Baccarat
  
  Baccarat is the casino's "class" game. The odds are better than any other odds in the casino (save the "odds"bets at Craps, and the edge to be gained by counting cards at Blackjack). The "big game" is played in it's own pit, typically with ropes protecting the players from the crowds in the main portion of the casino. The "mini" game is often found at the end of the main Blackjack pit. Being the "class game", the limits at the "big" game are usually higher than average, typically minimum $20 to $1000/5000. Mini Baccarat usually has a $5/10 minimum with a maximum of $500/1000.    
  One of the most confusing things about this game is the use of Player and Banker in a way that one doesn't usually use them in the casino. One might just as well call the deals Hand 1 and Hand 2. As a bettor, you can bet on either the Player or the Banker.    
  The game is completely automated in that the only decision that a player has to make is which "side" (banker or player) to bet on and whether or not to place a bet on a Tie. All decisions regarding the play of the cards are determined by the rules and taken out of your hands.    
 
The Game
    
  Baccarat is played with eight decks of cards dealt out of a shoe. The shoe and the deal rotate clockwise around the table with the player with the shoe retaining the shoe until he deals a player win, then the shoe is passed to the next player. The object of the game is to bet on the hand that totals closest to nine. The totals are arrived at by adding the pips on the cards and then ignoring the left hand digit, i.e. 10=0, 14=4 etc. Play begins with the dealer (the one in the center of the table) instructing the player with the shoe to "deal one card for the player" a card is slipped from the shoe and passed to the dealer who then says "deal one card for the banker", this card is tucked under the corner of the shoe. The dealer then asks for one more card for each. The cards being dealt, the dealer passes the player's hand to the person with the largest bet on player. The player is now instructed to turn his cards face up and the total is announced to the table. The banker is then instructed to turn his hand face up and that total is also announced. Totals of 8 or 9 are considered "natural" wins. No further play is made. If both hands have a natural, the higher natural wins. Depending on the casino, ties are either a "push" or a loss. (Note: If ties are a loss, the odds are considerably weighted to the house and the game should be avoided.) Further play on hands without a natural win is dictated by the rules and the totals of the hands (see table).    
  When all cards for the hand have been dealt, the winner is announced and bets are paid off or collected. If the hands are tied, tie bets pay at 8 to 1. If the player hand wins, the player bets are paid at 1 to 1, if the banker hand wins, these bets are also paid at 1 to 1, however a marker equal to 5% of the winning banker bet is placed against the winning player's seat number in the "commission box" and this is the "commission" owed to the house (commissions are payable anytime, but always collected when the shoe runs out, or when a player leaves).    
  Tally sheets or scorecards are available at the table. On these sheets, one can track the wins, losses, and ties in order to determine any patterns that might affect the betting. If, for example, you find that ties often come 2 in a row, when seeing a tie hand, you might want to place a bet on a tie for the next hand. Or, if you see that there haven't been any cases where one side has won more than 3 hands in a row, after three player wins, you might want to place a bet on the banker hand. Of course, like any gambling game, patterns can be broken, and you might want to honor the streak and continue betting on the hand that has been winning.    
 
The Rules
    
 
Player Hands
   
 
  When the Player's first two cards total:
0-1-2-3-4-5
 Draws a card
6-7
 Stands
8-9
 Natural-Neither hand draws
   
 
Banker Hands
    
 
When the Player stands on 6 or 7, the Banker will always draw on totals of 0-1-2-3-4 and 5 and stand on 6-7-8 and 9
When a Player does not have a natural, the Banker shall draw on the totals of 0-1 or 2 and then observe the following rules:
    
 
 
When Banker's first two cards total:
Draws when Player's third card is:
Does not draw when Player's third card is:
 
3
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-9-10
8
 
4
2-3-4-5-6-7
1-8-9-10
 
5
4-5-6-7
1-2-3-8-9-10
 
6
6-7
1-2-3-4-5-8-9-10
 
7
Stands
 
8-9
Natural-Neither hand draws
   
 
If the Player takes no third card, Banker stands on 6
The hand closest to 9 (remember 10 = 0) wins
All winning bets are paid even money
Winning Bank bets are charged 5 percent commission
Tie bets pay 8 to 1
    
 
The Systems
    
 
Required Reading
    
  Some of the best advice I have ever received on Baccarat is found in: Lyle Stuart on Baccarat, a must read, that can be found at our Bookstore.