Baccarat Rules

Baccarat is an elegant casino table game played between a player and banker. Similar to blackjack, the goal is to get a hand value as close to 9 as possible. However, baccarat follows strict dealing and drawing rules that determine results. Learning these key baccarat rules gives beginners a strong foundation to play properly and maximize enjoyment of the game.

Baccarat Third Card Rule Chart

The main baccarat rules center on whether a third card gets drawn to player and banker hands per this reference chart:

Player/Banker Totals	0-1-2-3-4-5	6-7	8-9
3	Draw	Stand	Stand
4	Draw	Draw	Stand
5	Draw	Draw	Stand
6	Draw	Draw	Stand
7	Stand	Stand	Stand

So if a player gets 5 and the banker gets 3, only the banker would receive another card based on the rules.

Baccarat Drawing Rules

Beyond the scenarios above, here are some additional baccarat dealing procedures:

• There are no player strategy choices or hitting/standing decisions
• If either the player or banker gets an 8 or 9 (a “natural”) – no more cards get dealt
• If the player stands, then the banker hits on totals of 5 or less
• If the player does not have a natural, the banker always hits on totals of 0-2
• If the player drew the 3rd card, the Banker acts according to the table rules

Following proper baccarat drawing rules is critical to navigating common game situations.

Banker

The dealer actually controls the banker hand at all times. Players only get to play the separate player hand by betting on it. After bets are placed, the banker and player are each dealt two cards. Totals determine if a third gets drawn per the chart above before finalizing the winner with closest to 9.

Stadium Baccarat

A popular live and online baccarat format is called stadium or table baccarat. It has a large curved table with three dealers and numbered spots similar to roulette. Players can bet on any numbered spot with up to 200+ seats in some cases. The stadium setup allows fast gameplay for an interactive experience.

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