(Baccarat continued)

Playing Baccarat/3rd Card Rules

     

Betting on the banker means that you are betting that the banker's hand will be closer to 9 than the player's hand. The banker's hand actually has a better chance of winning due to the third card rules, which I will go over in a moment. In order to level the playing field a bit, the house charges 5% commission on all winning banker bets. A running count of commission owed to the house is tallied using small markers. Before losing all your money, pay your commission. The banker wager pays even money and the house carries a 1.17% edge on the wager.

Betting on the player means that you are betting that the player's hand will be closer to 9 than the banker's hand. The player is not charged commission for winning bets but gives up a slightly higher edge to the house of 1.36%. Bet on player pays even money also.

In baccarat, all players at the table make a bet on one of the hands (or tie, if they enjoy giving their money away without a fight) and then the dealer deals two cards each for the player hand and the banker hand. Aces count as one and tens and face cards count as zero. All other cards count their face value. A total of 8 or 9 for the first two cards is known as a natural. If either the player or banker has a natural the hand is over and a decision is made immediately.

If the banker does not have a natural, the player's hand will draw a third card if the player's first two cards total 0-5. If the players hand is 6 or greater then the player does not draw.

The banker will stand if the banker's first two cards total 7 or more. On totals of 0,1, and 2 the banker takes one card regardless of what the player has done. If the player does not take a third card, the banker draws if the banker's hand totals 5 or less. Otherwise, the banker takes a third card depending on the value of the player's third card. Below is a figure 6.2 which is a key to figure 6.3. Figure 6.3 is a chart that shows when the banker takes a third card.

Figure 6.2

ND = No Draw

DR = Draw

A = 1

0 = 10,J,Q,K

= No Draw

= Draw

Figure 6.3

Third card rule for banker's hand.
Banker's Hand	Player's 3'rd Card
	ND	A	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0
9
8
7
6							DR	DR
5	DR				DR	DR	DR	DR
4	DR		DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR
3	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR		DR	DR
2	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR
A	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR
0	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR	DR

Keep in mind that the banker's decision to draw is based on the player's 3'rd card and not the player's total.