Baccarat conjures up images in the mind of exclusive areas in casinos closed off with velvet ropes and full of rich high rolling gamblers. The truth is that this card game that is often perceived as the most sophisticated game one can play at the casino is also, in reality, the simplest.

A further irony is that while baccarat is one of the most highly profitable games for the casino, its low house edge also makes it one of the top profit making card games for players.

The history of of the game goes as far back as the middle ages in Italy where it has been suggested that the first players of the game used a tarot deck. As baccarat spread throughout Europe, the game found a perfect home amongst the aristocrats of France and perhaps this is where the 1st seeds of its image as a card game for the upper class.

The rules of baccarat are easy to remember and very simple. Basically the player has a choice of 3 bets, the banker hand winning, player hand winning or a tie. In each game there are 2 cards dealt to the player and the banker.