Baccarat is a popular card game played in casinos worldwide. The game involves comparing cards between two hands: the \“Player\“ and the \“Banker\“. Each round of play, known as a coup, has three possible outcomes: Player wins, Banker wins, or a Tie.
The rules for drawing cards are predetermined. Both the Player and Banker are initially dealt two cards. If either hand totals 8 or 9 (a \“natural\“), no further cards are drawn. If the Player\“s total is 5 or less, the Player draws a third card. The Banker\“s decision to draw a third card depends on the Banker\“s own total and the value of the Player\“s third card, if drawn.
Card values are simple: Aces count as 1, cards 2 through 9 are face value, and 10s and face cards (Jack, Queen, King) count as 0. The total of a hand is the sum of the cards modulo 10. For example, a hand with a 7 and an 8 (totaling 15) has a baccarat value of 5.
Players bet on which hand they believe will win before the cards are dealt. Bets on the Player pay even money (1:1). Bets on the Banker also pay even money, but a 5% commission is usually charged on winning Banker bets because of the slight statistical advantage. Bets on a Tie typically pay 8:1 or 9:1. |