To play baccarat, you bet on whether the Player hand or the Banker hand will finish closer to 9, or on a Tie, and the dealer then plays both hands by fixed rules. Each hand starts with two cards, tens and face cards count as zero, and if a total goes past 9 you drop the first digit, so a 7 and a 6 make 3.
Baccarat has a reputation for being glamorous and complicated. The glamour is real, but the complexity isn't, because you never make a playing decision. All you choose is where to put your bet. The third card rules look scary on paper, yet the dealer applies them for you. I've taken the rules from the New Jersey gaming regulator and pagat.com, the standard card game reference.
Card values and counting a hand
| Card | Value |
|---|---|
| Ace | 1 |
| 2 to 9 | Face value |
| 10, Jack, Queen, King | 0 |
Add the cards and keep only the last digit. The New Jersey rules give the examples: an ace, a two and a four make 7, while an ace, a two and a nine make 12, which counts as 2. A hand can never be worth more than 9. The game is dealt from a shoe of at least six decks shuffled together, and pagat.com says eight decks is typical in a land casino.
Naturals: an eight or nine on two cards
If either hand totals 8 or 9 on its first two cards, that's a natural, and no more cards are dealt to either hand. A natural 9 beats a natural 8. If both hands have the same natural, it's a tie.
When the Player hand draws
If neither hand has a natural, the Player hand goes first and follows one simple rule from the New Jersey table:
- Player total 0 to 5: draws a third card.
- Player total 6 or 7: stands.
If the Player hand stands, the Banker hand draws on 0 to 5 and stands on 6 or 7, the same as the Player.
The Banker third card chart
When the Player hand has drawn, the Banker's move depends on its own total and the value of the Player's third card. This is the chart straight from the New Jersey regulations:
| Banker total | Banker draws when Player's third card is | Banker stands when Player's third card is |
|---|---|---|
| 0, 1 or 2 | Any card | Never |
| 3 | Anything except 8 | 8 |
| 4 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 | 0, 1, 8 or 9 |
| 5 | 4, 5, 6 or 7 | 0, 1, 2, 3, 8 or 9 |
| 6 | 6 or 7 | Anything else |
| 7 | Never | Always stands |
Pagat.com explains why the rules look so odd. Baccarat used to be played with both two card hands hidden and only the third card shown face up, so the Banker's decision could only depend on that visible card. The modern game kept the old rules.
How a round runs
- Place your bet on Player, Banker or Tie before the dealer calls no more bets.
- Two cards go to the Player hand and two to the Banker hand, alternating, Player first.
- Check for a natural. If either hand has 8 or 9, both stand and you skip to the result.
- The Player hand draws on 0 to 5 or stands on 6 or 7.
- The Banker hand draws or stands by the chart above.
- The hand closer to 9 wins. Equal totals are a tie.
- Winning bets are paid and the next round starts.
The three bets and what they pay
| Bet | Pays | House edge, eight decks (pagat.com) |
|---|---|---|
| Player | 1 to 1 | 1.24% |
| Banker | 1 to 1, less a commission on wins | 1.06% |
| Tie | At least 8 to 1 under New Jersey rules | 14.36% |
If you bet Player or Banker and the hands tie, your bet stands and nobody wins or loses it.
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The commission on Banker wins
The Banker hand wins slightly more often, so casinos take a cut of Banker wins. The New Jersey rules say the commission is either four or five percent of the amount won, at the casino's choice, and pagat.com says five percent is standard, which is why the Banker bet pays 19 to 20. Some tables are commission free. Under the New Jersey rules, one option is that a winning Banker bet on a total of 6 pays only 1 to 2. So check the sign before you sit down, because no commission doesn't mean no catch.
Punto Banco, Chemin de Fer and Mini Baccarat
- Punto Banco is the casino version described on this page, and it's the name you'll hear in the UK, Europe and Australia. Punto means Player and Banco means Banker.
- Chemin de Fer is the older French game, where players take turns as the banker and get some say over drawing. Pagat.com describes it in full.
- Mini Baccarat uses the same rules on a smaller table, with the dealer handling all the cards.
What I'd keep in mind
Baccarat is pure chance, so there's no strategy that changes the result of a hand. Pagat.com's verdict is the one I'd follow: avoid the Tie bet, because its house edge is many times higher than the other two. Banker is the cheapest bet even after the commission. For a home version, deal from a few shuffled decks, use counters, and take turns at being the dealer so everyone learns the chart. Set a limit before you begin and stick to it. If you'd like a card game where your choices matter more, try these two player card games or the Crazy Eights rules.
Frequently asked questions
What is a natural in baccarat?
A two card total of 8 or 9. When either hand has a natural, no more cards are dealt.
What are face cards worth in baccarat?
Tens, jacks, queens and kings are worth zero. Aces are worth 1 and other cards their face value.
When does the Player draw a third card?
On a total of 0 to 5. It stands on 6 or 7.
Why is there a commission on the Banker bet?
The Banker hand wins slightly more often, so the casino takes a commission of four or five percent of Banker wins.
Is the Tie bet worth it?
Pagat.com puts its house edge at 14.36% with eight decks, far higher than the Player or Banker bets.
