Baccarat is one of the most elegant, high-profile casino games in the world. Its Bond-dipped mystique, luxurious rituals and soaring profits have attracted a new generation of players, including many Asian high rollers. But what is the real story behind the game? Is it really as simple as a matter of luck and drama, or are there strategies to shift the odds toward players?
Lou sits at the baccarat table at the Hard Rock Casino’s Peacock Lounge. He has a fortress of yellow $1,000 chips stacked in front of him. The cocktail waitress brings doubles of Macallan. Cigar smoke curls toward the ceiling. The mood is swanky and the beats are booming. Lou has never played baccarat before, but he’s intrigued by its rituals and Bond-dipped mystique.
As the evening progresses, Lou slowly discovers that baccarat possesses a beauty of Zen-like minimalism: You bet on either the Player or Banker and wager on the hand that will come closest to nine (picture cards and 10s count as zero; aces are one). The hand that totals higher wins. The Player bet pays out 1:1. The Banker bet pays out 1:1.5, minus a five percent commission.
The first card dealt to each hand is placed in a box labeled “Player,” and the second card is dealt to the Banker’s box. The dealer then turns over the top card of each box. If the score on the first two cards is an 8 or 9, this is called a natural and all bets are paid out. If the score is less than an 8, a third card may be drawn.
In addition to the fact that most baccarat dealers are highly trained, the game itself has very few rules to govern its play. A few nuances that make the game more attractive, however, are being introduced to accommodate Asian customers’ cultural preferences and preferences.
For instance, the number four is considered extremely unlucky in Asia. To avoid this problem, some baccarat tables are now being outfitted with seven-spot layouts that remove the position for the number 4.
Baccarat is an exciting and sophisticated game that has become synonymous with high rollers and luxury. But the game can be enjoyed by anyone with a reasonable budget, provided you know how to play smart.
Bill Zender, a former Nevada Gaming Control agent and casino manager who literally wrote the book on managing casino games, says that baccarat’s popularity has skyrocketed in recent years as high-rollers from Asia have embraced the game. He credits a combination of factors, including its low house edge, slow pace and the fact that Asians prefer it to blackjack. For those who are considering a game of baccarat, Zender has a few tips to help you get started.