Baccarat... let it ride... pai gow poker. Sound exotic, do they not? And though the names may befuddle, the games themselves are remarkably easy to play. JUST WATCH!
BACCARAT
This is the game James Bond plays in all those old movies! Plus it's very similar to blackjack, the odds are more in your favor, AND it's easier to play when you're drunk.
The object of the game is to bet whether your hand or the banker's (the dealer) will be the highest, not exceeding the point value of nine. Here's how you bet....
Put your chips in one of the three spaces: the player wins, the banker wins, or a tie--each has a different payout. Bets on the player get even money, bets on the dealer also get even money (minus five percent to give the house a slight edge), and a tie pays--WOW!--9 to 1?!?
The dealer slaps down two cards for you and two for herself. Let's say you get a 10 and a 3. Add those together, and you get 13. Now here's the not-so-tricky part. The value of your hand is the last digit of your total--which in the case of 13 is three. So if you got a 4 and a 6, your total would be 10, and your hand's value is zero. Get it? Got it? Good.
Remember: The point of all this is to get the total closest to nine. And if your total value is between zero and five, you're gonna need another card--but one more card is all you're gonna get. If it's six or seven, you don't get another card, and if it's eight or nine? Whoopee! You're holding what's called a "natural" and you stand.
Meanwhile, the banker/dealer is playing by the same rules, except if her two cards total three, four, five, or six, and you drew a third card. If so, then she must also draw a third card. I know... that part is confusing, but don't even try to remember it, because (and this is the best part of baccarat)....
THE DEALER DOES ALL THE WORK FOR YOU. She lets you know when you can get a third card, and all you have to do is sit there, get drunk, and bet on if the player wins, the dealer wins, or if it's a tie.
Yes, it's that simple. However, here's a helpful hint to all you low-rollers. On the Vegas Strip, the baccarat tables can be anywhere from $25 to $500 per bet (OUCH!!). My advice is to play in old-town Vegas on Fremont Street where you can find $5 and $10 tables. But perhaps you're interested in a game that involves yelling. In that case, let's take a look at....
LET IT RIDE
Another easy game--especially for you poker lovers! You put down three equal bets, and you get three cards. The dealer gets two facedown "community cards," which along with your cards will make a five-card hand. If your original three cards are looking tasty, tell the world you're going to "LET IT RIDE!" and leave all of your wagers where they are. If you've got a handful of crap, you're allowed to take back your first bet.
That's when the dealer turns over her first "community" card. You still got crap? Then you have the option of taking back your second bet (but the third bet always remains!). You got a sweet hand going? Tell the dealer once again to "LET IT RIDE!"
Then the dealer turns over her final card, and if you have a pair of 10s or better, she pays out your winnings according to this schedule:
Player's Hand = Payoff
Pair of 10s or better or 1 to 1 = Even money
Two pair = 2 to 1
Three of a kind = 3 to 1
Straight = 5 to 1
Flush = 8 to 1
Full House = 11 to 1
Four of a kind = 50 to 1
Straight Flush = 200 to 1
Royal Flush = 1,000 to 1
(WOW!!!! I'm gonna be RICH!!!)
However, before you count yer chickens, remember that your payout is gonna be different depending on if you're in Vegas or La Center. Also, PLAY SMART. The object is to get a pair of 10s or better, so if you have several cards with a 10-value or higher, what do you do? Annoy everyone around you and "LET IT RIDE!"
PAI GOW POKER
This game scares the shit out of honkies, but once again, it's EASY. As the name states, it's a cross between the ancient Chinese dominos game, pai gow, and the rootin' tootin' American standby of poker. And here's how it goes....
You're dealt seven cards, and the object is to use these cards to build two great hands: a "high hand" of five cards, and a "second-high hand" of two cards--both according to traditional poker rankings (two of a kind, straight, flush, etc.).
Both of your hands must be higher than the dealer's in order to win. If one is higher and the other is lower, it's a tie. And if both of your hands are lower... well, we know who the boo-hoo baby in this situation is.
Also working to your advantage is the joker card. If you're dealt the joker, you can use it as an ace or to complete a straight or a flush. After arranging each of your hands, simply lay them face down in the designated spots on the table, wait for the dealer to finish, and watch the money start pouring in. Pretty soon you'll realize pai gow is pai GREAT! (Okay... that was stupid.)
TO SUM UP... (That's not a game, by the way.)
The best way to learn these games is to either stand behind players (not too close, please) and mentally play their hands, take a casino-sponsored class, or show up during the daytime when you can ask the dealer a lot of questions and not feel like a jackass. There are also plenty of online game and strategy sites if you wanna bone up before sitting down at a real table.
So c'mon! Give blackjack a rest, for chrissakes. The way I see it, you've got a lot of money--so why lose it all on just one table?
