle. This is important, as the whole point of the variation is the emphasis that it places on the squeeze process. When the dealer turns the card over, you can count on seeing it from the best angle for maximum excitement. If you need to fine-tune things a little, the game’s settings menu in the top right of the playing screen has a few options that allow you to adjust the video playback. Given that the squeeze factor is a performance on the part of the dealer, it will depend also on exactly who is dealing the game: some dealers prefer to be short and sharp with their squeezes, while others like to keep the player on the edge throughout.
Baccarat Squeeze Strategies
In terms of strategy, the squeeze version of baccarat will be largely the same as every other version; the only significant difference being the additional psychological factor of the long, drawn-out squeeze sessions — try not to let things get to you! One strategy that has served baccarat players well over the generations is to double down on your next wager after a losing bet. For example, let’s say you put $10 on the player’s hand winning, but losing. Your next bet should be to put a $20 bet on the same hand. If that loses, then you should follow by placing $40 on the same hand. Carry on until, eventually, you win; after that, revert to your original, small-scale bet (in this case $10) and start the process again.
The idea of this strategy (which is known as the Martingale System) is that when you finally win, the winner will be big enough to make up for the bets that you have lost; it also runs on the probability of a certain hand (in the above example, the player’s hand) winning at some point during the course of the game. However, while a reliable strategy, on the whole, bear in mind that the Martingale System is not entirely airtight: the process of doubling each bet will soon become costly. Alas, as with every game that employs a significant element of chance, no strategy will save you from bad luck.
Baccarat Squeeze Provider
The game is another offering from Evolution Gaming, a provider that has come to be one of the major powerhouses in the world of online casino gaming. If you play live dealer games at online casinos, then you will almost certainly have run into Evolution at some point or another. A few of the better-known names to have come out of Evolution include…
- Speed Baccarat
- Dual Play Baccarat
- No Commission Baccarat
- Baccarat Multiplay
- Speed Roulette
- Instant Roulette
- Free Bet Blackjack
- Power Blackjack
- Dragon Tiger
- Ultimate Texas Hold’em
- Three Card Poker
- Monopoly Live
- Cash or Crash
Best Canadian Casinos With Baccarat Squeeze
Given how prolific Evolution Gaming is in today’s online casino scene, you should have little in the way of trouble when finding casinos where you can play Evolution’s squeeze version of baccarat. We can particularly recommend Twin Casino and Casino Days, two of our top Canadian casinos, both of which have the game in question. Other casinos that carry the game include King Billy, Lucky8, Tortuga and Lucky Days.
Should You Play Baccarat Squeeze Online ?
To conclude our article, it could be said that the squeeze variation represents baccarat in its truest essence. The game itself is very simple, and much of the appeal comes from the psychological factor of waiting in a state of tension as the dealer reveals those cards one by one. With Evolution’s squeeze variant, we have a form of baccarat that is designed specifically to emphasize this crucial aspect of the game, and dealers who are trained to extract maximum suspense from the simple act of turning over a playing card. The squeeze form of baccarat is not merely a game: it is also a performance, and the best dealers are the ones who truly know how to put on a show for their rapt audience of players.
