Baccarat has a reputation for being one of the most serious casino games, which is perhaps why it’s often considered a little intimidating by novice players. However, the game is actually very simple to play and has one of the lowest house edges in Las Vegas. So if you want to experience the best of Vegas without all the glitz and glamour of world-class shows and award-winning restaurants, baccarat is the perfect game for you.
The game is played with a table and a small group of players, who all place their wagers against the banker’s total. While baccarat is traditionally played with real cash, many American casinos now offer the game for play with virtual chips. The high-denomination chips used for this game are called “plaques,” and they look just as cool as the $100 bills that were once spread around on a baccarat table in a tuxedo-laden casino in Monaco.
After all the players have placed their bets, the dealer announces that there are no more bets to place and deals two cards. The first card is a player’s hand, and the second is a banker’s hand. If either the player’s or banker’s hand scores a nine, the round is over and the winning player is paid out. If neither hand scores a nine, the game continues until a winner is determined.
When a player’s hand is not equal to 9 and does not win, the dealer will draw another card for the Player Hand if it’s higher than the Banker Hand. Similarly, the Banker Hand will draw a third card when it is lower than the Player Hand. This process is known as edge sorting and it is what Phil Ivey was accused of when he won $20 million from a casino in 2012. However, it is not illegal, but it is against the rules for a player to take advantage of edge sorting by betting on the same hand multiple times.
If the banker total is 2 or less, the banker does not draw a third card. If the banker total is 3, they draw a third card if the player’s second card is 3 or more. Otherwise, they stand. If the banker total is 5, they draw a third card if the first two cards are 6 or more.
Aside from these standard rules, the only other rule in baccarat is that the banker must stand on a total of 6. If the banker draws a third card and the player’s second card is 6, the player will lose. The player can then choose to play a Super Six bet, which pays out 12x the original bet amount. In addition, the player can also choose to make a Pair Bet, which wins when the first two cards are a pair.