Baccarat is a table game played with a fixed set of rules and a dealer. Players place their bets on either the Player, Banker or Tie. Two cards are then dealt to each hand, and the winner is determined based on their score. The highest total wins. A third card can be drawn depending on the score, but this is not always necessary.
The game has a reputation for being difficult and high-stakes, but it is actually very simple. The basic strategy is to bet on the hand that will come closest to nine. The maximum number a hand can have is nine, but if the cards sum to more than that, the first digit is dropped. For example, a three and seven card would be worth 15 points but the first numeral drops to five. This is a simple rule that can be learned quickly.
While there are many different baccarat variations, the basic game remains unchanged from casino to casino. In its most basic form, the game consists of a group of players at a circular or oval table with one player acting as the banker and taking on an initial bet amount. The other players then go in order, announcing if they want to “go bank” and play against the banker’s amount or simply add more bets to their existing ones.
Once the bets have been placed, the dealer deals two cards to the Player and Banker and compares them. The Player or Banker hand with the highest value wins. If the hands are equal, a third card may be drawn and the decision is made by the dealer. There are several different charts that dictate how the dealer should draw a third card and each will vary from one online casino to the next.
The rules of baccarat can be complicated for a new player, but the essential objective is clear: to beat the other players’ hands. The simplest way to do this is to bet on the Player or Banker and avoid placing bets on the Tie.
High rollers love baccarat for a variety of reasons, including its cultural ties and the fact that it has one of the lowest house edges in the casino, at less than 1.2 percent on banker and player bets. There is a third bet, the tie, which pays off eight to one but comes with an even higher house edge of more than 14 percent.
Baccarat’s popularity has been increasing steadily as casino patrons have grown more sophisticated. The game has been adapted with commission-free versions and lower stakes, which have opened it up to more mass players. It is also found in video games and online casinos, with the emergence of platforms like Bonus Spin Xtreme that connect table games across a whole casino. But can a game that has been so popular in movies and TV shows maintain its appeal as casino patrons change? GGB’s Andrew MacDonald takes a look.
