Baccarat  Home > >  Games Guide > >  Baccarat Rules Baccarat Rules Baccarat is a very exciting card game. It originated in Italy during the Middle Ages and its name is derived from the Italian word meaning zero, because the zero value is given to all of the face cards and tens. At some point in time the game made its way to France where it became the game of choice for the French nobility. Today Baccarat is a favourite game of financial tycoons. The aim of the game is to bet on either of two hands dealt on the table: the "player" or the "banker" and which one of them comes closer to 9. the player can also bet on a tie. Dealing cards and counting points Baccarat is played with 8 decks. At the start , each hand recieves at least two cards but not more than three. When the cards are delt the first and third one go to the player and the second and the fourth to the banker. If another card is to be dealt to either the player or banker depending on the rules specified below. All cards are laid face-up. Card value: · All face cards and tens have the value of 0; · The Ace counts 1, · All other cards from 2 through 9 are at face value. The total of each hand is calculated by adding the value of two cards. The first digit of a two-digit number is dropped. For example, a hand of 8 and 9 gives the total of 7 (because 8 + 9 = 17). For this reason all face cards and tens count 0 – only the last digit of the total is important. The total value of the cards can never exceed 9. Unlike in Blackjack, hands don’t bust. Examples: · Example 1: 9 + 0 = 9, the total of this hand is 9. · Exampl 2: 4 + 0 + 9 = 13, the total of this hand is 3. Natural Hand Since the aim of the game is to get as closest to 9 as possible, receiving 8 or 9 in the first two cards is as Martha Stewart would put it "a good thing". It is so called "natural hand". If two hands are natural then both the player and banker must stand and no additional cards are dealt. Of course the only score that beats a natural 8 is a natural 9. Play Both the player and the banker are dealt two cards that are laid face up. If one of the hands is natural, it wins. If both hands are natural then the one closest to 9 wins. If the value of two hands are the same then it is a tie. If neither player nor banker have a natural hand, the game is started with player. A player hand stands at 6 or 7. If the score is less than 6 then the player will draw one card and receive a new score as a total of the three cards. Rules for a player hand If the score of the first two cards equals: Player's action 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 DRAW 6, 7 STAND 8, 9 STAND (natural hand) Now it's the banker's turn. If player stands with the score of 6 or 7 (if the third card was not drawn), the banker's game is fairly easy. Banker must draw one more card if his score is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 , or 5. Banker must stand if his score is 6 or 7. Rules for the banker if the player score is 6 or 7 If the score of the banker's first two cards equals: Banker's action 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 DRAW 6, 7 STAND 8, 9 STAND (natural hand) However if the player has drawn another card, the game is becoming more interesting for the banker. Banker stands if his initial score is 7 but can draw if his score is 6 or less depending on the player's third card and not his total score. The rules whether banker draws or stands are as follows. The banker's third-card-rules Player's third card 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 7 S S S S S S S S S S 6 S S S S S S D D S S 5 S S S S D D D D S S 4 S S D D D D D D S S 3 D D D D D D D D S D 2 D D D D D D D D D D 1 D D D D D D D D D D 0 D D D D D D D D D D S = STAND D = DRAW Winning · Hand with the score closest to 9 wins. · Player hand wagers pay the odds of 1:1 · Banker hand bets pay the odds of 1:1 but are subject to a 5% house commission. · If both hands are equal in value , a tie bet wins, which pays 8:1. All bets remain in place for the next game (they are noit collected or paid). See also: Blackjack Lesson 1 Black Jack Basic Strategy Lesson 2 Black Jack Basic Strategy Blackjack Switch Caribbean Stud Poker