Baccarat is one of those casino games that exudes sophistication. You see it in the movies and think of high rollers playing it in opulent casinos with men in tuxedos and women in posh dresses laying down their chips as the dealer deals the cards. The mystique that surrounds this game can be intimidating, but it’s actually a simple and fun game to play. With a little time and practice, you can master this game of chance.

Before the cards are dealt, players place their bets. They can choose to bet on the Player hand, Banker hand, or a Tie. Once everyone has placed their bets, the dealer begins to deal the cards. Two cards are dealt to the Player hand and two to the Banker hand. If either of the hands has a value of eight or nine, it wins. If neither hand has a value of eight or nine, the result is a tie.

The goal of the game is to get as close to 9 as possible without going over. The player’s and banker’s total values are calculated by adding the individual cards and removing the tens digit. All numbers 2 through 10 count as they should, and the ace counts as one (never 11). The highest value hand wins. If the banker’s hand is a winner, it pays out according to the winning banker bet amount. If the player’s hand wins, it pays out based on the winning Player bet amount.

As with any casino game, if you are to be successful at Baccarat, you need to develop a strategy and stick to it. Start by finding a commission free baccarat table and betting progressively within your limits. This is a game of chance and there are no proven methods to guarantee winnings. In fact, if anyone claims to have a foolproof method of winning Baccarat, they are lying.

You can also maximize your chances of winning by betting on the Player and Banker hands and ignoring the Tie bet. The Banker bet has a lower house edge than the Player bet, and it pays out more often. The Tie bet, on the other hand, has a huge house edge of over 14 percent, so intelligent players avoid it.

Depending on the establishment and platform, you may be able to make additional side bets in addition to the Player Win, Banker Win, and Tie bets. These side bets will vary in their odds and pay out if the results of a hand match those bets. For example, a Player Pair side bet pays out at 11:1 odds and wagers that the player will receive identical cards on the deal. This is a safe bet and offers great rewards for players who like to gamble big. There are, however, a few things to consider before making this bet.