Even though Baccarat can seem like a complex game, there seems to be more ado involved in the pre-game preparations than in the actual game itself. Let’s look at card cutting and table types.

1. Pre-game preparations
BACCARAT

2. Cutting cards and table variations
Baccarat can seem like an intensely complicated
game. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth
as the game is essentially analogous to flipping a coin.
In fact, there seems to be more faffing around the
preparation for a game of baccarat than the actual
game itself. These preparations have very exacting
and carefully defined rules, which dealers are
obligated to observe always without exception.

3. Decks and Cutting
There are usually 8 decks of cards that are used, and
each card is given a point value: aces are worth one
point, cards 2 to 9 are taken at their pip value, and
tens and face cards are worth 0. When a shoe is
started, the dealer turns over one card, which
determines how many subsequent cards will be burnt
according to the baccarat value, except a ten or a face
card, which results in 10 cards being burned.

4. Decks and Cutting
The cut card is inserted 16 cards from the bottom
of the shoe. When this cut card eventually
appears after however many rounds of play, the
dealer must finish the active hand, begin one
more hand, and then start a new shoe. If,
however, the cut card is revealed as the first card,
then the dealer finishes the hand and starts a new
shoe.

5. Table Types
Big table baccarat is usually cordoned off from the
main casino area and is made available for select and
exclusive clientele only. The minimum bets are
normally very high. This kind of baccarat still allows
players to bid either on the player or the banker.
Remember: these are just betting categories and the
terms should not be taken literally. That is, the banker
should not be confused with the house. The Banker
and the player are merely categories of bets, each
with their own attendant rules.

6. Table Types
It is considered more acceptable for the dealer to bet on the
banker. Deal moves across the table, with the person dealing
placing two cards, face down, under the shoe and giving the
player with the largest bet another two cards, face down.
Once the player has seen these cards, he will then give them
back to the dealer (or, more specifically, the player who is
acting as the dealer). The dealer will then turn over the cards
and totals will be announced. Depending on what the totals
are, the dealer may need to deal a third card to certain
players.

7. Table Types
Mini
Mini baccarat makes use of the same rules as its big table brother. The
main difference, however, is that the dealer turns over all the cards, which
tends to make the game a fair bit faster.
Midi
Sandwiched right between the big table and mini version is midi baccarat,
which is essentially the same game as the mini variation but with a larger
table size. This type of baccarat is normally to be found in minimum wager
rooms where the stakes are higher and the players mostly wealthier.