Baccarat is one of the most glamorous casino games. It is played in high-roller rooms in many brick-and-mortar casinos for table minimums of $25, $50, $100 or more. It is also a popular game at regulated online casinos in the US. Players can choose to play a virtual version of the game or a live dealer version of the game, which has all the same rules as a standard table game.
The goal of the game is for players to correctly guess which hand will come closest to nine points. Cards are dealt from a six- or eight-deck shoe. Two cards are dealt to the “Bank” hand and two cards are dealt to the “Player” hand. A third card may sometimes be dealt, depending on the situation and the outcome of the first two cards. The hand that has the highest total point wins. If the hands are tied, a tie bet is paid out.
Players can place bets on either the Banker’s hand or the Player’s hand. A third bet can be placed on a Tie bet. The player’s bet is called the “players’ stake.” The “banker’s” stake is known as the “bankers’ stake.”
A runner collects the winning bets and pays out the losers. The runner also keeps track of the number of rounds that have been completed, and he or she will notify the pit boss when it is time for a new round. The Pit Boss will then announce that a new round is ready to start.
Baccarat is a relatively modern game that became popular in Europe in the 19th century. It is actually derived from the French card game chemin de fer, which was a popular card game in France at the time. In fact, there is even a commune in France that bears the name of the game!
During the game, a dealer is the “bazer” or “banker.” He sets the initial bet amount. Then the players go in counterclockwise order and announce if they want to “go bank” or bet against the banker’s hand. Once someone has announced that they are going bank, all of the other players can add to their bets as long as the total doesn’t exceed the initial banker bet.
After all the bets are placed, the dealer deals the cards. The game is played on a special table in an alcove that is blocked off from the rest of the casino action. In American casinos, the game is played with real money – $100 bills are spread around the table – but in European casinos, it is often played with oblong chips that look very similar to the ones used for blackjack.
The cards in a Baccarat game are ranked according to their face value. Aces are worth one point, and 10s, jacks, queens and kings are valued at their face value. When the total points of a hand enter double digits, the second digit becomes the actual total.