Baccarat Rules

Internet Baccarat is an online casino game that is growing in popularity. The Baccarat rules follow strict guidelines that might seem complicated, but it's actually pretty simple to learn Baccarat. And in fact, if you're an absolute Baccarat beginner you don't even have to know the rules of Baccarat. Every action from both dealer and player is pre-determined - all you have to do is place a bet before the hand starts.

However, it's always good to know the rules when you're gambling for money. The official Baccarat rules can be found below.

How Baccarat is played
Baccarat is a game involving two people, the banker (the house) and the player. In addition to this, up to 14 people around the Baccarat table can bet on either the banker or the player to win.
The object of Baccarat is to come as close as possible to 9 in total card value. It's impossible to have a total over 9. If a player's (or banker's) total card value should be 10 or higher, 10 will be subtracted from the total sum.

Individual card values in Baccarat: Ace = 1, 2 to 9 = face value, 10 to King = 0. For example, a hand of 4-D has a total value of 4 (4+0) and that a hand of 8-7 has a total value of 5 (8+7=15. 15-10=5).

Strict procedure
As mentioned above, Baccarat follows a strict procedure. At the start of a Baccarat game both the banker and the player are dealt two cards face down. If either of them has a total value of 8 or 9 (this is called a natural) both hands are turned over and the hand closest to nine wins. If the player's and the banker's hands have the same total value, it's a draw, and the bet is returned to the player.

If no one has a natural (8 or 9), the value of the player's cards decides how the game goes on. If the player's total card value is 6 or 7 he must stand. Otherwise he must take another card.

After this it's the banker's turn to act. The banker's move depends on the value of his own two hole cards and the player's third card. The banker always stands if his total card value is 7. On 6 the banker takes one more card if the third card dealt to the player was a 6 or 7. On 5 the banker takes one more card if the third card dealt to the player was 4-7. On 4 the banker takes another card if the third card dealt to the player was 2-7. On 3 the banker takes another card if the third card dealt to the player was anything but an 8. On a total value of 2-0 the banker always takes another card.

After the banker has made his move the hands are turned over and the player with the total value closest to 9 wins.

Note:
The game played by James Bond is actually Chemin de Fer. Chemin de Fer is a slightly different version of Baccarat.