What You Need to Know About Baccarat
Baccarat, known as Punto Banco or Chemin de Fer in other countries, is one of the world’s most popular casino games. Its origin is not clear, but it is a game of chance that can be enjoyed by players of all skill levels. It requires no complex strategising or gamesmanship, but there are a few things to know before you play.
The game is played on a table with from seven to 14 seats, plus a banker’s area. Six decks of cards are used, shuffled together and then dealt two at a time, face up, to all the players. Each hand is then compared to a number 9. The player’s and banker’s hands are then totalled, with whoever has a total closest to 9 winning. You can bet on either the banker’s hand, the player’s hand or a tie. When you place a bet on the banker’s hand, a commission is paid to the house – the exact amount varies from casino to casino.
Once the two initial cards are dealt, a third card is drawn, depending on the initial totals of the Player’s and Banker’s hands. If the player’s and banker’s initial totals are 8 or 9, this is a “natural” win and no additional cards will be dealt. In this case, the game is over.
If the player’s and banker’s total is 5 or less, the player will draw a third card if the banker has a hand with a score of 5, 6, 7 or 8. The banker will stand if their initial hand is 5, 6 or 7. The rules for drawing a third card are set by a special table called a tableau. The bettors do not decide whether the player or banker should draw a third card; this is determined by the tableau.
The Player bet is the easiest to understand, wagering that the Player hand will have a higher total than the Banker’s. This bet pays out 1:1 if the Player wins, but has a slightly higher house edge than the Banker bet. The Banker bet pays out 1:1.5, minus a 5 percent commission, if the Banker wins. Players can also place a bet on the “Super Six” and the “Pair.” The Super Six bet is paid out when the Banker hand wins with a total of 6 points. The Pair bet is paid out if the Player’s and Banker’s first two cards form a pair. These bets have a much lower house edge than the Banker and Player bets. They are the preferred bets of high rollers and VIP players.