Baccarat is one of those games that exudes mystique and sophistication, evoking images of men in tuxedos and women in posh evening gowns seated at opulent casino tables. But don’t let the swanky name and opulent casinos scare you away-it’s actually an extremely fun and exciting game to play. Baccarat is a simple card game that requires only an understanding of the rules, and even novice players can pick it up in minutes. The game’s sophistication lies more in its style than in complexity, and if you follow a few tips it is easy to master the nuances of this thrilling card game.
The basic principle of Baccarat is that the Player, Banker, or Tie hand whose total is closest to nine wins. Two cards are dealt to the Banker and the Player hands each time a round is played. The player and the banker may also be given a third card, which can have an effect on the result of a hand. The game is dealt from a shoe with the face value of all cards (except Aces) equal to their numerical values, so that 2s through 9s count as their respective numbers, and Jacks, Queens, and Kings count as zero. The ace counts as one point.
When the banker bet is placed the casino charges a 5% commission on winning bets. This makes the house edge slightly higher than it would be in a Player or Tie bet, but it is still significantly lower than other casino table games like Blackjack.
As with most casino games there are a number of side bets that can be placed in Baccarat. These bets usually cost more than the main player, banker, or tie wager and are not recommended unless you are an expert at the game.
Baccarat can be played on a special high-limit table in the high-roller rooms of offline casinos, but it is also available on regular casino floors for much lower stakes. A Baccarat table is about the size of a craps table and can seat up to 12 players. Offline casinos typically use a deck of eight playing cards, and online casinos will use six or eight cards depending on the version of the game being played.
Before a game of Baccarat begins, the dealer will burn two cards and discard them, then deal the remaining cards into a dealing shoe. These cards will then be shuffled and dealt to each of the three positions at the table. The Banker position will be dealt a new set of cards and then the Player and the Tie bets will be made. A Banker win will pay out 8 chips for each bet and the Player or Tie will pay out according to their odds. The 5% commission on Banker bets increases the house edge of the game, but the overall house advantage is very low. The simplest way to minimize this edge is by never making the Tie bet.