Baccarat is a glamorous game that has gained a reputation for luxury and high stakes. It has even been featured in a major movie, The Great Gatsby, where it is played at one of the lavish parties hosted by Jay Gatsby. While it is true that Baccarat has become associated with the rich and famous, the game is actually very simple to play and can be enjoyed by people with a variety of bankrolls.

To begin a game, players place their bets either on the player’s hand winning, the banker’s hand winning or a tie. Once the bets are placed, the dealer will deal two cards to the player and two to the banker. The winning hand is the one that has a total value closest to nine. To calculate the hand’s value, the pips (the dots on the card that represent clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades) are added up. Aces count as one, and all other cards are at their face value.

The game is then scored. The highest value wins. If the player’s hand has a value of 9, this is called a natural. If the player’s hand has ten or more, it is called a baccarat minus. If the player’s hand has jack, queen or king, this is called a non-natural. The second highest hand is the one that has a three and a half or four if you add up all the pips, and the third lowest is a seven.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, Baccarat was popular in Italy and France. In fact, it was so popular that it was even played in the royal court. Once public gambling became illegal in France, Baccarat continued to be played in private homes by both the elite and commoners. It was also a fixture at the casinos that began to pop up on the Riviera in the 19th century.

The best Baccarat strategy is to play conservatively. Start with a small bet and gradually increase your wager after every win. This approach is known as the D’Alembert system and it is one of the oldest casino betting systems. It is not foolproof, but it can help you to avoid losing streaks and stay ahead of the house edge.

Another strategy is to try and match your bet amount to the number of games you want to play. For example, if you want to play three games, then set a goal of winning $100. Then double your bet after each win until you reach your goal. This will give you a good chance of winning some money and improving your chances of hitting your target.

Baccarat’s popularity has grown in recent years as more and more American casinos have started to offer the game. It is one of the few table games that can attract large bets, so casinos are willing to invest in the game because they know it can bring in big profits. In addition, it is a relatively safe game to play for high rollers because the house has a low edge. However, the game is not without its controversy. In 2012, poker player Phil Ivey won $10 million from two casinos by using a strategy known as edge sorting.