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This strange, deeply dramatic process is universally known in the casino world as "squeezing" the cards, and it is the absolute soul of high-stakes Baccarat.

To an outside observer, this slow, destructive manipulation of casino property seems entirely pointless, especially since Baccarat is a game of pure, unalterable luck.
Why Baccarat Players Squeeze Cards
The ritual of the squeeze provides this psychological release, allowing the player to feel as though they are physically wrestling a winning number out of the cardboard.

For a VIP risking $100,000 on a single hand, the five minutes spent agonizingly squeezing the final card is the exact entertainment they are paying massive sums to experience.
The highest betting player at the table is historically granted the exclusive, honored right to squeeze the cardsNo matter how hard a card is squeezed or bent, the actual printed mathematical value never changesCasinos enthusiastically allow this destruction because the massive VIP bets easily cover the cost of replacing the ruined decks Reading the Pips on the Edge
The art of the squeeze relies entirely on recognizing the specific geometric layout of the ink "pips" (the suit symbols) printed on standard casino playing cards.

If they see three pips ("three legs"), the card is a 6, 7, or 8, which is exactly what a Baccarat player desperately wants to see.
The Financial Reality of the Squeeze
However, at a high-stakes VIP Baccarat table, the casino actively expects and completely encourages the total destruction of every single deck used.

The casino gladly sacrifices the cardboard to keep the VIPs perfectly happy, deeply engaged, and continuously betting massive fortunes.
Visual Clue (Sideways Squeeze)Number of "Legs" (Pips)Possible Card ValuesBlank (No Pips visible)Zero LegsAce, 2, 3Solid Line across the topPicture Card10, Jack, Queen, King (Worth 0)
While it may look completely absurd to an outsider, it is a deeply respected ritual that transforms a sterile math game into pure, exhilarating theater.