The A-Peel of High Stakes Baccarat

The Price is Right, the longest running act in game show history, features an iconic entry entitled One Away, a segment in which contestants guess the proper value of a sparkly new automobile gracing the showroom floor.

If he/she can conjure up the correct digits (which are displayed one away from the actual price), they’ll be departing the Haven Studios lot in some nice new wheels, courtesy of Drew Carey & Co.

As they narrow in on that fifth and final figure, the anticipation rises to agonizing proportions. The grand moment of truth is about to reveal whether the contestant will be blowing Glendale in a 2026 Toyota Corolla ... or remain stuck with that rusty old beater they rolled in with.

Those ten seconds of chest-pounding suspense can convert a perennial daytime giveaway into must-see TV.

One Away

In a far different gaming setting, baccarat has long brought with it an element of gripping theater. There’s a reason why it’s a preferred delicacy for upper class gambling enthusiasts from Macau to Miami.

After all, it’s a game in which things can shift dramatically in a split nanosecond. During any given hand, a player can be abruptly pulled from the gallows of defeat by the mercy of the lucky third card.

Or it can swing entirely the other way, and a near-certain triumph can crumble by the wayside through the wrath of an unexpected 9-spot on the opposite square.

Either way, as the dealer slides each card from that plastic shoe, the heart muscles begin to flutter. An internal drumroll kicks in. Like a movie cliffhanger, the tension rises into your throat, your body seizing at once...

Traditional baccarat largely requires the cards to be revealed face-up during the initial deal. Depending on the style (and experience levels) of the dealer, the velocity in which the cards are slapped onto the felt may vary considerably.

Some dealers flip them in a swift, businesslike manner, while others prefer to unveil the third cards in a more gradual, tension-building manner – not unlike Bob Barker’s seasoned approach to divulging the final digit in One Away.

That brings us to the realm of high-stakes baccarat, a place where the nerves and jangles become tenfold.

Many signature casinos, particularly in Las Vegas, have installed baccarat parlors upon their gaming floors, inviting in fanatics of this beloved French classic.

Within these havens, digital screens display table minimums anywhere from $100 into the upwards of $500.

Yet, the most striking difference here is the way in which the cards are dealt to the table’s inhabitants. Unlike tradition baccarat, the cards of a high-stakes affair are dished out face down, leaving a dash of uncertainty to linger in the oxygen.

However, this is where things get enticing:

Let’s say Player A sinks into a slot at a $400 table, sliding four black beauties onto the Player square. Player B moseys up to the wood and drops the same amount onto the Banker square.

The dealer then pulls four cards from the shoe, arranging them face down into the two respective hands, Player and Banker.

Whereas baccarat is typically the least interactive offering in the joint, the high-stakes version plunges you dead center into the action.

The dealer then slides the Player hand to Player A before pushing the Banker hand to Player B.

Player A, at his/her leisure, is free to peel back the tandem of cards, sneaking a peek at what’s been served up. Before the big reveal, he is permitted to bend them, tear them, bless them – whatever he pleases. Either way, the cards will be readily discarded at the game’s conclusion – one and done, straight into the garbage, never to resurface again.

Player B, knowing precisely what is needed to compete with the Player showing, may also peel ‘em back nice and slowly, savoring (or loathing) the twosome that was dished out.

If a third card is required, the dealer aptly dishes them to each player, face down, allowing them to individually disclose their fate.

In the event of a festive gathering (Players C, D, E and F), the highest bidder is graced with the downfaced cards. For instance, if Players B ($200), D ($300), and E ($500) are all riding with the Banker, the individual wagering the most moolah (in this case, Player E) is allowed to peel the deal. The same applies for bettors of the Player hand.

Although baccarat doesn’t bring with it the raucous hoopla of a craps table, its magnetic appeal (or a-peel) is in its gripping anticipation and uncertainty leading up to the climactic finale, especially when the table is covered with blacks ($100 chips), barneys ($500) and pumpkins ($1,000).

Few thrills in your favorite grindhouse will ever match bending back your mysterious two-spread to find a natural King-9 conquest.

It’s not unlike watching one of Barker’s beauties spin the final digit to unveil the new recipient of a brand new car!

For those contemplating a rush onto the stage of high-stakes baccarat, you can practically hear that familiar voice echoing from the heavens.

Come on doooooooown!

-- TB