Baccarat is one of the most popular casino games worldwide. It is played on the Las Vegas Strip and in Singapore, and it has been a major contributor to casino profits for years. It is the game of choice for high rollers, and it offers the best player advantage of any casino game.
The game has a history that dates back over 500 years. It started in Italy around the early renaissance, and soon became a favorite of the aristocracy and upper class. Today, it is still played in some European casinos, and even in Macao.
In a traditional game of Baccarat, players place their bets on either the Player or Banker. The cards are dealt from a shoe, and the Player and Banker try to guess whether their hands will win or tie. The winning hand is the one that has the closest number of points to nine. The first two cards are dealt to the Bank and Player hands.
Typically, six or eight decks of cards are used in the game. The card suits do not matter. Each card has a numerical value, and all 10s, Jacks, Queens, Kings and Aces have a value equal to their face value.
When the cards are dealt, both the Player and Banker have a chance to draw a third card. In a traditional Baccarat game, this is done when the player has a total of 4 or less, and the banker has a total of 6 or 7 (sometimes called ‘non’).
The banker has a choice of ‘hit’, which means to draw the third card,’stand’, which means not to draw, or ‘opportunity’, which means to take the third card. The decision is based on information such as the player’s third card and the number of other bets placed against the Banker.
For the Player, the first two cards are dealt face down. If the player asks for a third card, the banker deals the third card to the player.
As the Player draws a third card, the Banker then draws on a 0-4 score and stays on a total of 5, 6, or 7. If the Player does not ask for a third card, the Banker always draws when the Player has a total of 5 or less.
If the Banker draws a third card, the Player then has a choice of ‘hit’ or’stand’. The decision is based on information such a the player’s third card and the number other bets placed against the Player.
The Banker then has a choice of ‘hit’, or to draw the third card,’stand’, or ‘opportunity’. The decision is based on information including the banker’s third card and the number of other Bets placed against the Banker.
Once all the cards are dealt, the player can count their points to see if they have a winning hand. If they do, they win the bet. If they do not, the bets are returned and only the bets on the Tie are paid.