Anyone who watches a Bond movie in the present era will be attracted by many elements of the movie. There’s the fact that Bond always wins, there is how suave he manages to be in situations of extreme peril, and there is the way he tends to win when he plays poker. Anyone who has read the books, meanwhile, will have their hand in the air right now saying “Yes, but… 007 doesn’t play poker. He plays Baccarat.” And that is true; Ian Fleming wrote Bond as a suave, always-winning Baccarat-playing spy.
So why is he often portrayed in the movies as playing a different game? Why, if there were a scene where our hero browsed non Gamstop casinos to pass the time on a tense flight to Moscow, would it show him playing poker instead? Well, it’s simple, really. Millions of people go to see these films. These people understand poker, for the most part, and it’s a good way of building tension. They do not understand Baccarat, which not many people play. So let’s look at the game Bond is supposed to play, and see what you could gain by knowing a little about it.
First of all, how do you pronounce Baccarat?
Worth knowing; you don’t want to come accross as gauche in front of casino players. It’s pronounced “bac-a-rah”. The “t” is silent.
Thanks. What’s Baccarat all about, then?
It’s actually a very simple game, between a player and dealer. Both are dealt two hands, and whoever gets closest to nine is the winner. If the player is dealt five or less, they are given another card, otherwise they stand. If player or dealer is dealt eight or nine, it’s called a “natural” and no more cards are dealt. The dealer, meanwhile, stands on seven,eight, or nine. Different casinos have different rules on whether additional cards are dealt, though, so it’s worth clarifying with them beforehand.
Wait, what if the two cards add up to 15 or something?
In Baccarat, only the final digit of your score counts. So while 21’s great news in Blackjack, in Baccarat it counts for just one.
And then I’d probably lose?
Sort of. You see, it doesn’t matter whose hand wins; what counts is whose hand you bet on. when playing Baccarat, you can bet on the dealer to win. Although the hands are named “Dealer” and “Player”, they could just as well be called A and B. You’re betting on which hand will win. All bets are made before the cards are dealt, though, so you can’t wait and see who gets the best hand.
Can I bet that it’s going to be a tie?
You can, and it pays out at odds of 8 to 1. But ties very rarely happen. In the long run, you’re best off betting on the dealer.
Why? Is he better at the game than me?
I mean, probably, yes, but that’s not the reason. Because the dealer decides whether or not to take a final card, they statistically have the best chance of winning. This is reflected in the fact that a win on the dealer hand is subject to table commission, set at 5%. So while a winning $10 bet on the player wins you another $10, a winning dealer bet will only get $9.50. Also, some tables set the minimum commission at $5. If you find one of those, don’t play it, that’s just massively stacked in the casino’s favor.
So why should I play Baccarat?
If you want a casino experience that is fun, fast and doesn’t require a lot of strategic thinking, Baccarat is great. Just beware of the fact that – because you’re not involved beyond the actual betting – everything can pass in something of a blur. Keep your wits about you and your eyes on your bankroll.
