Baccarat is one of the most popular casino games around, and with good reason – it’s relatively easy to play, offers high payouts and maintains a low house edge. But it’s not without its pitfalls, and some players end up getting caught off guard by certain moves and actions.

Before any cards are dealt, the player must decide if they will back the Banker hand, the Player hand or a Tie bet. In a standard game, two cards will be dealt for each of the hands and the winner is whichever hand has a total closest to nine. If either of the hands produce a “natural” (9 or 8), the game ends; if neither, a third card will be drawn depending on the house rules in place at the venue.

The dealer will then announce the winning bet and the players and bankers withdraw their chips from the table. The discard tray is then filled by the dealer and the deck is shuffled for the next round. If the player wins, the dealer must pay the winner a commission equal to 5% of the winning bet amount.

While there is little strategy involved in the game, it’s a good idea to understand how a round of baccarat works and how the cards are dealt. Also, it’s wise to set a budget for your gaming session and stick to it. This way, you can avoid losing too much money and ensure that you are gambling responsibly.