The Mystique of Baccarat
Baccarat has long cultivated a mystique about itself that suggests it’s the preserve of the affluent and sophisticated. And it is – to a certain degree. But the game is surprisingly accessible, even to the average casino patron. Its house edge is just 1.06%, and playing it can be as easy as betting on a coin toss.
Moreover, it is the only casino game in which players can employ card counting strategies that can significantly reduce the house edge. This is especially true when used in tandem with a process known as edge sorting, which involves using specialized cards to identify and eliminate a specific subset of cards from the deck. This makes the game easier to play and, if practiced correctly, provides a meaningful advantage over the house.
But perhaps the most surprising aspect of baccarat is that, unlike blackjack or poker, the player’s only decision is which hand to bet on: Player, Banker, or Tie. The other decisions in the game are made automatically by the dealer, who is required to follow a strict set of rules governing which hands are dealt and which aren’t.
The result is a game that is almost entirely dependent on luck, but with a minimum bet of $20 to $25 per hand, many players find it an enjoyable way to while away the hours in high-class casinos around the world. In fact, baccarat generates more revenue for casinos than any other table game in the world.
Baccarat is played with six decks of cards that are shuffled together before the game begins. The cards are then arranged in rows and columns of three or four. The first three cards are dealt to the players in order of their bets. After that, the croupier draws a fourth card to determine which of the three winning bets is to be paid and the game continues in accordance with the rules.
Another important rule is that the croupier must always deal each hand in order of its bets. This is an important rule that ensures the correct sequence of wins and losses, as well as preventing the croupier from being tempted to make any decisions during the play of the hand.
Finally, it is important to know that the croupier must never reveal any of the information he is dealing with, including the player’s or the banker’s bets. This is an important rule because the croupier may be tempted to “leak” this information, in which case the bettor could lose a substantial amount of money.
For this reason, it is important to keep a record of the previous hands in order to see any trends. Ideally, this should be done with the use of a special score sheet. The score sheet has sections for Player, Banker, and Tie and allows the customer to note the results of each hand. It also helps if the bettor can read in small print the total value of each hand.
