Baccarat (ba-ca-rah)

An intimidating game brought about by the atmosphere "created" by the casinos, the object of the game is to come as close to the number 9 as possible without going over. Eight decks of shuffled cards (no jokers) are placed in a shoe ("the bank") by the dealer. Only two players, the banker and the player, are dealt cards by the banker: two hands of two cards. The other players bet on either the banker's or the player's hand before cards are dealt.

The number cards count for face value. The last digit of total is hand value: 7 + 6 = 13 with value of 3. Face cards and 10, or any combination of cards totaling 10, count as zero.

The "banker," seated to the right of dealer, deals the cards. When the banker loses, the shoe is passed to the next player (counter-clockwise), who may choose or pass to be the banker. The "player" is the player with the largest bet on the player's side. The banker deals four cards face down, first and third to player; second and fourth cards to the banker. The player closest to the number 9 wins. Bets are paid even money; House takes 5% commission.

Blackjack

The object of the game is for the player's cards to total closer to the number 21 than the dealer's cards. Aces count as 11, face cards as 10, number cards count at face value.

The player places the bet. The dealer deals two cards to the player and himself (one up, one down). The dealer's face down card is the "hole card." If 21 is scored with the first two player's cards, the player turns them up. If the first two cards do not total 21, the player will either "stand" and take no more cards or ask for as many "hits" as necessary to total 21 or as close to 21 as possible without going over. If the player's hand is closer to 21, he wins; if it's below the dealer's total, the player loses; a tie results in nobody winning or losing.

Craps

A fast-paced game that seems complicated but is actually quite simple, the object of Craps is to bet which numbers will come up on a pair of thrown dice.

Players place bets in marked areas of the table. The "shooter" rolls two dice against the back wall of the table. If a bet is placed on the "Pass Line," the bet is with the dice and shooter: If the shooter rolls 7 or 11 on the first roll, the player wins; if the player throws 2, 3 or 12 (craps) both the shooter and player lose. If a bet is placed on the "Don't Pass Line," the bet is against the dice and shooter and the win/loss is reversed.

Poker

The object of Poker is to create the highest poker hand in the game. Most casinos feature poker rooms that offer a number of variations on the game, such as Five-card Stud, Seven-card Stud, Texas Hold 'em.

Played with one deck of cards, a dealer (who does not play) deals to players who are playing against one another. The lowest hand is typically one pair with the highest being a royal flush, which is an ace, king, queen, jack and 10 of all the same suit. The House takes a percentage of each game, known as "the rake."

Keno

One of the easiest casino games in Las Vegas, the object of Keno is to pick one to 20 numbers on a Keno card, betting that they will be drawn, as 20 out of 80 numbered ping-pong balls are selected randomly.

The Keno ticket has a grid of 80 numbers: 40 on top, 40 on bottom. The player marks the desired numbers clearly, the dollar amount of the bet on the top right-hand corner of the ticket and the number of numbers picked on the bottom right-hand side of the ticket. The player takes the ticket to the Keno writer or gives it and the bet to a Keno runner. Keno boards are placed throughout the casino and restaurants so that players may play other games while betting on Keno.

Roulette

Simple and exciting best describe Roulette. The object is to bet on where the white ball will come to rest when the spinning wheel comes to a stop.

"Checks" are bought from the dealer, with each player's checks a different color from the other players' checks. The table top features corresponding numbers to the wheel. Checks and/or cash are placed on the numbers (0 and 00 to 36) and/or colors (red and black). The dealer spins the wheel and flicks the ball along the wheel's inside edge in the opposite direction. As the wheel slows, the ball falls into a number. Pay outs are determined by the color and number combinations picked.

Slots

Slot machines are the easiest game in town. The modern, high-tech machines of today are a far cry from the antiquated "one-armed bandit" machines. Yet, the object of the game remains the same: line up the symbols to win a jackpot.

The machines play in money denominations of nickels - yes, most casinos still feature the nickel machine - quarters and dollars. The models are varied: three- to nine-wheelers, single to multiple pay lines, fixed jackpots, progressives, straightforward line-ups, crisscrosses and the specialty machines with Keno, 21, video bingo and video poker. Don't forget the tournaments. They're a great way to have fun and meet other people.