Baccarat is a card game that is a combination of chance and strategy. Players bet on the Player or Banker hand and aim for a total value closest to 9. The game is played on a large table with green felt and seats numbered 1 to 12. A croupier (dealer) holds eight 52-card packs in a dealing box and deals one at a time to each player. The dealer collects all loser bets and pays winning bets. A 5% commission is paid to the dealer for each winning Banker bet.

There are several rules that must be followed to play baccarat. Firstly, cards 2 to 9 hold their value while the ace and 10 count as zero. In addition, a score must be dropped to determine the true total of a hand. For example, if your total is nine, drop the ‘1’ to get your actual score of five. A score sheet is available at the baccarat table for players to use to keep track of their wagers and scores.

As with all casino games, good stake management is important when playing baccarat. Often, the game becomes very exciting, and players can be easily tempted to spend more than they intended. To avoid this, set a maximum amount you can afford to spend and stick to it. Alternatively, choose to play only a certain number of rounds and take a break between sessions. This will help to limit your losses and maximise your wins.