Baccarat is one of the most popular casino card games in the world. It is played with a standard six- or eight-deck shoe and has a number of different betting options, including Banker, Player, and Tie. The object of the game is to guess which hand will come closest to a total of nine. Each hand is dealt two cards, and sometimes a third card may be drawn for either or both hands. The winning hand is the one that comes closest to 9 points, or “natural” as it is sometimes called. Unlike poker, which involves skill as well as luck, baccarat is almost entirely a game of chance. If anyone claims to have a foolproof strategy for winning at baccarat, they are most likely selling something.

Despite the fact that it is a casino classic and generates a good chunk of Nevada’s table game revenue, baccarat is not a game for beginners. There is no real strategy involved in this simple, card-driven game, and it offers none of the intellectual stimulation that noncasino card games like bridge or hearts provide. It is a game of chance, and as such, the house has a significant edge over the players.

The first thing to understand about baccarat is that the table is divided into two halves, with players sitting in front of each side. This is a major difference from other card games, such as blackjack, in which all of the players play against each other. In baccarat, the player sits on the right half of the table, and the banker sits on the left. The table is dealt three hands: one for the player, and the other two are the banker’s.

Once the banker has looked at the player’s two cards, the active player can call a ‘carte’ with a total of 4 or less, or a ‘non’ with a total of 5 or 6. The banker will then draw a third card or stand depending on the player’s call. If the banker has a total of 8 or 9, they will always stand (no third card is drawn).

Those who correctly predict a winning player hand will qualify for a payout of 1 to 1. However, when a win is declared on a banker hand, the casino must pay a 5% commission, reducing the payout odds to 19 to 20. In addition, a winning tie bet is paid at 8 to 1, but it can be difficult to accurately forecast a tie outcome. In addition to the banker and player bets, baccarat also offers a number of different side bets which vary from casino to casino. Generally speaking, these side bets cost more than the main bets and are best avoided. Score sheets are often available to help keep track of the player’s and banker’s totals. Baccarat is a great game to play with friends, but be sure to set a limit on how much you want to spend and stick to it.