Understanding the rules about totals, the player will sit down at the table and place a bet on the player, the banker, or the tie. The cards are shuffled, usually eight decks to a group, and placed in a shoe. The player immediately to the right of the casino dealer is offered the shoe and, if he accepts it, he deals the cards. He plays the banker hand while he retains the shoe. Two cards are dealt for both the player hand and the banker hand. The player turns his cards over first. The dealer will usually offer the player hand to the bettor who has made the greatest bet on player. If there is more than one high bet, the first high hand to the dealer's right will get the privilege of turning over the player hand. This is the only player hand that is dealt, regardless of the number of people sitting around the table. After the player hand is turned up, the banker exposes his hand. The totals are called out by the dealer and the following rules apply:
Rules for Player
A. If either two-card hand totals eight or nine, this is called a natural and always wins! The only variation on this is that if both hands are natural, the nine will always win over the eight.
B. If the hands tie, the hand is called just that, a tie, and all bets made in the tie area of the layout are paid at the rate of eight to one.
C. Should there be neither a natural nor a tie, the game proceeds. If the total count of the player hand is from zero to five, he must draw one card.
D. If the total count of the player hand is a six or seven, eight or nine, he must stand. He cannot draw a card.
Rules for Banker
The rules for the banker hand are a bit more complex, but are really not all that difficult:
A. When the banker has a count, in two cards, of zero, one, or two, he must draw one card unless the player has a natural eight or nine.
B. If the banker hand totals three and the player hand totals, with three cards, anywhere from zero to seven, or nine, the banker hand draws one card.
C. If the banker hand totals four and the player hand totals, with three cards, anywhere from two to seven, or nine, the banker hand draws one card.
D. If the banker hand totals five and the player hand totals, with three cards, anywhere from four to seven the banker hand draws one card.
E. If the banker hand totals six and the player hand totals, with three cards, either six or seven, the banker hand draws one card.
F. The banker hand must stand with a two-card count of seven, eight, or nine, regardless of the player hand's two-card or three-card total.
G. A natural eight or nine, by either the player hand or the banker hand, will cause the opponent to stand.
Sounds complicated? It really isn't once you have played a few times. But, don't worry! The dealer will always tell the banker (the player dealing from the shoe) what he is supposed to do. Also, there are always little folders called gaming guides, available in every Baccarat area that will have all of the rules printed in them. Ask for help. It will be graciously given to you.
Casino Commission
Having described the rules, may I add that there is a slight edge to betting on the banker hand? This edge is approximately 21/2 percent. The casino advantage is only 1.25 percent on player and 1.06 percent on banker. Because of this edge, and the need for a profit for the online casino, there will always be the 5 percent commission charged on all winning bets that are made on banker. This 5 percent does not apply to bets that are made on the player hand, or on a tie. It doesn't even apply to losing bets that are made on banker.
