Fu Bacc

Introduction

Fu Bacc can be thought of as a unique blend of baccarat and Three Card Poker, combining the hand scoring mechanics of baccarat with the decision-making aspect of raising or folding found in Three Card Poker.

The game was initially tested in a field trial starting June 24, 2021, at the Hard Rock venue in Lake Tahoe, and reports suggest it has also appeared in the state of Washington previously.

Rules

1. A single 52-card deck is used.
2. The scoring system for the cards is identical to that used in baccarat, encompassing the following:
   • Aces = 1 point
   • 2 to 9 = Pip value
   • 10 to K = 0 points
3. Similar to baccarat, the total hand score is determined by aggregating the values of all cards. Should the sum exceed 9, only the final digit is considered. Therefore, the scoring for a hand can range from 0 to 9. For instance, if a player holds cards valued at 6, 7, and 8, the total score becomes 21, and the tens digit is disregarded, resulting in a final score of 1.
4. The game begins with the player placing an Ante bet. At this stage, the player also has the option to place side bets such as the Tie bet or the Lucky Monkey bet, which will be discussed in further detail later.
5. Once betting concludes, the dealer will deal two cards to the player and one card for themselves, with all cards being visible to everyone.
6. In specific circumstances, players may qualify for a bonus. Accepting a bonus acts like an immediate win, allowing the player to forgo playing out the hand. If a player accepts a bonus, they retain their original wager. The scenarios for this are:
   • Player 9 points — Bonus of 2x the Ante.
   • Player 8 points — Bonus of 1.5x the Ante.
   • A player holding two face cards while the dealer shows a 9 will earn a bonus equivalent to 1 times the Ante.
7. In all other cases, if no bonus is granted or if the bonus is declined, players have the choice to either place a Play bet worth double the Ante or fold their hand.
8. If a player opts to proceed with a Play bet, they can choose to either draw an additional card or stand with their current hand.
9. After the player's move, the dealer will automatically draw a second card.
10. If the dealer's initial two-card hand totals five points or less, they will draw a third card.
11. Next, the player’s hand will be compared against that of the dealer.
12. Should the player's score exceed that of the dealer, both the Ante and Raise bets will pay out at even money, or 1 to 1.
13. Conversely, if the dealer has a superior hand, both the Ante and Raise bets will be lost.
14. In the event of a tie, the Ante bet will be lost, but the Raise bet will remain unchanged.
15. The Tie side bet pays out if the player’s hand matches the dealer's hand after all cards are dealt, with winning bets cashing in at 7 to 1.
16. The Lucky Monkey side bet rewards players when their initial two cards are both considered 0-point cards, which include 10s or face cards. The payout structure depends on the dealer's up card, outlined below:
    • Player 0,0 and Dealer 9 — Pays 30 to 1
    • Player 0,0 and Dealer 8 — Pays 20 to 1
    • Player 0,0 and Dealer 7 — Pays 15 to 1
    • Player 0,0 and Dealer 6 — Pays 10 to 1
    • Player 0,0 and Dealer 0 to 5 — Pays 5 to 1

Strategy

The following guidelines can be found on the Fu Bacc rack card and have been validated by a user known as Gordonnm888. Wizard of Vegas .

Ante Analysis

The subsequent table presents my evaluation of the Ante bet, showing a house edge of 3.05% in the bottom right corner.

The likelihood that the player will proceed with the Play bet stands at 78.552%. This results in an average wager of 2.571041 by the hand's conclusion, creating an Element of Risk ratio of 3.05% divided by 2.571, yielding 1.19%.

Tie Analysis

Players are permitted to wager solely on the Tie. Here is a fundamental strategy for placing a Tie bet exclusively.

• If the total of the player’s two cards matches the dealer's card -- Stand.
• If the total of the player's two cards is 6 or above and does not match the dealer's card -- Stand.
• If the total of the player's two cards is 5 or below and does not match the dealer's card -- Hit.

Adhering to this strategy will lead to a house edge estimated at 10.41%.

There are a few exceptions based on hand composition that can adjust this strategy's house edge to 10.30%. However, as this figure remains considerably higher than the house edge for the Ante bet, I won’t elaborate on the exceptions for Tie betting strategies.

Lucky Monkey Analysis

The table below summarizes my analysis of the Lucky Monkey side bet, indicating a house edge of 5.88% in the bottom right corner.

Acknowledgements

Typically, I handle all calculations myself, but this game proved to be an unusual case. A discussion about it started while I was on a two-week holiday, and by the time I returned home, a detailed and thorough analysis had been completed. Wizard of Vegas forum In light of this, I want to extend my gratitude to CharliePatrick, Gordonm888, and ssho88 (known within the Wizard of Vegas community) for their impressive efforts in examining this game. My sole contribution pertains to the analysis of the Lucky Monkey side bet, which was straightforward.

I provide mathematically substantiated strategies and insights for various casino games, including blackjack, craps, roulette, and many others.

Written by: Michael Shackleford