The game of Baccarat is played using eight decks of cards. The ace and face cards have zero value while the other cards are counted according to their actual value. At the beginning of each new shoe, the dealer must turn over one card. After that, the cut card is placed on the 16-card bottom of the shoe. If this card is the winning one, the hand is over. The dealer will then play one more hand and then start the new shoe.

Players can place a bet on either the player hand or the banker hand. When the pips of the cards are added up, the winning hand is the closest one to nine. Aces count for one and 10-count cards count for zero. The other cards are worth their face value. The goal of the game is to get as close to nine as possible. For example, an eight and a seven do not add up to eighteen.

To play the game, players take turns playing a hand. The active player must call a carte when he has a total of zero or a seven. The player cannot call for a third card if his total is between six and seven. The banker must check the two cards in the hand. If the active player doesn’t win, he loses his turn. The active player then passes the hand to the next player.

There are several strategies to win in baccarat. Some players choose to make bets based on streaks and win streaks, while others opt for zigzag betting. In either case, a player must be aware of the commission of 5%. Moreover, a player must keep a win threshold in place. Regardless of the strategy chosen, the key to winning in baccarat is knowing when to change bets.

In addition to being a fun game, Baccarat is also very easy to learn. The basic rules of the game are similar to those of other casino games. In baccarat, all the betting takes place before the hand is dealt. During the first round, two cards are dealt to each player. The banker is dealt with one card and the player has two cards. The winner is the hand with the highest number of points.

After the bets are placed, the active player looks at the two cards he has. If his two-card total is an eight or a nine, he or she places his or her cards face up. If the total is a nine, the player announces, ‘la petite’ or ‘la grande’. The banker then turns the face-up cards to determine which hand has the higher value. If it is a tie, both players’ stakes are returned. After the two cards are revealed, the active player must decide whether to ask for a third card or call ‘pas de carte’ to play with his or her original two cards.