In Baccarat there are only two choices to make when betting on a hand.  You can choose to bet on either the Banker’s hand or the Player’s hand, hoping that the hand that you chose is closer to “nine” than the other hand.  After making that decision and then placing your bet, there is nothing else that you will need to do besides play the hand out to see who wins.  Although there are some very complicated rules as to when the Player or Banker will draw a third card, it is not altogether necessary to be familiar with those rules in order to play.

VARIATIONS OF BACCARAT

There are many different versions of Baccarat available to play in casinos, both online and throughout the world.  Chemin De Fer, Baccarat Banque, Mini-Baccarat, and Nevada style Baccarat are some examples of the types of baccarat that can be found.  While all of these games are basically played the same, there are some variations with the table layout and with the dealers in each of these styles of baccarat.  The most common form of baccarat that you will find online today is called “Punto Banco”, which is also called American style or Nevada style baccarat. Founded in Cuba where it was played in Havana's Capri Casino in the 1950's, the game came to the United Sates and gained popularity in the Nevada casinos. Played on a table very similar to the blackjack table, this is a faster paced game than it's European counterparts. While this style of baccarat lacks the "high roller" perks and allure, with it's small house edge, it is better than most options that are available in today's casinos. Mini-Baccarat is played much like American Baccarat without all of the rituals that surround the game. It is played on a blackjack-size table and the dealer is in charge of dealing the cards, not the players. The players are only offered to cut the cards, much like when playing blackjack. Bettors can play on the Bank hand, the Player hand, or the Tie bet. There are no options to "draw" or "stand", and the third card draws must follow the preset rules of play. Chemin de Fer has gained much popularity in Europe, and while the game has a lot of the same rules, there are some very distinct differences in this version of Baccarat. In Chemin de Fer the players take turns in dealing the cards, with the bettors playing against each other. Only the player who is dealing the cards is allowed to play on the Banker position, and all of the other players may only bet on the Player position, opposing the bank. The dealer is initially decided by auction, and the deal moves around the table at the end of each round. All of the players are expected to know the rules of drawing and standing when playing the game. Unlike other versions of Baccarat, if a natural is not dealt, the Player's cards are kept face down until the Bank completes their play. After the Player has acted on their hand, the Bank turns over the cards and then plays according to the Bank rules for drawing or standing. If the "dealer" is unsure about when to draw or stand, then they should confer with the Caller for clarification. Baccarat Banque is played on a two sided layout, with room for two Player positions on each side. The spots are manned by bettors who oppose the Bank, and each Player position is played as a spearate hand against the Bank. The Player hand is concealed until the Bank has played out their hand. The Bank position is always taken by the house, with the house dealing all of the cards and booking all of the bets. Bettors can wager on either Player position or both Players positions; however, bettors cannot wager on the Bank position. The Player has one additional option for drawing a third card in Baccarat Banque. When the initial two cards have a total of 5 points, the Player has the option to draw or to stand. This decision is made by the bettor who has the largest total bet on the respective Player position. The Banker is not bound by third card drawing rules, giving the Bank position the freedom to stand or draw at the discretion of the Dealer. Tout la Va is a no limit form of Baccarat Banque.