Baccarat, aka Punto Banco or Chemin de Fer, is one of the most popular casino games in Europe and America. It’s often played for high stakes and is often featured in James Bond movies. It is a game of pure chance, but players can try to increase their odds of winning by learning the rules and using a simple strategy.

Baccarat is a card game where you place your bets on either the Player Hand, the Banker’s Hand or the Tie. Two cards are dealt to each hand, and the goal is to get a total closer to nine than the other hand. Cards are worth their face value, and the ace has a value of one point. Totals that exceed ten have 10 subtracted. The winner is the hand with the highest total.

Before the game begins, you must first decide how much you are willing to spend and stick to that amount throughout the session. This will help prevent you from getting caught up in the thrill of the moment and spending more than you intend to. It’s also best to play in a casino that has a cashier station where you can withdraw your winnings and avoid any problems with losing your money.

You’ll need to find the baccarat table on the casino floor, and you may want to ask a casino employee where it is located. Baccarat tables are usually separate from other casino games and can be found in a high-rollers section behind a velvet rope. Baccarat is played in different ways depending on where you are playing, but the basic rules of the game are the same. You must choose if you will bet on the Player, Banker or a tie, and then you must place your bets before the dealer deals cards.

Once you have placed your bets, the dealer will deal the cards and reveal them. The Player and Banker hands are compared to see which one has the higher value. If either of the hands has a total of 8 or 9 on the first two cards, it is a natural win and all bets are paid. If the hands have a different value, then a third card is drawn.

The Banker’s Hand must draw a third card when it has less than 7 points on the first two cards, and the Player’s hand must draw a third card if it has a score of 4 or lower. The third card rule can be difficult to follow, so it’s a good idea to study the chart below before you play.

Aside from the main bets, baccarat has a number of side bets that can offer large payouts. These include the Super Six Bet, which pays 12x your bet amount if the Banker’s Hand wins with a score of 6 or higher, and the Pair Bet, which pays out 9x your initial bet if the Player or Banker hand has a pair of matching cards.