Baccarat is that enigmatic card game that makes you think of high-rollers in opulent casinos laying down chips to watch the dealer distribute cards. It’s a game of chance with little in the way of strategy, but it drives more casino revenue than any other table game in Macau. With the right strategy and a little bit of patience, you can master this exciting card game.

The basic rules of Baccarat are simple, but there are a few nuances that can make the game confusing for beginners. First, the cards are dealt from a shoe. Each hand is a combination of two cards dealt to the player and one to the banker. All three cards are added together and the hand that is closest to nine wins. In addition, the dealer must draw a third card if the player’s total is four, five, six, or seven and the banker’s total is 0-5 or higher.

Unlike blackjack, the suits of the cards don’t matter in baccarat. All cards have a number value of their own, and the ace is worth one. The other face cards have no value in baccarat. For example, a queen and six equals 14, but a king and six totals zero. In addition, the first digit of the total is dropped. For instance, a seven and six equals 14, but if you drop the first digit it becomes 4.

Baccarat also allows for a number of side bets that can increase your winnings. These bets are placed before the game begins and vary by establishment and platform. The most common side bets include a player pair, which pays 1:1 odds, and a banker pair, which also pays 1:1 odds. The third bet, a player stand, is also available at some tables and has even better odds than the player pair and banker stand.

One of the biggest mistakes a baccarat player can make is assuming that a streak of losses or wins will continue indefinitely. This is known as the gambler’s fallacy, and it is a dangerous belief that can cost you big money. Instead, a savvy baccarat player knows when to get up and leave, and they follow the rule of regression to the mean.

When playing baccarat, it’s important to set your limits and stick to them. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the game, and it’s important to know when to stop playing for the day. Set your loss limit before you start and stop when it is reached. This will help you avoid losing too much money and will also help you have more fun. It’s also a good idea to have a win limit, and stop when you hit it. This will also prevent you from over-thinking the game, which can lead to mistakes. This is especially true for baccarat, as the game is very fast-paced.