Baccarat Odds

If ever there was a game that conjures up visions of rich players in rich evening attire gambling for rich bets it is baccarat. There are three common variants of the game but Punto Banco is the most popular variation found in North American casinos. A regular baccarat table is about the size of a craps table, is staffed by three casino dealers and can host about a dozen players.

Play revolves around to hands dealt for the ‘Banker’ and the ‘Player’. These names are titles for the dealt hands only and there is no real banker or specific player. Players place their bets on which hand they think will win. Hand scores are calculated by taking the face value for all cards worth less than ten, one for an ace and zero for tens and face cards. The value of hand is the total of the cards value but if it comes to more than ten you drop the first digit. For example, 8-ace-jack is worth 8 plus 1 plus zero = 9. But 9-5-5 is also worth 9 (9+5+5 = 19, drop the first digit = 9). The card suit makes no difference to value of the cards.

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This article gives a good intro to players who wish to learn how to play a better game of baccarat and to maximize their winnings.

Baccarat is possibly the easiest game to learn and play. The main object is very simple. The player has to assemble a hand of two or three cards. The value of the hand must get as closer as possible to nine.
The perfect baccarat hand is a hand that has the total of nine in the first two cards, without to use a third card.

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