Dragon Tiger is one of those highly addictive games that are so fun to play just because it’s easy to pick up. There are no complicated rules and you certainly don’t need to be a seasoned gambler to enjoy it. You don’t have to play for real money if you don’t want to, so you can teach anyone to play, from your kids to your grandma. And it’s great for passing the time.
Imported from Cambodia in the Far East, it’s essentially a two-card version of Baccarat. If you don’t know how to play, don’t worry – you won’t need much time to learn it. Two cards are dealt: one to the Dragon betting position on the table, and one to the Tiger betting position. The betting position that gets the higher card wins. As the casino player, you place your bets on the Dragon, the Tiger, or the tie. Easy, right?
Avoid the tie
Although it may sound vaguely comedic in a game where you can only bet on three outcomes, sticking to the Dragon bet or the Tiger bet is the best option. The house edge for these bets is 3.73% and you can decide whether you think the Dragon hand or the Tiger hand will have the higher-ranking card.
Although a tie bet can give you the chance to win a lot of money (it pays 8 to 1), the actual chances of winning are not good. Out of 86,320 possible hand combinations, only 6488 of them are ties. Ergo, you can lose 79,872 times. With odds like these, who needs enemies?
The card counting strategy
Because the game is extremely basic and very few cards are dealt, it makes it really easy to card count.
As a result, it’s not complicated if you need to know how many sevens have been dealt (a seven will mean that you lose the bet). With a bit of practice, you can start remembering how many sevens have already been dealt and thus increase your chances of winning.
The suit-based strategy
If you think you’ve got a brain like Rainman, another strategy is to attempt keeping tabs on which suits have been dealt the most.
Knowing key information like how many decks are in use means you’ll get to know on the suit that has been dealt the least. Sneaky things like this will give you the advantage over your rival, increasing your odds of winning as you’ll get an idea of what’s still in the deck.
Just enjoy yourself
Dragon Tiger is a very uncomplicated game, and just like all the best uncomplicated games, it should just be enjoyed. It’s easy to get bogged down in strategies and theories which will up your odds by the nth degree, but in truth, you’re playing a game of luck and Fate will have her way.
Practice online for free until you’re comfortable, and then you’re ready. You can play Baccarat’s Eastern cousin for hours!