Baccarat is a game of chance and strategy that’s popular in casinos around the world. In the game, players bet on either the Player or Banker hand, and aim for a total closest to nine. Cards 2 through 9 hold their value, and aces count as 1 (never 11). The game is played with a deck of standard 52 cards, and the dealer does all the work, making it easy to play for a small minimum bet.

A baccarat score sheet is often found on tables, and can vary from simple tracking sheets to complex grids for recording the frequency of winning hands for both player and dealer. Some players argue that baccarat track sheets are essential to winning, as they can help players spot patterns in the game.

When betting on a hand, it’s important to take the house and banker edges into account, as they will reduce your payout. In addition, it’s also a good idea to understand the meaning of each number in the game. For example, a six and seven in a hand is worth six points, while an eight and a nine is worth nine.

The game is a bit newer than most other casino games, but it has grown rapidly in popularity over the past thirty years, particularly among Asian high rollers. In fact, according to Bill Zender – who literally wrote the book on managing casino games – high-rolling Asian customers have made baccarat their game of choice over all others.