Regardless of the number of players, only two hands are dealt, one designated as the player hand, the other as banker. Players may bet on either hand, or on a tie. The winner is the hand that comes closest to a total of 9. Each card is worth face value--Ace is 1, deuce 2, etc. If totals reach 10 or more, the first digit is disregarded, so 10, Jack, Queen and King can be seen as having a value of 0. A 9 and a 6, totaling 15, would then have a value of 5.

After bets are placed, player and banker are each dealt two cards. Taking a third card or standing on the first two is done according to rules available in a chart at the table. At mini-baccarat, the dealer hits or stands with no chatter. At a big baccarat table in the high-limit pits, a player may deal the cards, under instructions from the dealer.

The player hand is completed first. If the first two cards total 8 or 9, it is called a natural, and the player gets no more cards. Player also stands on totals of 6 or 7, and draws on all others.

There are a couple things not usually listed in the rules, but in force nonetheless. If the player holds a hand of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 and banker has a natural, banker wins without player getting another card. If player has 6, 7, 8 or 9 and therefore does not receive a third card, banker stands on 6 as well as 7, 8 and 9.

Definitely do not use tie bet. It pays 8-1, but has a house edge of 9.5 percent that makes it one of the worst bets in the house. Either of the other two options is better than most other casino wagers. Banker actually wins more than it loses--a rarity in casino games--but the house charges a 5 percent commission on winning bets. That leaves a house edge of 1.17 percent, as close to an even proposition as you're going to get on any non-skill game.