Baccarat is a fast-paced, casino-style card game that’s easy to learn and fun to play. It’s also a great way to experience the thrill of gambling in Las Vegas without breaking the bank.
The game is played on a large table in the high-roller room of a casino for a minimum bet of $25 or more. Players take turns being the active player and the dealer deals cards face up.
Once the hand is dealt, it’s up to the players to decide whether they want to call a third card (known as a ‘carte’) or not. If they do, the banker draws a third card.
If they don’t, the banker can continue to draw cards until they have a total of seven or less. The player may also ask the banker to draw a third card if they have a total of six or seven.
With a total of 8 or 9 the player’s and banker’s cards are compared and the higher hand wins, or a tie is declared. If it’s a tie, the bets are returned to the players.
In older games the decision process was not formalised into rules. Rather, the cards were concealed from the opponents, and the above decision tables are still useful for a good strategy in those games.
However, in the more modern version of the game Chemin de Fer and Baccarat a Deux Tableaux the decision process is formalised into rules. This has removed the mystery of the game, and the decisions are now fixed.
The first step is to place a bet on one of the three possible hands. The Player’s hand pays out even money, the Banker’s hand pays out a fraction of your bet, and the Tie bet has a house edge of about 14.1 percent.
If you’re new to the game, the best bet is to wager on the Banker. This bet has a much lower house edge than the other two, and will give you more chances to win.
You can also choose to bet on the Tie bet, which has a house edge of about 5 percent. But, unless you’re a crazy degenerate gambler, it’s best to stick with the two main bets on the Player and Banker.
When placing your bet, remember that a ‘Banker’ bet is a riskier bet than a ‘Player’ bet. The player must pay a commission to the casino on this bet, which can add up quickly.
In addition to the main two bets, a number of side bets are available on baccarat games. These vary from location to location and often cost significantly more than the main bets.
These include the ‘Win’ bet, ‘Cash Out’ bet, and the ‘Tie’ bet. These side bets typically have a house edge of about 5 percent, but they can add up to significant sums of money if you’re lucky enough to hit them.
The winning bets are paid out according to the same payout tables as the other bets. The highest payout is a ‘Banker’ bet that wins if the banker has a total of nine or more.