Originating in the 15th century, Baccarat is a very popular game in land based casinos where it is normally played with very high limits. This game has traditionally been the purview of high rollers, although online casinos have made it appeal to a much wider audience. In addition, online casinos allow the game to be played at a level that suits your bankroll you dont have to be Donald Trump to enjoy it.
The aim of Baccarat is to achieve a numerical value of nine or as close as possible without exceeding this target, thus being somewhat similar to Blackjack (where you cannot exceed 21). But there are some major differences to keep in mind. For instance, tens and face cards all have a numerical value of zero, aces are worth one point, and the remaining cards are equal to their respective values.
There are three choices when wagering on a game of Baccarat: To bet on a hand, playing chips are placed on the space labelled P and bets for the bankers hand are placed in the B space. In order to place a tie bet, chips are placed in the area corresponding to your seat number.
Betting on a players hand or bankers hand pays out 2:1 (betting on the bankers hand includes a commission fee) and the payout for winning a wager on a tie pays out at 9:1.
To begin, you and the banker each receive a single card, with you getting your card first. You both then receive a second card which determines how play continues. If your cards show a value between 0 and 5, while the banker shows a value between 0 to 7, then you get a third card. If you have a value greater than 5, then you stay as you are.
The banker receives a third card if his cards have a total value of 0, 1, or 2. If the banker has a hand whose value is less than 7 and greater than 2, then whether he receives a card or not depends on the value of your hand.
If a hand value exceeds ten, then ten points are subtracted from the score, to bring the total back to a single figure. For example, if you are dealt two 9s, you will have a total of 18. But, since this is over ten, ten points will be deducted, bringing your score to eight.
Although it all sounds rather complicated, it is actually very simple to play. The best thing to do is to find a provider who will allow you to play Baccarat for free so that you can learn the game play and understand the simplicity of the game. Then put some real money down and play to win.