The Rules of Baccarat

It is believed that the game of Baccarat originated in Italy, around 1490. The word baccarat is derived from the Italian word "baccara", meaning zero, and refers to the zero value given to all of the face cards and tens. Eventually Baccarat evolved into European Baccarat and the French game Chemin de Fer (French for "railroad" - probably depicting the shoe as a train traveling around the table). By mid-century Baccarat had become the game of choice for the French nobility, and is currently among the most popular casino games. Contrary to its appearance, Baccarat is one of the simplest games to play. The version of baccarat that is played today came from the Capri Casino in Havana, Cuba.

The player makes only two decisions, before each hand is dealt - selection of the position he/she believes will win the next hand ("player", "banker" or "tie"), and determining the amount of the wager. The object of Baccarat is to wager on the hand that will win with a point total of 9, or as close to it as possible. Cards from 2-9 are counted at their face value, aces are worth 1, and picture cards and tens are counted as 0 (suits do not matter). The player has no decisions to make during the game itself. Our Baccarat game is played with 6 decks of cards, which are shuffled after each round.

Playing the Game of Baccarat

Each round begins when the player bets on the 'player', 'banker' or a 'tie'. After the player's bet is placed, the player and the dealer (banker) receive each two cards. The score of each hand appears to the left of the cards.
For example: If the player's two cards are '4' and '9', then their total is 13, and the score (that appears to the left of the player's cards) is '3'. The score always ranges from 0 to 9. A third card may or may not be dealt to the player, dealer or both.
Note: If either the player or the banker has a score of 8 or a 9 they both stand (this is called a 'natural').

Third Card Rules

Player's Hand

Player's Actions

Player's Two-Card Score Player's Action
0-1-2-3-4-5 Draw, unless Banker has a 'Natural'
6-7-8-9 Stand

Banker's Hand

Player Draws Third Card

Score of Banker's Two Cards Draw when Player's Third Card is: Stand when Player's Third Card is:
0-1-2 Draw always, unless Player has a 'Natural' Draw always, unless Player has a 'Natural'
3 0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-9 8
4 2-3-4-5-6-7 0-1-8-9
5 4-5-6-7 0-1-2-3-8-9
6 6-7 0-1-2-3-4-5-8-9
7 Stand always Stand always
8-9 Player and Banker stand Player and Banker stand

Player Doesn't Draw Third Card (Player Stands)

Score of Banker's Two Cards Banker's Action
0-1-2-3-4-5 Draw, unless Player has a 'Natural'
6-7-8-9 Stand

The scores of the player and dealer are compared, and the winner is the one with the highest score. Winning bets on the player pay 1 to 1, winning bets on the banker pay 19 to 20 (even money less a 5% commission) and winning bets on a tie pay 9 to 1.
Note: In case of a 'tie', all bets placed on 'player' or 'banker' are returned to the player.