Baccarat is an elegant card game, conjuring images of high-rollers wearing tuxedos playing it at luxurious casinos. Yet its mystique shouldn’t discourage casual players; the game can be easily learned and enjoyed – although its risks cannot be eliminated with proper strategies in place.
At a typical baccarat table, there may be seven to 14 seats for players and an area designated for dealing cards. Each player receives two hands of cards from either banker (PLAYER HAND) and player (PlayER HAND), where 9 points would represent victory – rules are relatively straightforward with assistance provided from special tools called palettes or pitches that help facilitate their use for placing the cards as well as drawing runners (runner).
Runners may place side bets on either the Player or Banker to win, depending on their establishment or platform, with odds varying according to pay outs; generally a side bet for Banker victory pays 1:1 odds; this bet wins when banker totals 8 or 9. Additionally, another popular side bet known as Super Six Bet offers 12:1 odds; it wins when banker’s first two cards are 6, 7 or 8 respectively.
Asian high rollers have increasingly turned to baccarat as their go-to game in recent years. While originally associated with James Bond films, modern baccarat tables more closely resemble blackjack tables than ever. Beyond Asia’s influence, its popularity has expanded across Europe and America where more traditional casino settings are offering new venues for play.
Bill Zender, an award-winning Nevada Gaming Control Agent, casino dealer, executive and consultant who literally wrote the book on managing table games, believes baccarat is experiencing global popularity gains due to its cultural significance among Asian high rollers who constitute a substantial proportion of high rollers.
Baccarat may be a game of chance, but it can still be managed effectively through trend-following systems. One such trend-following system is called the big road and uses total points scored in each round by both player and banker as indicators for wins or losses. Newcomers to baccarat often learn this system as part of their strategy education.
Baccarat can be an exhilarating game, making it easy to get carried away when having fun. As with any gambling venture, however, it’s crucial that you enter with a plan and set limits for yourself before entering a table – determine how much money you are willing to lose at one sitting before calling it quits and leaving until another time when this limit has been met. Doing this will keep your winnings to a minimum – plus there’s always the promise of playing again later on!
