How to Play Baccarat
Those looking for a game that can provide a lot of action with a low house edge, but which does not require the learning of complex strategies may opt to try baccarat. Baccarat can be played in live casinos, either high stakes or mini-baccarat, or at home online. The rules are fairly simple.
Baccarat Point Totals
The goal in baccarat is to get as close to nine as possible. The player receives two cards. Cards are worth their face value except for aces, which are worth one and picture cards, which are worth zero. Only single digits are possible; after nine comes zero, one, two, etc. In other words, if a player has two and is dealt a 9, his total would be one. If he had six and was dealt an 8, the total would be 4. The easiest way to look at it is that you simply remove the tens place from any two digit number, so 18=8, 17=7, etc.
Winning in Baccarat
If the player is dealt an 8 or a 9, he has a natural, and wins automatically unless the dealer also has an 8 or 9. If he has any other point total, the dealer may or may not give him a card depending on the total. This is not the player's decision, it is determined automatically according to the rules of the game. Similarly, the banker's decision is pre-determined based on the player's total. Whoever has the higher point total wins the hand.
Baccarat Betting
Baccarat bettors have the option of betting on the player or the banker to win. A bettor who wins by betting on the banker has to pay a five percent commission. Bettors can also bet that the player and banker will tie, but this bet offers very poor odds and should be avoided.
Whether playing baccarat online or in a live casino it is not hard learning this high class game. Using the proper baccarat strategy combined with the correct baccarat terms is a good way to enjoy this game to the fullest.