Baccarat Rules – The Rules of Playing Baccarat

The rules of baccarat are very easy and a player needs to understand the totals of baccarat cards in order to play baccarat well.

Baccarat basic rules …

The main objective of the baccarat game is to obtain a card total value as close as possible to nine. There are three different types of bet in the baccarat game.  A player may place a bet on the player's hand, the dealer's hand or on a tie. In this game there are certain points to be noted:

• The value of tens and face cards in the game of baccarat is 0.

• Cards from two to nine are considered as shown on the card.

• Aces have the value of one.

• Suits are irrelevant in baccarat.

Baccarat natural or tie …

Two cards are dealt each to the player and dealer.  If either or both of these hands reveal a total of eight or nine, then this is known as a 'natural'.  At this stage no more cards would be dealt.  If the total value of each hand is the same, then this is known as a tie.  In the event that there is no 'natural' or no tie, then an additional card is dealt according to automatic third card rules. 

Baccarat third card rules …

• If the player's original hand totals 6 or more – the player must stand and does not receive additional cards.

• In the situation where a player has a total card value of 5 or less, then the player will receive an additional card.

• If the total of the dealer's hand shows 7 or above, then the house will stand.

• If the total of the dealer's hand is two or lower, then the dealer (or house) will be dealt a third card.

• In the event that the player's third card is any card rather than an eight and the dealer's original hand totals three, then the dealer will receive a third card.

• In the event that the player's third card  is anything other than a one, eight, nine or zero, and the total of the dealer's original hand and is four, then the dealer will receive a third card.

• In the event that a player's third card is a four, five, six or seven and the total of the dealer's original hand is five, then the dealer will receive a third card.

• In the event that a player's third card is a six or seven and the total of the dealer's original hand is six or seven, then the dealer will receive a third card.