New to Baccarat? Don’t worry; we’ve summarised all the basics below, to help you get started at the tables with confidence:
Overview: only two hands are dealt in Baccarat – Player and Banker – no matter how many players are seated at the table. Your role as a player is to bet on the hand that is closet to a point value of 9. You do not play against other players.
Table layout: the layout is straightforward and easy to learn; it is split into sections that are clearly labelled for your bets. Click on your chips to specify your bet amount and then click on the area of the table that corresponds with the bet you wish to make – e.g. Player, Banker, or Tie.
Player, Banker, Tie: if you bet on Player, the Player hand must win for you to receive a payout. Likewise, a Dealer bet wins when the Dealer hand lands the best point total. If you bet on a Tie, the Player and Dealer must have a matching hand to win.
Deal: once all bets have been placed, the dealer will deal 2 face-up cards for the Player hand and then 2 cards for the Dealer hand. The Dealer must stand on a point total of 7, 8 or 9 and the Player must stand on a point total of 6, 7, 8, or 9. If Dealer or Player is dealt a point total of 8 or 9, this is ‘a Natural’ which means a 3rd card cannot be received.
Card values: Numbered cards (2-9) are valued at the amount shown, Aces are valued at 1, while royal cards and 10 cards are valued at zero (0). The points of each hand are added together to get the hand value; only the final digit counts towards the hand’s point total.
Queen (0) + 9 + 5 = total value 14 | Hand value is 4 |
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6 + 4 = total value 10 | Hand value is 0 |
9 + 10 = total value 19 | Hand value is a Natural 9 |
3rd card rule (Player hand): A 3rd card will be automatically drawn to the Player hand in the following circumstances:
- Player hand value = 5 points (or less) – 3rd card is received.
- Player hand value = 6 points (or more) AND Dealer hand = 5 points (or less) – 3rd card is received
3rd card rule (Dealer hand): When the Player hand receives an automatic 3rd card, the following rules for the Dealer hand apply:
- 3rd card always received with a value of 2 (or less)
- Dealer = 3 points AND Player hand = 8 (or less) – 3rd card is received
- Dealer = 4 points, AND player shows total of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 – 3rd card is received
- Dealer = 5 points AND player shows total of 4, 5, 6 or 7 – 3rd card is received
- Dealer = 6 points AND player shows total of 6 or 7 – 3rd card is received