Baccarat has long been one of the most beloved casino card games. Over its long history and many variations, baccarat has established itself as a favorite among high rollers who prefer playing it in dedicated VIP areas. Furthermore, its rules are fairly easy for newcomers to pick up.

The goal of the game is to place a bet on which hand, Player or Banker, will come closest to nine. Six decks of cards are shuffled together and laid on an oval-shaped table before players sit randomly around it with any discarded cards going back into the center. A banker serves as dealer and payouts on either hand result in 1:1 payout; tie bets pay out 8:1.

If either Player or Banker hands score eight or nine points on the initial deal, they automatically win without drawing additional cards – this is known as a natural win and marks the end of the game. In a similar vein, any hand other than eight and nine is also considered a natural win and the game comes to a conclusion.

Bettors in baccarat can place bets not just on Bankers and Players, but also a tie bet – which involves guessing which hand will have the higher value after the final round of dealing is finished. Both the players and croupier place bets on one outcome – that one of two hands will end up having an increased total value after all cards have been dealt out.

Cards have various values in baccarat, with aces and face cards worth either one or nine points respectively. Tens and jacks count as zero points while all other cards contribute to your hand’s total value which can be calculated simply by counting its rightmost digit. For instance, a hand containing a 10 and 6 is valued at four points due to its first digit dropping off;

In a game of baccarat, the highest possible hand is nine points – this score earns players maximum return from any bet they place and represents perfection for earning maximum money on bets placed. A nine-point hand is considered strongest while seven- or eight-point hands come second best.

Even with its complex history, baccarat’s rules are quite straightforward and intuitive to learn. The basic bets remain the same whether playing punto banco or chemin de fer (James Bond-style baccarat). Players may place wagers on either Banker, Player or Tie; each option presents unique considerations that should become familiar quickly for newcomers to the game.