How to play Baccarat

Baccarat is a thrilling game played at major casinos all over the world. The Player's objective is to wager on his prediction that either the Player's hand will win, the Banker's hand will win, or that the game will result in a Tie.

Objective

Baccarat is a thrilling game played at major casinos all over the world. The Player's objective is to wager on his prediction that either the Player's hand will win, the Banker's hand will win, or that the game will result in a Tie.

Rules

The object of baccarat is to predict if the Player or the Banker's hand will get a point value closest to 9, keeping in mind that all ten-value cards count as zero and Aces count as one. The hand with the highest point value wins.

The highest total any baccarat hand can have is nine. A two-card total of nine is called a "natural" and cannot lose. An eight is the second-best hand and is also called a "natural". If both the Player and Banker are dealt identical hands, it's a standoff (a Tie) and neither the Banker nor the Player hand wins.

You do not receive any cards, or play against anyone but to predict which hand will beat the other. Please note, the Player (you) can bet on the Player, Banker or a Tie.

The Player and the Banker are each dealt a two-card hand. Following standard baccarat rules, a third card is dealt to the Player and/or the Banker.

Hand Values

Ace = One point
Face cards and tens = zero

All other cards carry the point value stated on the card. If the cards in a hand total more than ten points, simply subtract ten; the remainder is the baccarat point value of the hand. For example: 8+8=16, which counts as a 6 in baccarat; and a Jack+7=17, which counts as 7.

Third Card Rules

The following baccarat rule chart governs when the Player and/or the Banker will automatically be dealt (i.e. "draws") a third card in the Baccarat game: If the point value of the first two cards is 8 or 9, this is called a Natural. If anyone is dealt a Natural the game ends and no third card is dealt to anyone.

Player

Point Value of the first two cards, and actions required:

0-1-2-3-4-5 Draws a third card
6-7 Stands
8-9 Natural - no further draw