Exploring The Rules And Variations Of Casino Baccarat

Despite its reputation as an intimidating, elite game played only in private VIP salons, Baccarat is actually incredibly simple.


In fact, Baccarat is arguably the easiest table game in the entire casino, functioning almost exactly like a simple coin flip.

Understanding How Baccarat is Played

The objective is to bet on the hand that you believe will have a total point value closest to the number 9.


Because of this dropping rule, it is mathematically impossible to 'bust' or go over 9 in Baccarat.

The dealer distributes two cards to the Player hand and two cards to the Banker handDepending on the exact totals, a complex set of casino rules determines if a third card is drawn for either sideYou do not need to memorize the third-card drawing rules; the dealer executes them automatically
Exploring Different Types of Baccarat

While the core math remains the same, casinos offer several variations to speed up the game or cater to different budgets.


Another popular variation is 'EZ Baccarat,' which completely eliminates the annoying 5% commission on the Banker bet.

Game TermDefinitionActionNaturalDealt an 8 or 9 on the first two cardsHand ends immediately, winner declaredChemin de FerA French version where players bet against each otherExtremely rare outside of Europe

If you want a low-stress game with fantastic mathematical odds, Baccarat should be your primary destination on the floor.