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.

Did Casino Royale Get It Wrong By Having Jame Bond 007 Play Texas Hold’em Instead of Baccarat?

Many fans of the recent James Bond film Casino Royale are unaware it was actually the third time the story has been told on screen. A 1954 episode of “Climax” featured CIA agent “Jimmy Bond,” and 1967’s Casino Royale was a parody of the English spy. The earlier versions were based on Ian Flemming’s first James Bond novel ever, and they both differed from the modern film in a major way. They featured Baccarat as the high-stakes card game at the casino, whereas the new film centered on Texas Hold’em Poker. It sparked a debate amongst fans, as some thought replacing Baccarat was too big of a change while others believed Texas Hold’em was a needed update.

Baccarat and Texas Hold'em both require the player to read the opposition, though die-hard James Bond fans were disappointed in the choice to have 007 play Texas Hold'em instead of Baccarat.

Die-Hard Bond Fans Wanted Baccarat

James Bond purists say Baccarat is essential to the Casino Royale story and the James Bond character. From their perspective, a remake should aim for accuracy with elements as big as that. They say that the franchise should always satisfy the original, die-hard fans first, and try to please new audiences second.

Baccarat was not only part of this particular James Bond story. A large part of Bond’s identity in many of the original books and movies was that of an elite Baccarat expert. Besides Casino Royale, Baccarat appeared in Thunderball, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, For Your Eyes Only, and GoldenEye, so there is a lot of character development attached to the game. That is what many fans think the filmmakers got wrong in the new movie.

The Case For Texas Hold’em

The other side of the coin is that Texas Hold’em is the world’s hottest card game. The obvious benefit of putting it in Casino Royale was from a business standpoint, because it appealed to the millions of Texas Hold’em fans playing today. Everyone and their dog is learning how to play Texas Hold’em. It is hard to argue with the box office success that Casino Royale enjoyed.

The inclusion of Texas Hold’em was a good plot choice as well, according to some fans. They say that it is more believable for a movie set in modern times to be featuring a modern game, especially for such high stakes. Many people also argue that Texas Hold’em involves more skill, so it is more realistic to bet such large sums of money on.

Whatever side you take, it is hard not to like Bond’s smooth approach during the casino scene. Both Baccarat and Hold’em require you to stay in control of your nerves, and the movie showed this. Every bet and raise captured the intensity of a good card game, and it left viewers ready to play a few rounds themselves.