Ever wondered what goes on in the high stakes room at a casino? There is a good chance it is Baccarat, a game that is a favorite of high rollers and is extremely well-liked in Asia and Europe. The glamorous image of Baccarat has been advanced in popular culture, most notably through James Bond in stories like Casino Royale. That is, the original book version of Casino Royale, as Baccarat was switched for the trendy game of Texas Hold’em in the 2006 Casino Royale remake.

While you might not have tens of thousands of dollars to play high stakes Baccarat, online casinos have made the game available to many more people. If you are looking to start playing, this basic overview of the most popular version of Baccarat is a good place to begin.

Unlike poker hands in Texas Hold'em, 7-2 offsuit is the best hand when you're playing baccarat.

Betting and the Basic Format of Baccarat

The game unfolds as a match between two hands, the “Banker” and the “Player” side of the game. These are only formal names, they do not mean that one hand is the House’s and the other is the Player’s. Players may bet on either the Banker side, Player side, or a tie before the hand begins. A winning bet on the Player pays even money, while a winning bet on the Banker pays even money less a 5% commission to the casino. A bet on a tie between the two sides pays a handsome 8 to 1 on the bet.

Each side is dealt two cards, which are added together. The winning hand is the one totaling closest to 9. All numbered cards are counted for their face value, but the tens digit is dropped. For example, a 4 and a 10 total 14, but they are counted as 4. Face cards count as ten, so they are essentially zeros, and aces count as 1. If either side totals an 8 or a 9 on the initial deal, then the hand is over, no more cards are dealt, and the side closest to 9 wins. If the totals are 0-7, then the drawing rules come into effect to see if either side gets to draw a third card.

The Drawing Rules of Baccarat

The drawing rules of Baccarat start by looking to the Player side first. If the Player side totals 0-5, the Player draws a third card. If the Player side has a 6 or 7, the Player stands. The Banker’s action is decided by whether the Player side drew a card and if so, the value of that third card.

If the Player did not draw a card, then the Banker draws if his cards total 0-5 and stands if they total 6 or 7. If the Player draws a 2 or 3, the Banker draws with 0-4 and stands with 5-7. When the Player draws a 4 or 5, the Banker draws if he has 0-5 and stands with a total of 6 or 7. If the Player draws a 6 or 7 then the Banker draws if he has 0-6 and stands only with a 7. If a Player draws an 8, the Banker draws only with 0-2 and stands on 3-7. When a Player draws an A, 9, 10, or face card, the Banker draws with 0-3 and stands with 4-7. At the end of drawing, the two or three cards are totaled and the side closest to 9 wins.

That is how to play Baccarat. The drawing rules can be tricky at first, but the Croupier, or person running the game announces the action so it is easy to follow along. Otherwise Baccarat is a simple game. That simplicity should help take away some of the mystery created by things like James Bond and Casino Royale. With so many new casinos now offering Baccarat online and off, there is nothing to stop you from playing.