Bet on player or banker — nine is the best total there is.
Almost nothing is decided by the players. You bet on which of two hands will win, and the drawing rules do the rest.
Player, banker, or tie. These are labels for the two hands, not for anyone at the table — you may bet on either. Banker wins slightly more often, which is why a commission is usually taken on it. Tie pays well and loses badly; leave it alone.
Aces count 1, number cards their face value, and tens and court cards count zero.
Add the cards and drop the tens digit. Seven and six is thirteen, which counts as three. The best possible total is nine.
Two cards go to each hand. Eight or nine on either is a natural, and the hand ends at once.
Otherwise fixed rules apply, and nobody chooses. The player hand draws on a total of 0 to 5 and stands on 6 or 7. The banker then draws on 0 to 2, stands on 7, and in between draws depending on what the player drew.
You never have to memorise the table. The dealer applies it, and no decision you make changes the outcome — which is exactly why the game moves as fast as it does.