Baccarat How to Play

How to play baccarat including the objective of baccarat, the procedure of baccarat, hand valuation in baccarat and how to place baccarat stakes.

Objective

In baccarat the hand is played between a dummy banker and dummy player and the bettors wager on who will win. If the player wins, then those who have bet on the player win even money. If the banker wins, then those who have bet on the banker win even money. If there is a tie between the player and banker the bets push.

Procedure

• One of the players is chosen as the dealer by draw of lots.
• The dealer first places his wager followed by the other players.
• The bettor who wagers the most becomes the player for the deal.
• The dealer then deals the cards.
• After the deal is played out the one with the higher hand value between the dealer and player is declared winner.
• If the dealer has won he continues to be dealer. Otherwise the next player to the right becomes the dealer.

Valuation of hands

The cards from twos to nines are assigned their face values.

The hand value is obtained by adding the card values and dropping the tens digit. Some examples are shown below.

• The cards from twos to nines are assigned their face values.
• Tens and the picture cards are assigned a value of 10
• Aces are assigned a value of 1.
• A hand of a three and a six is valued at 9.
• A hand of a seven and a six, whose total is 13, is valued at 3.
• A hand consisting of a seven and a three, which totals 10 is valued at 0. A hand with 0 value is called baccarat.

Placing of stakes

• Any player can match the entire banker’s stake by calling “Banco”.
• If no player call “Banco”, then each player places his own stake.

Deciding the winner

• Two cards are dealt to the player and to the dealer. If any one of them has a hand value of eight or nine he calls out that value. The cards are exposed and the one with the higher hand value wins.
• If neither calls then a third card is offered to the player. If the player’s hand value is 0 to 4 he has to accept and if his hand value is 6 to 9 he has to refuse the third card. If his hand value is 5 then he can choose to accept or refuse. An error in accepting or refusing the third card is a serious breach of rules and can have severe penalties imposed on the errant player. The third card is dealt face up.
• The dealer then decides if he should take the third card. He has no constraints. His decision is based on his hand value, the third card of the player and the nature of the player. Once the dealer decides, the hands are compared and the one with the higher hand value is wins. In case of a tie the bettors have the option of withdrawing their bets or carrying them to the next deal.