Baccarat

Baccarat ( or , ba:kr, bah-ka-rah) is a casino card game of chance. The object of the game is to predict which hand will have a higher value, either the Player’s or Banker’s. Players may make bets on either the Player’s or Banker’s hand, or on a tie. Winning bets pay out even money, with the exception of the Banker’s Tie bet which pays 9:1. The croupier (dealer) deals from an eight-deck shoe and announces the winning side after each round of play.

Points are scored by adding up the values of each card in the hand. Cards numbered 2 through 9, as well as any picture or face cards, count as zero points. The ace counts as one point, and the remaining cards are valued according to their number or their face value. When the total crosses nine or enters a double digit, the second digit is added to the first.

Baccarat is played in casinos around the world, and has long been a popular game for upper class patrons in Europe. It is often considered a glamorous game, and is played for large sums of money. The table for baccarat is usually set in an alcove away from the casino crowds and the games of the mass audience, with green felt covering it and a layout marked with numbered areas where bets are placed. The game was a favorite of James Bond, the fictional British secret agent created by Ian Fleming, who featured it in several novels and film adaptations.