Baccarat is a game of elegance and sophistication. From the sticky floor California card rooms to the tuxedo-clad casinos of Monte Carlo, the game continues to enchant players from all walks of life and across social boundaries. It is the ultimate game of skill, where strategic betting, disciplined money management and keen observation of gameplay dynamics are essential ingredients for success.
In baccarat, there are two hands of cards dealt to the game: the player’s hand and the banker’s hand. The goal is to win by having the hand that ends up closest to nine points when all of the pips (the dots on the cards that indicate clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades) are added together. A ten is worth zero points, and a face card or ace counts as one point. In addition, if the total of the first two cards is an 8 or 9 for the Player’s hand or the Banker’s hand, it is a ‘natural’ win and the bets placed on those hands will be paid out. A third card may also be drawn in a natural win, but it is not always necessary.
Players bet on which hand they think will win – the player’s hand, the banker’s hand or a tie. They can place bets for as many rounds as they want, and each round takes only seconds to complete if the table is not commission-based. This is why baccarat is the least intimidating casino game for new and casual players.
The table in a baccarat game has from seven to 14 seats for players, plus a dealer’s area. Two cards are dealt to each hand of the game – and the players do not get their own individual cards. The cards are recorded on a device known as the ‘bead plate’ or a ‘cube tray’. Eventually, this device was replaced by a more sophisticated and digitized ’roads’ system that is still used today. These ’derived roads’ are not intuitive and can take a long time to understand, but once understood they provide a highly useful tool for analyzing the results and trends of a shoe of cards.
In Baccarat, the rules of the game are based on the laws of probability, and as such, the game is mostly a coinflip (1-1.5% house edge). The main strategy to use for Baccarat is knowing when to bet and when not to bet. To do so requires a good understanding of the game, and a willingness to constantly learn and adapt. For example, it is important to be aware of the differences between the rules for baccarat at different casinos and how this influences the outcome of the games. Observing these subtle differences can help maximize your winnings.