Baccarat is a card game in which you place bets on either the Player’s hand, the Banker’s hand or a Tie. The game is played with anywhere from six to 14 standard 52-card decks shuffled together and dealt by a croupier or dealer from a dealing box called a shoe. Players sit around a green felt table with numbered areas marked where they keep their chips. Depending on the version of the game, there are from seven to fourteen seats for players. There is also a separate area for the banker, who only banks the game and does not take any part in it.

The goal of the game is to correctly predict which of the two hands – the Player’s or the Banker’s – will be closest to nine points when all the cards are added up. The value of each card is determined by adding up the pips (the dots on a playing card that represent clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades) and dropping the first digit when the number reaches double digits, for example 9 + 6 = 15. The best hands in baccarat are those that reach the closest to 9.

You can play baccarat with any bet amount you wish, but it’s important to know your limits and how much you want to spend before betting your hard-earned money. Baccarat can be an addictive game, so you don’t want to spend more than you can afford to lose. Decide in advance how much you’re comfortable spending and stick to it, treating this as a night out rather than a gambling expedition.

Once all the bets are placed, the banker deals two cards to himself and to each of the Players and Bettors. When the cards are revealed, the one with the highest ranked combination wins. It is also possible that a third card will be drawn, which will affect the outcome of the hand.

Some versions of baccarat have different rules, but they all work the same basic way. The game is simple to understand and can be learned in a few hands. Once you have a grasp of the rules, the rest is just a matter of practice and learning how to make the best bets.

In some casinos, you can bet up to $1 million on a single hand, but you should always know your limits. If you’re new to baccarat, start small and work your way up. If you’re a more experienced gambler, you can use the Martingale strategy for even money bets to increase your chances of winning big.