How to Play Baccarat
Because there is little for the participant to really do asides from making a bet every round, baccarat really is an easy casino game to enjoy. Neither the player or the banker have to make any choices, the rules decide exactly what happens.
The object of the game is to get closer to nine with your card total then the dealer does. A hand cannot “bust” like in Blackjack. The game is played “modulo 10″, if your total exceeds 10 you deduct ten from the total until the total is no higher than 9.
The player first decides where to bet, then once bets are complete everybody is dealt 2 cards to start with.
When the players hand or bankers total is an 8 or 9, they’ve got a natural and no one receives any further cards. When both the player and banker receive a “natural”, then the end result is a tie.
If neither the player or banker receives a “natural”, then the following rules control what occurs next:
The player goes initially:
| The Players Hand Is: | The Dealers Hand Is: |
| 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 | Takes a third card |
| 6, 7 | Stays |
After the players turn, the bankers hand receives an addional card (or not) based on the players draw:
| The Bankers Required Action: | ||
| 0, 1, 2 | Anything | Draws a card |
| 3 | 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 | Draws a card |
| 8 | Stay | |
| 9 | No further cards | |
| 4 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 | Draws a card |
| 0, 1, 8 or 9 | Stays | |
| 5 | 5, 6 or 7 | Draw a card |
| 0, 1, 2, 3, 8 or 9 | No further cards | |
| 4 | Draw a card | |
| 6 | 6 or 7 | Takes a card |
| 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 or 9 | Stays | |
| 7 | Anything | Stay |
After the deal is complete, the hand with a value closest to nine wins.
