Whether you’re a fan of tuxedos and casino glamour, or simply enjoy games of chance, baccarat has plenty to offer. With its simple rules, easy-to-follow chart, and relatively low house edge – which is even lower for the player’s bet – it’s a game that’s well worth trying. But if you’re new to the game, there’s a lot to take in and understand before you get started.

First things first – you’ll need to make your bet before the cards are dealt. You can choose to bet on either the Player’s hand, Banker’s hand, or a Tie. Each option has different payouts, with a winning Player or Banker bet paying out 9 to 1 (the 5% commission taken by the dealer is factored in). If the players’ and bankers’ hands have the same total value, it’s a tie and all bets are returned.

The game is played on a table with anywhere from seven to 14 seats for players, and a dedicated area for the banker. The game is a card game, and there are only two hands of cards dealt – the Player’s hand and the Banker’s. Each of the hands has its own betting area, and the objective is to have the hand that you bet on – Player or Banker – be the one with the final digit closest to nine. Cards of 2 through 9 have their face value, while picture cards and aces count as zero points.

When the Player’s and Banker’s hands are dealt, a third card is drawn if necessary according to the tableau rules, which differ between the two casinos. The rules are designed to ensure that the Player’s hand never wins, and that the Banker’s hand never loses.

Many players try to gain an advantage in the game by counting cards, but this is a futile exercise. The decks are always shuffled after each dealing, so any advantage gained by counting cards will disappear within seconds of a new round being dealt. In addition, the game is dealt fast – a losing streak can wipe out a large Banker bet in just 30 seconds.