Baccarat is Easy to Learn, Play and Understand
If you’ve ever been to a sticky-floor California card room, a tuxedo-laden casino in Monte Carlo or even a Bond movie, chances are that you’ve seen the game of Baccarat being played. And while it might have the reputation of being a high-roller’s game and is associated with luxury, the truth is that Baccarat is simple to learn, play and understand.
It’s also a game that’s widely available and can be played in any casino in the world. The rules of the game are a bit different depending on whether you’re playing Punto Banco, Chemin de Fer or another variation, but the basic principle is that players bet on the hand, Player or Banker, that totals closest to nine. The dealer deals two cards to each side (Player and Banker) and the winner is whichever hand comes closest to nine. If the value of the hands is higher than nine, the first digit is dropped. For example, a seven and a six becomes three. Picture cards and tens count as zero points, while all other numbers count as their face value.
Regardless of which hand wins, the Banker bet has the lowest house edge of the three options and pays out 1:1. The reason for this is that the banker is required to pay a commission to the casino, which in turn lowers the house edge. Typically this equates to 5-10% of the winnings, although this can vary from casino to casino.
The game’s history dates back more than 500 years to Italy, where it was a favorite of noblemen and women. It was later popularized in Asia and then, in the 1990s, came to America, where it is now the third-most-popular table game behind blackjack and craps. The swank casinos of Macau, which have since dethroned Las Vegas as the world’s gambling capital, make more money from baccarat than from any other casino game.
As a result, it’s become the game of choice for Asian high rollers and VIPs. And while it’s still not as common in the United States as it is in Asia, it is growing rapidly. In fact, according to Bill Zender, a former Nevada Gaming Control Agent and casino executive who literally wrote the book on managing casino games, it’s now the game of choice for many American high rollers and some European players, too.
Baccarat is a game of simple rules and straightforward strategy. The game is played on a large oval table with from seven to 14 seats and a croupier who deals the cards. The players and croupier place their bets on the outcome of each round. Depending on the bet, the croupier will deal two cards to the “player’s” and one to the “banker’s” hand. The values of the cards are determined by adding their individual values and dropping the tens digit. The hand that scores the highest is declared the winner.
The minimum bet in baccarat is usually $20 or less, depending on the casino and the game. Some casinos use a larger number of decks than others, and this can affect the odds of winning, so players should always check the details of the specific game they’re playing.