Basics and tips for a quick start in Baccarat!
The object of baccarat is to obtain a hand with a point total closest to 9. Aces count as one; 2 through 9 as their face value; tens and picture cards count as zero. If the value of the hand is ten points or more, subtract ten, and the remainder is the baccarat point value of the hand. For example: 7+6=13=3 and 4+6=10=0.
Rules of Free Baccarat Game
Place your wager on the banker’s hand and/or on the player’s hand and/or on a tie. The player and the banker are then each dealt a two-card hand. In certain cases, a third card is dealt to the player or the banker or both (Third Card Rules). Cards are dealt from a shoe that holds 6 decks of cards. The decks are shuffled each round.
The player closest to 9, wins.
If you bet on the player and the player wins, you are paid 2 for 1 winnings on your bet.
If you bet on the banker and the banker wins, you are paid 2 for 1 minus 5% bank commission (vigorish).
If both the player’s hand and the banker’s hand have equal totals, the game result is a ‘tie’. If you have placed a bet on the ‘tie’ field, your payoff is 9 for 1. Non-tie bets are returned to you if a tie occurs.
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:
| Player | |
| Point Value of First Two Cards: | |
| 0 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 | Draws a card |
| 6 – 7 | Stands |
| 8 – 9 | “Natural hand”, no further draw |
If the player stands, then the banker hits on a total of 5 or less. If the player does hit then use the table below to determine if the banker hits or stands.
| Banker | ||
| Point Value of First Two Cards | Draws when the player’s third card is: | Does not draw when the player’s third card is: |
| 0 – 1 – 2 | Always draws a card | |
| 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 – |
| 7 | Always stands | |
| 8 – 9 | Player cannot draw | Player cannot draw |
Important note: If either the player and /or the Banker has a total of 8 or 9, they both stand. This Rule overrides all other rules.
There you go! A simple and quick guide to get you into the game of Baccarat.