Natural
The best possible starting hand achieved without drawing additional cards.
Detailed Explanation
In baccarat, a natural is a two-card total of 8 or 9. It is an automatic winner (or tie if both sides share the same natural total) and no additional cards are drawn for either the Player or Banker hand. A natural 9 beats a natural 8; two naturals of the same value tie. The natural outcome in baccarat typically occurs in approximately 34% of all hands dealt.
In blackjack, a natural is an Ace plus any 10-value card (10, J, Q, K) dealt in the initial two cards, totalling 21. A blackjack natural pays 3:2 on standard rules. Beware games paying 6:5 on naturals — this rule change alone increases the house edge by approximately 1.4%. When the dealer also has a natural, the hand is a push.
The frequency and payout structure of naturals is a significant driver of baccarat and blackjack game mathematics. In baccarat, naturals effectively short-circuit the complex drawing tableau.
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Ante
A mandatory bet placed before any cards are dealt to initiate a round.
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Burn Card
A card removed face-down from the top of the deck after a shuffle before dealing begins.
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Color Up
Exchanging a stack of lower-denomination chips for fewer higher-denomination chips of equal total value.
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Cut Card
A solid-coloured plastic card used by players to cut the deck before dealing begins.