Baccarat at Casino Las Vegas
Baccarat is one of the oldest card games still played regularly both online and in land-based casinos all round the world. It is believed to have originated in Italy and become popular in France in the late 15th Century. Over the years, baccarat has established itself as game for high rollers, and in many top international casinos, players are only allowed to enter the baccarat rooms with VIP invitations.
The game has become synonymous with the classiest patrons at the highest class casinos. The cultivation of this image was assisted by the appearance of baccarat in numerous Hollywood films, most notably the James Bond movies. The famed secret agent is often seen dressed in a tuxedo playing baccarat in the most elegant and exclusive of environments, for example in the movies "Thunderball" and "Casino Royale".
That said, baccarat is far from the most difficult game you’ll find in a casino and these days the version played by the James Bond of the Ian Flemming books is exceedingly rare. Nowadays, whether you’re playing at a land based casino or online baccarat, at Casino Las Vegas, you are likely to be playing the North American version of the game, rather than the more complicated chemin-de-fer version favoured by 007.
Baccarat Strategy
Even though there have been many people who have published their own baccarat strategy, the North American version is really a simple game of chance. The aim is to end up with a two or three-card hand which adds up to as close to nine as possible. In some cases you can "twist" to receive an extra card and in other cases you "stick" with the two cards, but this decision is made for you according to the cards you have been dealt. There is no decision making and subsequently no true skill to playing baccarat.
Playing is therefore easy. Before any cards are dealt you choose to bet on the banker, the player or a tie. Once the cards are dealt, you double your money if you bet on the player and won and if you bet on the banker and won you double your money minus a 5% fee. If both players end up with an equal hand it is considered a tie and all bets are returned except wagers placed specifically on a tie, which pay out nine times the bet.
Considering the fact that there are no decisions to be made, you could easily play online baccarat, in a land casino or at a friend’s house without even knowing the baccarat rules! However it is worth understanding the basic premise of how you work out the score. In order to find out how much your hand is worth you simply add the value of the cards together and get rid of the "1" if the total is more than nine. Therefore if you draw a "3" and a "5" your total is eight, but if you draw a "3" and an "8" your total is one, because the "1" from the number "11" is deleted. A third card is only dealt according to a relatively complicated system, which is essentially aimed at helping you get closer to a total of nine.
As well as betting on the banker, player or a tie, you are also able to place "side bets" on the outcome of either the banker or the player’s hand, such as if either hand contains a pair or a "perfect pair" of the same suit. This allows you to win money even if you lose the hand itself.
