Exploring The Rules And Variations Of Casino Baccarat

Baccarat is famous worldwide as the game of choice for James Bond and high-rolling Asian billionaires.


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

You simply place your chips on either the Banker section, the Player section, or the Tie section.


Cards 2 through 9 are worth their face value, Aces are worth 1, and 10s and Face cards (Jacks, Queens, Kings) are worth absolutely zero.

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.


In Mini-Baccarat, the dealer handles all the cards quickly, players cannot touch them, and the minimum bets are much lower.

Rule VariationHow it Changes the GameHouse Edge ImpactStandard 5% CommissionRequires dealers to calculate small change payoutsBanker edge remains 1.06%EZ Baccarat (No Commission)Faster payouts, no annoying math for the dealerBanker edge remains roughly 1.02% (due to the push rule)

Simply sit down, consistently bet the Banker, and let the dealer handle the complex drawing rules.