How to play baccarat: learn the rules to win at baccarat

O baccarat́ (baccarat game in English) is a quite popular casino game due to its simplicity it is one of the few games in which house chances are not higher than those of the players. Before you start playing, learn the rules of the game and betting options and increase your chances of winning.

Learn how to play baccarat

In online Baccarat the game begins with the dealer dealing two cards to two different hands, one hand is known as the player hand the other called banker's hand . Baccarat is considered a simple game because the dealer will do all the work, the player will only need to choose his bet type: betting on the player's hand, the banker's hand or the tie.

• In The Player : betting that the player's hand will win
• The Banker : betting that the banker's hand will win
• Draw : betting that both hands will have the same value

Objective of the game baccarat

O goal of the game is to get as close as possible to 9 points . There are not many decisions to be made, since the rules are predetermined. All you have to do is choose who to bet on: on the player, on the bank, or on the less common, on the tie between the two. The bank in baccarat does not refer to the house, it is just one of the two parties to bet on when marking the table. Once the bets are placed, the dealer will draw the cards and you have no more decisions to make.

All final values must be between 0 and 9, and when the total value reaches 10 or more, the ten must be discarded (decrease 10) and only the second number will be considered.

For example, if the player is given an 8 and a 7, the sum of this combination is 15, so the final value will be 5 (15 minus 10). Another example, if the player gets two 9s, the sum will be 18. Therefore, the second number of the sum, which is 8, will be considered the final value.

Remember, the sum of the cards that will be evaluated by the banker can never exceed 9.

If you bet on the player's hand or the banker's hand, the payout is 1 to 1. The bet on the tie, however, pays 8 to 1. When you bet on the bank and win the bet, you will need to pay a fee.

The baccarat tables

• The Baccarat table admits 14 players.
• On the table is marked where each player must bet, from 1 to 15, the number 13 is ignored, for reasons of superstition.
• The table is marked with three boxes in front of each player's number, for them to place their bets. A box for bets on the player, a box for bets on the bank, and a box for bets on the draw. Players bet on one of the three boxes. The cards are dealt between the bettor's and bank's boxes, and placed in the center of the table.
• Baccarat is played with six, eight or nine decks, depending on the casino, and the cards are shuffled each round.
• The Mini baccarat table is half the size of the regular table, with room for only seven players.

Gameplay in baccarat

• You must place your chips on the player, bank or draw in a bet box on the table. No card is drawn until all bets are placed.
• In the first round, the player is dealt two cards face up in the player's box and the banker is dealt two cards also face up in the bank's box. In face-to-face casinos, the dealer, also known as the croupier, will distribute and call the total amount of points, and dictate how the game will proceed from there.
• If the banker or player has an 8 or a 9, called a natural hand, whichever comes closest to 9 wins and the round ends.
• If the player and the bank have the same amount of points, the tie bets win.
• If no one has a natural or a tie, the value of the player's hand will dictate what happens next:
  • If the player has a 7 or a 6, he stays.
  • If the player is 5-0, he will take another card added to the total value of the hand and this will end the players hand.

Rules for player's third card

Total 2 player cards	Player action
0-5	Remove the third card
6-7	Be
8-9	Stay at natural & hand ends

Rules for the dealer's third card

The dealer's third card rules are pre-determined and will help you understand why you won or lost bets. Check it out below:

• If the dealer has a 7, 8, or 9, he stays.
• If the dealer has a 6 and the player's third card is a 6-7, he draws another card.
• If the dealer has a 5 and the player's third card is a 4-7, he draws another card.
• If the dealer has a 4 and the player's third card is a 2-7, he draws another card.
• If the dealer has a 3 and the player's third card is any card except the 8, he draws another card.
• If the dealer has 0-2, he draws another card.

Summary of the rules for the Dealer's third card

Banker's point	Player's third card
	N	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
9	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
8	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
7	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
6	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	D	D	S	S
5	D	S	S	S	S	D	D	D	D	S	S
4	D	S	S	D	D	D	D	D	D	S	S
3	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	S	D
2	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
1	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
0	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D

• N= Player does not draw card
• D= Letter Withdrawn. (in English: ”Draw Card)
• S = Stands with his cards (in English " Stand). The third card is not withdrawn.

Now that the round is over, you can compare who won. The one closest to the 9 wins the round and if there is a tie between the player and the bank, no one wins or loses. But who really wins the bets? Well, it depends on where you put your money.

Baccarat betting options

Unlike the online blackjack and from similar games, in baccarat you do not play " contra the dealer. You bet on the player, the bank or the tie.

You can play free Baccarat before you bet your money on online casinos. Practice and simulate different bets to master the game more and more.

How to play baccarat at in-person casinos

Frequently asked questions & how to play baccarat