Lucky Number - Don't Be Afraid of Baccarat

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Don't Be Afraid of Baccarat
By Joe Brooks

A lot of people are intimidated by the game of Baccarat. First, there are the tuxedoed dealers in a separate room of the casino or an area roped-off from the rest of the tables. Then, there is the common misconception about the players; smartly dressed oil tycoons from Texas and wireless technology moguls from Hong Kong who casually bet 10,000 dollars a hand. Somewhere along the line, the stereotype has been promoted that Baccarat is a complicated game played only by the wealthiest of the gamblers. Well, just because James Bond plays Baccarat in Monte Carlo doesn’t mean you can’t play it in Reno. And are you ready for the big surprise? Baccarat is easier to play (less rules to remember) than Black Jack. The first time beginner has the same chance of winning money as the seasoned Baccarat pro. Also, most casinos have no problem with someone who wants to play 25 dollars a hand at a Baccarat table. As far as the dress issue goes, you don’t have to wear a tuxedo, but you are going to feel mighty out of place in a tank-top, shorts and flip flops! Dress up a bit, trust me, it won’t kill you.

If you can count to nine, you can play Baccarat. Here is how it works. Two cards are dealt to each player and two to the dealer. Depending on the hand, the dealer will then deal a card to the person whose hand is farthest from totaling nine. After (if) the third card is dealt, the hand closest to nine is the winner. Congratulations! You’ve just learned Baccarat! O.K., there’s more to it than that, but not much. The card values and automatic subtraction in Baccarat can seem confusing at first. All number cards (2 through 9) count as their face value, aces count as one and face cards are counted as 0, no value. If your hand totals 10 to 19, ten is automatically subtracted; 19 minus 10 equals nine, you win (if you bet on yourself). For hands ranging from 20 to 29, twenty is automatically subtracted. The bet round in Baccarat is unique in that you may bet on the player (yourself) to win, the dealer to win, or you can bet on a tie, though a tie can only happen when dealer and player both have a natural nine. The first two pay even money, a tie pays (traditionally) 8 to 1. Unlike any other casino card game, the role of "dealer" is rotated around the table. The shoe, containing eight standard decks, is passed counterclockwise around the table, you may pass the deal when it comes to you if this makes you uncomfortable. Though it shouldn’t; while the player with the shoe will represent the "dealer's" hand, the player assumes no additional risk and, of course, the casino remains the actual banker.

It is also important to know that the house collects a 5% commission on all money won on the bankers hand. If this game, aside from some quirky rules and strange card values, sounds like the equivalent of betting heads or tails on a flipped coin, you’re correct. Baccarat is like a red or black bet at the Roulette table, or a "pass" or "don’t pass" bet on Craps. Baccarat (pronounced, bah-cah-rah, with the first syllable stressed) is a fun and easy game to play, it does not take a lot of practice and you don’t have to bet like a millionaire. Give it a try, you may like it enough to put some of your winnings towards a tuxedo...

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