Baccarat is one of those games that has a mystique attached to it, evoking images of high-rollers in tuxedos seated at opulent casino tables. However, it is actually an easy and entertaining game to play that is suitable for players of any level of experience. It’s also a very social game that can be enjoyed with friends or family members.

Baccarat has become a popular choice for Asian high rollers who want to avoid the crowds and noise of Las Vegas casino floor gambling. In recent years, it has gained a lot of popularity in the United States as well. This is partly due to the fact that it offers higher payouts on bets placed on Player or Banker than other table games. It is also considered a more elegant and classy option than blackjack or roulette, which can be intimidating to some people.

The game is played on a special table with from seven to 14 seats for players and a dealer’s area. The dealers deal the cards and only two hands are dealt, the Player hand and the Banker hand. The players bet on either the Player, Banker, or Tie.

In baccarat, points are added up until the total is nine or greater. Picture cards and Tens count as zero points, while cards numbered from 2-9 have their face value and the ace counts as one point. Once the total passes 9 or enters a double digit, the first digit is dropped. For example, a hand of 7 and 6 would have a total of 13, but since the first digit is dropped, it becomes three.

After the initial cards are dealt, the Player and Banker hands must be analyzed to determine their point values. If the Player hand or Banker hand have a total of 8 or 9, then they are considered naturals and the hand is over. The placed bets are paid out and the next round begins.

If the Player hand has a total of 6 and the Banker hand has a 6 as well, then it is a tie. A tie bet pays out 8-to-1, which is much higher than the return on a bet on the Banker or Player hand, which pays even money.

The Super Six Bet is an optional bet that can be made alongside the Player and Banker bets. If the Banker hand wins with a total of 6, then the Super Six bet pays out 12x the original bet amount. The Pair Bet is another optional bet that can be made in baccarat. The winner of the Pair bet is determined by which two cards are drawn and their sequence in that order.

In the past, baccarat was played with both the Player and Banker hands concealed from view. This was to protect the bankers from embarrassment, as it is possible for them to make mistakes when examining their cards. Nowadays, baccarat is played with electronic displays that show the trend of both the Player and Banker hands. The electronic displays are directly connected to the automatic card reading shoe, so they display the information instantaneously and without error.